Since his death in 1991, Mercury has remained in the hearts and minds of the band and audience at every Queen show.
Even now, three decades after his death, Freddie has never truly left us. Drop the needle on Queen’s studio catalogue and the band’s founding frontman still sounds as vital and present as ever. Watch Queen live in the modern era, meanwhile, and you’ll see frequent salutes to history’s greatest rock singer, as cutting-edge technology rewinds the reels and returns him to the stage.
Anyone lucky enough to witness Freddie first-hand in the ’70s and ’80s will know he was a performer with a thrilling split personality, able to whip the crowd into a hard-rock frenzy before shifting gears to an emotional gut-punch. The archive footage in this latest episode of Queen The Greatest Live shows both sides of the coin, as Freddie effortlessly segues from rabble-rouser to balladeer.
First, we join a Queen + Adam Lambert show from 2020, as the band treat the Fire Fight Australia benefit concert to a recreation of their legendary setlist at 1985’s Live Aid. Naturally, this includes the famous ‘Ay-Oh’ call and response – but the feverish reaction at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium reveals that nobody expected to see Freddie appear on the video screens and lead the vocal acrobatics.
Next, in a second moment of inspired audio-visual trickery from 2022, guitarist Brian May takes to the b-stage at London’s O2 Arena for the traditional acoustic section – to be joined by his old comrade for a poignant rendition of “Love Of My Life”; as the song concludes, Brian and Freddie hold out a hand to each other, before the frontman fades from view – but never to be forgotten.
Add some Queen to your collection here.
See also:
Queen revisit The Days Of Our Lives on The Greatest Live
Queen revive fan favorite on The Greatest Live
Queen reimagine Hammer To Fall on The Greatest Live
Queen adapt to new technology on The Greatest Live
Search Queen at hennemusic
