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Queen and Guests - The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Special 10th...
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 On April 20, 1992, rock music superstars performed with Queen in London's Wembley Stadium, to celebrate Freddie Mecury’s life and work. The devastating HIV/AIDS virus snatched away Mercury’s life. It left the music world and the bands fans in a state of shock. As unfortunate as this was, it brought necessary attention to a worldwide epidemic that is still out of control to this day. The Mercury Phoenix Trust has enabled AIDS related organizations worldwide to conduct research and help patients and their families. With over $7 Million in assets, the organization has the financial means to support the array of benefits provided to its recipients. As the battle wages on against this deadly disease, Queen and Freddie Mercury’s legacy continues to grow.
As Freddie said - “The show must go on.” In true Mercury pomp and swagger, the show certainly did go on. There was an out-and-out who’s who of rock music on stage that day in London with Queen to perform some of their greatest hits.
In a DVD packed with highlights, it is not a difficult task to site some of the tracks that I felt had the most impact. “I Want It All” with Roger Daltrey on lead vocals and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) trading riffs with Brian May on guitar, really set the tone for the entire performance. It was one of many spine tingling moments. Roger’s voice is in perfect accord with the music as he belts it out with emotion and clarity whilst swinging his microphone around and actually getting the cord in the way of May’s guitar at one point, but May laughed and stepped back to let Roger loose to continue with his patented antics. Elton John does a great job with “The Show Must Go On,” Freddie would have been pleased. The highpoint of the entire performance had to be George Michael singing his heart out on “Somebody To Love.” I do not think anyone besides Freddie himself could have done a better job. On the second disc during an interview, Michael shares how he was feeling mixed emotions while performing the song. He explained that while he was fulfilling a lifetime dream by having the opportunity to perform the tune with one of his childhood idols, Queen, he was all at once feeling the elation and adrenaline of the moment while he felt tremendous sadness for the loss of one of music’s most important front men. Roger Daltrey also added in the interview segment about how he knew how the band felt missing Freddie, as it took him five years to start getting over the loss of the Who’s drummer Keith Moon. Daltrey went on to convey that a group’s chemistry is a spiritual thing and it is more powerful than losing a member of your own family when a band member dies. Coming from another one of rock music’s top showman, this is some powerful stuff indeed.
“Under Pressure” with David Bowie & Annie Lennox is superb. Bowie had originally recorded it with Queen, so it was appropriate. All of the people chosen to do the songs that they covered seemed like a perfect fit for each of them. I must hand it to the group for being so insightful choosing their songs to match the singer’s talents and personalities. Notably, Seal does a tear-jerking version of “Who Wants To Live Forever” and Paul Young does a wonderful adaptation of “Radio Ga Ga” as the crowd of 72,000 are all clapping together right on cue. I have never seen anything like that before. It was weird; they all looked like automated robots. “All The Young Dudes” was a remarkable sight with Bowie on saxophone, Ian Hunter singing, Mick Ronson on guitar, and Queen with their entire entourage of singers behind Roger Taylor’s drum kit; it was a moment to behold.
© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck |
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