OGCMA Presents Ultimate Queen Tribute

The British Royals have gotten lots of attention lately, but not even the groundbreaking Harry and Megan can compare with England's most dynamic royals ever: the legendary rock group Queen. With their highly original orchestral-rock sound and uniquely captivating lead singer/songwriter Freddie Mercury , Queen were chart-topping superstars from the late 1970s-1980s. The majestic Mercury died in 1991.

This summer, for the first time, OGCMA will present THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION STARRING MARC MARTEL. Their royal coach will drop them off at OGCMA's Great Auditorium on Saturday, July 14th for a blow-the-roof-off concert at 8:00 pm. Ticket options vary: $60 VIP tix include a meet-and-greet with the band and an autographed CD and poster; reserved seating for $30 and $50; and at-the-door general admission for $20. The Great Auditorium is located at Pilgrim and Ocean Pathways in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. All facilities are handicapped accessible. For reservations: phone 800-590-4064 or go online to www.oceangrove.org.

About THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION STARRING MARC MARTEL - Along with a group of fantastic musicians, it is Canadian singer/musician Marc Martel who truly makes this musical celebration successful. Interestingly, the Montreal-born graduate of Briercrest College and Seminary (Saskatchewan) started out in Christian music, having formed the band Downhere with his college roommate and several friends in 1999. Between then and 2012, Downhere toured worldwide, first for their school then after relocating to Nashville. In just 13 years they recorded 10 albums on Word Records and won multiple awards, including several Junos, the Covenant and the Dove. It was on something of a whim that Martel entered a 2011 competition to join two of Queen's original members, Roger Taylor and Brian May, for a post-Mercury Queen tour. To apply, Martel sang Queen's Somebody to Love on a YouTube video which, fairly quickly, led to over 13 million views, an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show, another on American Idol (for which he was Joined At The end by drummer Taylor and guitarist May) - and, of course, he won the competition. May has said of Martel, "When he sings, I close my eyes and I hear Freddie."

Unlike other tribute bands, THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION STARRING MARC MARTEL doesn't try to replicate the look of the original band, especially since Freddie Mercury, like his contemporary (and sometime collaborator) David Bowie, went through a broad assortment of bold, theatrical, gender-bending looks. Instead, Martel and his band concentrate on the sound, spirit and excitement that Queen brought to stadiums and concert halls around the world. OGCMA audiences can look forward to Martel's Mercury-like renditions of Radio Gaga, Tie Your Mother Down, Fat Bottomed Girls, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, Bohemian Rhapsody and more. Martel not only sounds dead-on like Freddie Mercury, but he embodies the heart-and-soul Freddie poured into every song he performed. So if you're a Queen fan, come on down to Ocean Grove on July 14th. Just close your eyes and you'll hear Freddie.

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