KCET airs a 1981 Queen concert tonight

Some of you may have caught my brief history of personal pop-critic mishaps today. A highlight of my ill-spent youth came when a chemically altered friend took a lighter to my then-long, curly hair at a Queen concert in 1980. Needless to say, the smoky smell distracted me from my singular opportunity to experience Freddie Mercury live -- though thank goodness I hadn't yet started my lifetime of dye jobs, or I wouldn't be around to blog today.

At any rate, my memories prompted an e-mail from Cynthia Fox of KLOS-FM (95.5), noting that tonight at 8:30 on KCET, you can witness a Queen show not unlike the one I loved despite the damage to my split ends. The public television station is broadcasting "Queen Rock Montreal," which captures a 1981 performance of the band at that Canadian city's Forum. Because it's pledge drive time, you'll undoubtedly have a chance to phone in for a "gift" of the concert DVD as well.

Here's a sample of the program:

Extra fun comes during those pledge breaks, when Ms. Fox will be interviewing Queen guitar god and PhD-accredited astrophysicist Brian May about the band's new life with Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers in the Freddie seat, his gig as chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University and his recent book "Bang! The Complete History of the Universe." More than virtually any other classic rocker, Dr. May has proved that there's more than one way to keep yourself alive.

-- Ann Powers

Comments

[Brien Comerford]

I've seen Queen three times for the exclusive reason to witness Brian May's stellar guitar virtuosituy and wonderful tone. His majestic tone is his forte.