Bohemian Rhapsody

Get ready for an exhilarating performance by Bohemian Rhapsody, Australia's longest-running Queen tribute band, at Darwin Entertainment Centre this month.

^{By Jenna Hoare}

THE LEGACY OF Queen continues with internationally acclaimed performer Thomas Crane as Freddie Mercury, for one night in the Top End after years of sell-out shows around the country.

But how could a singer possibly channel the vocals of the rock legend, Freddie? Crane says he emulates the lead singer’s voice through his years of opera training, along with impressive displays and tireless rehearsals by the rest of his band in their new show, Made In Heaven.

“We are the closest sound that you’ll hear to Queen. I play the piano like Freddie does. I think that’s important,” he says.

Crane has seen a resurgence of love for the British band’s big sounds in recent years, with a new generation of fans clapping along in the audience at their shows.

The release of the blockbuster movie Bohemian Rhapsody in 2018, and the 50th anniversary celebration of Queen's first album Queen last year, has contributed to this newfound love for the band's iconic music.

“The revival has been reflected in our audiences and we’re seeing more families bring their children along to the concert. A lot of kids love Freddie’s voice … I can sing like him and move like him,” says Crane.

The show seamlessly carries the audience through Queen's iconic hits from the 1970s to the 1990s, covering the familiar bangers ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, ‘Don't Stop Me Now’, and of course, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.

Even off stage, Crane says he’s often told he looks like Freddie.

“I’ll be driving my van to shows around Australia, and when I go into a pub or pull up into a caravan site, people comment that I look like Freddie Mercury. I started off writing original songs, but then other people said I sounded so much like Freddie when I performed, so I created the band.”

Crane's visit to the Top End is his first, as he drives his van on a big trip from Toowoomba to Darwin.

“After 30 years of shows, this will be a milestone. I can’t wait to see what the audience has in store for us.”

Bohemian Rhapsody – Made in Heaven
WHEN FRI 5 APR | 8PM 
AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $49.90-$69.90
INFO yourcentre.com.au