They’re one of the biggest bands in the history of rock music: and Queen performed in some of the biggest stadiums in the world and audiences in Belgium will soon get the chance to listen to their ageless music as it has possibly never been performed before – and in one of the most impressive venues in the country.
The “Queen Candlelight Concert” (18 February) will not feature any of the usual instruments normally associated with the band’s music but, rather, a string quartet.
The concert also takes place at a venue somewhat smaller than those often frequented by Queen – the grand and ornate Concert Noble in Brussels. This, in fact,is one of numerous such “Candlelight concerts” that take place all over the world and organised by Fever, the leading global live-entertainment tech/discovery platform.
The company’s mission,it says, is to “democratize access to culture and entertainment in real life.”
A spokesman told this website: “We have a varied range of programmes. When the concept initially launched, concerts focussed on the greatest such as Vivaldi, Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Schubert. Now, our programmes include more modern artists such as Taylor Swift, Queen, ABBA, Coldplay, Ludovico Einaudi, Aretha Franklin, Adele, the Beatles and Ed Sheeran. There are also programmes dedicated to K-Pop, movie soundtracks and many more.”
Fans of Queen and the much lamented late Freddie Mercury will not be disappointed by the set list for the Brussels concert early in 2023.The planned programme includes some of the band’s most well known tracks including I Want To Break Free; We Will Rock You; Somebody To Love; Radio Gaga; Don’t Stop Me Now; Killer Queen; Crazy Little Thing; Who Wants To Live Forever; Love Of My Life; We Are The Champions and Another One Bites The Dust.
Of course,there is a rendition of that most famous of their songs and without which no Queen concert would be complete, the wonderful and haunting Bohemian Rhapsody.
The songs will be performed by Marolles Ensemble, a talented string quartet.
The concert lasts about 60 minutes. Doors open 30 minutes before the start and delays will not be allowed. The age requirement is 8 years and over and people under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Access is available for people with reduced mobility. Places are assigned in order of arrival, according to the reserved category. Those who cannot make it to Brussels will get the chance to catch the same concert but at 7pm and 9pm on 4 March at Ste Waudru Collegiate Church in Mons.
The “candlelight concerts are known as Fever originals, 100% created and produced by the company.
The spokesman said, “Through our platform (the app can be downloaded ), Fever inspires users to enjoy unique local experiences and events, from immersive exhibitions, interactive theatrical experiences, festivals, to molecular cocktail pop-ups, while empowering creators with data and technology to create and expand experiences across the world.” The classical music concerts are aimed at “democratizing access to classical music by allowing people all over the world to enjoy live music candlelit performances played by local musicians in various stunning locations.”
The spokesman went on, “At Fever we constantly strive to inspire our users with innovative experiences, creating new ‘Fever Original’ ideas that we know will be of interest to them.”
Candlelight Concerts launched in 2019 when Fever, who was already hosting more traditional classical music concerts, saw a need to make this genre more accessible to its users, aiming to reach a new demographic and create “more affordable concerts for all.”
The concept, says the spokesman, brings classical music to an entirely new demographic, with 70% of attendees under the age of 40.
“Across our various channels we reach over 18 million people each week.”
The concerts have become well known for bringing classical music out of traditional concert halls and into unique venues that form part of each city’s cultural heritage. The selected venues “stand out in their historic nature or singular character, spanning from modern rooftops with great views to iconic cathedrals and palaces.”
The spokesman added, “We take into account different criteria when choosing the venue for the concerts: its history and what it represents for the city, its location so that it is accessible to all, and more technical characteristics such as the acoustics of the room and lightning, for example.”
The company is always on the look-out for musicians and artists who might want to participate.
“We are always looking for talented musicians who align with our belief that classical music can reach a diverse audience and demonstrate this by performing compositions for all tastes,” says the spokesman. “Candlelight Concerts provide a platform for musicians to connect with people from all over the world and create new opportunities to do what they love.”
Further info via: www.feverup.com
Image: By Carl Lender, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5927836
