Being a huge Queen fan, I went through a phase of buying every CD and every video/DVD of theirs in about a year. I was in "Ainleys" one day and had bought all of the other videos of Queen, when this one was the only one left. It was £14.99 which isn't bad considering you get two videos and 207 minutes of running time.
So I bought the video and watched it as soon as I got home. It is in my opinion a really good watch although you might want to skip some of the performances if you don't like the band/singer.
The concert took place on April 20th, 1992 at Wembley Stadium to pay tribute to Freddie Mercury who died of AIDS on 24th November 1991.
It's embarassing to admit, but because I'm only 19 now, a lot of the artists on the video I didn't know when I first bought it, and admittedly some of them now I'm still not that familiar with (although a lot more familiar than other people my age I'd guess)
Because it's so long, you're not going to want to watch it all at once, unless you really have nothing else to do. As I said, I skip quite a few of the performances because I am not familiar with the artist(s) or don't enjoy the performances.
Saying that, it does have just about everyone you can think of who was big at the time (1992) from David Bowie to Roger Daltrey and Guns N Roses to Elton John.
Some of the performances are questionable, but as anyone will tell you, you have to be pretty amazing to rival Freddie Mercury's vocal range and performance talent. Some tried, some failed, and some just did their own versions of the songs. In my opinion, George Michael gives one of the best performances, he sings "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" with Lisa Stansfield and rocks out "Somebody To Love" perfectly, getting all the audience going, I can only imagine what it'd be like to have seen him perform this live. Elton John sings "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Axl Rose which is an interesting duet but nevertheless a good performance. He also sings "The Show Must Go On" with the surviving members of Queen. Brian May sings a heartfelt "Too Much Love Will Kill You" which is not one of Queen's more famous songs, but I love this song anyway and I think Brian sang it really well on just his keyboard.
Overall, it is a great video/DVD to have in your collection. Like Live Aid/8, it gives you a sense of the world coming together to try and make a difference, I only wish Id've been old enough to have experienced it live.
You probably can't get the video from the shops anymore, but I think the DVD is pretty much the same.
If you buy the DVD, the money goes to The Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was set up to help AIDS charities worldwide, so you will be doing your bit for charity as well as enjoying the show.
Overall, it's a very fitting tribute to a phenomenal performer, it includes all of Queen's/Freddie's most famous songs and also songs from the artists playings own catalogues.
It leaves a sense of sadness though as it is all about how we have lost this wonderful amazing performer and person to this horrible disease and you can't help but think how empty the music industry was that day even though it had just about every other musical talent at that time there. Freddie Mercury will never be replaced, but when you watch this Tribute you will remember how great he was and how he will still live on through our memories of him and all of the wonderful songs he wrote and performed with Queen.
Even if you are not a Queen fan, you have to admit the phenomenal talent of the band, and there will be something for everyone on here as there are so many stars from the world of music that you are bound to enjoy some of the performances.
Overall, definitely recommended!
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Production Year: 1999 - Music / Performing Arts - Original Language: English - Classification: Exempt - Starring: Donny Osmond, Joan Collins, Richard Attenborough
A terrific companion op there...I love Queen too, and I have so many favorite songs by them, though i think that "Under Pressure" with David Bowie was something unique. I'll be honest with you though: my favorite band was Red Hot Chili Peppers, I bought every album of theirs when i discovered them in the mid-90s. Chris x
At 6pm on April 20th, 1992, Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon, the surviving members ... more
of Queen, took the stage of London's Legendary Wembley Stadium to announce the start of one of the biggest events in rock history, organised by Queen themselves ...
At 6pm on April 20th 1992 Roger Taylor Brian May and John Deacon the surviving members ... more
of Queen took the stage of London's Legendary Wembley Stadium to announce the start of one of the biggest events in rock history organised by Queen themselves ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: will bring back lots of memories, its probably the only time you will see these clebs all together Disadvantages: the first half is missing!!
Advantages: will bring back lots of memories, its probably the only time you will see these clebs all together Disadvantages: the first half is missing!!
![Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert [DVD] [1992]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/80218290.jpg "Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert [DVD] [1992]")
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