User:Mockapedia/Articles/Queen's performance at Live Aid
Location | Wembley, England |
---|---|
Venue | Wembley Stadium |
Attendance | 72,000 |
Part of Live Aid |
Queen had a 21 minute set during Live Aid on 13 July 1985, which began at 6:41pm[a] and ended at 7:02pm.[1][2] It was voted as the best rock gig of all time.[2][3]
The performance was recreated and is the vocal point in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.[2]
Background
[edit]Queen was originally not meant to perform at Live Aid as Freddie Mercury was worried about their appearance being taken as a 'political statement'. Bob Geldof managed to convince them that there was no 'politics'.[3]
Performance
[edit]The performance began at 6:41pm, opening with an excerpt of Bohemian Rhapsody.[4] The song transitioned into a up-beat faster tempo version of Radio Ga Ga, with the crowd clapping in sync with Mercury. Mercury led the crowd in unison refrains,[5] and his sustained note—"Aaaaaay-o"—during the a cappella section came to be known as "The Note Heard Round the World".[6]
The band finished their set with Hammer to Fall, a shortened version of We Will Rock You and finally, We Are the Champions.[7]
Performed songs
[edit]Songs |
---|
Bohemian Rhapsody |
Radio Ga Ga |
Ay-Oh |
Hammer to Fall |
Crazy Little Thing Called Love |
We Will Rock You |
We Are the Champions |
Recreation
[edit]The gig was recreated in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.[8]
Reception
[edit]Queen's performance was voted as the best rock gig and the most iconic festival moment of all time.[9] According to the BBC's presenter David Hepworth, their performance produced "the greatest display of community singing the old stadium had seen and cemented Queen's position as the most-loved British group since the Beatles".[10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ The exact time it started is disputed. Some sources say it started at 6:42pm while most say 6:41pm.
References
[edit]- ^ "Queen win greatest live gig poll". BBC News. 2005-11-09. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ a b c "33 years later, Queen's Live Aid performance is still pure magic". CNN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ a b "30 fun facts for Live Aid's 30th birthday". Digital Spy. 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ "Remembering Queen's beautiful but 'forgotten' Live Aid performance". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ Minchin, Ryan, dir. (2005) "The World's Greatest Gigs". Initial Film & Television. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ Beaumont, Mark (2020-07-11). "Aaaaaay-o! Aaaaaay-o! Why Live Aid was the greatest show of all". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ "When Queen Took 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to Live Aid". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ Moore, Sam (2018-10-25). "'Bohemian Rhapsody' cast explain how they recreated Queen's legendary Live Aid show". NME. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ Sharples, Eleanor (2020-08-27). "Queen's Live Aid performance voted most iconic festival moment". Mail Online. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ Hepworth, David (25 May 2011). "God Save The Queen by David Hepworth (Radio Times)". Queen Online. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2024-10-12.