Queen -- one of rock’s biggest, arena-packing giants -- will rock you once again.
The legendary U.K. band, still featuring original members Brian May (guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums), are set to embark on a 19-date North American tour on June 19. For those of you wondering if they’ll be using hologram technology (ala Tupac at 2012's Coachella) to render original lead singer, Freddie Mercury (who passed away in 1991), onstage -- relax: Adam Lambert will be taking over lead singing duties and joining the band for the entire tour.
The singer, who rose to fame after competing (and eventually becoming runner-up) on American Idol during its eighth season, has released two smash studio albums, 2009’s For Your Entertainment and 2012’s Trespassing – both of which capitalized on Lambert’s theatrical singing style and his penchant for crafting instantly memorable pop hits. He was nominated for the 2011 Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance for his song “Whataya Want From Me” and became the first openly gay artist to have an album (Trespassing) debut at the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Of course, being asked to join one of the biggest rock juggernauts in history, places Lambert in some daunting territory. Since 1970, Queen has released 18 number one albums and sold over 150 million albums worldwide. The band’s 1985 Live Aid performance is widely regarded as one of the best rock performances of all time. In other words, Lambert has some pretty big shoes to fill.
The San Diego native, who grew up in Rancho Penasquitos, recently told Rolling Stone, “I’m honored to be able to pay my respects to Freddie’s memory; he’s a personal hero of mine, and I am deeply grateful for the chance to sing such powerful music for fans of this legendary band.”
At a recent press conference, May said they haven’t yet finalized a list of songs from their catalog that they’ll be performing on tour but the shows promise to be phenomenal, with rock staples such as “We Are the Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” and “Another One Bites the Dust” to choose from, among countless other hits.
Rest assured, the band and Lambert aren’t going into this unprepared. They’ve collaborated three times prior to this tour: In 2009, they performed “We Are the Champions” together on American Idol, then teamed up again for the 2011 European MTV Music Awards and in 2012, Queen invited him to join them for several shows during their European tour.
Sadly, it looks like there hasn't been a San Diego show announced at this time but, hopefully, the band will add more stops. Due to Lambert’s vocal prowess and his flair for theatrics, he’s a natural choice for the band.
Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates
6/19: Chicago - United Center
6/21: Winnipeg - MTS Centre
6/23: Saskatoon - Credit Union Centre
6/24: Edmonton - Rexall Place
6/26: Calgary - Scotiabank Saddledome
6/28: Vancouver - Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
7/1: San Jose - SAP Center
7/3: Los Angeles - The Forum
7/5: Las Vegas - The Joint
7/6: Las Vegas - The Joint
7/9: Houston - Toyota Center
7/10: Dallas - American Airlines Center
7/12: Detroit - The Palace of Auburn Hills
7/13: Toronto - Air Canada Centre
7/14: Montreal - Bell Centre
7/16: Philadelphia - Wells Fargo Center
7/17: New York - Madison Square Garden
7/19: Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
7/20: Washington, DC - Merriweather Post Pavilion
6/21: Winnipeg - MTS Centre
6/23: Saskatoon - Credit Union Centre
6/24: Edmonton - Rexall Place
6/26: Calgary - Scotiabank Saddledome
6/28: Vancouver - Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena
7/1: San Jose - SAP Center
7/3: Los Angeles - The Forum
7/5: Las Vegas - The Joint
7/6: Las Vegas - The Joint
7/9: Houston - Toyota Center
7/10: Dallas - American Airlines Center
7/12: Detroit - The Palace of Auburn Hills
7/13: Toronto - Air Canada Centre
7/14: Montreal - Bell Centre
7/16: Philadelphia - Wells Fargo Center
7/17: New York - Madison Square Garden
7/19: Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
7/20: Washington, DC - Merriweather Post Pavilion
