Gloria Theatre to host Queen, Lady Gaga tribute show

Credit: Courtesy

Credit: Courtesy

Urbana’s Gloria Theatre will rock you, be your best friend and offer a bad romance when the music of a legendary group and a current pop superstar rocks the venue. Radio Gaga, a Las Vegas-style show, will pay tribute to the greatest hits of Queen and Lady Gaga in one program at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The show is part of the Gloria Theatre’s Stars on Stage series, and tickets are still on sale.

“Radio Gaga is our first true Vegas-style show, so it’s a great fit as we continue to offer a wide variety of world-class entertainment,” said Gloria Theatre CEO Staci Weller. “Along with outstanding vocalists, dancers and musicians, this tribute show brings non-stop energy as they unite these two rock icons.”

The show’s tagline is “The concert that never was” in representing what may have occurred if these entertainers with huge personalities, flamboyant costumes and a knack for energizing their audiences came together on one stage.

Queen was at its height during the 1970s and 1980s, led by the late Freddie Mercury, one of the most charismatic frontmen of any band ever, and guitarist Brian May.

Their best included anthems made for live shows including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” The group found a new generation of fans with the recent Oscar-winning biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” and maintained its fan base of those who experienced the band during their run.

Lady Gaga has been one of the brightest stars of the last 15 years, getting attention with her outrageous costumes and showmanship along with a strong slate of tunes such as “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Paparazzi” and “Poker Face.”

She’s also won several Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for the song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born,” in which she also co-starred.

With Freddie Mercury having passed away, you can’t see that lineup of Queen again, and tickets to see Lady Gaga go for huge prices. This is a chance to experience something close to what that may have been like.

“Stars on Stage seeks to broaden our cultural horizons and give our audiences opportunities to enjoy a wide range of professional performing artists,” Weller said.

HOW TO GO

What: Radio Gaga

Where: The Gloria Theatre, 216 S. Main St., Urbana

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22

Admission: $37-57

More info: gloriatheatre.org/

About the Author