No rhapsody over bohemian Queen

WHAT a great sight: guitarist Brian May emerging on the Victoria Monument stage to thunderous drum beats from Roger Taylor. Launching into a virtuoso performance of We Will Rock You, Queen plus Adam Lambert opened the Platinum Party at the Palace.

It took me right back to my younger days. In 1971, with my friends Dave, Kevin and Clint, I went on a camping trip to Ilfracombe in Devon, planning to stay for a fortnight. The resort was very pleasant, but for us 20-somethings there was a paucity of nightlife. After a few days, we decided to break camp and head to Penzance in Cornwall. It was a town well served with entertainment, particularly the Winter Gardens. This had been a well-appointed ballroom in the 1960s, but by the 1970s the emphasis was on rock bands. We spotted a poster for the venue and saw that our heroes at the time, Canterbury band Caravan, were appearing on the Saturday. We arrived early, and after a quick pint at The Alexander next door, ambled into the ballroom to see if the support band were any good. In the dim light we saw a four-piece with a strangely dressed lead singer. Three of us were unimpressed as the band were playing rock ’n’ roll covers, which was not our kind of music. However, Clint decided to sit on the floor and listen. The rest of us returned to the pub and watched a failed attempt to drink a yard of ale. We returned to the ballroom in time to see Caravan. Clint told us the support band was called Queen and had been brilliant. Within four years, they hit the big time with Bohemian Rhapsody. We thought we knew it all — how wrong we were!

Graham Day, Stowmarket, Suffolk.