Roger Taylor, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 22 September 2026
Reviewed by Allister Spence
The atmosphere inside the Usher Hall was electric long before Roger Taylor appeared. Fans arrived buzzing with anticipation, eager to see the Queen legend bring his “Violence Insane in a Beautiful World” tour to Edinburgh for its third date.
Opening the evening, London singer‑songwriter Freddie Lennox delivered a warm, engaging solo set, switching between guitar and harmonica with calm confidence. His relaxed patter and melodic songs set the tone beautifully, earning him generous applause from a crowd clearly enjoying every moment.
When the lights dropped again, the excitement surged. Taylor’s band eased into an atmospheric introduction before ‘Strange Frontier’ burst into life, instantly lifting the room. The momentum continued with ‘A Nation of Haircuts’, its punchy energy drawing cheers and stamping feet. Taylor’s rapport with the audience was effortless; a quick mutter of “Gangsters Are Running the World” raised a ripple of laughter before the band slid into the song’s more reflective mood.
Tina Keys stepped out to join Taylor on ‘Surrender’, her voice weaving around his in a striking duet. The first new track of the night, ‘I See You Now’, landed confidently, but it was the sly grin and line, “Some of you older folk might know this,” that sent the crowd into rapture as ‘I’m in Love With My Car’ rang out. Christian Mendoza shone here, delivering a guitar performance that honoured the original without imitation, earning one of the night’s loudest ovations.
After a gentle diversion with ‘Absolutely Anything’, the stage transformed for ‘Violence Insane’. Bathed in red light and swirling dry ice, Taylor used a distorted mic to give the song a demonic edge, coming over far more menacingly that he does on the album version. Keys added eerie harmonies during ‘Having a Difficult Day’ sections. The mood flipped again with the playful ‘Don’t Photograph Food’, which sparked laughter across the hall, before the poignant ‘These Are the Days of Our Lives’ brought a hush; and a few tears; as Taylor closed with Mercury’s immortal “I love you.”
Taylor briefly stepped aside as the band tore into ‘Rock It (Prime Jive)’, with drummer Tyler Warren taking lead vocals and sending the audience bouncing in their seats. Taylor returned with Keys and Mendoza for a tender version of John Lennon’s ‘Jealous Guy’, a highlight of the new album.
Introducing the next pair of songs as “a couple of short songs about two c**ts,” Taylor gathered the band close for biting renditions of ‘Dear Mr Murdoch’ and ‘Chump’, delivered with wry humour and sharp intent. ‘Under Pressure’ prompted the first attempts at dancing, but ‘Man on Fire’ was the moment the entire hall rose to its feet. The energy stayed sky‑high through a roared cover of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Rock & Roll’ and a jubilant ‘A Kind of Magic’.
The encore began to deafening applause. ‘A Beautiful World’ showcased the band’s tight musicianship before Taylor joked about the timing of the next track and launched into ‘Come On Summer (It’s Party Time)’. The dual‑drum setup with Warren added a thrilling visual punch as the rhythms filled the hall.
The night reached its peak with ‘Radio Ga Ga’, the entire audience standing, clapping in perfect unison, and singing with unrestrained joy. It was a triumphant finale to a concert that never dipped in energy.
Taylor was magnetic throughout; funny, warm, and commanding; and his band was exceptional. With long‑time Queen associates Spike Edney, Tyler Warren, joined by Neil Fairclough, Tina Keys, and Christian Mendoza all delivering standout performances, the final standing ovation felt not just enthusiastic but entirely deserved.