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Until the very end, Lambert’s voice remained strong and clear. He neither waivered nor faltered in the delivery of each song, confidently walking the thin line between injecting some of his personality while staying true to each Queen classic… songs that have stood the test of time and one might say, even attained a certain kind of immortality.

In every aspect of the word, the pulsating audio/visual effects, high definition big screens and impressive lighting were worth every cent of admission. Throw in two legends in the guise of guitarist Brian May & drummer Roger Taylor with the phenomenal Adam Lambert on vocals and it was akin to an ‘out of body’ experience. Unabashedly camp, Adam Lambert made his mark early in the piece strutting the stage in style in ‘appropriate hiking boots’ as the band teased with the familiar intro to We Will Rock You before launching into Hammer to Fall from the Highlander movie. Hard to believe the film came out in the early 80s. Time, it seems, has no bearing even on these hits. Resplendent in bright pink admitting he was up there in the ‘gayest fucking suit you’ve ever seen’, his vocals were simply spellbinding. Whether hitting the high notes on Under Pressure, rocking it up on Fat Bottomed Girls or dumbing-down on quieter numbers like We Are The Champions, Lambert’s vocal range impressed the full capacity crowd, even getting a chance to break out with his radio hit Whataya Want From Me.

A magnificent show. If you haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourselves to get a ticket to Sunday's Spark Arena show. Adam isn’t the new Freddie, their talents are too individual, but I’m sure Mr. Mercury would have approved. The capacity crowd at Spark Arena certainly did.

Lambert is hands down an enthralling front man who almost effortlessly commanded and maintained the audience’s attention for the duration of the show. With no less than six costume changes, Lambert not only brought the vocal power but also looked every inch the rock star. Yet Lambert is no diva. Rather he appears humble and grateful for his position as the vocalist of one of the world’s most adored rock bands in history, pausing during the show to admit that even after five years of performing with Queen that he still needs to pinch himself on a daily basis. Lambert also took the time for a heartfelt nod to the late and lamented Freddie Mercury, acknowledging his unique and charismatic character, reinforcing that there will indeed “never be another Freddie”.

And what a show it had been. Lambert is a fantastic front-man, given the right band and the right songs to sing; Queen have an astonishing range of material in their catalogue, and need the right singer to front their shows. Queen + Adam Lambert is, then, an inspired combination, and last night’s show was a magnificent performance.

Feeling like picking an argument with a Queen fan who may no longer even exist, Queen + Adam Lambert is such a victory both tonally and in substance that it probably surprises even the most diehard fans of both acts. This is, after all, a 48-year old band led by a 36-year old American Idol finalist who was born seven years after Bohemian Rhapsody first topped the charts. He's had his own hits and his own chart-topping albums and there's little doubt Lambert is a star in his own right. But capable of filling Freddie Mercury's white Adidas sneakers? Yes. Crucially, because since first stepping into the role in 2012, Adam Lambert has never once tried to be Freddie Mercury. "There will only be one rock god named Freddie Mercury", he announced to cheers, and given he'd moments earlier also sought applause for, "the two rock & roll legends I'm sharing the stage with tonight", it was clear to any sceptic that this is a performer who understands perfectly his role.

The irony was not lost on me that on the same night as the annual Pride Parade was taking place I was sent to review Queen, a band whose late lead singer gleefully subverted the rock world with his openly camp persona and less than heterosexual after hours activities. The fact that his replacement - an unabashedly gay pop star – won over a very middle New Zealand audience was a joy to behold, and the show an absolute delight.

Part of Queen's charm for me was always the element of panto that lurked beneath their cracking rock anthems, their unique subversion – thanks to late frontman Mercury – of a traditionally macho-heavy genre. Lambert seems to understand this key element, and as the incumbent in the role of Queen frontman has definitely made himself at home. After just over five years of performances with the British rock legends, he has really made the role his own and seems to be having a whale of a time on stage, especially when tackling songs like Don't Stop Me Now and Somebody To Love that he clearly loves belting out.