Puerto Vallarta Theater Shows Roy Gomez Cruz Live Forever Tribute to Queen. Roy it is a great pleasure to speak to you performing as Freddie Mercury in the show. .
Where are you from originally? Tell us who are the members of the band?
I’m from Guadalajara, but I find it very hard to stay still! Lol I’m always on the run and traveling. Luckily, moving a lot has been part of my work. The members of Live Forever are tremendously talented musicians with amazing careers. Roger Taylor’s drums are in charge of Christian Gomez who has played for Luis Fonsi, David Bisbal, Yuri, Haash, Ricardo Montaner, Alejandra Guzman, among others. Alejandro Carrera is a certified guitar specialist by Berklee College of Music in Boston U.S., who btw looks exactly like Brian May! Danny Sixx is our John Deacon, a
rock-solid bassist, a former musician of EMI Music, and a favorite one in the rock scene.
Who was the mastermind of the group?
As far as I know, the idea of a Queen tribute came first from musicians and producers, Oscar Diaz and Edgar Garcia. When I got in (2018), the project had been already set in motion with a different singer impersonating Freddie and other musicians. For reasons I’m not aware of, all of that wasn’t a good match… Little after Danny, Christian and Alex replaced the first guys, I got an invitation to join. Once I knew they were in it, I didn’t think twice!
Why was a tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen chosen? Is it for personal reasons, or because of the recent movie that put Queen again back as a trending topic?
A little bit of both, but it was rather good timing for everyone. I was part of a different Queen tribute show back in 2012. Then I did it another one in 2016. On the other hand, Danny had been planning to produce a Queen show for quite a few years. I’d say that the launching of the movie helped everyone to speed things up. Honestly, I do think it’s a blessing that Queen is a trending topic today. New generations are connecting with Freddie through the movie first, and then experiencing what many of us felt the first time we heard a Queen song or watch a Freddie’s performance. It’s a kind of magic for sure!
Which are your three favorites songs of Queen and why?
My dad is also a singer and a guitar player. He truly loves rock music, so I knew all the classics at a pretty young age. But I clearly remember the first time I was completely captured by a Queen’s song. I was maybe ten years old or so… It was “I Want to Break Free” (the version with the longer intro, epic!). I remember not fully understanding where all those sounds came from… It felt so out of this world. All sounded so raspy, crispy, and yet, fused and mellow… soothing and rebellious at the same time… It was definitely a new sensation to me, also provoked by Freddie’s astonishing voice, which got me totally enthralled. Quickly after, I learn how to play my Dad’s vinyl records, and blasted Queen, full volume. I remember daydreaming about singing Somebody to Love for big crowds and stadiums! Lol Much more recently, I fell in love with the heightened sensibility I get by singing Love of My Life onstage. It’s such a raw, emotional and beautiful song. Sometimes I feel my voice is about to crack… It’s such an honor to have the opportunity of channeling a little bit of Freddie’s one-of-a-kind sensibility.
Was it difficult to impersonate such a charismatic and controversial artist as Freddie Mercury?
Yes!! Lol. I’m still learning and most likely, will be for as long as I keep doing it. Freddie was a world in himself. You could also say that he had many voices… He morphed throughout the years, so the color and textures of his voice also seem to reflect these changes. Also, his presence onstage, as we all know, was always larger-than-life. Thus, immersing myself into Freddie’s universe has been both a beautiful challenge and an amazing opportunity to grow and improve every aspect of my artistic performance. I’d also say that not only for myself, but the whole band has taken this journey to get better and better and it definitely reflects on how the show is flowing and evolving at every gig.
What do you think about that movie we mentioned before? Do you think facts were exactly like the movie says, or would you say something happened differently?
I enjoyed the movie even when several mistakes were made, very likely on purpose, and for the sake of dramatic relief. I am no expert on the subject, but for example, it’s my understanding that Freddie was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, not in 1985, nor he shared this news to the band just a few days before Live Aid, as the movie seem to suggest. Many have also criticized the movie for not exploring deeper the darker and more controversial side of Freddie. I’d say that there’s room for everything. As a commercial movie, it’s expected that the story takes some liberties. For those looking for a more thorough biographic work, there are Lesley-Ann Jones’s, Laura Jackson’s, or even Peter Freestone’s biographic books.
How long have you been doing this tribute show? and where has it been performed?
I jumped in the ship just at the end of 2018, but since then, Live Forever gained momentum pretty fast! So far, we have performed in amazing, well-known venues like Teatro Diana, Conjunto Santander, and Expo GDL in Guadalajara, or at Audiorama el Trompo in Tijuana. We have also performed in smaller and more intimate venues such as The Spotlight Club in Ajijic, Country Club GDL, or at the Gran Leon Casino in León, Guanajuato. Whether big or intimate, we have loved to perform the show every time.
Tell us how good are the musicians and what you want people to experience from the tribute?
First of all, expect high quality in terms of music performance. As I said before, my partners in crime are outstanding musicians, so you won’t be disappointed about our rendition of all Queen greatest hits. More on my alley, my goal is to recreate the magical connection that Freddie had with the audience. You will be rocked and energized, as well as touched and moved by intimate moments with Freddie. Secondly, you get a full show. It’s not just a concert but a visual feast that takes you to a journey through different phases of Queen’s history and unforgettable Freddie’s performance. Lastly, you’ll get a lot fun. It’s a fun and inviting show to sing along with us, move and dance, and break free.
Have you performed in Puerto Vallarta? What do you like the most of Puerto Vallarta?
This will be our first time in Puerto Vallarta! So, we are very excited and looking forward. What I like the most of PV is, of course, watching sunsets at the beach (it never gets old!)
What are your future plans as a band? Will you continue performing together doing something different than the Freddie Mercury tribute? Different tributes? Or maybe original music?
This year will be mostly devoted to performing our Freddie’s homage as much as we can. We want to take it everywhere. Also, each one of us in the band have other music projects, some are original music. I’m the lead vocalist of an amazing band named The Oaths. We are releasing a new album this year, so I’ll be putting time and energy to that to, which it’s really exciting!
There is something else would you like to share with GayPV and our readers?
You cannot miss our show!! Seriously! I promise you an endearing, fun and epic night. Quality
guaranteed ;) See’ya all there!!
Don’t miss the upcoming Live Forever A Tribute to Queen at The Palm Cabaret February 20- March 5, 2020. For tickets visit the Palm Ticket website.
