Freddie For A Day was celebrated in Madrid on the 20th of September 2010 at the Arteria Häagen-Dazs Calderón Theatre; a tribute to Freddie Mercury, one of the greatest artists that the 20th Century has given us. It was both a party and a tribute show, with money raised going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust. Freddie Mercury and Queen fans gathered to take a leading role and pay homage to their idol.
The concert had a massive turn out, and for more than two hours Momo and his band played some of Queen’s greatest hits. The spectators got out of their seats and sang along to songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure, The Show Must Go On, Somebody To Love and Another One Bites The Dust, amongst many others. There were even moments during the show when it felt like a huge karaoke party, with a giant screen present on stage in case there were people who didn’t know the lyrics. Alongside Momo, various artists who had been part of the Spanish production of We Will Rock You, which ran to great acclaim between 2003 and 2008, also participated in the concert. Artists such as Dani Diges, Julian Fontalvo, Ruth Calvo, Lorena Calero, Eva María Cortés, Maria López, J.F, Elena Medina, Carlos Solano, Carlos Lázaro, Diego Falcon, Xenia, Ines López, Tessa, and Damaris Martinez. For a while they even sang alongside a spectator dressed as Freddie, who declared his undying love for Momo and his band and of course for Freddie Mercury and ending up participating in the concert.
The show itself lasted for more than two hours, making the audience euphoric and vibrate with the images being projected on stage. But there were more surprises. Near the end of the show, and commemorating Freddie’s birthday that is celebrated every 5th of September, a huge birthday cake emerged from the depths of the theatre and all together as one artists and members of the audience sang an emotional Happy Birthday to Freddie. At the end of the night, Luis Alvarez, producer of We Will Rock You in Spain, thanked everybody for coming along and being part of Freddie For A Day. Luis mentioned “I’m sure he enjoyed this tribute to his life and his work, wherever he may be. Here tonight, on this stage we have all felt his presence”.
The night was a huge success that left the door open to Madrid becoming a reference point for Freddie For A Day to be celebrated every day.