Photo by Jacques Langevin (Sygma)
 
Negative Year: 1985
Print size: 20.2x29.7 cm 
Style: Vintage gelatin silver print
Stamp on the verso
 
The Backstory:
It's been almost 40 years since Queen, led by their electrifying frontman Freddie Mercury, stormed the stage at the 1985 Live Aid concert, played the set that is often lauded as the greatest live concert of all time and "stole the show".
 
This moment in the history of music is full of nostalgia and emotion.
The exuberance and energy of this performance were - or shall we say ARE - ‘magical’?
 
Queen did not open or close the Live Aid show. They performed before 7pm in daylight, and were joined by giants such as U2, Elton John and David Bowie.
Queen were already past their peak, still reeling from the disaster of a failed performance in South Africa the year before, and they were not expected to shine.
Mercury in particular was the focus of negative press coverage and rumours. But despite this pessimistic atmosphere, Mercury danced out on stage and greeted the audience like his best friend. And by the time he sat down at the piano and hit the first few notes of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” he was the absolute master of the stadium.
 
In the 21 minutes that followed, his audience of 17'000 people and the 1.9 billion television viewers around the world fell in love with him.
His humour, his fantastic energy and his phenomenal voice were irresistible. He was a born ringmaster. There was no alienating affectation, no wallowing in sentiment.
Where other bands might have been complacent, Queen presented their greatest and most bombastic hits to date, well-rehearsed over several days beforehand.
 
When Mercury performed “Radio Ga Ga” at the edge of the stage, he led the crowd in a vocal improvisation, which was later christened “the note heard around the world.”
He carried the audience and his winks and nods made the triumph a shared one. With his gestures and movements, he assured the crowd that he was just as turned on by everyone as they were by him.
 
His spectacular performance at Live Aid, which not only resurrected Queen, but established them as one of the most successful acts of all time, is just one part of his generous legacy.