21st Century Queen – Live Review – Lotherton Hall
By Christine Goode, July 2023
Saturday evening and we are heading to Lotherton Hall to hear the music of Queen. Ponchos and picnics in hand, we are eager to hear their iconic music in this beautiful outdoor setting. The venue has a mini festival feel to it albeit for one performance, a lot of people are very prepared with tables, chairs plates and what looks like for some, a full dining experience. They are definitely set for the night, adorned with flower headbands, wellingtons boots and thick coats (it is summer after all!). People of all ages, families and groups, are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and couples are all setting up their own spot ready to enjoy the sounds of Queen, played by one of the UK’s leading tribute bands, 21st Century Queen.
Queen are one of Britain’s biggest ever bands, adored by millions of people worldwide, with many of their most well-known hits now becoming anthems at sporting events. It is virtually impossible for anyone not to know at least one of their songs. Originally formed in 1970 by Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor, and later joined by John Deacon, the band went on to enjoy enormous success, Freddie Mercury gave his last performance in 1986 at Knebworth Park, before his untimely death in 1991. The band have continued performing over the years with new lead singers Paul Rodgers and now Adam Lambert. Both singers claim not to replace Mercury, but to honour his life and music.
“Pulls out the stops”
The music is certainly kept alive and the queen legacy still lives on today, through the award winning musical We Will Rock You, which is introduced and performed in schools, and more recently the 2018 incredible film Bohemian Rhapsody, as well as the band itself still recently touring with new front man Lambert.
It is little wonder that with such an impressive back catalogue that we see so many tribute bands, die-hard fans cannot get enough of their music, and this band certainly pulls out all the stops tonight.
We watch as the band appear on stage and immediately start playing, out comes our Freddie Mercury in his recognizable yellow jacket and white trousers, belting out ‘One Vision’ whilst supremely strutting just like the icon himself. The band is confident and effortlessly goes on to play favourites; ‘Seven Seas Of Rye’, ‘Best Friend’, ‘Another One Bites The Dust’, to name just a few. On the infamous ‘EEEOOO’ we saw performed at Live Aid in 1985, Freddie whilst responding back and forth with us on these warm-ups displays his ability to hold a note for a very long time (a very long time) we are all impressed and the cheers and whoops certainly let him know that.
“Authentic”
The band are all excellent musicians, particularly ‘Brian May’ with his guitar skills and appearance – with his long curly hair he looks very authentic, and he really stands out in the band.
After a short interval the band burst back on to the stage with ‘Under Pressure’ and by the end of the evening we are dancing in front of the stage, singing along, some waving their mercifully unnecessary ponchos in the air as flags. The band come back onstage for an encore and Freddie has a giant Union Flag wrapped as a cape around him as he sings ‘We Are The Champions’.
I hear other concert goers as we leave, excitedly chatting about the fantastic night they have all had – testament to the skill and showmanship of 21st Century Queen.
