Tag: queen

Music

House Concert in Leipzig

The idea for our mini-tour last weekend (Erfurt – Leipzig – Schmallenberg) began when Wohnzimmerkonzerte Leipzig booked us to play on Saturday 15th. We discovered them through Facebook, and to make the travel more worthwhile, it only made sense to book a couple shows before/after theirs. Both of us have never been to Leipzig and were thrilled to drive there and get to know the city and the people that live there.

Our hosts were Anja and Maik. Both love to travel – like us – and get to know new people and their music. They host concerts regularly and listen to the music of their former guest musicians whenever possible.

When we arrived, Maik had just come back from the big garden they rent not too far from their home. He brought bags of cherries that he picked from their cherry trees. I’ve only seen that many cherries in a super market!

While we were setting up, Anja and Maik prepared lunch for us and soon the guests started to arrive (and they continued to arrive all throughout the evening 😀 ). Before the concert, we had the opportunity to relax on their beautiful terrace, eat a bit, and get acquainted with several of their guests.

The concert was a huge success! The crowd requested a couple encores which really set a fun vibe for the rest of the evening. At one point Anja and Maik presented their vinyl/record collection which provided the music for the rest of the evening. From Metallica, to Queen, to Peter Gabriel, and Kate Bush. I got to taste the local Leipzig beer Sternburg Export, and of course, lots and lots of cherries. Somebody asked us if we’re “planning on doing this professionally,” which made us laugh a bit because we actually ARE doing this professionally. People often assume we have “a real job” and that music is our hobby. It’s fun to break it to those people that a life as a full-time musician is actually possible, and for us, the best thing ever. We’re living our dream 🙂

The next morning we had breakfast with Anja and Maik (while listening to music from their former house concert artists) and learned a bit more about the amenities of Leipzig. It seems to become more and more attractive to young, creative people that appreciate a little more green in a city. Unfortunately, we didn’t have more time to really see Leipzig since we needed to leave for our next concert. So we said goodbye to Anja and Maik and left their place, but not without a big container of cherries!

Thank you Anja & Maik for your time, hospitality, and your cherries. Hope to see you again soon! 🙂

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– L

Movies, Music

Bohemian Rhapsody

Yesterday we saw Bohemian Rhapsody (in Germany it was released on Oct. 31st so we got an early start 😉 ) and we really, really liked it. The movie shows how Queen came to be, grew bigger, and particularly how Freddie Mercury evolved throughout this whole time. We liked how the movie tastefully hints at certain details (such as the crazy parties and Mercury’s sexual life) without being too graphic. It focuses on the music and the development of the band members and the characters around them. It was great to see how the dynamic of the band was on stage as well as in the studio, and even in private as friends. I also thought that it was a very interesting choice to let the movie start and end at the Live Aid Concert in 1985 (which by the way is an exact copy of the original; every movement was recreated just as it really happened!). Some information about Freddie Mercury’s life after Live Aid and his death (1991) are mentioned during the end credits next to pictures of the real Freddie Mercury.

Still, this movie is very inspiring since it shows how hard and passionately Queen worked their way to the top of the music industry. I was reminded of a quote by Quincy Jones who said, “I think you have to dream so big, that you can’t get an ego. ‘Cause you’ll never fulfill all those dreams. There’s always more to come and learn.” In this movie you continually see Queen attempting to reinvent themselves and do what had never been done before. Not only is Freddie Mercury (with his extraordinary taste in clothes and powerful stage presence) a huge part of the creative process, but also Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. All of the band members needed each others input and were searching for that extra bit of different that made their music so exceptional. The whole band and their dynamics are portrayed in such a likable way, that as musicians, we left the cinema full of gratitude to be able to do the best job in the world.

It’s a fun movie with a lot of touching, entertaining, and funny scenes. It also features top-notch actors (who seemingly play their instruments) and of course many selections from Queen’s extensive catalogue. If you’re a fan of their music, you’re sure to enjoy this film!

– L

 

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