No one can ever replace Freddie Mercury. And Lambert knows it, displaying his own presence on stage while being largely faithful to the original vocals. Photos: Jonathan Wong

Brian May looking the part of the rockin’ astrophysics professor delivered a moving solo acoustic version of Mercury’s Love of My Life, partly accompanied by video footage of Mercury singing.

With a one-two encore punch of We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions, Queen are able to reproduce songs of up 40-plus years’ vintage with astonishing fidelity.

So many of their songs have such instantly recognisable intros that they bring the house down before they’ve even started: Fat Bottomed Girls, Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody to Love, Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

May wrangles experimental noise out of his guitar as part of a 10-minute solo intro to Tie Your Mother Down.

Drummer Roger Taylor (back right), the only other original band member, performed vocals for the David Bowie part on Under Pressure.

Lambert has the most staggering set of pipes, particularly evident during an eerily perfect rendition of Who Wants to Live Forever, effortlessly hitting high notes.

Queen + Adam Lambert brought down the house, delighting the mixed-age fans at the Asia World Expo.

Music

Review: Queen + Adam Lambert still reigns in vintage rock. Freddie Mercury would be proud

Lambert is no Freddie Mercury, but he brings a winning theatrical presence that’s all his own in Queen’s first Hong Kong appearance

Topic | Hong Kong gigs

Richard Lord

Published: 8:00am, 29 Sep, 2016

Updated: 3:49pm, 29 Sep, 2016