He Will Rock You: Adam Lambert Finally Confirms Queen Performance at Sonisphere Festival

Adam Lambert's 2009 collaboration with Queen was arguably one of the best "American Idol" finale performances ever, and when Adam reunited with Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Belfast last November, that astoundingly awesome performance renewed fans' hope for even more "Queenbert" duets. And now, after week of rumors, Adam has revealed that he will soon be fronting Queen again, at Britain's Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth Park on July 7.

"I can finally confirm: I have been invited by Queen to sing one very special concert!" Adam tweeted Monday morning. "Sorry to be coy about the details the past few weeks, but I made a promise to keep it under wraps as best I could. Gonna be a surreal night!"

The "Queenbert" Sonisphere concert will actually mark Queen's triumphant return to the setting of their final 1986 concert with the late, great Freddie Mercury--which makes the occasion even more auspicious for all parties involved.

"Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy," said Queen guitarist Brian May in a press release announcing July's Sonisphere appearance. "It's a worthy challenge for us, and I'm sure Adam would meet with Freddie's approval! And what better place to revisit, and walk those emotional paths than Knebworth? It will be a rush."

Now excuse me, while I rush over to Yahoo! Travel to book my U.K. flight...

In the meantime, watch Adam's 2011 EMAs performance with Queen, alongside the original Queen lineup's legendary 1986 Knebworth performance, below. I personally appreciate the fact that while Adam easily nails every single Mercury-rising high note in the Queen catalog, he never tries to be a Freddie copycat; he's always himself, which is actually the most respectful way he--or any guest Queen singer--could ever honor the memory of an icon as unique as Freddie (as evidenced by the amazing George Michael, Annie Lennox and David Bowie tributes at the historical 1992 Freddie tribute at London's Wembley Stadium).

Sonisphere Festival tickets can be purchased at http://sonisphere.co.uk. Other acts on the three-day bill include KISS, the Darkness, Marilyn Manson, Wolfmother, and Evanescence.

Related links:

Adam premieres new music video

Adam interview pt. 1, Adam interview pt. 2

Adam explains new album title

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