Adam Lambert And Queen ‘Kill’ In Front Of New York Fans

Adam Lambert and Queen continue their magical tour, and the latest stop was at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where Lambert proved once again that he was born for this gig. According to The New York Daily News, the band’s show, the first at MSG since 1982, was warmly received by the New York crowd, and Lambert’s theatrical showmanship and incredible vocal range were both in full force. Lambert stayed hidden in silhouette behind a curtain before revealing himself during the opening number, Now I’m Here, and then continued to wow the audience as he fronted the legendary rock band.

Later in the show, Queen guitarist Brian May asked the crowd how they “liked the new guy” and was greeted with a positive response. As The Hollywood Reporter recounted:

Lambert was a vision in studded leather and sunglasses before changing over into a fabulous fringe number to vamp it up on a purple couch, fanning himself for “Killer Queen,” taking a swig of champagne and spitting it out toward the front row.

“Did I get you wet?” he asked, cheekily. “You’re supposed to say thank you!”

Lambert’s flamboyant performance of ‘Killer Queen’ was captured on video, as seen below.

Questions of Adam Lambert’s ability to even come close to the late Freddie Mercury’s stage presence have been slowly and sufficiently put to rest as Lambert continues to nail it each and every night, while still bringing his own unique flare to the festivities. Reviews of the show have been generally positive for the ex-American Idol contestant, but The New York Times found fault with the Madison Square Garden performance, even while praising it. The reviewer calls out Lambert as “whiny” and his patter “embarrassing.”

His voice loses fullness as it ascends, his R&B melismata are whiny, and his patter is embarrassing. Trying to lead an audience chant of “Bite it!” during Queen’s gleefully murderous “Another One Bites the Dust” and spitting something he drank from a Champagne bottle onto nearby fans were the lowest points.

To be fair, the reviewer goes on to say that Queen, one of the biggest rock and roll bands of the 1970s and 80s, is simply a studio band with overdubbed vocals and guitar riffs, which immediately calls into question the reviewers credentials to judge a rock show.

The epic night at Madison Square Garden ended with one of Queen’s biggest hits, Bohemian Rhapsody, and in a twist of old meets new, Adam Lambert sang in duet with Freddie Mercury via recorded concert footage. The results “brought the nostalgia fest to its peak” according to a review in Entertainment Weekly.

Queen + Adam Lambert has been one of the biggest North American rock shows this summer, and the next stop is East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 23. The tour is winding down, so don’t miss the chance to see Adam Lambert perform the rock show he was born to play.

[Image Courtesy of New York Daily News]