[ATTENDED: September 10, 2021] Almost Queen
S
.’s co-workers invited her to see Almost Queen with them late in June. She agreed, thinking it would be a fun night out. As September approached, she realized that the friends had a slightly different plan for the evening than she did, and realized that she couldn’t ride down with them. So she asked me to come along.
I was game, of course. I have never intentionally paid to see a tribute band before. But since this was a band that I would never be able to see live (Queen last played in New jersey in 1982–although the version with Adam Lambert had played here more recently), I said why not.
I was intrigued that a cover band had two opening acts, also cover bands: Philadelphia Freedom, The Elton John Tribute and The Unforgettable Fire: The U2 Tribute.
However, the combination of Friday night plans and Friday night traffic meant we got to the Stone Pony during the final two U2 songs (“One” and “Bullet the Blue Sky”–a rather odd final song I thought). They sounded good from the street, but I have no real opinion of The Unforgettable Fire.
The place was PACKED and there was no vaccination requirement (good grief). This is my third Summer Stage show in a few years and honestly, unless there is something really amazing playing there, I don’t think I’d go back. The crowd is just terrible–filled with drunken Jersey dudes and dudettes. If this was a band I really wanted to see I’d have been really annoyed by them all. Fortunately, this was a fun tribute act and I was happy to just kick back and enjoy. We somehow managed to find our group (amusingly, I told S. to have her friend hold up her phone and wave it. Immediately someone did and we followed the light only to realize that it wasn’t her friends, but the person standing right next to them–weird). (more…)
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