Queen, Adam Lambert and Trains

 

Bloody hell, I’ve missed the train again. There’s something innately late about me always. I undoubtedly arrive after the event, both metaphorically and in reality. I miss the actual and have little choice but to turn up to the party belatedly, reactionary and reflectively, but while I kick myself, there’s always the old adage that it’s better late than never.

Like many thousands of others, Queen were the sound track to my childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. I remember walking to school with my friends, every day, singing Bohemian Rhapsody, harmonies and all, making up the words that we didn’t know or understand as innocent nine and ten year olds, naively believing that we’d give Freddie and his mates a run for their money. We might not have understood all the lyrics (who does, even today?) but we had every nuance and synchronisation locked down, every lick, pause and beat, each phrase of the melody perfected, in our own little world as our voices hit the notes, and very possibly a lot of extra notes that weren’t supposed to be there.

Later on there were other songs that absolutely transcended my teenage and adult years, moments in time that Queen were a part of. Love and angst, with Love of My Life and Who Wants To Live Forever, the spirited, joy of life in Don’t Stop Me Now, the belonging and shared collective of Radio GaGa, social realism of Is This The World We Created, and the wide ranging emotional, political, learning, testing of barriers and beauty of their catalogue of hits. They were just there, constantly, on the radio, in my record collection or in my head, whenever they were needed, always relevant, comforting and encompassing.

Sadly, I had no awareness of the impact they had on me until Freddie died. There are few dates indelibly printed in my mind, November 24th 1991 is one. I remember where I was when I heard the news, saddened in a way I’d never really been, death and loss not having really touched me before that. Afterwards, they were all over the airwaves again, not that they’d ever been away, but there, sometimes in the foreground, often in the background, consistently available at the touch of a dial.

Easter Monday, 20th April 1992 is another of those permanent marker days, a day that, while it might not have changed my life, significantly changed my way of thinking. I very nearly missed that train too. I almost didn’t even make it to the station. I wasn’t going to Freddie’s tribute concert at Wembley until a couple of people I knew told me they had a spare ticket and I tagged along. I didn’t know them well and, when I found myself separated from them, whilst not completely planned, it meant my experience was even more incredible!  It meant I was able to live the evening for myself, absorbing and consummating exactly what it meant to me to be there.

During that amazing, electric night, I had an epiphany or two. I was gripped by those on stage paying tribute to this remarkable talent, captivated by those around me and the outpouring of love and admiration for this one man who had entranced us all in some way. I didn’t know that I knew every word to every song. I didn’t know that before that evening I’d been repressed, somewhat stunted by self-imposed restrictions about how I was supposed to live my life, what I was supposed to want and strive for. I think that was the first inkling, the first understanding that somewhere within me was a tiny spark that would grow into the ideals and mantras that became a new way of thinking, the beginnings of a more inspiring and less confined way of thinking.  It wasn’t a launching pad to strive for the extraordinary or remarkable, more the realisation of a ‘Why not?’ attitude that just allowed me a touch more freedom and expression – a passion for my own life and choices. Years later, as age and maturity allows us to grow into ourselves, I’ve become so incredibly thankful to have experienced that definable moment when I slowly turned a full 360 degrees and watched the spellbound enthusiasm and promise of infinite possibility that surrounded me.

Freddie and Queen’s legacy means that they’ve never really gone away, that they’re still as important today as they ever were, with every documentary, every piece of music, new old or re-mastered, every interview and every live show that any of them get involved in. Talents like Freddie, few and far between, come along a handful per generation, and how bloody satisfying that whatever stars needed to align did so, and that Roger and Brian found Adam Lambert, a massive talent in his own right, but one who can do justice to that legacy. Beautiful, intelligent, and brilliantly talented, he doesn’t have to try and be Freddie, because his own genius (it’s a considered, deliberate use of the word), showmanship and that amazing voice are more than adequate substitutes. But, to walk in his shoes for a couple of hours (and what opulent and overstated shoes they are), and bring those memories of Freddie back to life for a while, well, I can’t imagine anyone, anywhere, capable of doing it better. He gets to tell the world, like Freddie did, that it’s ok to be yourself. That, in fact, you owe it to yourself. It was difficult to do then, and it’s probably as hard today, but it’s a bloody important message.

Having missed that metaphorical train again, I haven’t seen the live show live. I’ve watched some live performances on the net and I’ve seen bits and pieces to try and satisfy my growing obsession. I hope I get another chance. My railcard application is in. If there are more destinations added to the timetable, I won’t be late again, I’ll be the one sleeping on the station so I get on that elusive train in plenty of time. The continuous kicking of myself otherwise is far too painful, and a less than gentle reminder of what I learned about ‘why not?’ all those years ago!

QUEEN, ADAM LAMBERT AND TRAINS – THE SEQUEL

Thursday 30th November 2017. Another of those pivotal days. It’s been a long and slow ride. The train went off the track sometimes, and that was only after I finally boarded, but I got there in the end. Brian, Roger and Adam surpassed themselves. The show was amazing, and took me way beyond the most heart wrenching, gut curling journey that has been my life. I went straight back there while I was watching, to all those feelings and thoughts from the tribute concert, the wonder and amazement of what Queen have meant to me. The sound track of my life. I shed tears at Bohemian Rhapsody, tears of thanks and gratitude because of the importance of that song, the impact that it had on me as a child all those years ago, and the feelings of awe and wonder as I remembered turning and looking around me 25 years ago when Queen and their peers paid homage to Freddie.

As I walked from the venue I had no words to describe what it meant to me to be there. To see again how music transcends our lives, fills our souls and makes us soar. This time, it wasn’t just about Queen and Adam, it was about me. It was acceptance and recognition of who I am. A testament to everything I’ve been and everything I’ve done. It was affirmation. It was validation.

Apart from the personal journey, the gig was supreme. The music…..well, the music transcends, and all that! The lighting show is enrapturing. At times beautiful. Freddie is there, in our memories and in our hearts, and arrives on cue in Love Of My Life. The musicianship is fantastic and the effects enhance what is already a wonderful catalogue of hits, each one a pinnacle, each one deserving in its own right of encore after encore. But as well as all that, there is so much joy! Adam is a joy. To help recreate some of those memories, to sound so brilliant, to theatricalise, to just sing the way only he can, and most of all, to enable Roger and Brian to continue doing this, doing what they so obviously love to do.

I feel blessed to have seen this. Blessed to have witnessed so many forms of genius on one stage. Blessed to have followed careers and lives to this point. Blessed to have the memories to hold on to forever. And blessed to do it all again next week, when I can lose myself in the music again and just be.

It’s been a hell of a journey. I’ve been side tracked and detoured, but I finally made it beyond the station to a place of understanding. I know who I am and how I got here, and I know that my personal voyage of discovery, my life, has been a success. I’m good, thanks. There is no better feeling than to know that I have arrived. And Queen and Adam Lambert did that.