Coronavirus: Queen to live-stream Freddie Mercury tribute concert featuring David Bowie
The 1992 concert featured performances from David Bowie and George Michael
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
The members of Queen are releasing their 1992 tribute concert to Freddie Mercury on YouTube to benefit the World Health Organisation.
On Friday 15 May, fans will be able to stream the concert, which featured performances from the likes of David Bowie, Robert Plant, George Michael, Axl Rose and Liza Minnelli, for 48 hours.
Every dollar (£0.82) donated on the stream will be matched with a $2 donation by Google, with all funds going to the WHO’s coronavirus relief effort.
The concert, titled the “Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness”, was held at Wembley Arena on 20 April 1992, with an audience of 72,000 attending and profits used to launch The Mercury Phoenix Trust.
It marked bassist John Deacon’s last full concert performance with the band, only briefly reuniting with the band for a one-off appearance with guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor and Elton John in 1997.
May has been vocal in his support of frontline workers during the Covid-19 crisis, calling the expectation on NHS workers to “risk their lives” by working without personal protective equipment (PPE) “horrendous”.
Along with drummer Taylor and singer Adam Lambert, May has recorded a new version of rousing anthem “We Are the Champions” with Queen to pay tribute to healthcare key workers.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments