Newcastle Metro Radio Arena Review

10.Nov 2008

Gig Review: Paul Rodgers and Queen

Nov 7 2008 by Philip Tallentire, Evening Gazette

FOR those who doubted their ability to rock, Queen are definitely still the champions.

The legendary British band, now fronted by Teesside’s very own Paul Rodgers, thrilled the Newcastle Metro Radio Arena for the best part of two-and-a-half hours.

Bearing in mind the average age of Rodgers, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor is almost 60, such dedication to the cause is laudable.

The set list was a sensible blend of crowd-pleasing Queen classics, a handful of tunes from the band’s new Cosmos Rocks album, and a couple of classics from the Rodgers canon.

Opening the set with Hammer To Fall, the band – the trio were backed by an additional guitarist, bassist and keyboard player – barely paused for breath as they ripped through Tie Your Mother Down, Fat Bottomed Girls, Another One Bites The Dust and I Want It All.

The tempo slowed when Rodgers strapped on an acoustic to sing a solo version of Seagull and then May took centre stage for a singalong Love Of My Life before the group joined him to run through a boisterous 39.

The pace picked back up for Radio Ga Ga and was maintained through to the memorable encore climax of Cosmos Rockin’, All Right Now, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions.

Set List

Hammer To Fall
Tie Your Mother Down
Fat Bottomed Girls
Another One Bites The Dust
I Want It All
I Want To Break Free
C-Lebrity
Surfs Up…Schools Out!
Seagull
Love Of My Life
39
I’m In Love With My Car
A Kind Of Magic
Say Its Not True
Voodoo
Bad Company
We Believe
Bijou
Last Horizon
Radio Gaga
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Show Must Go On
Bohemian Rhapsody

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Cosmos Rocks
All Right Now
We Will Rock You
We Are The Champions