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Tag: Brian May

  • Queen Shares New Details on 2026 Sphere Show

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    Sir Brian May revealed plans for Queen’s show at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Sony will fund the production. The company owns Queen’s music catalog.

    “I’m very keen. It takes a while, because there’s lots of dots to dot and Is to do whatever with and again, we will be working very closely with Sony, because they are the people who will come up with the money, and they are the people who make money from it now that they own the Queen catalogue,” said Sir Brian May to Daily Express. Sir Brian May said that passion drives this project, not money. “We do it for the love now, and I think we always did. What’s more apparent now is that you do it because you love it,” he said.

    The building has a 16K screen that wraps around its interior. LED panels immerse 20,000 people at once. U2 and The Eagles performed there. An enhanced version of The Wizard of Oz currently runs at this location.

    The guitarist wants this show to reach other cities after Las Vegas. “I think there will be other Spheres, and there are other people trying to do similar things,” he said. “But at the moment, the Sphere is the only immersive experience of that kind in the world.”

    Sir Brian May described what he wants to create. “So I’m anxious to develop some ideas which I have in my head to make an immortal Queen show. I think it’s nothing less than that. I think that’s what we need to leave the world with. It will be epic,” he said.

    ABBA created a virtual show using motion-capture technology. KISS did the same thing. Queen’s production will follow this method, giving fans a way to see the band perform long after the members can’t tour anymore.

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    Laura Adkins

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  • Tony Iommi Makes Unexpected Appearance at Black Sabbath Ballet in London

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    Tony Iommi stunned fans with an unplanned guitar solo at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. The performance came during Wednesday’s showing of “Black Sabbath —  The Ballet” by the Birmingham Royal Ballet. It marked his first stage act since Black Sabbath’s summer finale in July. The show premiered in 2023.

    From the crowd, Brian May caught the moment on film. “The true Father of Heavy Metal making that beautiful axe sing like a bird tonight at Sadlers Wells,” May shared on Instagram. “Tony Iommi plus a 40-piece orchestra and a cast of 50 dancers — putting the icing on the cake of a great production of Black Sabbath the Ballet. Proud to call this infinitely modest and generous genius my friend.”

    This fresh take on metal mixes eight Sabbath classics with new string works. Marc Hayward plays live guitar while the Royal Ballet Sinfonia brings “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” and “War Pigs” to life. Christopher Austin leads music and new pieces.

    The performance has three acts that showcase moves by choreographers Pontus Lidberg, Raúl Reinoso, and Cassi Abranches. Band chats and words from Sharon Osbourne play between scenes, adding depth to the show’s story.

    The show stems from Carlos Acosta’s vision after he took charge of the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2020. He said that Black Sabbath is different from ballet, and he wanted to expand his organization’s reach. After its world tour in 2024 and a U.S. start at the Virginia Arts Festival last May, this version brings crisp sound and fresh interviews. The show packs more punch than ever, and it received a standing ovation from fans. Dancers showcased high energy, technical skills, and complex choreography. It’s attracting many new fans, and a new tour is coming soon.

    The show moves to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre from October 30 to November 1 for its first Scottish stop. Tickets are available at the Birmingham Royal Ballet website.

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    Laura Adkins

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  • Brian May Eyes Las Vegas Sphere Residency, Hints at Future Queen Projects with Adam Lambert

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    Brian May has sparked talk about bringing Queen to the Las Vegas Sphere. The guitarist spoke with Rolling Stone about his vision for the state-of-the-art venue.

    “I’m very keen on the Sphere. It’s got my mind working. I sat there watching the Eagles, thinking, ‘We should do this. The stuff that we could bring to this would be stupendous.’ So, yeah, I would like to do it. We’re having conversations,” May told Rolling Stone.

    The massive 20,000-seat arena features a 16K LED screen that offers a 360-degree visual experience. Since opening in 2023, the venue has hosted shows by U2, the Eagles, Phish, and Dead & Company.

    At 78, May wants to cut back on constant travel. “I’ve had 50 years of touring and there’s a part of me that thinks it’s enough. I don’t like the idea that you wake up in your hotel room and you’re trapped,” May said.

    Yet drummer Roger Taylor sees no end in sight. “I don’t think we’re done. And I don’t think we’re gonna say, you know, final farewell tour or whatever. ‘Cause it never is, is it?” Taylor told Rolling Stone.

    The current band features May and Taylor with singer Adam Lambert. Their most recent show was at the Tokyo Dome in Japan last December.

    May also mentioned some studio work with Lambert. “Not many people know, but Adam and we have been in the studio trying things. Nothing really materialized so far. Some things are meant to be and some things are not,” he said.

    Though retired since 1997, bassist John Deacon stays involved behind the scenes. “He’s still part of the destiny of the band, though. If we’re trying to make business decisions, he’s always consulted, but it happens through the management or through our accountant,” May said.

    The spirit of Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991, still fills the room. “Brian and I often think he’s in the room in the corner. ‘Cause we know exactly what he’d say and what he’d think. Even though it was all those years ago now that we lost him,” Taylor said.

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    Dan Teodorescu

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  • Queen’s Brian May Warns About ‘Massively Scary’ Potential Of Artificial Intelligence

    Queen’s Brian May Warns About ‘Massively Scary’ Potential Of Artificial Intelligence

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    Even the world’s most creative musicians are worried about artificial intelligence.

    In a Guitar Player interview published last month, Queen co-founder Brian May issued a dire warning about the future of entertainment and other domains, saying that human- and AI-generated works could soon become indistinguishable.

    “My major concern with it now is in the artistic area,” May told the magazine. “I think by this time next year the landscape will be completely different. We won’t know which way is up. We won’t know what’s been created by AI and what’s been created by humans.”

    He added: “We might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene. I really think it could be that serious, and that doesn’t fill me with joy.”

    The British guitarist’s concerns seem well founded. Recently, music created with the help of AI was made eligible for the Grammys, an AI-generated song mimicking Drake went viral, and Paul McCartney announced that one last Beatles song would be released thanks to the technology.

    Brian May said that while AI can help produce “a lot of great stuff,” its use in art and geopolitics concerns him.

    Evan Agostini/Invision/Associated Press

    Artificial intelligence has become a worry for other creatives, too.

    Unionized writers and actors in Hollywood have launched major strikes this year for not only fairer pay but guidelines around the use of AI, among other demands. One goal is to prevent studios from abandoning human beings in favor of AI “actors.”

    Speaking to Guitar Player, May conceded that the technology could help people become better problem solvers and produce “a lot of great stuff.” But he further warned that its geopolitical application might cost lives.

    “The potential for AI to cause evil is, obviously, incredibly huge – not just in music, ’cause nobody dies in music,” he told the outlet. “People can die if AI gets involved in politics and world domination for various nations. I think the whole thing is massively scary.”

    May isn’t the only musician to espouse concerns about AI, as peers including Sting and Ed Sheeran have done the same. And though modern technology has helped re-create the voices and likenesses of some deceased celebrities, Dolly Parton said she’d have reservations about using AI to preserve her own legacy.

    “I’ll have to decide on how much of that high-tech stuff I want to be involved in because I don’t want to leave my soul here on Earth,” Parton said earlier this year. “With some of that stuff, I feel like I’ll be grounded here forever, so when I’m gone, I want to fly with it.”

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  • Queen Guitarist Brian May ‘Thrilled’ To Become ‘Sir Bri’ After King Charles’ First New Year Honours List Revealed

    Queen Guitarist Brian May ‘Thrilled’ To Become ‘Sir Bri’ After King Charles’ First New Year Honours List Revealed

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    By Brent Furdyk.
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    Last updated:

    On Dec. 30, Buckingham Palace issued the 2023 New Years Honours List, honouring distinguished Britons who have demonstrated exemplary achievement in their respective fields.

    Among the 1,100-plus names mentioned in the first New Years Honours under the reign of King Charles III was Brian May, guitarist and co-founder of legendary British rock band Queen.


    READ MORE:
    King Charles Reveals 2023 New Years Honours For Queen’s Brian May And More

    Following the announcement, May took to Instagram to share his thoughts on his impending knighthood.

    “Thank you so much for all your messages of congratulations following the announcement of my knighthood,” the 75-year-old rocker said in a brief video message he shared with his 3.1 million followers.


    READ MORE:
    Queen’s Brian May Calls Out ‘Fruitcakes’ Eric Clapton And Other Anti-Vaxxers

    “I’m very thrilled and very touched by the love that’s come from you and the support,” May added. “I will do my very best to be worthy. For now good night and thank you and much love, from Sir Bri.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVwbyikGjW8

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    Brent Furdyk

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