Brian described how the event took eight or nine weeks to plan and they faced multiple obstacles, including worrieds over the state of the grass in the park. But it was all worth it in the end.
Brian remembers eveything vividly: “Right up to getting incredible naturally high before we went on. Although we had played to large audiences before that, this is London, our home, and that is something different.”
In the end, an estimated 150-200,000 people filled Hyde Park.
Brian added: “It was packed beyond belief. It was like coming home to a hero’s welcome.”
Opening acts Supercharge, Steve Hillage and Kiki Dee warmed up the crowd, the latter singing her biggest hit Don’t Go Breaking My Heart with a cardboard cut-out of Elton John because he couldn’t make it.
As so often, Queen themselves came on at dusk. From their early days of developing large-scale shows, they had realised that their light shows were more effective against a dark, night sky.
But the later start ended up causing a dramatic finish to the night.