The room was already buzzing with a familiar electricity — the kind that only Queen can summon, even decades after Freddie Mercury’s final bow. The occasion was the anniversary for the 50 years since Queen's legendary album A Night at the Opera was released (1975). The Queen Extravaganza - the official tribute band, handpicked and produced by Roger Taylor and Brian May themselves, had finally made it to Norway - bringing with them the fire, the flair, and, somehow, the soul of Queen.
Taylor had this little idea – more like one vision – to create his own tribute band, with musicians hand-picked from the internet (source: Bryan May website). As far I experienced, he had really made some good chooses.
What made it even more special was the band’s international makeup - a handpicked lineup of top-tier musicians from across the globe. Different backgrounds, different countries, but one shared mission: to bring Queen’s music to life with power, precision, and soul. The Queen Extravaganza artists hail from several countries, including the UK, Brazil, Canada, and Italy. The Queen Extravaganza website features members from the UK (Gareth Taylor, Darren Reeves, Nick Radcliffe, George Farrar), Brazil (Alirio Netto), Canada (François-Olivier Doyon), and Italy (Marco Briatore).
A Night at the Opera is my all-time favourite Queen album and albums in general. It was now my chance to relive this masterpiece live. That record has always felt like the heart of the band to me: wild, brilliant, theatrical, and emotionally rich. So naturally, I had high hopes.
This wasn’t just another cover band rolling out the hits. This was a 90-minute rock time machine. It took us back in time with a full-throttle celebration of the 50th anniversary of A Night at the Opera - even if only tree songs from it made the setlist — “I'm in Love With My Car”, “You’re My Best Friend” and the eternal “Bohemian Rhapsody”. But no one was counting. Not even me. It was one of the best shows I ever have been to. Because what we got was something far greater than just nostalgic glimpse into a single album - we got Queen’s entire legacy, wrapped in thunder and glitter.
From the opening chords to the final stomp-stomp-clap, the show swept through Queen’s greatest era - from 1974 all the way to their final days. Every hit was there: “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Radio Ga Ga,” “Killer Queen,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” and more. They even touched in “A Kind of Magic” - and that’s exactly what it was.
It was so much dynamic on the scene. I could see these fantastic musicians really love to perform. They swapped places, shifted instruments, interacted on stage with quick with instinctive chemistry, and passed the spotlight like a hot flame.
The band engaged fully with the crowd, making the experience feel highly immersive and unique - with great sing along. The band didn’t just play the songs — they lived them. Moved with them. Made us feel them. Multiple vocalists traded moments of glory, each one capturing a different shade of Freddie’s unmatched charisma without ever pretending to replace him. We sang, we shouted, we cheered - not just from the nostalgia, but from something real happening on that stage.
It wasn’t just a concert. It was a shared memory - relived, remixed, and re-ignited. For those of us who grew up with Queen, who have every lyric etched into our souls, it felt like home. For one electric night, the impossible happened: someone finally did Queen justice. And it made me genuinely happy in a way I didn’t expect.
I walked in little bit sceptical, but at same time with big hope. I walked out smiling ear to ear. This memory live!
Long live the Queen. And long live the Queen Extravaganza — keeping the music alive, with a singing, clapping and stomping crowd wherever they show up.
Stein Morten Lund, 12th April 2025
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