Queen + Adam Lambert in St. Paul [REVIEW]

After more than 50 years of performing at the highest level of the rock and roll universe, Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor don't need to use cutting-edge stage technology, pyrotechnics, or flashy clothes to deliver an unforgettable evening of some of the most memorable songs in the history of popular music.

But they do anyway.

The latest example of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band's commitment to providing an audience with the full rock concert experience came over the weekend as The Rhapsody Tour moved into the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

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With former American Idol Season Eight finalist Adam Lambert handling lead singer duties, Queen ran through more than two dozen of the songs from their iconic library, sticking pretty much to the same setlist from their previous Twin Cities stops in 2017 and 2019, with one new addition, 'A Kind of Magic', the title track from their 12th studio album (1986).

ST. PAUL SETLIST (10/27/23)

• Machines (Or 'Back to Humans') / Radio Ga Ga
• Hammer to Fall
• Another One Bites the Dust
• I'm in Love With My Car
• Bicycle Race
• Fat Bottomed Girls
• I Want It All
• A Kind of Magic
• Killer Queen
• Don't Stop Me Now
• Somebody to Love
• Love of My Life
• '39
• Timpani Solo
• Under Pressure
• Tie Your Mother Down
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• I Want to Break Free
• You Take My Breath Away
• Who Wants to Live Forever
• Guitar Solo
• Is This the World We Created...?
• The Show Must Go On
• Bohemian Rhapsody

Encore:

• Ay‐Oh
• We Will Rock You
• Radio Ga Ga
• We Are the Champions

The show was as visually appealing as it was an auditory gem, with high-definition graphics and a laser light show. But some of the most poignant moments came during the quieter times with May leading a sing-along on 'Love Of My Life' from 1975's 'A Night At The Opera', which included a video performance from late lead singer Freddie Mercury. Lambert also provided his own tribute to Mercury as he reminded the Twin Cities audience that he wasn't there to replace Freddie, but rather to honor his legacy by performing these songs live.

For a band that once sang 'The Show Must Go On' (1991), sadly that might not be the case. Just prior to starting the tour, May said that at age 76 he's finding the rigors of lengthy tours to be more and more taxing and that this would, more than likely, be the final time Queen would be out of the road for an extended period of time.

If that is indeed the case, then I along with everyone else in St. Paul that night will be forever grateful for the opportunity to experience one more evening with rock & roll royalty.