The biggest names in music were present. Queen overshadowed them all.
The band’s Live Aid performance became legendary as one of the greatest moments in history. The evidence is undeniable – they delivered an extraordinary sound and assembled a flawlessly constructed 20-minute set.
The perfectionists ensured they were flawless. And no, they didn’t secretly boost the sound levels, as depicted in the film Bohemian Rhapsody.
Nevertheless, part of Freddie’s brilliance lay in knowing precisely how to win over the audience before a single song was performed.
It has become one of the most legendary moments of the entire performance. We accept it as part of the spectacle, but it was actually a brilliantly clever and successful method to captivate the crowd, make them participants in the show and help Freddie himself prepare.
Simply observe as they all emerge, you can feel the tense excitement. Freddie is practically exploding with energy and then turns to gaze out at that magnificent ocean of people, aware they are waiting for him to charm them.
Another major rock star revealed precisely how he achieved it.
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters (via FreddieMercuryClub) said: “Every band should study Queen at Live Aid. If you really feel like that barrier is gone, you become Freddie Mercury.
“I consider him the greatest frontman of all time.
“Like, it’s funny? You’d imagine that Freddie was more than human, but…you know how he controlled Wembley Stadium at Live Aid in 1985?
“He stood up there and did his vocal warm-ups with the audience. Something that intimate, where they realize, ‘Oh yeah, he’s just a f***ing dude’.”
Consider Freddie at Live Aid and you can recall those extraordinary, goosebump-inducing call-and-response moments with the crowd just as much as the tracks themselves.
Every performer needs to prepare their voice and will also conduct soundchecks prior to any major performance. However, Live Aid continued throughout the entire day and each act was given a particularly brief soundcheck before everything commenced.
Freddie would have wanted to hear his voice projected back and check audio levels and venue acoustics (and the power of his own vocals) before diving into the actual numbers.
The manner in which he achieved this was absolutely brilliant, whilst also being entertaining and completely engaging for the audience. What remarkable showmanship instincts he possessed.
Brian May subsequently praised his bandmate’s exceptional ability and natural flair.
He said: “Freddie was our secret weapon. He was able to reach out to everybody in that stadium effortlessly, and I think it was really his night.”
Freddie himself later expressed his immense pride at participating in the occasion. “It’s something to be proud of, that I’m actually in it with all the ‘Biggies’ – all the biggest stars – and that I can do something worthwhile.
“Yes. I’m proud more than anything.”