Just as Bohemian Rhapsody prepares to become the biggest grossing music biopic of all-time, Queen — original band members Brian May and Roger Taylor, teaming up once more with longtime frontman Adam Lambert on lead vocals — have announced that they are returning to North America next year. Produced by Live Nation, the epic 23-date arena and stadium Rhapsody tour is set to run from mid-July through late August with an all new concert experience.
Going under the ‘Rhapsody’ header, the six-week tour will debut a brand new larger-than-life production. Stufish Entertainment Architects’ set designer Ric Lipson says: “Queen + Adam Lambert’s Rhapsody tour will, once again for them, expand the parameters of what a live music experience can be. This new show promises to be their most spectacular yet, an innovative and interactive celebration of the continued power of Queen’s music.”
The tour follows an acclaimed run of 10 sold-out shows at the MGM Park Theater, Las Vegas in September 2018 and will kick off July 10 at Vancouver Rogers Arena. Stop-offs include some of the most history-packed venues in the U.S. and Canada, including The Forum in Los Angeles (the last venue the original line-up played in North America on September 15, 1982) and New York City’s Madison Square Garden (the site of past Queen glories, including a memorable performance from Queen + Adam Lambert on 17 July 17, 2014. It will wrap on 23 August at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Announcing the Rhapsody tour, Roger Taylor said: “We are ready for America and raring to get back in the saddle.”
Adam Lambert said: “We have been designing a brand new visual spectacle that will reframe these iconic songs and we are excited to unveil it!”
Brian May added: “This is a great opportunity. Our last tour featured our most ambitious production ever, and got us our best notices ever. So we decided to rip it apart and get even more ambitious! Watch out, America!”
Completing the Queen tour line-up are long-term collaborator Spike Edney on keyboards, Neil Fairclough on bass, and Tyler Warren on percussion.
Never known to rest on their laurels, Queen on this Rhapsody tour will unveil a stage show as experimental and rule-defying as the hit-packed Queen back catalog. The band has worked with the creative partners behind the eye-popping “News Of The World” 2017 tour — Ric Lipson of Stufish Entertainment Architects handling set design; Rob Sinclair on lighting design; and Sam Pattinson of Treatment Studio behind the video content — to develop an unmissable show.
Tickets for the Rhapsody tour go on sale to the general public starting December 7 at at 10 a.m. local time. QUEEN and Adam Lambert fan-club pre-sales will run from 10 a.m. local time through 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, 6 December.
Queen + Adam Lambert play the following North American shows in 2019:
Jul. 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Jul. 12 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
Jul. 14 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Jul. 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
Jul. 19 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
Jul. 23 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Jul. 24 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Jul. 27 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Jul. 28 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Jul. 30 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Jul. 31 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Aug. 03 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Aug. 04 – Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
Aug. 06 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Aug. 09 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Aug. 10 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Aug. 13 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Aug. 15 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Aug. 17 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – BB&T Center
Aug. 18 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Aug. 20 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
Aug. 22 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Aug. 23 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
