Bohemian Rhapsody (Tour – Darlington)

I always approach a Queen tribute show with an air of trepidation. Anyone who tries to recreate the sound of the late great Freddie Mercury is incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Thankfully all the performers at Bohemian Rhapsody are incredibly awesome and sing their own versions of the great Gods of rock Queen.

Led by rock God Nathan James, his powerhouse vocals show why he was in the final five for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for Jesus. Why he didn’t win is a complete mystery but The Lords loss is David King’s gain and he shines in this performance. His version of Too Much Love Will Kill You was outstanding. Another ALW reject Amy Diamond is also rocking a mighty voice and she is destined for many a starring role, her version of Love of my Life was hauntingly beautiful. All the singers showed how vocally adept they were with their own solos and wonderful group harmonies. Kelly Ann Gower was excellent with No One but You; Rebecca Kelly rocked with Don’t Stop Me Now; Giovanni Spano bravely sand I Want to Break Free whilst dressed in nothing but fishnet stocking, suspenders, a belt and little red silky panties and Ben Smith gave us Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

There were a few niggles in the first half, with the band being louder than the singer – and boy, were they a rockingly awesome band, but these were ironed out by the second half. The costumes were a sight to behold and the staging, dancers and choreography were spectacular. Making this show a true feast for the eyes and ears. In Darlington until Saturday, makes sure you get down to the Civic to see it.