We are the Champions

Paul Rogers in acoustic mode

The more observant of you may have noticed that I use song, album or band titles as headings for my posts. The even more analytical readers will have also worked out that they tend to be 80's rock anthems with a heavy spattering of Queen classics. Yep, well done Sherlock, I'm a lover of 80's rock music.

The Band including session musicians

So, it won't be a surprise to hear that when Queen announced that they were playing the O2 that I felt that it was a "Must do" experience.

The 3 "Main men"

I bought the tickets 4 months ago, and awaited the big day like a kid at Christmas, and eventually the big day happened - and what an amazing experience it was!

Paul Rogers doing a great job

I hadn't been in the O2 before, it is huge! As well as a large arena capable of seating 20000 with superb acoustics, the outer ring is made up of around 40 restaurants and bars, so getting somewhere to eat and drink was a doddle. But eating and drinking wasn't why we were there, seeing Queen was.

Brian May with his unique tone and style

When I announced that I'd got the tickets, Billie, quite rightly had her reservations - " It won't be the same without Freddie", "I hope they've still got the vitality that they used to have". Well, she needn't have been concerned - Brian May is still one of the best guitarists in the world, Paul Rodgers nailed every note with his own style and panache, Roger Taylor provided an oh-so-solid drum beat, and the unsung session musicians on keyboards, rhythm guitar and bass filled out the line-up perfectly.

Superb lighting throughout

The set was made up of Queen stadium classics for over half the set, with songs from their new album(Which are a hell of a lot better live than the studio versions), a really boring middle section made up of a self indulgent guitar musical rant, followed by Taylor wasting everyone's time on drums, and some Free classics. The full set list was:-

Hammer to fall

Tie your mother down

Fat bottom girls

Another one bites the dust

I want it all break free

C-lebrity

Surfs up…schools out

Seagull

Love of my life

Drum solo

I’m in love with my car

It’s a kind of magic

Say its not true

Bad company

We believe

Guitar solo

Bijou

Last horizon

Radio gaga

Crazy little thing

Show must go on

Bohemian rhapsody

Cosmos rocks

All right now

We will rock you

We are the champions

May out on the extended stage

With the exception of the guitar and Drum solo, each and every second was superb! The audience were totally into each and every track, and I still find it a spine-tingling experience to watch 20,000 all doing the "clap,clap, show hands" thing to Radio Ga-ga - there was a real connection between the band and the crowd.

"Radio Ga-ga"

Handling the reality of Freddie not being there was done with style and sensitivity. Rodgers never tried to be Freddie, or upstage him. Bohemian Rhapsody was done without Rodgers on the stage with a soloed soundtrack of Freddie singing and seeing Freddie again on a huge backdrop was exactly the right thing to do.

Billie, James and I left the gig with red-raw hands from clapping along, hoarse throats from singing along and the music of the "Rock classics" ringing in our ears.

A superb night at the opera!