The NEW Queen Extravaganza Logo!
Here's our new logo!
Best wishes and be with you soon.
Roger
QE Brian Gresh Feature On KTUL.com
Queen Extravaganza guitarist Brian Gresh was subject to a feature for his local TV station Tulsa's Channel 8! The 5 minute piece follows Brian's adventure from his audition, taking part in the Live Final and making the band. You can also see Brian talk about his day job as a mechanical engineer!
Click here to check it out on KTUL.com.
Brandon Ethridge Named As QE Keyboard Player and Musical Director
The Queen Extravaganza are thrilled to announce that Brandon Ethridge has just been confirmed as the keyboard player and musical director for the forthcoming QE North American Tour.
The final band is:
VOCALS - Jennifer Espinoza (San Antonio, TX)
VOCALS - Marc Martel (Montreal, QC / Nashville,TN)
GUITAR - Tristan Avakian (Toronto, ON)
GUITAR - Brian Gresh (Tulsa, OK)
DRUMS - Tyler Warren (Camden, TN)
BASS - Francois-Olivier Doyon (Quebec City, QC)
KEYBOARDS & MD - Brandon Ethridge (New York City, NY)
Sign Up To QE.com For Tour and Local Hero Competition Updates
The Queen Extravaganza show is set to tour the US in the spring and summer of next year! Be sure to register at www.queenextravaganza.com/signup/ for the latest on tour dates, ticket information and how the band progress.
We are also looking at an exclusive competition to find a 'local hero' to join the band on stage when the show passes through a town near you, so be sure to sign up as a fan of the Queen Extravaganza!
Further Videos From The Final Auditions (5th December)
Scenes taken from the lounge and kitchen area as the finalists prepare before the morning's first sessions.
'Hammer To Fall' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' were two further tracks that featured in the afternoon session as Spike and Roger started to mix and match the finalists.
As the day drew to a close the final band slowly came together. Here we see what is almost the full line up run through 'Another One Bites The Dust' and 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'.
The Queen Extravaganza band line-up will be...
QUEEN’S ROGER TAYLOR ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF “THE QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA” COMPETITION
WINNING LINE-UP TO TOUR NORTH AMERICA IN 2012 WITH GRAND PRODUCTION FEATURING CLASSIC QUEEN SONGS
(Los Angeles, CA – December 8, 2011) Four decades later, the music of Queen hasn’t just survived, it’s thrived. The band, who recently received the “Global Icon Award” at the MTV European Music Awards, has sold more than 300 million albums, 16 of which were No. 1 chart-toppers. They’ve written and recorded 18 No. 1 singles, played over 700 live concerts in every part of the world, have amassed a planet-wide fanbase whose members number in the hundreds of millions, and remain one of the most influential groups of all time. And to hear Queen drummer Roger Taylor tell it, they’re just getting started. The last thing they are doing is standing still.
2012 will see the launch of “The Queen Extravaganza Tour,” a grand touring production booked by powerhouse agency CAA that will celebrate the music of Queen. Coming on board to ensure the touring show will match the design and excitement of Queen at its best will be such rock tour heavyweights as stage designer Mark Fisher (U2, AC/DC, Muse, The Rolling Stones, Cirque de Soleil) and lighting designer Rob Sinclair (Adele, Vampire Weekend, Goldfrapp, Peter Gabriel).
Taylor will oversee this royal road show, taking the role of producer and music director, with Brian May involved later in the production, but Taylor’s most important role, however, was leading the judges, Spike Edney (Queen’s keyboard player since the mid 80’s and Trip Khalaf (Queen’s eternal sound engineer) in hand picking the musicians that will be featured on the tour. And after 11 weeks of reviewing online auditions and weighing votes from Queen fans around the world, Taylor is ready to announce the line-up.
“As the audition videos began posting, we could see right away that the caliber of talent was very high,” says Taylor. “But when I got into the studio with the final 25 musicians, I realized that these guys are seriously good players. They went way beyond my expectations. It was an incredibly difficult decision to choose the final line-up. I wish I could've kept them all, but in the end, I'm very happy with this group of exceptional musicians."
“The Queen Extravaganza” band line-up will be:
VOCALS - Jennifer Espinoza (San Antonio, TX)
VOCALS - Marc Martel (Montreal, QC / Nashville,TN)
GUITAR - Tristan Avakian (Toronto, ON)
GUITAR - Brian Gresh (Tulsa, OK)
DRUMS - Tyler Warren (Camden, TN)
BASS - Francois-Olivier Doyon (Quebec City, QC)
“What an amazing and unexpected opportunity to come our way – not to mention the timing of it all for me,” said Marc Martel, whose audition video for “Somebody to Love” earned him an MTV O Award and an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show. “Having gotten to know the other contest winners a bit in LA, I’m confident we have what it takes to gel as a unit and give our best to do justice to some of the best rock music ever recorded. I am so thankful for the chance to do this. Gonna be Fun!”
Winner Announcement To Be Made On Thursday
A Press Release will be issued at 12pm (PST) tomorrow, Thursday 8th December, detailing the results of the Queen Extravaganza Live Final.
All finalists will be contacted by e-mail prior to this public announcement with Roger and his team's decision.
The Queen Extravaganza Team.
More Images and Video To Come!
An announcement on the result of the Live Final will be made soon, in the meantime be sure to look out for more images and video footage from that day right here on QE.com!
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 6
The judges bring the great day to the end and chat with the contestants about how tough it has been to decide who they should send through, as everyone has been so great.
They will now take time to look at footage and chat before announcing the final band that will tour the US in 2012 very soon.
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 5
Part 5 sees a few combinations of people playing and some new faces also. We have Jennifer and Sean on vocals with Tristan and Jason guitars. Tyler plays the drums, Juano the bass and Brandon on the keys plus Selcuk Sami Cingi who was given his moment to shine.
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 4
The QE auditions continue with the 3rd line-up of the day. Introducing Marc and Michelle on vocals, Brian and Roy on guitars, Zach on drums, Brian on bass and Brandon on keys.
A Thank You From Roger
"Thanks so much for a great, great day. The standard today has been extremely high and you have made it incredibly hard for us. Thank you for your time and your patience, it was wonderful to meet you all and we are going to go away and take our time before making our final decision." Roger Taylor, 5th December 2011 More content packages are to be uploaded today and the next few days as we lead up to the winners announcement.
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 3
Part three sees the second band take their turn in front of the judges. Tyler Martin and Cody Bond on Vocals, Steve Zukowsky and John Notto on guitars, Nico Saavedra on drums, Francois Doyon on bass and Mac Willaert on keys.
The Judges
It wasn't an easy day for the judges with so much incredible talent to choose from but Roger, Spike and Trip were on top form throughout. Here are their best bits...
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 2
The first band up in the day included David Martel and Aisha Elmehdaoui on vocals, backed by guitarists Richie Castellano and Jason Du Preez, a rhythm section of drummer Billy Orrico and bassist Juano Davison with Brandon Ethridge on keys. Here they perform 'One Vision' and 'Somebody To Love'.
Backstage at Queen Extravaganza Final
We thought we'd upload a few photos of the contestants when they weren't performing for the judges. There was plenty of singing, laughing, rehearsing, tuning, eating and more singing! Here we've captured a few of those moments.
More Updates On The Way...
This amazing day is coming to a conclusion, but we are still pushing through the footage and images. Look out for some photos from the second session, plus some performance footage of the original band set ups in session one.
Queen Extravaganza: The Final - Part 1
Watch the first instalment of the Queen Extravaganza final auditions from LA! We introduce you to the judges and the contestants and feature some great interviews with the hopefuls straight after their big performance.
Session Two!
The bands are being mixed and matched and performing Tie Your Mother Down and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Hammer To Fall is also being mentioned in the control room...but Don't Stop Me now is being performed!
...and finally Band E
The first half of the live final is now complete following a performance from Band E. The fifth group of Queen Extravaganza hopefuls was made up of members of all the other bands with the exception of vocalist Selcuk Sami Cingi who was given his moment to shine.
Now It's Band D!
The auditions are picking up the pace and Band D have just completed their set. Will any of the winners be taken from this little lot? We have Jennifer and Sean on vocals with Tristan and Jason guitars. Tyler plays the drums, Juano the bass and Brandon on the keys.
Hello Band C!
The third of the five bands have just had their big moment in front of Roger and the judges. Introducing Marc and Michelle on vocals, Brian and Roy on guitars, Zach on drums, Brian on bass and Brandon on keys.
Follow On Your Mobile
If you're not in front of your computer but want to keep up-to-date on all the latest pics from the QE live final then you can follow our Instgram feed on your mobile.
Just search for 'queenextravaganza' in your Instagram app and then you can follow our updates.
Updates On The Way!
Lunch is served!
Shots of bands C,D and E are on the way, as is the first video edit that covers the start of the day, introductions by Roger and Spike, plus interviews with the finalists, performance footage will then follow...
The second session after lunch will see the bands mixed and matched...it's all hotting up.
Band B Take The Floor
Band B made up of Tyler and Cody on Vocals, Steve and John (guitars), Nico (Drums), Francois (bass) and Mac on Keys have just performed their three songs in front of the judges.
Band A Perform
The first of our five bands running through One Vision, Somebody To Love and Crazy Little Thing. Roger and Trip are sat in the control room with Spike directing the band from within the live room. The band was made up of David and Aisha on vocals, Brandon on keys, Richie and Jason on guitar, Billy on drums and Juano on bass. Look out for some video very shortly!
Roger Arrives & Briefs Everyone...
Live final auditions start in 20mins
The Live Final Format / Band Line Ups
With the finalists having just been briefed by Roger, Spike Edney and Queen live sound man Trip Khalaf, the Queen Extravaganza Live Final is now underway!
The contestants have been divided into five bands and they will all run through the following songs as a unit:
One Vision
Somebody To Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Once all the bands have run through the songs everyone will break for lunch. A second session will then run with Roger and his team, mixing and matching the musicians and vocalists as they look to whittle down of finalists for the QE band.
The five bands for the first session are as follows:
Band A
Vox - David Martel
Vox - Aisha Elmehdaoui
Gtr - Richie Castellano
Gtr - Jason Du Preez
Drums - Billy Orrico
Bass - Juano Davison
Keys - Brandon Ethridge
Band B
Vox – Tyler Martin
Vox – Cody Bond
Gtr – Steve Zukovsky
Gtr – John Notto
Drums – Nico Saavedra
Bass – Francoise Olivier Doyon
Keys – Mac Willaert
Band C
Vox – Marc Martel
Vox – Michelle Jameson
Gtr – Brian Gresh
Gtr – Roy Ziv
Drums – Zach Mullings
Bass – Brian Weaver
Keys – Brandon Ethridge
Band D
Vox – Sean Slaughter
Vox – Jennifer Espinoza
Gtr – Tristan Avakian
Gtr – Jason du Preez
Drums – Tyler Warren
Bass – John ‘Juano’ Davison
Keys – Brandon Etheridge
Band E
Vox – Selcuk Sami Cingi
Vox – Aisha Elmehdaoui
Gtr – Roy Ziv
Gtr – John Notto
Drums – Zach Mullings
Bass – Francois Olivier Doyon
Keys – Mac Willaert
The Contestants Arrive!
Here are the first photos of the contestants as they arrived at the studio just a few minutes ago. Huge excitement as Musical Director, Spike Edney welcomes them to the final before a chance to look around and get to grips with their instruments. The auditions are about to start!
Morning Has Broken...
Final checks are being made here at the Foo Fighters 606 Studio and breakfast is on its way for the crew and production team. The finalists are being greeted at their hotel at about 9.30am and will be making their way over here for 10.30, before being briefed and introduced to Roger Taylor and the whole team. Full live action is set for 12 noon.
Keep it here all day for updates, keep it Queen Extravaganza.
Queen At The Foo's Studio
Big fans those Foo Fighter chaps! You can find Freddie in the kitchen, Brian in the hallway and Roger near the front door!
The Studio Is Being Setup
It is the eve of the QE final here in LA...
The studio and equipment is being tested and the production team is all here setting up the everything for tomorrow. The Foos have a great place here that is littered with great pictures, framed awards and even a couple of shots of Freddie, Brian and Roger!
Taken at Queen Extravaganza HQ.
QE Live Finals Update
Lots of info to come for the Live Finals! We will be drip feeding all the details on how the day is going to run and what the finalists will be performing very soon! We will be there every step of the way, but just so you know, microphones and instruments will be picked up from approx. 12pm (PST), so look out for some of the serious action from then on!
In the mean time, a little bit of fun from Roger, Brian and our hosts for the weekend...
Sign Up For More Info on the Queen Extravaganza / Local Hero Competition
The Queen Extravaganza show is set to tour the US in the Spring and Summer of next year! Be sure to register for the latest on tour dates, ticket information and how the band progress. We are also looking at an exclusive competition to find a 'local hero' to join the band on stage when the show passes through a town near you, so be sure to sign up as a fan of the Queen Extravaganza!
Click here to sign up!
Roger Press Quote
“I look forward to the final auditions with these 26 young musicians. It’s going to be a long and difficult day, but the end of the first stage of the long and exciting road to the opening of The Queen Extravaganza.”
Roger Taylor
The Studio Awaits...
The QE Live Final - All The Coverage Right Here On QE.com!
The Queen Extravaganza live final takes place on Monday 5th December at the Foo Fighters studio in LA. On that day you will be able to keep up to date on all developments right here on QE.com!
We will have team reporting straight from the studio uploading video interviews, behind the scenes footage and performances, plus dozens of photos and a running commentary on what is going on there and then!
We will have cameras in the main live room, with Roger Taylor and his judges, plus backstage where all our QE hopefuls will be tuning up and hanging out. We won't miss a beat!
There will also be specially created video packages that will be pumped out to the media, so look out for those too!
The countdown continues!
QE Live Finalists Announced!
The 26 vocalists and musicians that will be taking part in the Queen Extravaganza Live Final on Monday December 5th at the Foo Fighters studio in Los Angeles, California are as follows:
Vocals
Selcuk Sami Cingi
Cody Bond
David Martel
Tyler Martin
Sean Slaughter
Marc Martel
Michelle Jameson
Jennifer Espinoza
Aisha Elmehdaoui
Guitar
Roy Ziv
Tristan Avakian
Richie Castellano
Brian Gresh
John Notto
Steve Zukowsky
Jason Du Preez
Drums
Nico Saavedra
Tyler Warren
Billy Orrico
Zach Mullings
Bass
Francois Olivier Doyon
Brian Weaver
Juano Davison
Keyboards
Brandon Ethridge
Tushar Apte
Mac Willaert
The list above is made up of the 21 highest voted for auditions by the public and 5 wild cards selected by Roger Taylor. All those listed above will be contacted shortly with more information on the Live Final and travel arrangements.
