The Queen and Adam Lambert pairing for the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth certainly made some noise earlier this year and even sparked rumors of a tour.
Saying they “would be unable to run the festival to a standard that both the artists and that Sonisphere’s audience would rightly expect,” organizers scratched Sonisphere Knebworth off the schedule one month ago, killing a lineup that included KISS, Faith No More, Marilyn Manson, a reunited Refused, The Darkness, Evanescence and Queen + Adam Lambert.
But you can’t keep a combo like this off of the stage and now you can add two Queen / Lambert dates for London – July 11-12 at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo.
Turns out booking the venue wasn’t as easy as you might think. With the dates taking place two weeks before the London Olympics, finding a vacant venue wasn’t exactly a walk in Hyde Park. But playing the Hammersmith Apollo has a certain appeal to Queen.
The band played the venue several times in the 1970s, back in the day when it was known as the Hammersmith Odeon, including warming up for Mott The Hoople in 1973 and headlining four sold-out gigs in late 1975. Other past Queen shows at the Hammersmith included a special Christmas Eve show and opening a run of UNICEF concerts for the people of Kampuchea in 1979.
“Somehow this feels right,” Queen’s Brian May said. “The Odeon is a big part of our history, and its atmosphere is second to none. It’s the perfect place to acknowledge our faithful fans, and will be a fitting return to our roots!”
A 24-hour presale for Queen Online subscribers, Queen Fan Club members and Sonisphere ticket holders begins April 17 at 9 a.m. London time. General onsales launch April 18. For more information, click here for Queen’s website and here for Adam Lambert’s Internet HQ.