For their final show of their 2022-23 season, the Uptown Music Collective is proud to present their tribute to one of the most iconic bands in rock and roll history with “The Show Must Go On: The Music of Queen,” Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m., at the Community Arts Center, 220 W. Fourth St.

There are very few bands in rock and roll history whose music is as unique, exciting, entertaining, and unforgettable as the music of Queen. In the last performance of the Uptown Music Collective’s performance season, the students will take on these rock legends and perform this immortal music with all the skill, passion, and excitement that people have come to expect from the school’s students. “The Show Must Go On” will feature Collective students who have been diligently preparing for this event for more than three months.

Formed in London in 1970, Queen was comprised of lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, and bassist John Deacon. Over their long, illustrious career, the band released 15 studio albums and scored 53 top 40 singles — six of which went to No. 1. In 2001, the band was awarded an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Queen’s music was an eclectic mix of driving hard rock, pop hooks, operatic vocal harmonies, classical chord progressions, layered harmonized guitars, theatrical elements, and pure unadulterated swagger. In 1991, Mercury died from complications of AIDS but had continued to work and record music with the band up until his death. The song “The Show Must Go On” is one of his last completed vocal recordings. In the years that followed, the remaining members of the group continued to perform, with friends of the band filling in for Mercury and Deacon, who retired in 1997.

One of the Uptown Music Collective’s most successful early shows was a tribute to Queen in 2012 called “Killer Queen” directed by Tess Marshall and Shannon Cantor.

“They were part of the generation of students who transformed the school’s performance program with their dedication, musical skills, and on-stage presentations,” said Dave Brumbaugh, UMC founder and executive director. “After 11 years, we felt it was both long past due, and the perfect time to bring a Queen show back.”

Directed by Uptown Music Collective senior students Abby Colone and Luke O’Brien (both of Loyalsock Township High School), the students of the much-heralded “Special Performance Group 1” will present two hours of all of the well-known Queen classics and greatest hits, including “Killer Queen,” “Somebody to Love,” “You’re My Best Friend,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Tie Your Mother Down,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” alongside a few deeper cuts. Performers will focus on presenting each as close to the original recording, while delivering them with the same swagger and intensity Queen was known for live.

“Uptown Music Collective performances are always amazing because of the energy that their students bring to the stage and the enthusiasm the audience has during the performance,” said Steven Ault, manager of marketing communications at the Community Arts Center. “Being able to see the hard work the students are putting into these shows right up until the doors open is always inspiring. We are excited for ‘The Show Must Go On — The Music of Queen’ on April 28 and 29 because we know that the Uptown Music Collective ‘Will Rock You!'”

While all of the members of Queen were standouts, most people think of lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and the amazing backing vocals of the group.

“The bottom line is going to be how well our singers, under the direction of seniors Leah Batman and Abby Colone, bring the intricate harmonies and powerful lead vocals to life in the show,” Brumbaugh said. “With that said, every aspect of every instrument’s part in every Queen song is meticulously constructed and combined to create a beautiful whole. In the end, for our students to be successful, they must all be standouts.”

Brumbaugh believes audiences always respond to passion, and the passion of Queen’s music will certainly be reflected in the UMC’s performance.

“Queen’s delivery on every level was delivered with an abundance of passion and intensity that is second to none,” Brumbaugh said. “Then there’s the songwriting, which in early Queen was frequently a mix of complex classical-inspired progressions, rhythms, and melodic themes, combined with heavy guitars, driving drums, and bass that still maintained a strong pop music sensibility. I think that their musical allure is undeniable.”

As with most of their shows, Brumbaugh expects a mixed audience that represents a wide range of ages and musical tastes.

“Those in attendance will see a powerful rock performance featuring musicians whose ages will stop mattering after the first song as they enjoy an energetic performance of Queen’s classic hits and some deeper cuts,” he said. “The age of the performers will be forgotten until they see them in the lobby after the show and realize how young many of them are.”

UMC shows certainly draw a percentage of the audience based on the music that they perform and how they perform it, but Brumbaugh feels that this show will draw a similar audience and a whole lot more.

“Queen is a great draw, based on their iconic music and the success of the recent movie ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,'” he added. “However, a large percentage of our audience also attend our shows regularly because I think that they truly enjoy watching our students grow up on the stage, evolving from awkward young performers to the powerful musicians and artists they become as they move through our program.”

“The Show Must Go On” is the last UMC show of the season and is always an emotional time for the group’s current seniors as many contemplate moving on from the Uptown Music Collective programs to transition into other activities and areas of interest.

“The younger students also feel the shifting sands and anticipate the holes being left — both sadly as they begin missing their friends of many years, and also looking forward to stepping up into the leadership positions that will not be empty,” Brumbaugh said, “and an increased number of opportunities to move into a bigger performance role on stage.”