QUEEN - IT'S A KINDA MAGIC
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Thursday, September 11
WIN Entertainment Centre
Tribute bands honouring the work of British supergroup Queen are a dime a dozen, but it is the attention to detail and accuracy of the Queen - It's A Kinda Magic production that show consultant Peter Freestone says sets it apart from the pack.
When it comes to authenticity, he should know - he spent 12 years as personal assistant to band leader Freddie Mercury.
"The aim of the show is to give people who have seen Queen live, some point in the show where they can say they saw Freddie or Brian May do exactly that movement, and show the new generation, who never had a chance to see Queen, what they missed out on," Freestone says from his home in Prague.
His job on the production was advising the cast "on the smallest details", he says.
"The band are all professional musicians who know what they're doing, but it's about the turn of the head, the way they move on stage and how to use the stage," Freestone says.
Having met Freddie Mercury while working at the Royal Ballet in London in 1979, Freestone was soon whisked into the whirlwind world of the biggest band of the day. Joining them on tour, first as a costume manager than as Mercury's personal assistant, Freestone estimates he spent just three weeks away from the singer in their 12-year relationship.
He raises Queen's historic Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium as a highlight of his time with the band.
"They went on stage and gave everything and to see Freddie's face and feel that emotion when he came off the stage was amazing. They went out on stage as just one of the bands on the line-up, but then when they came off they were suddenly the biggest band there," Freestone says.
"It was also one of the few shows where they didn't argue in the dressing room afterwards, they were so happy with it."
Freestone joined the It's A Kind Of Magic show in 2004, after having his brains picked by producers to make the production as accurate and authentic as possible. Having spent 12 years living in Mercury's pocket, he was uniquely positioned to give advice on all components of the singer's vocals and mannerisms to Giles Taylor, who plays the late singer in the show.
"Giles has really studied videos, studied Freddie and he has Freddie under his skin now," Freestone says.
"He really wants people to see and feel Freddie."
While admitting he does cringe at some Queen tribute shows, Freestone says he feels no pain watching another performer imitate his great friend on stage.
"He was really just one in a billion. Nobody is going to be able to replace or take away my memories," he says.
"I have those memories for my whole life. I've seen a few that are fairly close to Freddie, but still not quite Freddie."