Queen + Adam Lambert on Tour
In 2018, the legend of Queen — the larger-than-life band that's been making grandiose, orchestrally inspired rock songs since 1970 — came to the big screen with Bohemian Rhapsody, a film about the life of original lead singer Freddie Mercury.
Led by Mercury and charged by the pyrotechnic guitars of Brian May, the commanding drums of Roger Taylor, and the rumbling yet melodic basslines of John Deacon, Queen blazed a bright trail through the rock world in the 1970s and '80s. They showcased their stunning vocal harmonies on tracks like the mini-epic "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the peppy "Don't Stop Me Now." They showed off their wide range on sonically disparate tracks like the disco-tinged "Another One Bites the Dust," the sweetly longing "Somebody to Love," and the arena staple "We Will Rock You."
Mercury passed away in 1991, but his legacy loomed large, and Queen's presence on classic rock radio and in pop culture resulted in the band commanding the imaginations of younger listeners. One of those fans was Adam Lambert, a San Diego singer who sang "Bohemian Rhapsody" when he tried out for the eighth season of American Idol.
Powered by his inventive reworkings of songs, towering voice, and overwhelming charisma, Lambert finished second in the show's 2009 balloting. May and Taylor — who appeared on that season's finale and performed with Lambert and eventual winner Kris Allen — were keenly aware of Lambert's range and innovation.
Lambert, May, and Taylor first performed as a unit at the MTV Europe Awards in November 2011, and a year later they played their first concert as Queen + Adam Lambert. Since then, they've toured the world, honoring Mercury's memory while bringing Queen's electrifying catalog to life on a nightly basis. In 2019, Queen + Adam Lambert will embark on the Rhapsody Tour, a 23-date North American tour that, in the words of May, will "rip it apart and get even more ambitious" than their previous jaunts.