Brian May, Rod Stewart, Elton John Perform at Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Brian May performing his “We Will Rock You” guitar solo at the Platinum Jubilee concert on June 4, 2022
On February 6, 2022, Her Majesty The Queen became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
To celebrate the unprecedented anniversary, various events are taking place throughout the year, culminating in a four-day U.K. bank holiday weekend from June 2-5.
The four days of celebrations included public events, only some of which the 96-year-old monarch attended. There was much discussion about how Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, attended the national service of Thanksgiving on June 3, with their wives, while avoiding each other at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The highlight was no doubt the Platinum Party at the Palace on June 4, with musical performances from top music stars including Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Duran Duran and Alicia Keys, performing in front of Buckingham Palace, the royal residence in London. (Elton John, who was out of the country on his farewell tour, provided a pre-recorded performance.) The event, held on three stages linked by walkways, aired live and attracted the BBC’s largest audience of the year with 13.4 million viewers.
An estimated 22,000 people attended the event including 10,000 allocated in a public ballot and 7,500 tickets for key workers.
Though Queen Elizabeth II wasn’t able to attend the concert due to what was described as “mobility problems,” she pre-recorded a segment with a surprise guest for the broadcast.
The Queen playfully introduced a Queen favorite, with her pal, Paddington Bear, as Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert began performing “We Will Rock You,” accompanied by the Royal Marine drummers. The band’s guitarist Brian May, who famously performed “God Save the Queen” from the Palace roof at the Golden Jubilee in 2002, suddenly appeared in front of the Victoria Memorial monument playing his iconic guitar solo.
Watch May perform from the Buckingham Palace rooftop in 2002
Related: The Golden Jubilee concert in 2002 featured some of rock’s biggest names
After Rod Stewart performed his 1983 hit, “Baby Jane,” he sang “Sweet Caroline,” a puzzling choice given his vast songwriting catalog. He claimed “the BBC made me sing this one.”
In a pre-recorded performance from Windsor Castle, Elton John paid tribute to the Queen’s “amazing reign” and played “Your Song.”
Others on the bill for the a two-and-a-half-hour show: Andrea Bocelli, Nile Rodgers, and composers Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda together at the piano introducing the casts of various musicals including The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton.
Other notable stars who participated were Julie Andrews, David Beckham, and David Attenborough.
Queen Elizabeth II turned 96 on April 21.
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationPaddington rocks. The old cartoons are better than the newer movie. But either is great. Who knew bears came from Peru and spoke with a British accent?