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Elly Roberts reviews
Parlophone
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 3369859
- Running time: 140 mins
- Pressing: 2005
- Region(s): 0, PAL
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Linear PCM Stereo
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: None
- Widescreen: 16:9
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £13.99
- Rating: 10/10
Past masters shake-off the cobwebs unifying in majestic style – it’s time for leather pants, sneakers, big hair and equally big music.
Fifty percent of the original Queen line-up (Brian May/Roger Taylor),several musical chums, and legendary ex-Free frontman revive theircollective repertoires at Hallam FM Arena Sheffield on May 9 this year. Adaring concept from the outset, they successfully pull it off.
Purists from both rock camps might spurn this one when there’s the QueenHits DVD, Queen Live at Wembley et al, already on offer. They shouldn’t.
Using the unique combination of a ‘super-group’ and ‘rock god’ might seemabsurd. In reality, it works because of the respect fans have for what’s onoffer – a scintillating night of some of the greatest audio moments inhistory, and the personalities involved. It could have turned into a tributeband: it became a tribute to the music instead.
Filmed in front of a packed house, the ‘band’ thrills fans who rememberQueen and Rodgers the first time around (like me) and ones who weren’t evenborn during their collective heydays. Ok, Freddie Mercury was always goingto be a tough act (that could never be) followed, and George Michael’sattempt in the early 90s proved it. Sufficient time has elapsed for amarked credibility to be re-established for the idea, and the timingcouldn’t have been better – nearly 20 years since Queen last performed live.
Of all the singers available, Rodgers is the one who fits the bill perfectlyas he adds a rough edged Blues style to the combined anthems.
For a man in his 50s, Rodgers looks in great shape. May, complete withtrademark curls never seems to age. Drummer Taylor looks a bit podgy.Nevertheless, all the heroes have what it takes.
This, the visual companion to the CD of the same title, allows us to get togrips with the show. Live albums rarely do the job, as it’s invariably thesight of our gods we actually enjoy the most: this is no exception.
Using multi-angled shots (18 cameras), 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo we geta good earful of the night’s rocking. May postures as normal while he ripsinto his custom made guitar, Taylor does his usual stylish job on the stickswhile Rodgers makes no attempt to go rampant ah la Freddie – it’s straightdown the middle for him. A perma-smiling Rodgers seems to be enjoying itmore than the others, as his face beams even more as they let rip into AllRight Now. The crowd go nuts. When Brian May tackles a solo Love Of My Life,it brings a high emotional reaction from the guitarist.
The setlist contains other biggies and more, including Taylor’s thoughtprovoking Say It’s Not True written to help Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aidscampaign. There’s also a chance to hear material never heard before live -like The Show Must Go On.
Overall, it’s a dazzling display of musicianshipand technique-few could match them today. More importantly, this night isall about the songs which still resonate. Like all Queen performances,(which I saw at Maine Road Manchester 1986) no attempt was made to replicatethe operetta section of Bohemian Rhapsody. This time there’s extended videomontage of band – original video ’75 – and live Freddie snippets.
The music still sounds great; the reaction is still the same. They werechampions’ way back and they’re champions today.
NB. This DVD went straight in at No.1 in the Music DVD charts w/c Nov 7.
Tracklist includes: Tie Your Mother Down, Wishing Well, Love Of My Life, Radio Ga Ga,A Kind Of Magic, Bohemian Rhapsody, All Right Now, We Are The Champions.
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.