Brian May: “America is dangerous, Queen won’t go on tour”

Brian May says Queen has no plans to tour the US again, calling the country ‘a dangerous place’ at this moment. The band’s last North American tour dates back to 2023, as part of the “Rhapsody Tour” with Adam Lambert. In a new interview with the Daily Mail, the guitarist explained that the current situation in the USA requires very serious evaluations: “America is a dangerous place right now, so you have to take that into account.” Reflecting on how much the country has changed since the band’s early career, May added: “It’s very sad, because I feel like Queen grew up in America and we love itbut it’s not what it used to be. In this period everyone thinks twice before going there.”

May’s statements come in a context of strong social tension in the United States, marked by widespread protests against ICE, the federal immigration agency. In particular, the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during ICE operations sparked nationwide outrage. The agency described its actions in Minnesota as “the largest mass deportation operation in American history.” Numerous artists have spoken out against ICE and President Donald Trump, including Billie Eilish, Green Day, Neil Young, Moby, Zara Larsson, Duran Duran, Dave Matthews and more. Bruce Springsteen recently released “Streets Of Minneapolis” as a gesture of protest, while Billy Bragg dedicated “City Of Heroes” to the city’s population. Queen are no strangers to political clashes with Trump. Already in 2016 and 2019 the band had blocked the use of “We Will Rock You” during his campaign events, speaking openly of an “uphill battle.”

Earlier this month May also ruled out Queen’s possible appearance at the Glastonbury Festival, citing political reasons and founder Michael Eavis’ support for badger hunting: “Until that position changes, I won’t.” On the musical front, May confirmed that the band have been working on new material with Adam Lambert and that consideration has been given to a possible residency at Sphere in Las Vegas. May’s wife, Anita Dobson, however, downplayed the hypothesis of major future tours, speaking of sporadic appearances rather than long tours. In 2024 Brian May suffered a mild stroke, which temporarily affected the use of one arm. He described the episode as “scary” and a real wake-up call for his health. Over the Christmas period, Queen released a previously unreleased song, “Not For Sale (Polar Bear).”. The band remains the most broadcast rock group in the UK in the 21st century. The last European tour dates back to 2022, while the most recent live dates were held in Asia in early 2024.