Concert detail

Basic information

Memorabilia

ticket stub
(from my own collection)

concert program
(from my own collection)

concert program
(from my own collection)

concert poster

backstage pass
(from my own collection)

backstage pass
(from my own collection)

backstage pass
(from my own collection)

Fan stories

Written by Steve_C/Kes

First time I'd ever been to Wembley, we arrived by car and queued out side the front doors. This was the last night of the European 'News Of The World' tour, and I think the date was 13th May. I had watched fans being dropped off by double-decker buses, and then joining the queues. About 20 minutes before the doors opened, the routine with these buses was broken by one coming in the Wembley compound, and going down the stadium side of the Arena. The bus was more or less empty, maybe about ten or so people on board, amongst the blurred images as it went by, was a Brian May style haircut, and I thought to myself "Nah! They wouldn't turn up in a double-decker bus!" About 5 or so years ago, I read an interview with BHM, and he was asked what was the strangest way they'd ever arrived at a gig. He said "Well, we've used helicopters, limousines, all sorts, even a London bus!" Hmmm, maybe, you never know!

There was no support band at this gig, we were treated to piped music through the P/A, a lot of it was classical, as I remember. Until the music started fading along with the lights. The crowd starting stomping on the floor and doing the handclaps, as per 'We Will Rock You'. The crowd were going wild as some very loud drums joined in with the equally loud ambient rhythm. A single spotlight picked out our hero on the end of the 'stage-right' catwalk, at the same second he started singing along to the familiar slow version. He only did one verse with an extended chorus, as I remember, and you heard Brian's guitar winding up to do the solo. Freddie's spotlight went out and another spotlight picked out 'Banana fingers' on the opposite catwalk in a pretty standard BHM pose, obviously loving every second of the whole crowd looking at him. When the song finished, there was a mass of light and dry-ice smoke as the huge crown sat on the stage started ascending, as if it were a spacecraft taking off. This huge crown contained the light rig. Brian was running across the stage playing the opening sequence to the fast version of 'WWRY'.

Really, it's just so long ago, I haven't got a clue of the running order of the songs, but I can remember those that really impressed me. 'Somebody To Love', 'Death On Two Legs', a medley of 'Prophet's Song/White Man' and then 'Brighton Rock/Get Down Make Love', 'Spread Your Wings', 'You Take My Breath Away', ''39'. At the end of the gig, after 'We Are The Champions', Roger destroyed his kit, kicking parts off it all over the stage. Apparently, he only ever did this about three times, usually when he was annoyed with somebody.

We'd taken along a few friends who didn't really like Queen that much, but wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Within a week of this gig, they had all gone and bought the back catalogue. Seeing them was proof that besides being the best recording band in the world, they were also pretty useful in front of an audience too.