Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Bohemian Rhapsody
Tribute band rocks like classic Queen
Glenn Jost is in a car somewhere between St. Louis and Philadelphia. He’s driving with his son, who is moving to a new city and a new job. If you believe the archetypes about band members, he is clearly a drummer — he’s steady, thoughtful, soft spoken and seems … well, “nice.”
On stage, however, he’s a beast, just like his role model, Roger Taylor, the original drummer for rock legend Queen. Jost has booked, performed, and co-managed three national touring acts with David Victor, formerly of Boston, creating the bands Bostyx, Platinum Rockstars and their theatrical show concept “Rock Stars & Stripes,” but he’s passing through Fayetteville and Branson with tribute band Bohemian Queen.
“I studied Queen as a kid,” he admits. “Roger Taylor was really underrated. So I kind of modeled after his way of playing the drums — a way that supported the song as opposed to playing chops that don’t necessarily fit into a song.
“Roger Taylor’s drumming, singing, and musical sensitivities are part of who I am,” Jost adds. “Queen shaped my first impressions of rock ‘n’ roll. Collectively, their songwriting and harmonies were magical.”
Jost grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., with a mother who clearly appreciated music — or just loved him. When he was in elementary school and trying to make the band, she bought him his first snare drum — which immediately caused a family conflict.
“My mom didn’t want the neighbors to hear all the racket — we had our windows open all the time — so she got me a used air conditioner for my room,” he remembers. “We had no other air conditioning, so it created a lot of friction, especially with my sister.
“But I practiced all day, and eventually my rock band practiced there — and my sister and I got over it and are very close.”
Jost was touring by the time he was 15, playing the East Village music scene in New York City before moving to Los Angeles, where he was lounge drummer on “Ally McBeal,” drummed with The Horse Soldiers and performed with the original Broadway show “Dreamgirls.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he says, “and it’s incredible to play and perform as Bohemian Queen. There’s such a family element — senior citizens down to 5-year-olds, young families getting together and sharing that rock ‘n’ roll concert experience as a family. We’re playing to audiences that are really interested in listening to the show — and everybody is singing along! Even the young people know every song.”
Jost admits he’s “old school” about some things — “I believe in the pure songwriter and what you can do on an acoustic guitar” — and he believes it’s worth it for Bohemian Queen to invest their time and effort in playing live shows at festivals, on the casino circuit and at places like The Mansion in Branson. He believes bands like his are doing their part toward preserving live music.
“With us, you can remember back to when you went to your first rock concert,” he says, “and we create a safe haven where you can share that love and that connection in a family format. There’s something magical about attending a live, full-throttle, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll show — the sights, the smells, the whole vibe.”
Jost says his family has “deep roots” in Branson and spends a lot of time on Table Rock Lake. Now, he’s ready to bring “full-on classic rock ‘n’ roll to Branson — no tricks, no dancing girls, just real musicians playing with real drummers.”
“I think it’s really important to witness the live rock show — and Branson is absolutely the place for that.”
“We are all about bringing quality entertainment to the area,” agrees Kristy Adams, senior executive vice president for the Mansion Entertainment Group. “Bohemian Queen is the ultimate tribute to the band Queen.”