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+
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.