Queen [ tickets ] guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, and Free/Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers [ tickets ]--who earlier this year teamed with for a European tour--have announced plans for some U.S. shows.

So far, the veteran rockers are only scheduled to play an Oct. 16 concert at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ, and an Oct. 22 show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Tickets for the New Jersey show are scheduled to hit the box office Saturday (7/30), while those for the California date are set to go on sale Sunday (7/31), according to a press release.
No additional U.S. shows are planned for 2005, but the group "will likely do a proper tour, about 30 dates, next spring," according to a spokesperson.

Billed as "Queen + Paul Rodgers," the group will perform a mix of Queen material and songs from Rodgers' former bands, according to a press release. Joining May, Taylor and Rodgers on stage will be bassist Danny Miranda (ex-Blue Oyster Cult), guitarist Jamie Moses (Brian May Band) and keyboardist Spike Edney.

Queen bassist John Deacon is "supportive of his bandmates," but has retired from touring, according to a statement.

The U.S. shows follow a sold-out, 32-date tour of European arenas that wrapped up earlier this month. That run included a May 9 stop at England's Sheffield Arena, which the group recorded and plans to release in both CD and DVD form this fall. The two-disc audio set, titled "Return of the Champions," is due out Sept. 13, while the DVD--filmed by director David Mallet--will surface Oct. 24, and will include bonus material such as rehearsal and backstage footage, as well as highlights of other European shows.

Queen last toured in 1986, before late frontman Freddie Mercury began showing symptoms of AIDS. The singer died of the disease in 1991.

Last year, Rodgers sang with May and Taylor during Queen's induction into the U.K. Music Hall of Fame and at a concert in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster guitar.

"I was always against the idea of putting someone in there trying to impersonate Freddie in any way," May said in a statement. "Then suddenly I'm looking at this guy who doesn't in any sense try to take the place of Freddie. He's nothing like Freddie because he comes from his own place musically and we can reinterpret these songs with someone who understands us--the songs would mean something new."

"There was a natural chemistry between us when we performed together in London," Rogers added. "The idea took hold for us to do something together after that, and the momentum has taken on a life of its own."

The surviving members of Queen have played together at a few events since Mercury's death, including a 1992 tribute to Mercury and at the band's 2001 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Following the U.S. shows, Queen + Paul Rodgers head to Japan. Details are posted at the group's website.