The Brian May Band
Live At The Brixton Academy

THE REVIEW

A highly respectable lineup for Brian May, accompanied by Cozy Powell on drums, Neil Murray on bass, Spike Edney on keyboards, Jamie Moses on second guitar, Cathy Porter and Shelley Preston on backing vocals. On June 15, 1993, at the Brixton Academy in London, this concert took place, featuring Brian May in great form, despite his vocal performances not always being excellent. The concert offers a fairly varied setlist, with some tracks performed impeccably and others that perhaps could have been arranged differently, not to mention several Queen songs sung by May that may make purists cringe.

The show starts with "Back To The Light" from May's eponymous album, a good opening track, followed by the more upbeat "Driven By You." Despite the perfect execution of "Tie Your Mother Down," it's clear that May does not hold a candle to Mercury, and the chorus used in the refrain doesn’t help much. "Love Token" goes unnoticed, serving mainly as a prelude to the lovely "Headlong," unfortunately never performed by the original Queen lineup. The tension rises when May fingerpicks "Love Of My Life," sung almost entirely by the audience (and those who thought "thank goodness" are mistaken, as May actually sings it quite well). A great moment of nostalgia, almost bitterness. Subtle keyboard lines accompany the guitar, making the atmosphere even more magical. After a nice chorus singing the refrain of “‘39", "Let Your Heart Rule Your Head" begins, an acoustic track that very much recalls what was written in 1974 for the album "A Night At The Opera" ("‘39," indeed). More magical moments occur with "Too Much Love Will Kill You," perhaps the best song of the "post-Mercury" era, which would be presented on LP only in 1995 on "Made In Heaven," with Mercury's voice. The version presented here is slightly different, with a long piano session leading to a very warm and powerful solo, one of May's best. Here too, the vocal performance is not outstanding, but it is appreciable. "Since You’ve Been Gone" is a song by Russ Ballard, enriched in this live version.

Thumbs down for "Now I’m Here," ruined by May's voice and the backing vocals. The aggressive song has withstood the test of time well, being featured in virtually all Queen concerts (after all, it's a song from '74), but it could have been avoided on this occasion. A moment of glory for May with "Guitar Extravagance," which initially picks up some riffs from "Brighton Rock" and then wanders into something different. The ending is a prelude to "Resurrection," a fast and very lengthy track (I think composed for the occasion) that includes a quick Powell solo, the final part of "Bohemian Rhapsody," and a closing worthy of the name with a fine solo. A blues air with the slow "Last Horizon," where the skill of the two guitarists gifts us a very warm and pleasant track to listen to. The other banana peel is hidden behind an unlikely version of "We Will Rock You," arranged too pompously, with perhaps too daring use of sound effects. If we then add the shrill little voice of an already tired May, we've said it all. The only noteworthy aspect is the "fast" version that follows the regular one, which livens things up a bit. The concert closure is entrusted to a beautiful "Hammer To Fall," where Powell's drumming is more incisive than ever (after all, Roger Taylor was a mediocre drummer). The track is performed overall well. Dear May is exhausted but holds on well until the end.

Overall, a good concert, at least worth a try, and not to be confused with the questionable "Queen +" performances that only serve to make the name of one of the most beloved bands in history ridiculous. No improbable alliances, no "+", just Brian May with his companions in tow. Perhaps the setlist is too Queen and not enough Brian May, but one cannot have everything.