Due to the continuing situation resulting from the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Queen + Adam Lambert announce today with immense regret that they are forced to postpone again the European and UK concerts of the highly anticipated The Rhapsody Tour. The only Italian concert - originally planned for Sunday 24 May 2020 and then moved to Sunday 23 May 2021 - is officially rescheduled for Monday 11 July 2022always at theUnipol Arena in Casalecchio di Reno (Bologna).
Tickets already issued for the 2020 and 2021 concerts are valid for the new concert.
Virgin Radio is confirmed as the official radio of the Italian show.
After an extraordinary series of stops in Asia and Oceania, the Queen + Adam Lambert had planned to return to the UK and Europe in 2020. Unfortunately, during the band's spring break, the coronavirus outbreak left them no choice but to prioritise the safety of fans, crew and venue staff, leading them to decide to postpone the tour until 2021.
Now, with the pandemic still ongoing, the band is forced to reschedule tour dates for a second time, moving them to 2022. "With the extended restrictions due to Covid across Europe, it is not possible to continue with the tour as originally planned for this year," the Queen + Adam Lambert. "The prospect of not being able to play and meet our wonderful fans is simply heartbreaking."
To alleviate the disappointment of their loyal fans, Brian, Roger and Adam announced an expansion of the Rhapsody Tour for 2022, the year in which they hope to finally be able to play in front of large audiences in complete safety.
The tour remains planned in the period between May and July, but the dates will start in the UK - no longer in Italy - with two shows at the Manchester MEN Arena on 30 and 31 May. UK fans will also appreciate the addition of two new shows at the Hydro in Glasgow on 2 and 3 June.
The full list of 29 concerts includes, as originally planned, the 10-date residency at London's O2 Arena, as well as double dates in Manchester and Birmingham and the aforementioned Glasgow.
Concerts on the European continent will now be scheduled after the UK dates and will take place between June and July. "To be clear: none of the 2020 and 2021 shows have been cancelled, only moved due to COVID-19. We really hope that most of the people who had bought tickets for the original 2020 dates are still available to join us for the shows."
At this same time last year the Queen + Adam Lambert were concluding the series of dates of the Rhapsody Tour in Japan before starting grandiose shows in Australia and New Zealand. "After kicking off 2020 with an extraordinary series of concerts in front of 50,000 spectators every night, the cancellation of the European dates that were to take place during the summer was a big disappointment," the band explains.
Brian May He adds: 'The incredible scenes we saw during those concerts now seem like an incredibly distant dream. We're in Australia doing our shows interacting with thousands of happy people, and the next minute we're stuck at home. We were really lucky to be able to finish that tour just before this wave swept over us."
Despite the disappointment of not being able to go back on the road, the band certainly made the most of the time left over from the enforced downtime. During the first lockdown, the three artists stayed connected, spurred on by a guitar riff posted by Brian on his Instagram profile. Working remotely, Roger and Adam added their parts to Brian's track, creating a new version of We Are The Championsthe pioneering lockdown single You Are The Champions. The song became a musical cry of support for all those who are battling the Coronavirus, and the proceeds were donated to frontline health workers. The video shows many scenes shot in the Covid ward and features Roger's daughter, Dr Rory Taylor. Within a month of its release, the video had been viewed nearly four million times and all proceeds are being donated to the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
Roger Taylor reacted to the obligation to stay at home by writing and recording his personal reflections on this period by releasing the solo single Isolationwhich earned him top positions in the rock charts.
To stay in touch with fans, the band is back on YouTube with a Tour Watch Party that collects the best images of the band's performances. Queen + Adam Lambert during previous tours. The enthusiastic response from the public led to the release of their first album together, Live Around the World, in CD, DVD, Blu-ray and vinyl formats. A version of the film is now available for streaming.
Speaking of the publication of Live Around the World last year, the band said: 'While we are all grappling with the challenge of creating live shows in a world dominated by a formidable viral enemy, it seemed the perfect time to create a collection of carefully selected live moments from our shows of the Queen of the past seven years with our brother Adam Lambert. By watching and listening to these tracks you will travel the world with us and experience a complete virtual live set."
Comforting and provocative during these difficult times, Live Around the World proved a welcome booster of positivity for fans as they continue to wait for the Rhapsody Tour can resume. The live event also gave the Queen + Adam Lambert an album that topped the worldwide charts in its week of release and marked the first new album by the Queen in the UK charts in 25 years, their tenth in total and the first time of Adam at the top of the charts.
Talking about the return to the stage, Roger Taylor said "When we finally start playing in front of a live audience again it will be an intensely renewed attack and we will enjoy the wonderful feeling of interacting with the fans again."
The frontman Adam Lambert he adds, "It is very disappointing to have to postpone again, but safety comes first and we are looking forward to spring 2022, when we will be back in better shape than ever."
The further rescheduling of the concerts scheduled for this year is particularly frustrating for the band, which was eager to perform at an important milestone: 50 years have passed since John Deacon joined the line-up in 1971, completing the band's historic line-up; 2021 therefore marks the Queen Golden Jubileewhich the band hoped to celebrate together with the fans.
However, The Show Must Go On and will do so in 2022, when the Queen + Adam Lambert will go back on tour and start the next chapter of their adventure together.
QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT
The Rhapsody Tour
Sunday 24 May 2020 / Sunday 23 May 2021
New date: Monday 11 July 2022
Casalecchio di Reno (BO), Unipol Arena - Via Gino Cervi, 2
Authorised sales networks: Ticketone, Ticketmaster and Vivaticket.
