Queen & Paul Rodgers Hyde Park - London

Its hot here in London at the moment.. Perfect weather for an outdoor concert. I arrived at Hyde Park at about 5:30 pm. I was kept waiting at the press gate fpr a while.. There was also a security alert.. Everyone is a little bit jumpy with security at the moment.. I am glad they are being quite thorough.. I would arather that than the alternative.. Anyway, go it and straight into the photo pit. Razorlight had just gone on.. They are getting better and better.. In my humble opinion, they are going to be huge.. After they came off stage I went backstage into the VIP area and met up ewith a few familiar faces... Johnny Borrell and I had a chat about football. He told me that he understood why Patrick Viera wanted to leave my beloved team, Arsenal.. ' He want to go to a bigger club' umm thanks Johnny.. For those who dont know, Johnny supports Chelsea.. He was being rather smug.. Well you cant balme him really.. Chelsea did do rather well..

Johnny Borrell

Copyright 2005 Danny Clifford

I was then thinking... The last time I photographed Queen in Hyde park was, I think 1976.. Anyway, thay day I was still at school and was invited up to the gig by my mate, a guitarist , Ollie Halsall.. He was playing that day as well. I was wandering around under the stage when I noticed a few lights.. Freddie was getting ready to go on stage via a lift and a hole in the middle sof the stage.. I didn't know his at all at that stage. We had a brief chat and I asked him if I could take some photos. He said 'of course you can dear boy' so I proceeded to take shots of him under the stage.. Oh where am I... I must have drifted off.. I was back in the 70's then..

Freddie Mercury

Copyright 1976 Danny Clifford

I am now in 2005 and back at Hyde Park, sadly without Freddie. However, Paul Rodgers is very different and quite amazing.. I did mention this in one of my previous diary notes.. You cannot compare the two of them, Paul is very special.. He is surely the only person who could pull this together.. The show was amazing. I don't know quite how many people were there. It looked mobbed.. They must have been about 80-90,000 people there.. I did get some great shots.

Brian May & Freddie
Copyright 2005 Danny Clifford

Queen & Paul Rodgers

Copyright 2005 Danny Clifford

After the show, I went back to the dressing rooms and we took some photos. We had the head of British Transport Police and Assisiant Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police there as well. Queen & Paul Rodgers had given thousands of tickets away to London's Emergency workers.. That was a really nice thing to do. They all deserve a little break in these stressful, troubled times in London..

Paul Rodgers

Copyright 2005 Danny Clifford

I eventually go home at about 2:30, edited up some images and went to be at about 4:30.. No wonder I am always tired..