"A must-see for fans of the classic rock gods but is also a guaranteed night of entertainment for rockers of all ages!"
On Thursday (19th May), I found myself standing outside a towering stadium in the East of Edinburgh. I was invited along to Easter Road, the home of Hibernian FC, to enjoy “An Evening of Queen”. And that I did. I was met in the reception by the lovely Lynsey Bonnar (Sales Manager at Hibernian FC), who escorted me through the tunnel and out to pitch side where I was lucky enough to interview the show’s Director, Malcolm Spencer. When asked what the difference between An Evening of Queen and other cover bands and performances, Malcolm said “We’re not trying to pretend to be them or sound like them. We’ve got the best vocalists that suit this kind of music. So in that respect, we are not a cover.”
IT’S A KIND OF MAGIC
I climbed the steps of the West Stand and found my seat in amongst a sea of fellow Queen fans. As the last of the stragglers took their seats, the stage lit up and the band began to play. What followed was an evening of feet-stomping, air-punching awesomeness! With every song, we sang along and with every guitar solo, we looked on in awe.
The band and the vocalists (Ricardo Afonso, Natalie Hope, Pari Shahmir, and Matt Colthart from London’s West End) took us on a whirlwind journey back in time with our favourite Queen Classics including: We Are The Champions, I Want To Break Free, Bohemian Rhapsody, and The Show Must Go On.
And we really did want the show to go on. Even though, there were some sound issues (with an event this big and essentially outdoors, I’d question the live aspect if there wasn’t), so massive kudos to the sound engineers for quickly remedying and getting “on with the show”.
An Evening of Queen really was a grand event. Not just because we were sat, stood, dancing or even swaying in, not in an auditorium or concert hall, but a stadium that held over 20,000 people, the vocals, the band, the audience clapping and singing along, everyone made the night a rocking spectacle.
Highlights of the show included the performance from them and us, the audience, of Radio Gaga (“All we need is *clap clap* Radio Gaga”); the appearance of Ricardo and the lead guitarist on the roof of the tunnel singing Hammer To Fall; Bohemian Rhapsody bringing Easter Road alive; and the classic Freddie Mercury move – the vocal improvisation from Ricardo “Ay-oh, De-da-di-da-di-da-di-de-do!”
An Evening of Queen is an obvious must-see for fans of the classic rock gods but is also a guaranteed night of entertainment for rockers of all ages!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📸 Images by Jenna's Jamboree