There is nothing like the words “cover” and “band” together to scare off serious rock fans. However, the Queen covers act The Queen Extravaganza does it remarkably well.
After the death of Freddie Mercury, Queen didn’t immediately continue with a new singer. Over the years they have remained active with a guest singer (George Michael, Paul Rodgers and now Adam Lambert). Brian May and Roger Taylor were also clever in their forward thinking by keeping the songs alive and in front of fans with the musical ‘We Will Rock You’.
The Queen Extravaganza comes from May and Taylor. Roger Taylor specifically acts as Executive Producer of the project. May and Taylor personally selected each member of the act and coached them on how to act exactly like Queen in a live performance.
What you have with singer Marc Martell, drummer and musical director Tyler Warren, bass player Francois-Olivier Doyon, guitarist Nick Radcliffe and keyboard player Brandon Ethridge is a replica of the essence of the Queen rock show.
Martell has perfected the Mercury stand and has a voice remarkably similar to Freddie. Radcliffe plays note perfect Brian May and Warren has the double act of not only copying the unique drum styling of Roger Taylor but also the occasional lead vocal of Roger on songs like ‘I’m In Love With My Car’.
The Queen Extravaganza is ingenious. It allows the older May and Taylor to kick back at home while their music is heard by thousands around the world. It also elongates the Queen brand with these guys easily capable of taking this forward 30 or so years, if they choose, while May and Taylor chase grannies around the old people’s home.
The setlist is classic Queen, not at all unlike what you would have heard at the Adam Lambert + Queen shows earlier this year.
Martell indicated at the Melbourne show that they will be performing a complete show of ‘A Night At The Opera’ when they return to the UK in coming months and could possibly bring that show back to Australia.
PHOTO GALLERY: The Queen Extravaganza in Melbourne, photos by Ros O’Gorman
The Queen Extravaganza setlist
Set 1
Tie Your Mother Down
Don’t Stop Me Now
Save Me
Seven Seas Of Rye
Killer Queen
Hammer To Fall
Dragon Attack
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Love Of My Life
A Kind of Magic
Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon
I’m In Love With My Car
Bohemian Rhapsody
Set 2:
Under Pressure
I Want It All
Another One Bites The Dust
Drum Solo
Ogre Battle
Stone Cold Crazy
I Want To Break Free
Radio Ga Ga
Fat Bottomed Girls
Somebody To Love
Encore:
The Show Must Go On
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions
The final show for The Queen Extravaganza is tomorrow, October 13 in Perth.
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