{"id":32449,"date":"2019-08-24T10:52:20","date_gmt":"2019-08-24T14:52:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=32449"},"modified":"2019-08-24T10:52:25","modified_gmt":"2019-08-24T14:52:25","slug":"on-stage-killer-queen-experience-at-knauer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=32449","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Killer Queen Experience at Knauer"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>No one will ever hear or see Queen \u2013 the band the ruled the rock world in the 1970s and 1980s \u2013 play again.<\/p>\n

Sure, there is a band called Queen out on the road now with two of the original members \u2013 guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. But Queen without deceased vocalist Freddie Mercury is like the Four Seasons without Frankie Valli or the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger.<\/p>\n

Queen with Paul Rodgers or Adam Lambert handling the vocals is not really Queen. It is a super high-quality tribute act that no other tribute act can challenge — but it\u2019s not Queen.<\/p>\n

Challengers or not, there are plenty of Queen tribute acts performing around the world with names such as Killer Queen, Almost Queen, One Night of Queen, Queen Flash, Rapsodia Bohemia Sinf\u00f3nico, Absolute Queen, Sympoinic Queen, One Vision, Rhapsody of\u00a0 Queen, We Are the Champions-The Que, Queen Symfonicznie, and A Night Of Queen: Best Of Queen.<\/p>\n

Many of them make the mistake of trying to both look like and sound like the band fronted by the iconic Freddie Mercury. Even the recent biopic had actors who resembled Queen\u2019s members \u2013 but they were actors not musicians and could never have come close to actually making the music.<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re going to a Queen tribute show, you are forced to make a decision \u2013 do you want to see some poseurs trying to look like Mercury, May, Deacon and Taylor but playing poorly or do you want to hear a group of real musicians doing an exemplary job of recreating the flamboyant London band\u2019s classic sound.<\/p>\n

If you chose the latter, then you\u2019re in luck.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll have the opportunity to hear just such a band when the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, UptownWestChester.org<\/a>) presents 33 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience (KQE) on August 24.<\/p>\n

Not just another tribute band, KQE re-creates Queen\u2019s studio recordings live, with an ensemble of instrumental and vocal talent needed to make it possible.<\/p>\n

Jim Drnec, drummer and founder of the multi-faceted musical collective 33 1\/3 LIVE, remembers listening to his favorite albums all the way through — the way the artist meant them to be heard. This was the inspiration for 33 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s most recent and most ambitious endeavor: The Killer Queen Experience.<\/p>\n

The group faithfully performs Queen\u2019s studio recordings live on stage, including all the vocal harmonies that made the recordings so amazing. To simulate Queen\u2019s drummer Roger Taylor\u2019s style, Jim plays special instruments, a 1970s-era Ludwig Vistalite drum kit with Paiste 2002 cymbals and a Roland sample pad for sound effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cI keep rotating the cast and rotating performers,\u201d said Drnec, during a recent phone interview from his office in Wilmington.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis Queen project has legs on it, so we\u2019ll keep doing it as long as people want to hear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drnec, who is a medical malpractice defense attorney during the day, explained the catalyst for his 33 1\/3 LIVE projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout seven years ago, my wife gave me a turntable,\u201d said Drnec. \u201cI listened to the first Montrose album all the way through. Every song was great.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I got some musicians to join with me to play the album live along with Aerosmith\u2019s \u2018Rocks,\u2019 \u2018Who\u2019s Next\u2019 by The Who, Humble Pie\u2019s\u2019 \u2018Rocking the Fillmore\u2019 and the Cars\u2019 first album.<\/p>\n

\u201cQueen was the first concert I ever went to when I was young. It was Queen, Kansas and Argent at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey. Queen were rock stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

That show was on February 21, 1975. The same show touched down in Philadelphia on February 23 at the Erlanger Theatre, which was one of Philadelphia\u2019s most elaborately designed live performance theaters and was considered one of the most magnificent ever built in the United States. It was demolished in 1978.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter listening to Queen\u2019s \u2018Night at the Opera,\u2019 I called Justin Gonzalez, who is a great singer,\u201d said Drnec. \u201cHe\u2019s a classically trained tenor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started getting this Queen project together three years ago. It took us about a year to get our feet under us \u2013 especially with 11 people from different projects trying to find time to work on it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got together whenever we could. We played our first show two years ago just to get it out there. We really hit our stride about six months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not satisfied with just playing the \u201chits\u201d, the Killer Queen Experience also plays Queen\u2019s quintessential album, \u201cA Night At The Opera\u201d in its entirety, featuring tracks such as \u201cYou\u2019re My Best Friend,\u201d \u201cThe Prophet\u2019s Song\u201d and Queen\u2019s operatic masterpiece \u201cBohemian Rhapsody.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are more musicians and singers than were on the album, allowing them to perform the songs as they were recorded, overdubs and all — nine musicians playing multiple instruments and six vocalists reproducing the live the parts that even Queen could not manage on stage.<\/p>\n

According to Drnec, \u201cThe cast also includes some of the Delaware Valley\u2019s best musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans of live classic rock may recognize some members of the KQE ensemble who regularly appear throughout the Philly and tri state region — Stephanie Davis, vocals, vocal arrangements and clarinet; Michele Davis-Tortu, vocals, violin and bells; John Dennis, electric\/acoustic guitars and vocals; Tony Mecca, vocals; Chip Michael, bass guitar; Mike Pappas, keyboards; John Tidwell, vocals; and Steve Wiggs, electric\/digital guitars.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do a 120-minute show,\u201d said Drnec. \u201cWe play everything that is on \u2018A Night at the Opera\u2019 and added hits. Getting it together was a labor of love \u2013 especially with songs like \u2018Keep Yourself Alive,\u2019 \u2018Tie Your Mother Down,\u2019 and Radio Gaga.\u2019 Our goal is to create live what Queen did in the studio.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concert by 33 1\/3 LIVE\u2019s Killer Queen Experience at the Uptown! will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Mary Fahl<\/p><\/div>\n

When Mary Fahl performs in concert, there are three possible musical avenues she might travel. She could take the stage with her band. She could perform a solo show. Or, she could treat her fans to a live presentation of one of her special projects.<\/p>\n

When she travels physically to a show, there are two venues she could play that are close to her home in Bucks County. She can make a 10-minute drive to the New Hope Winery or a ride that is just slightly longer to the Sellersville Theater.<\/p>\n

Fahl is playing an area show on August 24 and the venue option goes to the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

With regard to the music, Fahl will present two of the three options mentioned above.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always love doing shows at the Sellersville Theater,\u201d said Fahl, during a phone interview last week from her Bucks County home. \u201cIt\u2019s such a nice theater in such a nice little corner of Bucks County.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater is also a perfect venue for Fahl to play her music in a full band format.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love chances to play with my band,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cMost of my shows are shows I play by myself. So, I really am happy when I get to perform with my band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fahl with band is a treat for the singer and for her fans \u2013 and a somewhat rare delicacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only do about four band shows each year, so this is a pretty special event,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cThis will be fun. My band is from Syracuse and so is Mark Doyle. He is my music director and also plays guitar and piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s based in Syracuse and I asked him to put a band together for me. We have a drummer, a bass player and a keyboard player. They can all rehearse easily in Syracuse and I go there when I need to rehearse with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fahl has also been heading north to the city named after a city on the east coast of Sicily (Siracusa) for another reason.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy husband has been bugging me to do a Christmas record,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cSo, I went up to Syracuse to work on it with Mark Doyle. I\u2019ve gotten a lot recorded. It\u2019s a combination of carols and wintery songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a brutal spring \u2013 getting on a plane and working almost every weekend. I spent a lot of time in the Newark Airport. I have three shows in August. Then, in September, I\u2019m back up running again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show at Sellersville has a lot to offer Fahl\u2019s fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be performing two sets,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cThe first set will be my regular set \u2013 my stuff, October Project songs, a typical show. The second set will be my version of \u2018Dark Side of the Moon.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of Fahl\u2019s fans have been with her ever since her time with October Project which lasted from 1991-1996.<\/p>\n

\u201cOctober Project had a large body of work and I still perform some of those songs in my live show,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cIf I don\u2019t do some of those songs, fans get upset. I also like doing interesting covers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fahl has written and performed songs for several major motion pictures, including the lead song (\u201cGoing Home\u201d) for the Civil War epic \u201cGods and Generals.\u201d Her music can also be found on the original soundtrack of the 2003 movie \u201cThe Guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2011, Fahl recorded her own version of one of rock\u2019s all-time classics \u2014 Pink Floyd\u2019s \u201cDark Side of the Moon.\u201d Fahl re-interpreted the songs on an album she titled \u201cFrom the Dark Side of the Moon.<\/p>\n

For many artists, the task of re-inventing songs from an album as iconic as \u201cDark Side of the Moon\u201d could have been too much of a challenge. Not so for Fahl who crafted a disc that honored its roots but established an identity all its own.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter making the Sony classical album (\u201cClassics for a New Century\u201d), I wanted to do something that was fun,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cAn independent filmmaker I knew wanted to use me in a performance piece. I wanted to do something that I didn\u2019t have the ability to write.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s when I decided to do the \u2018Dark Side\u2019 recording. It\u2019s like a classical piece of music. I did not intend to make a cover record. It\u2019s my version and it doesn\u2019t sound at all like Pink Floyd\u2019s version. But, a lot of die-hard Pink Floyd fans have responded well. They like the album \u2014 and my live versions of the songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fahl is a singer, a guitarist and a songwriter. More than anything, Fahl is a performer.<\/p>\n

\u201cPerforming is my primary form of self-expression,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cWhen I do a show, I want to take you on a complete journey. I want to transform you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fahl has been delivering transformative shows for years. Once you\u2019ve heard Fahl sing, from that point on when you hear a song by Fahl, you immediately know who is singing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI finished the classical record,\u201d said Fahl. \u201cIt\u2019s a folky, ambient classical record. It has a lot of ambient guitar, cello and a little me on guitar. I\u2019m now figuring a good time to release it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it \u2013 but I don\u2019t know who will buy it. It\u2019s hard to figure out how to market it. Still, I\u2019m very proud of it. I feel like I brought something different and good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Mary Fahl — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ISjBz_DIbKI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32.50 and $43.<\/p>\n

Another show at the venue in Sellersville this weekend will be on August 25 featuring Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times No one will ever hear or see Queen \u2013 the band the ruled the rock world in the 1970s and 1980s \u2013 play again. Sure, there is a band called Queen out on the road now with two of the original members \u2013 guitarist Brian May and drummer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[6518,11456,5631],"class_list":["post-32449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-killer-queen-experience","tag-mary-fahl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32449"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32450,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32449\/revisions\/32450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}