Joshua Emmanuel H.

Pagulong 03/14/19

A Critique on Live Concert of Queen During Live Aid

Art has no definite meaning since it is a complex entity to define due to its various forms, types,

historical and cultural roots. Art is appreciated not only through the aesthetical appearance but also through

the context behind the artistic expression. It is through art that we can communicate to the world our inner

feelings and our creativity that only exists within our minds. Art has a wide range of forms from visual arts

to performing arts (Bhuyan, 2018). In line with performing arts, music is considered a unique form of art.

It is a lyrical and auditory representation of story. Through patterned constructions of words, rhythm, and

instrumental collaboration, music provides listeners with insight to personal experiences and even in-depth

interpretations of the world around us (Garino, 2016).

In this paper, I have explored the musical art form specifically with regards to artistic expressions

of rock band performers. I have chosen to critique the 20-minute live performance of rock band Queen

during the Live Aid Concert by watching the actual documented performance through YouTube. The Live

Aid concert held on July 13, 1985 was organized specifically to benefit Ethiopians that were affected by

famine. Live Aid was a groundbreaking global event that nothing like it had happened before on that scale.

International satellite links drew a worldwide audience to Live Aid and generated tens of millions

of dollars in donation. Live-streamed concerts became ubiquitous. An estimated 1.5 billion viewers tuned

in. Queen reveled in the magnitude of the occasion. Bigness — grand pronouncements, operatic dynamics,

Mercury’s soaring voice and Brian May’s titanic guitar buildups — was the cornerstone of Queen’s music

(Morris, 2018).

The Queen band is a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Their line-up composed of 4

members: Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano, and guitar), Brian May (lead guitar and vocals), Roger

Taylor (drums and vocals), and John Deacon (Bass guitar).

I was really fascinated with their performance during their concert because they were able to

connect with their audience while passionately performing their hit songs for the people. Their set squeezed
six of their best-known hit songs, Bohemian Rhapsody preceded Radio Ga Ga, Hammer to Fall, Crazy

Little Thing Called Love, We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions.

I evaluated their performance based from the aesthetic elements set by the study of Regev, (1994)

entitled “PRODUCING ARTISTIC VALUE: The Case of Rock Music” wherein he was able to classify

four genuine aesthetic elements with which rock artists create their art. Electric sound, studio work, voice

and lyrics, and stylistic eclecticism are four typical and salient components for an artistic rock band

performance.

For the electrical sound element, it can be observed from the performance of Queen that

they had their dynamics that could somehow trigger sublime emotion thrill that capture people’s

attention. It can also be observed that the volume was loud. There were several guitar riffs done

by Brian May and Bass, booming bass solos of John Deacon, heavy drums of Roger Taylor, and

most importantly the remarkable voice of Freddie Mercury which includes singing of uniquely

difficult minor, flat, and sharp notes that dominated to entertain the crowd throughout the

concert. It was a performance wherein people were able to understand and sing along with beats

of their songs.

For the studio work element, according to Regev (1994), during the early stages of

rock'n'roll, the musicians did not perceive the studio merely as a technical site for the

reproduction and recording of the "live" performance. They used it as a kind of laboratory for

inventing sound and as a workplace for the careful and refined construction of the sonic package

which is the song. In line with this, it is evident on their performance that they utilized the studio

well in order to generate unique musical vocal patterns and quality instrumentals for their songs.

It is also a commendable performance since they were able to pull of their live performance on tv

without errors and still was at its peak level of energy same as the recorded album.

Voice and lyrics are also one of the aesthetic elements that could be criticized through their

performance. I was fascinated by the vibrant and grainy voice of Freddy mercury which for me

added flavor and texture to their performance. According to Regev (1994), in the context of rock
music, the grain of the voice has become a prominent aesthetic component in the evaluation of

music. Singing patterns which use a unique grain of voice, often one which traditionally would

not be accepted as "singing" at all, might be accepted in rock music as a pivotal contribution to

the quality of the music. Throughout the performance, it was evident that Freddie Mercury was

very passionate when he sings. It is incredible to watch that he obviously puts his heart to it every

time he sings. The lyrics of their song also added more taste to their performance wherein they

artistically agreed to make their own song lyrics for which has social relevance and showed love

for their country.

Stylistic eclecticism is the fourth aesthetic element for this paper, according to Regev

(1994), Stylistic eclecticism is a virtue in rock music. The ability of musicians to cross genres and

musical languages, sometimes within the same piece of music, while preserving an authentic rock

drive has become an aesthetic value in rock music. This element is one of the advantages for the

Queen band. They have this unique and artistic way of expressing their insights through

communicating to the audience by singing their meaningful songs. The drum beats during the “we

will rock you” song, the interaction of the audiences wherein the audience get to sing a part of

their song and also the clapping of hands of the people along with the beating of the drum is

definitely a highlight that added more beauty and crisp to their performance.

They closed their set by singing “we are the champions” song, an anthem that touched the

hearts of their audience by having effectively performed their artistic expressions. Freddie

Mercury along with the other band members, they have passionately set the standards for live

rock band performances wherein they took their performance to a whole lot higher level.

Performing arts is much more than mere form of entertainment. It is an artistic expression that

is continually developing and evolving through time.

References:
Bhuyan, R. (2018). The Different Forms of Art That are Surprisingly Versatile. Retrieved from https://arthearty.com/different-
forms-of-art
Garino, N. (2016). Music as Art: How music goes beyond what we experience at the surface. Retrieved from
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/music-as-art
Morris (2018). https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/arts/music/bohemian-rhapsody-queen-live-aid.html
Regev, M. (1994). PRODUCING ARTISTIC VALUE : The Case of Rock Music Motti Regev The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
35(1), 85–102. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4121245