When Queen and Paul Rodgers were asked to play a fundraising gig in support of Ukraine’s Olena Pinchuk AntiAids Foundation in 2008, they responded with a powerful two-hour performance that would have blown the roof off if they hadn’t been playing outside! Witnessed by a live audience of over 350,000 along with over 10,000,000 television viewers, the hit-packed set has since been watched by a further six million people, with many saying that it proved just how legendary the band really are.
Frontman Paul Rodgers in particular gives an incredible performance, asking the audience “are you rocking tonight?!”, and giving the nod to original Queen singer Freddie Mercury with his playful moves with his microphone stand. Original members Brian May and Roger Taylor are also on fine form, keeping the huge crowd entertained with their incredible stage presence and astounding musicianship. This is one gig that Music Man readers and Queen fans alike will not want to miss out on watching!
Delving into Queen’s back catalogue means the band had lots of hits to choose from, giving an airing to classic tracks including ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, ‘I Want to Break Free’ and ‘We Will Rock You’. Also featuring in the set were a number of tracks from Rodgers’ own lengthy career, including ‘Bad Company’ (by the ‘70s hard rock band with the same name) and ‘All Right Now’, by Rodgers’ former band Free. In short, the setlist that night was packed full of high-quality rock!
If watching that concert from Ukraine has got you in the mood for more Queen and Paul Rodgers action, Music Man readers, then have no fear! Another full concert featuring both artists is also available to watch online, this time one from 2005 recorded as part of the ‘Return of the Champions’ tour (the first world tour billed as ‘Queen + Paul Rodgers’). Again we are treated to a huge number of stunning Queen tracks, including ‘Hammer to Fall’, ‘A Kind of Magic’ and of course, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
It goes without saying that the now sadly departed Freddie Mercury will always be Queen’s most iconic frontman, but both of these brilliant full-length concert videos prove that Paul Rodgers did an excellent job taking over from him during his tenure with the band. He brings a rock-infused energy and passion to the stage that complements the group’s songs brilliantly, and it’s also wonderful to hear hits from Rodgers’ own career and how they are tackled by May, Taylor, and the rest of the group.
If you would like to hear more from this legendary band, please follow them on Facebook for more incredible music. For more updates and information, please visit their official website.