The iconic band Queen were provided their flowers when tribute band 33 1/3 Killer QUEEN Experience took the stage at The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, VA, on Saturday, September 18th. I had seen another Queen Tribute band in the past, and furthermore, my son is a massive fan of Queen, so our attendance at the show was necessary.
33 1/3 Killer Queen Experience opened the show with “Fat Bottom Girls.” The group’s lead vocalist Justin Gonzalez was in pristine form with his vocals. One of the most enjoyable things about Gonzalez’s performance was that he never tried to sing like Freddie Mercury, and instead, he made the songs his own while being backed by his live band. Throughout a ninety-minute set, the 33 1/3 Killer QUEEN Experience hit all of the songs you would want to hear during a Queen experience.
I would also like to give the band credit for not just doing a Hits show and introducing my family and I to some Queen songs that I wasn’t familiar with, such as “Hammer To Fall,” “Keep Yourself Alive,” and “Prophet’s Song.” One of the evening’s best moments occurred when Tony (a group roadie) took the stage to perform “We Will Rock You.” Now, if you are curious about what made this so special, Tony is only ten years old.
If I had one gripe with the show it would be that my favorite song by Queen, “Princes of the Universe,” wasn’t on the setlist. However, the band’s energy, musicianship, and family-friendly entertainment more than made up for the omission.
Final Grade: B+
Songstress Ashanti was experiencing significant success with two platinum albums at the time of the release of her inaugural holiday project, “Ashanti’s Christmas,” on November 18, 2003. Her label head, Irv Gotti, produced most of the album. This project comprises four original songs co-written by Ashanti, in addition to six cover versions of traditional Christmas standards and carols.
Vocal quartet A Few Good Man contributed two songs to the project: a cover of “Silver Bells” and the ballad “Merry Christmas My Dear,” both of which were produced by Daryl Simmons. Demail Burks, David Morris, Aaron Hilliard, and Tony Amey were the members of the group, and after introducing themselves in the festive video for “Silver Bells,” it was only fitting that they delivered a ballad on the album.
R&B legend Luther Vandross had already solidified his place in R&B when he released his first holiday album, “This Is Christmas. Arriving in stores on October 24, 1995, “This Is Christmas” validates Vandross’s ability to sing anything.