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9TH FREDDIE MERCURY’S MONTREUX MEMORIAL DAY
Is it over? I think it is! My head is still reeling after what was, by all accounts, the best birthday weekend yet.
Rita, Norbert and I were already nervous as the start looked to be much delayed. Due to circumstances outside anyone’s control, including a bomb scare on the Grand Rue, the light and sound set-up was yet to be started at 17.00, with the first sound-check of the day due to begin at that time! With amazing calmness, the Sound Factory crew had everything ready to go within a couple of hours.
While Norbert coped with the technical side, Rita and I were present at the Beauregard Gallery, a very short walk from the statue, for the official opening of the exhibition of art by local artists and also including some pieces previously seen by some fans, from the Mongolian artist Batbileg. There were many ‘ooohs and aahhhhs’ heard from all the rooms, as fans and official guests looked at some wonderful works. The artists were on hand and were happy to give any explanations to interested parties.
Back at the statue of Freddie, the weekend was officially launched. The first band of the 3 day musical extravaganza was QUEEN UN-PLUGGED PROJECT from Hungary, making a welcome return. They drew a massive crowd around the frying pan, as Tibor and friends launched into their familiar style of Queen classics, and lesser well-known songs. They were followed by Switzerland’s own MONTREUX TRIBUTE TO FREDDIE, the string quartet, keyboard and two vocalists, led by Renaud. Fabrice’s voice soared into the night sky, with some new song arrangements. They carried the evening to the end of the first day.
Saturday started at 10.00 with the first of the boat trips to visit the Lake House and to see Freddie’s old apartment. On this first boat we were accompanied by THE ROYAL SQUEEZE BOX, who gave some live music during the trip. The second trip had QUEEN UN-PLUGGED PROJECT provide the music. Then, because of huge demand, we had to add two extra boat trips! 14.00 saw the first of the day’s cover bands take to the stage on the pontoon. The ASHEN CROWS, from Spain performed some familiar Queen songs, but with a female lead vocalist, they had a very different sound. The large audience loved the performance and they received a deservedly long ovation at the end. 16.00 was the start time for the first conference with DIANA MOSELEY and myself. In a room at the Hotel Helvétie short video presentation including many of Diana’s iconic costumes was shown and we talked about them, and life generally with Freddie Mercury! We also had a very special guest with us at the front. JIM JENKINS, who all long time Queen fans know as the king of Queen fans, also got to ask Diana questions! It was during this conference that sadly, the rain started to fall. 19.30 saw the local Catholic Church packed full for an amazing performance by THE ROYAL SQUEEZE BOX with special guest, soprano KARIN TEN CATE. They really raised the rafters with their unique versions of some great songs. Back to the covered Market to be present at what must have been a first….. Queen played by the Hackbrett master, NICOLAS SENN, and also by NICOLAS DEVENES and his musicians. with his version of Queen on the alphorn. The audience cheered these guys loudly at the end of their set! They were quickly followed by JIRI SEVCIK and THE PIRATE SWING BAND, from the Czech Republic, swinging into their 1 hour 20 minute set of Queen’s popular, and not so well known hits. As someone said ‘I never stopped dancing from the minute they started till a long time after they stopped!’ Talking with people during the day, everybody was absolutely amazed at all the music! Saturday closed with an amazing ‘sound and light’ display by Swiss artist GERRY HOFSTETTER, showing wonderful pictures to a Queen soundtrack on a wall of water!
Sunday dawned with a cloudy sky, but dry! There were 3 boat trips on this morning, accompanied as before by the musicians. The second conference with DIANA was at 11.30 and was a happy event with different stories than the day before! At 13.00 the young Italian cover band ROCKYOU took to the stage under the covered market as the rain had started again. The audience really rocked to the enthusiastic playing of this talented group. At 15.00 THE ROYAL SQUEEZE BOX were by the statue to give the final musical round up to a most wonderful weekend.
Rita, Norbert and myself want to thank everyone of you who had a hand in making this weekend such a warm, exciting and happy time. Nobody let the rain dampen any spirits and it was wonderful the way many strangers arrived and left as friends.
Some words of thanks….. to the Municipality of Montreux, the Montreux-Vevey Tourist Board, the Fonds Culturel de la Riviera, the SELT and Michèle Schöni, all of whom sponsored this time. To Estelle, Laurent, Sandra, Ginette and of course Petr and Milan who kept the food and drink going, and also to ZDENEK PETRAN and the SOUND FACTORY from the Czech Republic, without whom there would have been silence and darkness. He was able to sort out all the problems even with those delays!
Here’s to next time!
Peter Freestone |
