RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The 2024 Entertainment, Theatre & Culture for Rancho Murieta (ETC) summer concert season ended on a high note Sept. 7 when Bohemian Queen performed to a nearly sold-out crowd at Lake Clementia Amphitheater under perfect weather conditions.

This event marked the 23rd year that ETC has brought live, professionally produced concerts to the community.

Booking the California-based Queen tribute band for the final summer concert event proved to be a smart choice, according to attendee and former ETC Board member Wyly Haviland. 

“The feedback was positive, with most agreeing that it was one of the best concerts they ever attended,” Haviland said. “The band shared the sentiment, as they asked to come back next year.”

Ahead of the concert, young dancers from the Murieta Dance Company performed a Romeo and Juliet piece, offering a glimpse of their annual December recital, which is being promoted as “The Haunted Mansion.”

Jane Rosetta announced that this year would be her last as president. After leading since 2019, she is passing the role to JT Turner, who has served as emcee for several seasons. Rosetta will continue to serve as vice president.

They also acknowledged the significant support from 33 ETC sponsors, including Title Sponsor Karen Hoberg of Rancho Murieta Homes & Land.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Queens first tour of America, the tribute band presented a program titled “Queen Live Through the Years.” With frontman Paulie Z embodying the legendary Freddie Mercury, the band kicked off the show with some of Queen’s earliest hits, such as “Liar,” “Killer Queen” and “You’re My Best Friend.”

As the concert progressed, the band took the audience through the decades, performing hits like “Under Pressure,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Haviland said that the crowd flocked to the stage to sing along to the songs they knew by heart.

“They also enjoyed singing when prompted, especially to the always-popular ‘Ay-Oh,’” he said.

Although the dance floor was packed, Haviland observed that there was less dancing and more singing compared to previous concerts, owing to the wide range of Queens original repertoire. He added that the crowd seemed different from earlier shows. 

“It felt like an older crowd who were probably Queen fans in their youth,” he explained.

Toward the end of the concert, the band asked the audience to light up their phones while it performed “Somebody to Love” and “We Are the Champions.” 

“The bowl looked like a thousand fireflies had descended in homage to the late, great Freddie Mercury,” Haviland said.

Even after the band finished its encores and left the stage, the audience lingered. 

“It seemed like the concertgoers didn’t want the fun to end and milled around in awe of the performance they had just witnessed,” Haviland said.

Rosetta also praised Bohemian Queen’s performance as a perfect conclusion to the season.

“The crowd absolutely loved them,” she said. “They also told the audience that while they play the music of Queen, they are not trying to be Queen.”

Rosetta shared that ETC is already working on the dates and lineup for the 2025 concert season.