|
|
|
|
Home Downunder Press
Releases Folly
Farm Blog Would you like to see your advertisement on Kiwi Herald? If so click here.
Lord of the Rings Collectables for Sale
|
The lights dimmed in the theatre and the sound of a helicopter accompanied by flashing bright lights flickered across the faces of an expectant audience. As the first urgent chords to Queen’s “One Vision” began pounding with a heart jolting loudness the feeling of energy built to a crescendo erupting in applause as Freddie Mercury leapt into the centre of the stage. As he strutted and preened his way through the first chorus you could shut your eyes and you were back at Wembley in 1986 seeing Queen in all their glory, able to forget for a moment that the music had ended for Mercury in the early nineties. Not bad considering you were listening to an impersonator. Glaswegian Gary Mullen was working as a computer salesman when the call for an audition came through for UK television show “Stars In Their Eyes”. His mother in law and wife had secretly sent in the application. Previously he had spent time singing karaoke and with a couple of bands. Mullen’s ambition to sing as Freddie Mercury was met with some scepticism by viewers as even with all the help from the makeup and costume departments he still looked nothing like the enigmatic singer. However all that changed when he began to sing and it resulted in his taking out the 2000 grand final with a record breaking 864,838 votes. Mullen had many offers to tour after the series but it took him several months to come to a final decision. “My wife said if you don’t do it you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Five years down the track, I’m still going strong”. A life-long Queen fan his one regret was that he was only twelve when they last toured so he never got to see the band play live. For his New Zealand tour in September 2005 he was accompanied by backing band “The Works”. Singing between 24-26 songs each night he included perennially popular “We Are the Champions”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody”. For those doubting his ability to sound authentically Mercurial he performed an astounding rendition of “Somebody To Love” which inspired a spontaneous round of applause when he hit each high note. Mullen proved equally at home whether rocking out in songs such as “Radio GaGa” or in the gentle lyrical ballad “Love Of My Life”. Confidently bantering with the audience who frequently cheered, wolf whistled and stomped their feet in appreciation Mullen showed that he could be every part the showman Mercury had once been. There was even a cursory nod to New Zealand when he wore a University of Otago tee shirt and carried the New Zealand flag during “We Will Rock You”. The only down side to his concerts were when he ordered the audience up on their feet to dance just a couple of songs into the evening. Although everyone enjoyed dancing along the vertically challenged and disabled members of the audience were forced to sit in the aisles for most of the show so that they would be able to see the stage. This aside Gary Mullen’s Queen tribute tour was a highly enjoyable experience for fans. When you felt the theatre ring with the entire audience singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” you knew you were in the presence of someone just a cut above the usual run-of-the-mill impersonator. Freddie would definitely have been amused! ©Jen Longshaw
2001-2006
Please do not copy in any manner, print or electronic,
without permission from the author.
|
|
||||||||||||
If
a New Zealander asks if you're feeling crook should you be insulted
or touched at his consideration? And why is going to bed with a hottie
no reason to get excited in the Land of the Long White Cloud?
