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No, the Rhapsody Tour Is Not Queen + Adam Lambert’s Last: ‘You Can Always Do One More Time’

Sir Brian May, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert dish about their favorite Queen songs, knighthood, and the "thrill-seeking" aspects of their forthcoming North American tour.

By Stephen Daw

Stephen Daw

Pride Editor

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Since joining forces in 2011, Queen + Adam Lambert have quickly become one of the most successful touring acts in the world — and now, they’re ready to prove why.

Queen Release Stirring Lost Track Featuring Freddie Mercury Vocals, ‘Face It Alone’

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Billboard caught up with May, Lambert and Roger Taylor ahead of their official announcement, where the trio talked about what fans can expect from the new show, their favorite songs to perform live, and why “this is not a farewell tour,” according to May.

This is the first time in four years that the three of you will be touring the U.S. together, following your European tour last year — how are you feeling ahead of hitting the road this fall?

Brian May:  It’s incredible, yeah. I think we all learned in COVID how much we really missed this. It was really tough for everybody. We already did our big outing in Europe, but with a lot of restrictions on that; we had a very strict protocol just to get through, because people were going down like flies. But we managed to get through that whole tour without losing a date, and it was all sold-out, packed, fantastic and better than ever, I think. So we thought, “Well, we just have to get back to the states.”

Outside of those restrictions, were there any significant learning curves you had to navigate in a post-COVID touring environment last year?

May:  Oh, yeah. 

Taylor:  We were changing it and improving it as we went, and we are now going through all of those improvements again when it comes to this American leg.

I’ve noticed that the phrase “one more time” has been thrown around quite a bit when it comes to this tour — are you planning on this being Queen + Adam Lambert’s final outing?

May:  Let me be clear, this is not a farewell tour. You can always do one more time … and then one more time … and then another time after that!

Adam Lambert:  [laughs] Yeah, why limit yourself, guys?

Taylor:  It’s just a simple, five year farewell tour, right?

Queen Guitarist Brian May Knighted by King Charles at Buckingham Palace

When it comes to the “improvements” you’ve made to the show, what can fans expect to see that’s new with this leg of The Rhapsody Tour?

May:  Well, we’re not gonna tell you  that  much, we don’t want to spoil it. [laughs] But the nice things is that the material is what ultimately gives the ideas, and we’re able to develop those ideas as we go along. We get to throw more and more stuff in, production-wise.

Lambert:  I will say, the technology has come so far, even in the 10 years that we’ve worked together. It gives us so much freedom when it comes to what we want to create, what environment we want to put around a song. We have all of these toys that we get to play with, which we all get a big kick out of. We have an amazing creative team that work with us — I mean, we add something in a couple of days if we have a cool idea. Once the show kicks off, the show is never locked. It’s never the same show every night, we have the ability to throw a new song in, move the set around, change the visuals. There’s so much freedom.

Lambert:  I’d say a couple of glasses of wine and a chat, yeah? 

May:  [laughs] I mean, we also always do a soundcheck. The soundcheck is the key thing for us, I think. Every time we go into a new city and set things up, we’ll go into a soundcheck for two or three hours sometimes. When we’re doing that, we’ll try new stuff out, and our team is so flexible with us, that we’ll just throw out, “Can you give us a certain lighting effect, can you do stuff on the screens?” And they’ll build it on the spot for us. We don’t work on backing tracks or anything, which means we can kind of do anything we want. And we’re really fortunate to have a technical team that can handle that — a lot of this stuff is programmed to work at pretty exact intervals, and ours is all human touch, which gives it that live feel.

Lambert:  Also, when we add a song sort of impromptu, we don’t like to over-rehearse it. We play it in that soundcheck and maybe one more soundcheck, and then we throw it in. It makes it really fun, like it’s a thrill-seeking activity, where we just go for it and see what happens. 

Brian, I wanted to congratulate you on your recent knighting from King Charles III — what was that experience like for you?

And Adam, congratulations on your  High Drama  covers album — were there any big covers you wanted to include that didn’t quite make the cut?

Lambert:  There were definitely a couple others I was considering, but it was a very thought-out project, so we weren’t wasting a lot of time or energy in the studio. We did it so quick, probably recorded those over about two months. I’m so happy with it, even though I did not write those songs, it felt like I was getting creative in the studio to find new ways to make them sound. That was such a cool challenge for me. 

Queen has one of the most prolific songbooks in modern rock music. Obviously there are the core set of hits that you’re gonna play almost no matter what — do you have any favorites in particular to perform that maybe aren’t as monolithic?

May:  You know, there’s some stuff that we know would be very difficult — Roger mentioned “The Millionaire Waltz” once. 

Taylor:  [laughs] Oh yeah, I don’t know if we could pull that off.

May:  But a lot of the stuff we do anyways is fairly complex — the key is you don’t play the record. We really play how we feel on the stage. It’s funny, some people would call that a bluff, but there’s a lot of multi-track guitar harmonies in a lot of our songs, and I don’t do that onstage and I don’t use trickery to achieve it. I play what I’m feeling, and people hear that and get a purely live version of the song. No extra frills, because to me, recording has always been different than performing live. 

Taylor:  Sometimes, the song gains a whole new dimension of excitement from that. But the live version will not be exactly the same as the record — that’s not what we’re about.

Lambert:  As far as the setlist goes, I think we’re all aware of what the fan favorites are. But the most important thing here is that, sure, we need to have fun, but the audience is buying a ticket to see the show. This is about their evening and giving them a show that feels fresh. We are keenly aware of what the favorites are and we try to include the big hits every night — they have a  lot  of hits, so it’s a lot to choose from. But it’s a two-plus hour show, so we’ve got plenty of time to get those big hits.

Tickets for The Rhapsody Tour officially go on sale Friday, March 31 at 10 a.m. local time on LiveNation.com .

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This is the Best Ever Live Footage of Queen but the Band Absolutely Hated It

by twistedsifter

In 1981, Queen—at their near peak—played two sold out shows at the Montreal Forum on November 24th and 25th. The shows were filmed and recorded in extremely high quality, however the shows were also rife with controversy. As lead guitarist Brian May explains:

Saul Swimmer had the idea that he could film a Queen concert, in a very high quality 35 mm double anamorphic way. For a start, we were not on tour, so all the sound and lights and production and CREW had to be reassembled just for this occasion, and we had to rehearse ourselves up to speed. Plus, we didn’t get on with Mr Saul Swimmer at all. Freddie in particular took an instant dislike to the man, and this turned to something like hatred, when we discovered on the first night that Swimmer had put up his own lights on the audience, changed the colours in our lights, and had cameras all over the stage … obviously we were not going to be able to treat it like a normal gig. It got worse on the second night, when Saul Swimmer demanded that Freddie wear the same clothes as the first night … and make the same moves … this guy had no idea that the show wasn’t choreographed … we basically did what we liked … So tempers flared … and it shows.

What you will see in this film is a very edgy, angry band, carving out a performance in a rather uncomfortable situation. But it does mean it’s very high energy, real, and raw. In addition, although the actual quality of the film was great, you will see camera work from camera men who did not remotely know the show, directed by a director who didn’t know the show either. The subsequent editing was consequently chaotic. They cobbled together bits of both shows visually, choosing the bits where the cameras had found the right person at the right time. They then matched up the sound as best they could, but there were many bits where you were hearing sound from one night, but watching the visuals from the other. Still, the film went out, and WAS seen by a lot of people in a ‘Live’ situation.

Finally, we bought the whole thing off Swimmer last year (2006) with the kind help of Eagle Rock. Finally it could be sorted. The work that has gone into rescuing it is immense … I can’t even get into all the details, but Justin Shirley-Smith, and Kris Fredriksson have put nine months of loving care into rebirthing this baby … It involved finding the master 24-track tapes, figuring out how they had been chopped up, digitally copying them, and rebuilding them into complete performances, and then after much cleaning up, making a splendid new mix in 5.1 surround.

The visuals were in a sense harder. The surviving negative went to be doctored in the USA — by a process using using algorithms invented by John D Lowry of NASA for rescuing the film from the Apollo Moon missions. (Astrophysics gets everywhere!) You know how quick computers are these days … ? Well, to give you an idea of the huge number-crunching involved, it took 700 Apple Mac G5’s one MONTH to process this film. The computation compares a frame with the ones before it and the ones after, and uses the comparison to remove dirt, scratches and some of the defects of the original filming. In the case of the feature film Singing in the Rain … it apparently removed the RAIN! So adjustments had to be made! In our case it worked well, as you will see — the quality is magnificent — particularly noticeable in the incredible close-ups of Freddie in “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

Having said this, the close up of Freddie is just about all you will see in “Bo Rap”. Saul Swimmer’s editors made their selection of shots to use, and the footage they left on the cutting room floor has never been seen again. So no proper re-edit of the visuals was possible. It’s kinda sad, because in addition to all the cut-aways we might have liked to use, bits of songs are missing, and the whole of “Flash” and “The Hero” will never be seen because the visuals don’t exist. These tracks ARE however on the CD version of Queen Rock Montreal — and sound great! And in view of what happened later, no-one is upset now that this is a document which concentrates on Freddie.

So our boys, stuck with very few options, were still able to restore all the songs to their full length, and, with modern digital artistry, make lots of improvements. But to end up with a version that is much much more true to what actually happened at any given moment, Justin and Kris mostly had to match up all the sound bites to picture. It’s a great piece of work.

Well, Maybe I’ve spoiled it for you by telling you all this, but I wanted you to appreciate the work that’s gone into it, and how worthwhile the project has been, made possible by Eagle Rock. And I do find that once I’m five minutes into the film, I’m caught up in it as a real live show.

These are just a few of the standout moments from the Montreal shows. You can find the entire 24 song setlist/concert on YouTube here . Cheers to Chief Mouse for the epic upload! Once again you can watch it all here .

Categories: ART , BEST OF , HISTORY , MUSIC , STORIES Tags: · compilation , history , live , music , performance , queen , top , vintage

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Queen + Adam Lambert can (and will) still rock you, even if it feels like their swan song is coming (Review)

W e all want to live forever as both Freddie Mercury and Oasis have sang. Queen, whose legacy has continued well past the death of Mercury, is no exception. Their latest leg of the “Rhapsody” tour, which opened in Baltimore, showed that Brian May and Roger Taylor, along with Adam Lambert, will still rock you. However, it does feel like this is their time to say goodbye and that they’re facing the truth.

Queen + Adam Lambert concert  review

Over the course of a two-hour, jam-packed show, Queen + Adam Lambert rocked CFG Bank Arena. This was a classic example of a megaband opening their tour in a smaller market before heading to a bigger one (Scotiabank Arena and Madison Square Garden are next). Elton John did it by opening his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Paul McCartney opened his “Got Back” tour in Spokane, Washington.

But that only creates a more intimate setting for a band like Queen, whose catalog is filled with stadium-rocking anthems, to connect with their audience. Take notes, Greta Van Fleet . There’s an ample difference between arena shows in the Garden or Capital One Arena and CFG Arena. The nosebleeds, which is where I resided during Thursday night’s show, still make you feel close to the band.

Given the simplicity of their set and stage design, there’s very little paraphernalia and excess compared to what you may assume for a band that was once led by Freddie Mercury. No, Queen + Adam Lambert’s gig doesn’t compare to the spectacle that U2’s Sphere gigs are , but there is something almost chill-inducing about seeing two stalwarts of the rock genre playing for perhaps their final few times.

Throwback to a different age

Seeing a Queen concert is a throwback to the old days of rock concerts. Opening with a medley of “Machines” and “Radio Ga Ga,” Adam Lambert and Brian May had the crowd in the palm of their hands. “Hammer to Fall,” “Stone Cold Crazy,” and “Another One Bites the Dust” followed and kept the energy up.

Adam Lambert, who told the audience that this is now a decade of him touring with Queen, has been a godsend for the band. There’s no denying that there is only one Freddie Mercury. His voice was transcendent and arguably the greatest in all of rock ‘n’ roll.

However, Lambert hits all of the same notes. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but there were times when you could close your eyes and hear Mercury’s voice during Queen’s concert. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep post-Vegas, the incessant smell of weed (told you it was a throwback to the ’70s!), or the horrid audio mixing (I’d expect nothing less from an arena in Baltimore). Nevertheless, you can’t deny that Lambert has nearly unmatched belting power.

He, along with the release of the very overrated-yet-equally-enjoyable Bohemian Rhapsody, have given new life to Queen. Other fill-in singers have been fine, but Lambert has the same swagger — as seen in his mirror-facing “Killer Queen” performance — and vocal power required to even try and stand into Mercury’s shoes. His stage presence is unmatched in modern rock, as he came out with bleach-blonde hair and shades reminiscent of Bono’s The Fly shades .

That said, he knows the presence that he’s in. Getting to stand in for one of the most iconic rock bands ever has to be daunting, if not a big pat on the ego. Bram van den Berg, who’s currently filling in for U2’s Larry Mullen Jr., has a similar look of pure “pinch me” energy on his face. Lambert introduced Taylor and May as the two members of Queen who “need no introduction.” He also lamented that he’s “so f**king lucky to do what I’m doing.”

Lambert earned his roses (bows and curtain calls), no doubt. But May and Taylor are still the wheels that keep Queen moving. The guitar is the sexiest instrument out there, and I’m not saying that as a guitarist myself. Take away the little pyrotechnics that flew out of the head of his guitar or the prolonged guitar solo (sorry, but if I condemned Greta Van Fleet’s Jake Kiszka for this, I can’t not mention it), and you still have a guitarist with some of the most iconic riffs ever.

The band is extremely tight when it comes to live performances. There were minimal mistakes outside of a couple vocal harmony missteps. They’re only playing their second gig of this tour, so they’ll get a pass for working out the kinks.

Top-heavy setlist

Speaking of kinks, while the band has a few days off between gigs, they could also sort out its setlist. Queen’s set was exactly the same from Night 1 to Night 2 of the tour. And that’s fine in principle, but it’s a very top-heavy set. You get songs like “Radio Ga Ga,” “Another Bites the Dust,” “I Want it All,” “Killer Queen,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and “Somebody to Love” in the first half alone. There’s even a three-song medley of songs about wheeled-vehicles consisting of “I’m in Love With My Car,” “Bicycle Race,” and “Fat Bottomed Girls” that works despite how much I despise the middle number.

From there on out, for every “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” there’s a “’39” or “Is This the World We Created?”

Both are fine songs, but the last act of the show before the encore hits a serious lull. Truthfully, “Who Wants to Live Forever,” “Is This the World We Created?,” and “The Show Must Go On” have never been amongst the top of Queen’s catalog for yours truly. Let alone if you play them all in succession (with a 10-minute “New World Symphony” guitar solo sandwiched between them). “Bohemian Rhapsody” awoke the entire audience, which was a varied mix of older, OG fans, and the younger kids who either A.) went with their dad, or B.) dubbed Bohemian Rhapsody as one of their top films of 2019.

No, the audience wasn’t filled with walkers and canes the way Paul McCartney’s gig in Syracuse was last year (hallelujah), but if not for the rampant amount of phones that went up per song to record three-quarters of it, you’d swear the audience was asleep. I’m not sure what it is about modern concert-going, but crowds have gotten extremely lame. Thank goodness for the four drunk moms behind me who stood for practically every song. It’d feel slightly less looked down upon if you stood up whenever they would.

Of course, the show ends with two crowd-pleasers, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.” Those got everyone on their feet, along with the “Radio Ga Ga” reprise that, by that point, had me gaslighting myself questioning if we had already heard that song.

It’s likely that Queen has been playing the same songs for 50 years now and want to play some for themselves that aren’t “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Fair enough, but I think the sequence toward the end has one too many snoozers that make you anxious for the next fun song. No amount of David Bowie-like lights can distract you when you’re nearly falling asleep during this segment of the show.

Should you see Queen + Adam Lambert?

Queen + Adam Lambert is still a bucket list-worthy act. Their show is a true testament to the timelessness of Queen. Their music doesn’t sound modern, yet their songs are ageless. How does that happen? Is it Lambert’s reinvigoration of the band? Or is the band just that great?

I’d lean toward the latter, though Lambert’s addition gave this band more of a spark than they ever could have imagined. He thinks he’s lucky to be in the presence of two legends, but the greater world at large is lucky that the band has continued touring (and sounding good!) for over five decades.

Whether they want to admit it or not, their times has nearly come. Take it in while you can, Brian May and Roger Taylor. Everyone wants to live forever, and like Freddie Mercury, Queen’s legacy will. Their “Rhapsody” tour shows prove that.

Queen + Adam Lambert’s “Rhapsody” tour will continue until February 14, 2024.

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Queen + adam lambert awe bmo stadium with euphoric mix of nostalgia + new.

On Sunday, November 12th, Queen + Adam Lambert wrapped their North American “Rhapsody Tour” with sizzling pomp and panache at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium on the second consecutive night of a sold-out weekend. Two of Queen’s original members, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, demonstrated the reasons for their enduring appeal over 24 of the band’s biggest hits alongside their 10-year frontman in the virtuoso Adam Lambert who again skillfully paid tribute to the late Freddie Mercury, perhaps rock’s most preeminent vocalist, while adopting many of the renowned anthems as his own. The sum of these parts proved to be as qualified as any wildly successful band, including the original iteration of Queen.

In 1970, May, Taylor, Mercury, and bassist John Deacon (who hasn’t performed with the band since 1997) formed the legendary Queen, making invaluable contributions to music, notably with their theatrical style and lush harmonies. Today, fifty-three years later, with additional live band members in percussionist Tyler Warren, keyboardist Spike Edney, and bassist Neil Fairclough, Queen — which still flourishes as a touring juggernaut and a top-50-most-listened-to band on Spotify with a whopping five songs in the billion-plus streaming club — is as relevant as ever.

Naturally, one might ask: How does Queen manage to stand toe to toe with contemporary bands and ingratiate themselves to successive generations, whereas most of their musical peers have been rendered immaterial by the rigors of time? The answer was explained over 132 minutes, where an impeccable mix of musicianship and showmanship — not to mention an eye-catching set and top-notch production values — held an adoring audience in a transfixed state.

(Top to bottom) Adam Lambert, Roger Taylor, and Brian May perform during the Queen + Adam Lambert “Rhapsody Tour.” Photo credit: Bojan Hohnjec

With 22,000 fans anticipating the start of the end-of-tour celebration, a caged oblong set rose to reveal the band members, LED backdrops, and four VIP fan boxes. Allusions to “Machines (or Back to Humans),” Metropolis (1927 film), and Mercury’s “Love Kills” segued into “Radio Gaga” as the luminescent and blond Lambert stood self-assuredly in black goggles and a silver-caped costume to guide the masses in a majestic clapping of the hands, similar to how Mercury commandingly corralled observers during the group’s famed 1985 Live Aid set.

“Hammer to Fall” (also from The Works album) was the second tune and marked the first of a multitude of times May, clad predominantly in an effervescent black or silver jacket, would be seen downstage with his guitar. At 76 years of age, May is paradoxically as youthful as ever, soloing as only he could before Lambert, a chillingly accurate and indefatigable singer, hammered home the song with one of his trademark high notes.

“Another One Bites the Dust” followed and specifically highlighted the prowess of Fairclough (who paid homage to Deacon’s masterstrokes) and percussion of both Warren and Taylor, while Lambert added a few pleasing vocal embellishments. The sun-glassed Taylor would then have the stage to himself as gargantuan spotlights — or more appropriately in this case, headlights — descended for “I’m in Love With My Car.” The degree of difficulty required to mellifluously wallop drums and sing, simultaneously no less, is not lost on the initiated and Taylor, whose raspy voice has aged like fine wine, was a marvel to watch perform.

Next, “Bicycle Race” left the crowd in awe not only for its melody but visual inventiveness as a light suddenly beamed on Lambert who could be seen unperturbedly reclining on a supersized, metallic motorbike that brightly glistened. Now in all black, Lambert played to a selfie camera affixed to the handlebar prior to transitioning to another Jazz smash in “Fat Bottomed Girls,” which underscored the combined vocals and exquisite harmonies of the entire band.

Drummer Roger Taylor performs during the Queen + Adam Lambert “Rhapsody Tour.” Photo credit: Bojan Hohnjec

The prologue to “I Want It All” thereupon emphasized why the underrated Lambert is one of the best singers of his generation. Standing with only his microphone and a mere hum as accompaniment, Lambert soared the sky with his vibrato, which was pitched exotically and powered by a thousand suns. This led into May starting on the “I’m a man with a one-track mind” bridge in the wake of an epic instrumental section and rousing finale that culminated with smoke geysers.

Piggybacking on the out-of-body experience of the last piece, “A Kind of Magic” (from the album of the same name) began with gorgeous celestial sights, reminiscent of the aurora borealis, as the sparkly Lambert groovily intoned the lyrics as cartoon characters representing the original quartet (as seen on the album artwork and music video) danced about on the rear LED screen. And magical it was, especially when May walked toward the audience, plucking away on his instrument as flares astonishingly shot out the head of his guitar.

Like “I Want It All,” “Killer Queen” was another Queen chart-topper that Lambert made his own. The former American Idol star compellingly leaned into the narrative of the song as he sat facing a vanity mirror all the while fanning and powdering himself before drolly drinking prop champagne. There is a sass and pizazz displayed by Lambert that Mercury would have gleefully approved yet, as accomplished as he has become, Lambert remains humble and gracious, uttering, “Every time I take the stage with these guys, I realize what an honor this is [to pay tribute to Mercury].”

It was as if Mercury sprinkled a little more pixie dust on Lambert who, in otherworldly fashion, took his vocals into an even higher gear with two fan-favorites in “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Somebody to Love,” which also exhibited Edney’s effortlessness at the piano. It can’t be overstated that Lambert’s voice spans several octaves and even the most seasoned singers can only shrug their shoulders when they listen to the flamboyant wizard who finds an endless supply of strength to supply his vocal cords. Suffice it to say, Lambert is as technically sound as they come, a potential result of his musical-theatre background, and would be viewed as elite on Broadway (which unapologetically demands exactness) as he has been in rock/pop circles.

Brian May performs on guitar during the Queen + Adam Lambert “Rhapsody Tour.” Photo credit: Sarah Rugg

Thereafter, it was Dr. May who took center stage with a 12-string acoustic guitar to perform two numbers. May, who earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics at Imperial College London, felt comforted by the warmly welcoming iPhone lights, “the beautiful people of Los Angeles — the most beautiful town of angels in the world,” and was moved by the overwhelming universality of the occasion. “Love of My Life” was not only a tip of the hat to the band’s loyal following but the departed Mercury who, in video form, acknowledged May’s continued efforts. “’39,” which May called a “time machine in reverse,” evinced the wise doctor’s honeyed upper register, made only sweeter by the years he’s lived.

A downstage timpani solo by Taylor indicated that the 74-year-old hasn’t lost the snap in his wrists, which flicked with vigor — each tap of his snare and cymbals rhythmically rumbling in the open air. This preceded “Under Pressure” from Hot Space , which gave Taylor the opportunity to belt out again, this time David Bowie’s part, as Lambert shared a euphonious chemistry with the venerated drummer. As the last note rang out, an ingenious “hoedown” arrangement of “Tie Your Mother Down” commenced before pivoting to the original hard-rock version. Subsequently, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (from The Game ) was performed expertly and detailed Lambert’s pleasing lower range.

From understated to glamorously decadent, the motivational “I Want to Break Free” made an exclamatory impression throughout the venue with not only Lambert’s sweeping notes, but a disco ball that dropped and revolved to the approval of the audience. The cadence quickly turned earnestly surreal, though, with a breathtaking prismatic light that beckoned “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Associated with Highlander , the rhetorical triumph is as powerful as ever, taken to a transcendent level by May who tugged at heartstrings with his poignant playing.

As it turned out, May was readying himself for a solo for the ages as he rose on a platform, the illusion being that a colossal space rock (portrayed digitally) was pushing him up into the middle of the universe where starry orbs and colorful planetary globes joined him in a lovely and serene sequence. Utilizing the reverb and delay on his electric guitar, May created sumptuously staggered blocks of reverberation while referencing “Bijou” and “Keep Yourself Alive.”

(L-R) Brian May and Adam Lambert perform during the Queen + Adam Lambert “Rhapsody Tour.” Photo credit: Bojan Hohnjec

Afterwards, the socially conscious “Is This the World We Created…?” — with May on a six-string acoustic guitar — echoed the previously momentous tone as did Innuendo ’s “The Show Must Go On,” which Lambert vocally realized with a robust and audacious resonance, reminding of Mercury’s inspirational grit in his last days. And, of course, soon to follow was arguably Mercury’s most exceptional bestowment to music, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which unsurprisingly elicited the roar of the attendees as Mercury’s recorded words kicked off the preface before the extraordinary operatic section and resolutely rock coda.

Certainly, there is no Queen concert without Freddie’s sing-along “Ay-Oh” interlude, which other artists have embraced as a means to increase crowd participation. The 12-minute encore boasted the Zanzibar-born icon in all his glory at Wembley Stadium in 1986 as the fans at BMO Stadium happily obliged trying to match Mercury’s vocal agility. “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” (both from News of the World ) are two other Queen concert must-haves, which were expectedly and magnificently performed, with a “Radio Gaga” reprise sandwiched in between.

As Lambert reached into his diaphragm for more preternaturally conjured notes, Taylor determinedly negotiated his drum set, and the emotional May fretted and strummed at full tilt — right up until the closing blasts of confetti — it was clear that this Queen + Adam Lambert rendition is just as proficient as the classic Queen foursome ever was.

Ultimately, Queen lives on both because of the nostalgia they excitedly stir in the hearts and minds of their listeners as well as the modern flair and refreshing newness which Lambert, who is not weighed down by the group’s formidably royal reputation, confidently brings each time he performs alongside the esteemed Sir Brian May and Roger Taylor.

Queen + Adam Lambert will resume touring in Japan in 2024. For more information on the band’s upcoming shows, and to purchase tickets, visit: queenonline.com .

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Tickets Onsale Starting Friday, March 31 at 10am Local on LiveNation.com

“visions fine and sound supreme   essence of a fiery queen   doyens of the paradigm   we will rock you one more time.”   brian may  .

Having first launched their universally acclaimed Rhapsody Tour with 25 epic shows across North America in 2019, Queen + Adam Lambert are bringing their highly acclaimed production, now expanded and updated, back to where it first began. After a 4-year long hiatus, Sir Brian May, Roger Taylor and their exceptional frontman Adam Lambert have announced they will set out on a spectacular North America run this fall. Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on October 4 at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena making stops in Toronto, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and more before concluding at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. See full routing below. 

Brian May says, “Our last tour featured our most ambitious production ever. So we decided to rip it apart and get even more ambitious. Watch out world.”  

And Adam Lambert says: “I can’t wait to tour North America one more time with the Rhapsody tour alongside the two unbelievably talented legends that are Brian May and Roger Taylor.”  

WATCH THE TOUR TRAILER BELOW  

﷟HYPERLINK “https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lkG43askLccMkhPLdxnrCNa7mhSRGKbT/view?usp=sharing”  

Queen + Adam Lambert’s 150-minute career-spanning set list celebrates the band’s extraordinary back catalogue, lining up wall-to-wall immortal anthems like “We Will Rock You”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “Radio Ga Ga”, and “Somebody To Love” alongside classic deep cuts and vintage fan favourites. Featuring a dazzling state-of-the-art stage design, incredible special effects and set pieces, this sense-swamping extravaganza has been blowing critics and fans away the world over. 

As with last year’s UK and European dates, the 2023 North American tour will see Queen + Adam Lambert supported on stage by their regular band members, long-serving Queen keyboard player and musical director Spike Edney, bass guitarist Neil Fairclough and percussionist Tyler Warren.  

Having extensively toured over the last few years, the Rhapsody show is forever evolving. But it remains at heart a tribute to Freddie Mercury’s majestic legacy, a confirmation of Brian and Roger’s undimmed musical prowess, plus a magnificent showcase for Adam’s vocal skills and electrifying stage charisma, all of which adds up to a glorious full-blooded celebration of one of the greatest songbooks in rock history. Read more on the story of The Rhapsody Tour so far, including the special performance opening the Platinum Jubilee concert with the late Queen herself tea cup tapping to the beat of “We Will Rock You” HERE . 

TICKETS: Tickets will be available via a general onsale beginning Friday, March 31st at 10AM local time at LiveNation.com .  

MORE ON TICKETS:  

Queen + Adam Lambert appreciate that it is an enormous task to try and stop scalpers from taking advantage of fans wanting to purchase tickets for the tour. In an effort to help minimize resale and keep ticket prices at face value for fans, the band are collaborating with the venues’ ticketing partners to restrict the ability to transfer tickets for The Rhapsody Tour so that they may only be transferred between fans at the original price. 

Fans will still have protection against unforeseen circumstances. Those who purchase tickets and are no longer able to attend their show will be able to sell their tickets at the price they paid using a face value ticket exchange, including the Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange – which is free to use for buyers and sellers. More information on how the Ticketmaster Exchange works is available here . 

Unfortunately, the states of NY, IL, and CO have laws in place which protect ticket scalpers – these laws prohibit artists from being able to restrict the transfer of their tickets to face value exchanges only. For shows in these states, Queen + Adam Lambert strongly encourage fans to only buy or sell tickets to one another on face value exchanges. More information can be found here , with more details to follow in the coming weeks.  

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT THE RHAPSODY TOUR 2023 DATES:   

Wed Oct 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 

Sun Oct 08 – Toronto, ON — Scotiabank Arena 

Tue Oct 10 — Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena 

Thu Oct 12 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden 

Sun Oct 15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden 

Wed Oct 18 — Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center 

Mon Oct 23 — Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena 

Wed Oct 25 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena 

Fri Oct 27 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center 

Mon Oct 30 — Chicago, IL – United Center 

Thu Nov 02 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 

Sun Nov 05 — Denver, CO – Ball Arena 

Wed Nov 08 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center 

Sat Nov 11 – Los Angeles, CA – BMO Stadium 

About Live Nation Entertainment  

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com . 

MEDIA CONTACTS:  

Rhapsody Tour  

Cara Hutchison | [email protected]  

Queen  

Phil Symes | [email protected]   

Sharrin Summers – Hollywood Records | [email protected]  

Adam Lambert  

Kristen Foster | [email protected]   

Avery Robinson | [email protected]   

Live Nation Concerts  

Monique Sowinski | [email protected]  

Valeska Thomas | [email protected]   

Maya Sarin | [email protected]   

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Music and Concerts | Concert review: Queen + Adam Lambert deliver…

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Music and concerts, subscriber only, music and concerts | concert review: queen + adam lambert deliver thrilling blast of nostalgia at the x.

As they’ve proven in their previous two shows at the St. Paul hockey arena, Queen + Adam Lambert make for a terrific combination and that was once again the case Friday. Technically, it’s the second local stop on the group’s sprawling Rhapsody Tour, which kicked off back in July 2019, riding high on the success of the 2018 Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” (The tour took a two-year break due to the pandemic.)

But it wasn’t the same show they played at the X in August 2019. The big hits remain — “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Killer Queen,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions” among them — but the group subbed out some of the lesser-known songs from 2019 and changed some of the pacing.

Not all the tweaks worked. “A Kind of Magic” and “Is This the World We Created” fell flat, as did a surprisingly low-energy run through “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” typically one of the most fun numbers in a Queen concert. Also, it would have been great to hear “Keep Yourself Alive” and “You’re My Best Friend.”

Still, when Queen + Adam Lambert work, they really work. Guitarist Brian May clearly enjoys playing and keeping Queen’s music alive, to the point he tried to tour with Paul Rodgers up front in the latter half of the ’00s. (It was a mess.)

Lambert feels like the perfect guy for the gig, which he’s had for more than a decade now. Crucially, he doesn’t try to imitate the late Freddie Mercury, but instead delivers a performance in the spirit of Mercury. As he proved during his breakout season on “American Idol” way back in 2009, Lambert knows how to work both a stage and a crowd. And his voice remains impressively large and strong. It’s unfortunate his solo career hasn’t really taken off beyond a small cult audience, but I’m sure May is happy to have the guy around.

As usual, drummer Roger Taylor brought grumpy old man energy the stage, but he sounded terrific singing “Under Pressure” with Lambert. (Sadly, he also performed a lengthy solo as well as “I’m in Love with My Car,” one of the dumbest songs in the Queen catalog.) May also turned in an indulgent solo that earned more than a few yawns from the crowd.

Again, though, when Queen + Adam Lambert dial it in, they deliver. It helps that the songs were written to be played in arenas and stadiums and offer big, easy hooks with wide appeal. The success of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” movie brought in some noticeably younger fans in 2019 as well as Friday night.

The one-two punch of “The Show Must Go On” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the end of the main set was every bit as epic and thrilling as any other arena show this year. Queen + Adam Lambert will play a second show Saturday at the X.

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Remastered Queen Concert Film Coming to IMAX

Their 1981 stadium tour arrives in theaters in January

Queen fans will get the chance to witness a concert from the band’s heyday on the big screen thanks to the upcoming release of Queen Rock Montreal. A remastered version of the concert film premieres in IMAX theaters for a limited run beginning January 18th, 2024.

Originally released in 2007 under the title We Will Rock You, Queen Rock Montreal has now been remastered and tailored specifically for the IMAX screen, complete with 12-channel surround sound, crystal-clear images, and customized theater geometry. Billed as “a larger-than-life, front-row immersive experience,” the film consists of footage from two 1981 performances at Montreal’s 18,000-seat Forum. These recordings have With many of their biggest hits on the setlist, the film captures Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon performing at the height of their fame.

“I don’t think we quite realized it at the time, but this film has preserved one of the highest peaks in Queen’s touring life, on stage in the old glory days,” May said in a press release. “The director [Saul Swimmer] was very much focused on Freddie, and this now stands as probably the most precious intimate capture ever of Mr. Mercury at his full awesome power.”

Meanwhile, Taylor added simply: “Enjoy. We were young!”

See the trailer for  Queen Rock Montreal  below.

Queen, along with lead vocalist Adam Lambert, just wrapped up their North American “Rhapsody Tour.” See photos of the Baltimore kickoff here .

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We're coming in mid July as a family of 3 with a 6 year old. I'm thinking the glory days tours. Is the $10 1 hour tour really limited in what you can see? Is it worth it for the $35pp ticket for "1 hour guided tour and includes ship admission"? It's hard for me to tell what this really means.

6 replies to this topic

Back in the day we did the ghost tour which took us right down into the engine room and watertight compartments but no idea where the tours take you these days.

I guess I'm even more confused because when I put my July date in the same tour is $25. But thanks for clarifying, I was confused by some reviews and didn't catch that browsing on my phone. Guess I'll find out 😊

I must have done the on board tours before Hunter. Because the ghost tours were not really a thing then. (The shop had or has plaques where there were ghost sightings anyway.) I did see the engine room on one tour though.

We went on two different tours on the same day and they each were only about an hour but covered a lot. They may be different, but I do think a lot can be covered in an hour.

I just want to add that your 6 year old will most likely love it. When we went we had two adults (aunt and mother) and three kids. The youngest was five. At one point when we were on the deck in the evening she said, "Mommy, I love it here."

Important point too that the tour we did was no more than an hour or so and we too covered a lot of ground.

Love that ship. Like Redlands said, special place. Takes you back in time. One of two hotels I've slept in that I say was the best sleep of my life. The other was a hotel in Ridgecrest.

I did the engine tour at that time. Also toured the old submarine that was parked next to the QM. Not sure if it's still there.

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Madonna’s final celebration tour concert takes over copabacana beach in rio — here’s how to watch in the u.s..

The massive show will only be broadcast locally in Brazil on Saturday, May 4, but there are a few ways for those in the U.S. to stream it online.

By Danielle Directo-Meston

Danielle Directo-Meston

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Madonna is showing her appreciation for fans with a free concert on Saturday, May 4, at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro — the final stop of her Celebration Tour.

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At a Glance: How to Watch Madonna’s Celebration Tour in Rio Online

• When Saturday, May 4 at 5:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. ET (9:45 p.m. local Brazil time)
• Channel TV Globo (Brazil)
• Stream online DirecTV , Sling (add-on required)
• More ways to watch online Globoplay (available at Appstore for Android on Amazon , Apple App Store )

Madonna’s free Celebration concert in Rio will only be broadcast locally in Brazil, including on the Brazilian streaming video-on-demand service Globoplay. Fans outside Brazil can livestream the big event online on a cable streaming service that carries TV Globo or through a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Below, keep reading for more details on how to watch Madonna’s Celebration show in Rio online in the U.S., including for free.

How to Watch Madonna’s Celebration Concert in Rio: Date, Time, Channel

Madonna’s final Celebration Tour stop will take place at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, May 4. It will air on the Brazilian channel TV Globo at 9:45 p.m. local time in Rio.

Stream Madonna’s Celebration Show in Rio: How to Watch in the U.S.

If you want to watch Madonna’s Rio concert outside of Brazil, you can tune into TV Globo at 5:45 p.m. PT/8:45 p.m. ET in the U.S. You can stream TV Globo on any live TV streaming service that carries the Brazilian channel, including DirecTV and Sling .

Already have a Globoplay account? There’s a way to access your service from outside of Brazil.

Get more details on how to watch TV Globo and other Brazilian channels in the U.S. below.

DirecTV Stream

You can watch Madonna’s concert in Rio on DirecTV when you add Brazilian programming (including the TV Globo channel) to a satellite or internet-based plan. New subscribers can stream for free with DirecTV’s five-day trial. For satellite subscribers, you can add international programming to a Basic or Preferred Choice base package ($27.99 to $59.99 per month plus tax). The BrazilianDirect add-on is an extra $29.99 per month and includes TV Globo, or you can get the standalone TV Globo channel add-on for $19.99 per month. For DirecTV subscribers connecting via internet, add Brazilian programming for just $30 per month on top of your existing cable TV streaming package. Learn more here. And for a limited time, eligible subscribers can save up to $240; learn more here .

Watch Madonna’s Celebration concert in Rio on TV Globo with Sling , which offers a free three-day trial when you add select Brazilian TV Pack plans (reg. $13.99 and up per month) to your streaming package. New subscribers save half off their first month of Sling, so you can stream Madonna’s show in Brazil starting at only $20 for the Orange plan (reg. $40 per month) that includes CNN, HGTV, ID, A&E, ESPN, Disney Channel and other networks. Other packages include the Blue tier ($22.50 for the first month, reg. $45 monthly) and the combined Orange & Blue package (reg. $60 monthly) that includes exclusive news and entertainment channels such as ABC, NBC, Fox, E!, FS1, FX and others.

For those who already have Brazil’s Globoplay streaming video-on-demand service, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to access your account in the U.S. Plans start at $12.95 per month or $8.32 monthly with annual billing; learn more here .

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Christine Sherrill celebrating 25th anniversary tour of 'Mamma Mia!' in a familiar role

The show stars the veteran chicago actress in a role she’s performed more than 2,000 times, in a musical built around the music of abba..

Christine Sherrill (starring as Donna Sheridan, center) and the company of “Mamma Mia!”

Joan Marcus

Christine Sherrill is certainly not “only 17” any longer — but she’s still having the time of her life as a dancing queen in the ABBA-infused hit show, “Mamma Mia!”

And Sherrill’s character’s name isn’t officially “dancing queen” — it’s Donna Sheridan — but it’s probably a title she deserves after performing, by her estimate, more than 2,000 times in the musical, arriving this week at the James M. Nederlander Theatre as part of a 25th anniversary tour.

“Clearly, I can’t go out with the kids in the show,” said Sherrill of how she paces herself for the demanding role. “I practice a lot of yoga. I can’t drink. I can’t talk excessively after the show or socialize.”

There has to be some socializing in Chicago, for a woman whose theater life kicked off here. You may have seen Sherrill, who attended Streamwood High School and Northern Illinois University, at Drury Lane Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theater, Marriott Theatre, and on a host of other local stages.

Sherrill name dropped Sean Allan Krill, a Chicago acting veteran in town to star in “Sunday in the Park with George” at the Studebaker Theater in May. The two have recently been comparing notes, she said, on what it’s like as a more mature actor to handle the nightly rigors of the stage life.

Christine Sherrill

Courtey Broadway in Chicago

For those who don’t know the show, “Mamma Mia!,” which was also made into a 2008 movie starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth among many others, is about a young woman who invites three middle-aged men to her Greek island wedding in hopes of learning which one is actually her father. Long-buried emotions surface as Donna, Sherrill’s character and the bride’s mother, confronts her past. And what better way to unleash those emotions than with the immortal words of Swedish super band, ABBA?

Sherrill said she’s often asked if she’s grown tired of a musical that she’s been connected to, off and on, since 2006, including a Las Vegas residency production in the early 2000s at the now-defunct Tropicana resort. No, she reveals, because this version of the show feels “completely different” — even though little about what happens on stage has changed.

“It’s the resurgence of ABBA and the disco venue in younger generations,” she said. “So we’re meeting a lot of young kids who have not even been to musical theater, but they are coming for the ABBA music.”

“Cabaret” at the Marriott Theatre starred Christine Sherrill as Fraulein Kost in 2014.

Peter Coombs/Sun-Times File

“Mamma Mia!” encourages audience participation. On this latest tour, audiences have been much more “assertive” than in the past, Sherrill said. From time to time, ushers have had to tell audience members during the show to sit down.

“We may have had one female audience member storm the stage to sing. She didn’t make it …. She was really enamored by Sam (Carmichael, one of Donna’s former flames and played in the show by Victor Wallace),” Sherrill said.

As she prepares to take the stage here in Chicago, Sherrill said she’s grateful for the opportunities she had here that helped launch her career, including being cast as Norma Desmond in the 2012 Drury Lane Theatre production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard,” for which she won a Jeff Award.

Christine Sherrill won a Jeff Award for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard” at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace in 2013.

Brett Beiner

“It brought me into a new career of playing leading ladies; prior to that, I found myself playing a lot of comic relief, ... a certain kind of role that was dim,” she said.

She credits former Drury Lane artistic director Bill Osetek with (as the ABBA song goes) taking a chance on her.

“It was a challenge for me, and I felt like he took a risk,” she said.

As for what she’s particularly looking forward to now that’s back in her early theatrical home, Sherrill said: “I’ve already made my Mother’s Day reservations for Petterino’s (restaurant).”

• Larissa FastHorse satirizes well-meaning theater artists with ‘The Thanksgiving Play’ at Steppenwolf

Drake, Kendrick Lamar diss tracks escalate with 'Meet the Grahams' and 'Family Matters'

Drake and Kendrick Lamar are taking their feud up a notch to be all in the family.

The rappers released dueling diss tracks Friday night, trading barbs about gossip and Ozempic , while also levying serious allegations of abuse, addiction and another hidden child.

Drake took aim at Lamar's back-to-back diss tracks "Euphoria" and "6:16 in LA" with "Family Matters" and its corresponding lyric video and interlude just before midnight Friday. About 37 minutes later, Lamar had his response: "Meet the Grahams."

Drake alleges Lamar physically abused his fiancée, that Lamar's child might not be his and that the California rapper is living a double life full of infidelity. Lamar claims Drake has a secret daughter, gambling and drug addictions, and that he has predators on his label's payroll and should be in a "cell" with Harvey Weinstein .

'Meet the Grahams' lyrics: Kendrick Lamar speaks directly to Adonis, Drake's mom Sandra

The more than 6-minute response sees Lamar talking to Drake's family: his 6-year-old son, Adonis; mom Sandra Graham; dad Dennis Graham; and an alleged daughter, whom Drake has not claimed publicly.

To Adonis, Lamar raps: "I'm sorry that that man is your father, let me be honest / It takes a man to be a man, your dad is not responsive," claiming Drake takes Ozempic and hires escorts, and alluding to the rapper getting a Brazilian butt lift (otherwise known as a BBL ).

To Drake's parents, Lamar tells his mother that Drake "got some habits" and tells his father "you gave birth to a master manipulator."

"I'm blamin' you for all his gamblin' addictions / Psychopath intuition, the man that like to play victim," Lamar raps . "Him and Weinstein should" be "in a cell for the rest they life," Lamar says, adding: "He hates Black women, hypersexualizes 'em with kinks of a nympho fetish / Grew facial hair because he understood bein' a beard just fit him better / He got sex offenders" on record label OVO "that he keep on a monthly allowance."

Lamar's final dagger: that Drake allegedly has an 11-year-old daughter. "Dear baby girl / I'm sorry that your father not active inside your world," Lamar raps, later adding, "Should be teachin' you time tables or watchin' 'Frozen' with you / Or at your 11th birthday, singin' poems with you / Instead, he be in Turks, payin' for sex and poppin' Percs."

Drake rebutted on his Instagram story Saturday: "Hold on can someone find my hidden daughter pls and send her to me...these guys are in shambles," with laughing emojis.

On "Euphoria," Lamar invoked the Toronto-born rapper's 2019 feud with Pusha T , who revealed Drake had a child, unbeknownst to the public at the time.

Lamar ends "Meet the Grahams" with a litany of things he says Drake "lied" about: "You lied about your son, you lied about your daughter, huh / You lied about them other kids that's out there hopin' that you come."

Listen to 'Meet the Grahams'

Listen to Lamar's "Meet the Grahams" on YouTube .

Drake alleges Kendrick Lamar abuse, takes aim at A$AP Rocky and Rick Ross in 'Family Matters': Lyrics

Broken into three sections, "Family Matters" clocks in at 7 minutes and 37 seconds. "I've emptied the clip over friendlier jabs / You mentioned my seed, now deal with his dad / I gotta go bad, I gotta go bad," Drake raps at the top of the track, which picks up where his earlier diss track "Push Ups" left off.

Drake questions Lamar's street cred ("But you civilian gang, in real life, you PC") and invokes J. Cole's involvement in the beef : "Cole losin' sleep on this, it ain't me."

"Always rappin' like you 'bout to get the slaves freed / You just actin' like an activist, it's make believe," Drake raps. "Don't even go back to your hood and plant no money trees," alluding to Lamar's song "Money Trees."

The lyric video also shows the van from the cover art of Lamar's "good kid, m.A.A.d city" album (which featured Drake on "Poetic Justice") being crushed in a compactor, and features Drake eating at the Toronto restaurant New Ho King, which Lamar rapped about in "Euphoria."

"You the Black messiah wifin' up a mixed queen / And hit vanilla cream to help out with your self-esteem," Drake alleges. "We could've left the kids out of this, don't blame me / You a dog and you know it, you just play sweet / Your baby mama captions always screamin', 'Save me.'"

Drake more explicitly claims Lamar physically abuses fiancée Whitney Alford. "When you put your hands on your girl, is it self-defense 'cause she bigger than you?"

"Why did you move to New York? Is it 'cause you livin' that bachelor life? / Proposed in 2015, but don't wanna make her your actual wife," Drake raps, later adding, "They hired a crisis management team to clean up the fact that you beat on your queen."

He also questions whether one of Lamar's children is actually fathered by Dave Free, the former president of Lamar's record label, Top Dog Entertainment. "I heard that one of them little kids might be Dave Free," Drake raps. "Don't make it Dave Free's / 'Cause if your GM is your BM secret BD / Then this is all makin' plenty (expletive) sense to me."

Drake also has smoke for A$AP Rocky, who is currently dating and has two children with Rihanna , Drake's ex .

"Gassed 'cause you hit my BM first," Drake raps, asking "do the math, who I was hittin' then? / I ain't even know you rapped still 'cause they only talkin' 'bout your 'fit again / Probably gotta have a kid again 'fore you think of droppin' any (expletive) again / Even when you do drop, they gon' say you should've modeled 'cause it's mid again," adding he's "smokin' Fenty 'bout it."

More Ozempic claims are sent at Rick Ross, as Drake raps "Ozempic got a side effect of jealousy" and points to Ross' past as a correctional officer: "Rick readin' my Miranda rights."

USA TODAY has reached out to Drake and Lamar's reps for comment on the allegations.

Listen to 'Family Matters'

Listen to Drake's "Family Matters" on YouTube and stream on Spotify .

Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud, explained

Lamar and Drake's feud  goes back more than  a decade to 2013, when Lamar rapped on the Big Sean song "Control" about how he wanted to "murder" Drake and other prominent rappers.

Earlier this year, Lamar appeared on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That" and rejected the idea of there being a "big three" in rap, declaring on the track, "It's just big me." The lyric was a response to  J. Cole  referring to himself, Drake and Lamar as the "big three" on Drake's 2023 track "First Person Shooter."

J. Cole  responded to Lamar  on the song "7 Minute Drill" in April, rapping, "He still doing shows but fell off like 'The Simpsons." He also rapped that Lamar is past his "prime." But shortly after releasing the song, Cole apologized and said it was "lame" and "goofy" of him to do so.

"I ain't gonna lie to y'all the past two days felt terrible," he told the audience at the Dreamville Festival days later, going on to call Lamar as "one of the greatest."

Drake subsequently fired back with two diss tracks directed at Lamar, "Push Ups" and "Taylor Made Freestyle," the latter which was pulled from streaming services after Shakur's estate threated to sue. (On "Family Matters," Drake claims Lamar "called the Tupac estate and begged 'em to sue me.")

Lamar references this on his follow-up "Euphoria" by rapping that Shakur is turning "in his grave."

Lamar continues on "Euphoria": "How many more fairytale stories about your life 'til we've had enough? How many more Black features 'til you finally feel that you're Black enough?"

In "Euphoria," Lamar compliments Drake's track " Back To Back " saying he "liked that record." The 2015 single was a diss track aimed at rapper  Meek Mill , and was Drake's follow-up to his first diss, "Charged Up."

Then, Lamar released a back-to-back of his own with "6:16 in LA." Lamar took a shot at Drake's label and team, rapping, "Have you ever thought OVO is working for me?" before calling Drake a "fake bully." He continues: "I hate bullies / You must be a terrible person / Everyone inside your team whispering that you deserve it."

The title had fans going down a rabbit hole to collect all the Easter eggs about the Lamar's Canadian adversary. The song title is an obvious reference to a  timestamp song  format Drake has popularized, but also could refer to June 16, which marks Father's Day, Tupac Shakur's birthday, the date of HBO's "Euphoria" series premiere and a Lamar concert in Drake's hometown of Toronto .

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Naledi Ushe, Brendan Morrow, KiMi Robinson