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Live Aid to be turned into a Westend Musical

Live Aid to be turned into a Westend Musical

by | Oct 2, 2023 | Music News

Live Aid The Musical… Live Aid concert to be turned into stage musical

Live Aid, probably THE most famous music concert of all time is being turned into a Westend stage musical in London in 2024.

Originally set up in 1985 to raise money for the millions of starving people in Ethiopia during a famine there, the Musical tells the story behind the day.

Live Aid the Musical will be called “Just For One Day” which is a line from the song Heroes. The stage show and musical will feature songs played that day by acts including of course Queen but also Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, U2, and Sting. The show will be performed at London’s Old Vic Theatre running from 26 January to 30 March 2024. Bob Geldof has reiterated that this “isn’t a tribute thing” and that it’s not about the people but that the “songs drive the drama along”.

The plot of the Live Aid Musical “Just For One Day”, will show how the day came to be and will be “based on actual testimony from the day”.

To stay in line with the original ethos of the Live Aid show in 1985, 10% of of all ticket sales from the show will go to the Band Aid Charitable Trust.

The character of Bob Geldof will be played by Craige Els, who has previously appeared on Dr Who. Watching this in rehearsals, Bob Geldof said “It’s bad enough being Bob Geldof. It’s slightly worse seeing someone else pretending to be you. “

The Original History of Live Aid

Live Aid, which was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, was held in Philadelphia as well as at Wembley Stadium. It had probably the most prestigious lineup of musical acts in history including Queen, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Elton John, David Bowie, Tina Turner, U2, Madonna, George Michael, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, and many others who played to sold-out crowds at Wembley and JFK stadiums as viewers across the planet watched at home, thanks to TV producers who created one of the first live international satellite hookups. An estimated 1.9m people watched this on TV and probably millions more since the advent of YouTube.

Queen definitely stole the show at Live Aid and this was featured in the 2018 Queen Biopic Bohemian Rhapsody which won Rami Malek an Oscar.

So What do you Think of Live Aid the Musical Idea?

If you have any comments about this show, good or bad, please leave a comment below.

Heading to a Biker Festival in Florida – Free Queen Concert

Heading to a Biker Festival in Florida – Free Queen Concert

by | Sep 27, 2023 | Shanes Queen Site

I will be heading to Florida on 14th October with Celebrating Queen for two shows. The main show is a Headline slot at the Cotee River Bike Fest. If you are looking for a Free Queen Concert then that’s the place to be on 14th. The Cotee Bike Festival has Tons of Pre-Owned Bikes, Live Music on Multiple Stages, a Large Bike Show, a number of Food and Beverage Vendors, and a lot more to enjoy. 

Cotee River Bike Fest, Florida

Founded in 2005, the Cotee Bike Fest takes place over 3 days in mid-October in the City of New Port Richey. The downtown streets of New Port Richey are blocked off to everything except motorcycles during the Cotee River Bike Fest. It is a biker festival full of fun and many are there to compete in over 20 classes of bike shows which are held on Saturday and Sunday.  There are two separate stages and many different style bands will be performing including ourselves, with, Celebrating Queen which, if you are in the area will be a Free Queen Concert. The bands will certainly keep the bike festival energy high, providing the perfect backdrop as you admire the gleaming rows of bikes lining the streets.

Freddie Show – Punta Gorda

After we play the headline slot at the Cotee River Bike Fest, we then bring the 3-man show “Freddie: Songs of a Legend” to Punta Gorda, and the venue this time is Cass Cay. We performed this show back in January for the first time at this location and it went down a storm. So if you are in the area and you want to hear some classic Freddie songs and a few deep cuts then come along to Cass Cay in Punta Gorda on 17th October for a great night.

At the moment that is all I have on the books but I may hear of a New Year’s gig very soon.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Facebook. Instagram and YouTube channels for more information on these and much more. If you are based in Florida and want to attend a Free Queen Concert, then come along to the Cotee River Bike Fest on 14th October.

Queen Tribute performing in Bristol Connecticut

Queen Tribute performing in Bristol Connecticut

by | Aug 29, 2023 | Queen Related Events, Shanes Queen Site

Celebrating Queen Tribute in Bristol Connecticut

Celebrating Queen take their fantastic Queen tribute show to Bristol Connecticut, and the Rockwell Theatre, Bristol Connecticut on September 9th, 2023. Celebrating Queen Live at the Rockwell Theatre (formerly the Memorial Boulevard Theatre), in Bristol CT is right off the back of the Celebrating Queen Tribute Band performing a sold-out showcase gig at the Silverton Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV on August 19th.

The Queen Tribute show at the Bristol-based Rockwell Theatre on September 9th starts at 8 pm and will be 2 hours of Queen hits, back to back; Celebrating Queen are always performing a wall of vocals and the very best musicians you could ask for (including myself here from Shane’s Queen Site). You can expect all the Queen hits from Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, One Vision and Don’t Stop Me Now to Killer Queen, Hammer to Fall, We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions, and many many more Queen classics. The Celebrating Queen Tribute set list has Queen all the hits from 1974 to 1991 – It’s a Queen Tribute show not to be missed and it’s right with you in Bristol Connecticut.

Celebrating Queen Tribute has performed across the world since 2007 and is the Foremost Tribute to the Music of Queen. This Queen show will be a homecoming for Bristol natives Jeaux (lead singer JJ Midnight)  and Carl Archambeault as Celebrating Queen brings their show back to Bristol for a second time in September.

The Celebrating Queen band is comprised of JJ Midnight on lead vocals, CJ Midnight on Voicestravarius, Darrell Craig Harris on Bass, Steve Burchell on Guitar, James Sloan on Percussion, and Celebrating Queen Keyboardist Shane McDonald who is also the Musical Director for the shows.

You can get your tickets for Celebrating Queen in Bristol Connecticut by visiting https://www.celebratingqueen.com/bristol/ !

Celebrating Queen, Bristol CT - BUY TICKETS

 

CELEBRATING QUEEN TRIBUTE BAND IN BRISTOL CONNECTICUT

Following their SOLD-OUT Celebrating Queen show in Las Vegas, NV, the Queen tribute band will perform in Bristol Connecticut on 9th September and the smaller Freddie Tribute show will be performed in Florida in October at Cass Cay (more news on that later).

If you are attending the Celebrating Queen Bristol Connecticut show please leave a comment below and don’t forget to share this post with others who may be interested in coming along on 9th September at the Rockwell Theatre, Bristol, Connecticut.

Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial

Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial

by | Jul 13, 2023 | Shanes Queen Site

My 100th YouTube video is now online. It is a video on How to Play Somebody to Love on Piano. The Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial took a bit of work to get done – a busy few weeks and getting time to record was difficult, but I’m glad it is done as it is a song that I love to play and which is also one which I am sure many people will want to learn. I have many more Queen songs already covered and these are on this site under the ‘How to Play Queen‘ songs section.

Keys to Learning Somebody to Love

If you plan on learning Somebody to Love then you have to remember a few things.

  1. The song is written in 6/8 time, so the beat is at the start on the ONE … thus; ONE 2 3 4 5 6   ONE 2 3 4 5 6  etc
  2. The song is in Ab – this can be a tricky key to play in so you may need to practice your Db, Eb, Fm, Fm7, Bb7, Ab, Gb chords in order to play this song smoothly
  3. Your timing will be important when playing this live, you are very much at the whim of the person on vocals for the intro and after the acappella section (unless of course, you are using a click track)
  4. Take a look at the album version and also the live version and see which version you prefer – always good to challenge the norm
  5. Learn the chords by heart – it’s a tricky song so if you know the chords in your head you can enjoy the song better when playing it on piano.
    The chords are displayed on the video – check out the section of the video where the cover version is played.

Watch the Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial

If you want to watch the video you can visit the Shane’s Queen Site YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8a_5Hhzqg or you can scroll to the end of this page where the video is embedded.

About Somebody to Love

“Somebody to Love” is a popular song by Queen, released in 1976. It was written by lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and the song conveys a universal longing for companionship and love. It begins with a soulful piano intro, leading into a powerful vocal performance by Mercury.

The lyrics express a deep yearning for someone to share life’s joys and sorrows with, someone to understand and support the singer. The song’s gospel-inspired harmonies and dynamic instrumentation add to its emotional impact, creating a sense of longing and desperation. The iconic chorus captures the essence of the song, with Mercury’s impassioned vocals pleading for the key lyric “Somebody to Love”.

Somebody to Love is a testament to Queen’s ability to blend rock with elements of gospel and soul, showcasing their versatility as a band. Freddie really liked Aretha Franklyn and I believe the song is both a tribute to her and also Freddie’s wish to create something along the gospel lines/style. The song’s universal theme and heartfelt delivery continue to resonate with listeners, making it an enduring anthem for those in search of love and connection.

Freddie actually said that he thought it was a better-written song than Bohemian Rhapsody.

Somebody to Love Piano Tutorial Video on YouTube

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Is Bohemian Rhapsody 2 going to happen?

Is Bohemian Rhapsody 2 going to happen?

by | Jul 5, 2023 | General Queen News

Is Bohemian Rhapsody 2 going to happen?

Recently Sir Dr. Brian May commented regarding a follow-up to the Bohemian Rhapsody Movie. What most people are calling “Bohemian Rhapsody 2” is apparently in the works and Brian May is after commenting on this.

Brian has already said that he found the idea of working on a sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody “exciting” and “very attractive” and the chances are that the Bohemian Rhapsody 2 movie would probably be called The Show Must Go On.

Brian May has said that they are talking about it and that he would love to make a sequel but that they are looking mainly at the script and that the right script would allow them to do Bohemian Rhapsody 2. Considering it took 12 years to find the script for the original movie it may not be as easy to do as one may think.

There is a lot to cover. After Live Aid in 1985, Freddie and Queen still had over six years together and this saw the release of 3 more albums in this time with 1 more studio album (Made in Heaven) being released after Freddie’s death in 1991

Brian has said that even if they came up with a script whether it would be a film he wasn’t sure. He did go on to say that the only way Bohemian Rhapsody 2 would happen is if it works and also moves people the same way the original movie did. At the moment they haven’t found a way of doing that right now.

Brian has confirmed that he would love to reunite the original cast for Bohemian Rhapsody 2; Brian had high praise for all the actors especially Gwilym Lee who played Brian in the movie as he was able to capture Brian’s voice so well that people thought Brian had dubbed the voice in the movie.

So what would a Bohemian Rhapsody Movie Sequel look like?

The Bohemian Rhapsody Sequel would continue from where the first movie left off, that being the amazing success of Live Aid. There are 6 years to cover during Freddie’s life and a possible 4 further years afterwards which could have some role in the script.

The following are 12 key Queen milestones that occurred after Live Aid;

  • The recording and release of the ‘Kind of Magic’ Album.
  • Freddie recording the Barcelona album with Monseratt Carballe
  • Some of Freddie’s other solo releases such as The Great Pretender
  • Freddie’s AIDs diagnosis and how the band took the news
  • The recording and release of ‘The Miracle’ album in 1989.
  • Brian May’s Dads death and his marriage break-up.
  • The recording and release of the  last Queen album during Freddie’s lifetime ‘Innuendo’
  • Freddie Mercury’s death in November 1991
  • The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in April 1992
  • The completion of ‘Made in Heaven’ using Freddie’s vocals from 1991.
  • The Release of tracks like ‘Living on my Own’ in 1993 – a Number 1 for Freddie
  • The legacy of Queen … Queen and Paul Rogers / Adam Lambert …. new generations of fans

There are many other options for Bohemian Rhapsody 2   … but will it ever happen?

In a recent poll, more Queen fans were opposed to a sequel than wanted one – the results being that 67% of fans polled wanted no sequel.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below !

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Piano Tutorials

Bohemian Rhapsody Piano Tutorials

by | May 29, 2023 | Shanes Queen Site

All 3 sections of the song Bohemian Rhapsody have been broken down and are now available as piano tutorials on my YouTube channel. If you want to know How to Play Bohemian Rhapsody then you can visit the Shane’s Queen Site YouTube channel and review and learn all 3 sections of this classic song. The Bohemian Rhapsody Piano Tutorial videos have 2 parts ; the first part has a slowed down fully explained walkthrough the song and then in the second part there is a full cover with the chords of Bohemian Rhapsody displayed on screen so that you can play along.

Bohemian Rhapsody Tutorial Section 1 (Intro Section)

This is everything from the start of the song, through the guitar solo and ends at the start of the opera section.

Tutorial Section 2 (Opera Section)

This is the iconic Opera Section of Bohemian Rhapsody and is a tricky section to master as there are a number of chords that occur in quick succession with no real logic as to their appearance. This section ends at the start of the hard rock section.

Tutorial Section 3 (Rock Section)

This is everything from the rock section to the end of the song. Not a particularly tough section to master, the hardest part of this section is the Bb bass run which occurs in the left hand and can be tricky to get right … even for the seasoned player.

If you have any questions about How to Play Bohemian Rhapsody on Piano please do drop a comment on this post.

Don’t forget to vote for which Piano Tutorial you want to see next…   <— Click here to Vote!

I will be doing more piano tutorials in the coming months but I do hope that you enjoy the Bohemian Rhapsody Piano Tutorials. Don’t forget the Bohemian Rhapsody Chords are available on the Chords & Tab section of this website if you just want to review the music.

Brian May apparently in talks for Bohemian Rhapsody Movie sequel

Brian May apparently in talks for Bohemian Rhapsody Movie sequel

by | Mar 5, 2023 | Interesting Queen Items

According to recent media reports, Queen guitarist Brian May seems to be looking at a sequel to the Queen Biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

Brian was quoted as having said, “there’s plenty more mileage in the band’s story“. Brian also hinted at the fact that he wants the same actors, including Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, Gwilym Lee as Brian May, Ben Hardy as Roger Taylor, and Joe Mazzello as John Deacon, to reprise their roles in this sequel, calling the actors ‘phenomenal’ in their roles. Brian went on to say “It’s so tempting to do the sequel – it would be worth it just to work with those boys again.“

So what would a Bohemian Rhapsody Movie Sequel look like?

The Bohemian Rhapsody Sequel would continue from where the first movie left off, that being the amazing success of Live Aid.

The following are 10 key Queen milestones which occurred after Live Aid;

  • The recording of the ‘Kind of Magic’ Album.
  • Freddie recording the Barcelona album with Monseratt Carballe
  • Some of Freddie’s other solo releases such as The Great Pretender
  • Freddie’s AIDs diagnosis
  • The recording of ‘The Miracle’ album in 1989.
  • Brian May’s Dads death and his marriage break-up.
  • The recording of the  last Queen album ‘Innuendo’
  • Freddie Mercury’s death
  • The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  • The recording of ‘Made in Heaven’ using Freddie’s vocals from 1991.

There are many other options for Bohemian Rhapsody 2   … but will it ever happen?

The Public Opinion

In a poll that I ran on Twitter last year, asking if people wanted to see a sequel to the Bohemian Rhapsody Movie, 83% of those who responded said No.

What do you think? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think about Brian’s plans for a movie sequel to Bohemian Rhapsody.

If you wish to read more about this topic, please take a look at this post on the same topic from last year; Are Brian May & Roger Taylor planning a Sequel, Bohemian Rhapsody 2?

 

We Will Rock You Returns to London

We Will Rock You Returns to London

by | Dec 6, 2022 | Interesting Queen Items, Queen Related Events

The We Will Rock You (London show) returns to the West End, 21 years after it first exploded onto the theatre scene in London, The now world-side smash show by Queen and Ben Elton returns to London in 2023 for a strictly limited 12-week run at the London Coliseum, St Martin’s Ln, London. The London Coliseum is the very same venue that saw Freddie Mercury’s Royal Ballet gala performance back in 1979.

The We Will Rock You musical features 24 of Queen’s greatest hits and has a really well-written script. I myself saw the We Will Rock You London show when it was back in the Dominion Theatre, which also saw the huge Freddie Mercury statue on top of the Dominion entrance. That statue was later commandeered by Roger and he placed it in his back garden – I wonder if Roger will give it back for this limited run. Apparently, Brian May and Roger Taylor are delighted that the We Will Rock you show will soon be returning and entertaining London fans once again.

Brian May said: “I’m thrilled we finally have this opportunity to put We Will Rock You back on stage in London, where it was born. The show’s original message of the fight to re-establish individuality in a dystopian corporate world is even more relevant now than when we began. It will be a completely new production that will burst onto the prestigious London Coliseum stage – but the story, the humour, and of course the Queen music, will hit you harder than ever. We WILL Rock You – again!!”

We Will Rock You was first premiered at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2002. Since then, ‘We Will Rock You’ London was seen by 6 million people over 4,600 performances during an amazing 12-year run. We Will Rock you became one of the most successful musicals in West End history and ended up achieving the status of the longest-runner at the Dominion Theatre by a margin of 9 years. The We Will Rock You Musical went on to play to a global audience of 20 million across 28 different countries.

‘We Will Rock You’ tells the story of a globalized future without musical instruments. A handful of rock rebels, the Bohemians, fight against the all-powerful Globalsoft company and its boss, the Killer Queen; they fight for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the age of rock. Scaramouche and Galileo, two young outsiders, cannot come to terms with the bleak conformist reality. They join the Bohemians and embark on the search to find the unlimited power of freedom, love and rock!

‘We Will Rock You’ is produced by Phil McIntyre Live Ltd, Queen Theatrical Productions and Tribeca Theatrical Productions.

For more information on the We Will Rock you return to London visit the official website at www.wewillrockyoulondon.co.uk or try their Twitter handle @WWRYMusical and Instagram at @WWRYMusical.

If you have any comments on the We Will Rock You return to London please leave them below.

One of the best shows I’ve seen in yonks. An evening of sheer entertainment and enjoyment
Daily Mirror

Freddie Mercury – 5th September 1946 – 24th November 1991

Freddie Mercury – 5th September 1946 – 24th November 1991

by | Nov 23, 2022 | Freddie Mercury News

Freddie Mercury died November 24th 1991 – Anniversary of his passing

On this day in 1991, 24th November,  Freddie Mercury died at his home in Logan Place, London.

Freddie Mercury died and the world lost its best Rock Front-man. 

31 Years on we still Remember Freddie … Freddie Mercury – Lover Of Life, Singer Of Songs: 5th September 1946 – 24th November 1991

Please feel free to leave your comments or Tributes below…

 

About Freddie Mercury

Farrokh Bulsara was born on Thursday, 5th of September 1946 on small African spice island of Zanzibar, to parents Bomi and Jer Bulsara. His early school years were spent away from the family as he attended a boarding school in Bombay. Freddie’s father Bomi, was a British diplomat, so they were often moving from one location to another. In 1954, aged only 8 years, Freddie started to attend British College School, St. Peter’s in Panchgan. At this time his schoolmates started to call him by the more English name of Freddie. The school was typically British and in sports Freddie was very strong in boxing and in table tennis, winning many trophies and medals. Freddie also loved art and music and showed great talent in both areas; playing the piano and performing in school shows and also joining the school choir. Freddie, with the encouragement of the headmaster of the school, did piano lessons and applied himself to them very well achieving Grade IV in both practical and theory. In 1958, five friends at St Peter’s School formed a rock’n’roll outfit called ‘The Hectics’ – the members were Freddie Bulsara, Bruce Murray, Derrick Branche, Victory Rana and Farang Irani (Freddie was the piano player in the band). They played at school parties, at annual events and school dances.

Read Full Freddie Mercury article

Did Freddie Mercury sing a TV Theme Tune in the Great Pretender?

Did Freddie Mercury sing a TV Theme Tune in the Great Pretender?

by | Nov 12, 2022 | Freddie Mercury News, Queen Fun

Is Freddie Mercury Singing the Coronation Street Theme Tune in the Great Pretender?

I was recently listening to the version of The Great Pretender which Freddie Mercury covered back in 1987. About halfway through Freddie does a few vocal gymnastics and I just thought it sounded familiar. I realized it and decided to highlight it in this post and video.

Is Freddie Mercury Singing the Coronation Street Theme Tune in the Great Pretender? During the song, The Great Pretender, which Freddie Mercury covered in 1987, there is a section of his vocal gymnastics in the middle of the song which sounds like the theme from Coronation Street. Don’t forget that the music video for I Want to Break Free was actually a parody of Coronation Street. The video was actually banned in the USA, mainly because they did not know that this was a parody, and instead they just thought that Queen were just dressing in drag for the sake of it. At that stage, unfortunately, Queen lost the USA and as it turned out, the last time Queen played in the USA was in September 1982.

So What do you think – Did Freddie sing the theme tune to Coronation Street in The Great Pretender?
Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts… The video can be viewed directly at https://youtu.be/eq_gyGs8oNI or you can watch it embedded by scrolling down within this post.

If you like this video where I explore “If Freddie Mercury is Singing the Coronation Street Theme Tune in the Great Pretender?” please do leave a comment below or on the original YouTube video and also don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Shane’s Queen Site YouTube channel for more videos like this, by clicking this link – https://www.youtube.com/c/ShanesQueenSite?sub_confirmation=1

If you want the Great Pretender piano chords <— click here!