Diamond Jubilee Concert
| Concert by various artists | |
 Logo | |
| Venue | The Mall, London, England |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | 4 June 2012 |
The Diamond Jubilee Concert was held on 4 June 2012 outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall in London. Organised by BBC Events with help from Gary Barlow, the concert was part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.[1][2][3][4]
The Diamond Jubilee Concert followed two concerts held at the palace for the Queen's Golden Jubilee a decade earlier – the classical Prom at the Palace and the pop themed Party at the Palace.
The concert was partially attended by the Queen, who arrived at 9pm, but not by Prince Philip who had been taken to hospital with a bladder infection earlier in the day.[5] Prince Charles and other members of the royal family attended the whole concert.
Organisation and ticketing
The concert was organised as a joint venture between the BBC and Take That singer songwriter Gary Barlow, who spent two years planning the event. 10,000 free tickets for the concert were made available to the public, with applications possible, by post or online, between 7 February and 2 March 2012. After the application period closed, successful applicants were then drawn by random ballot.[6] A total of 1.2 million applications were eventually received, 240 for every available pair.[7]
Date and venue
The concert took place on bank holiday Monday 4 June as part of the extended weekend celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee, which ran from 2 to 5 June.[6] The acts performed on a specially constructed stage, with a canopy, around the Queen Victoria Memorial,[8] in front of the palace.[7] The stage was designed by Mark Fisher.[6] Performances included one-off collaborations between artists.[6] Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber co-wrote a song for the jubilee, Sing which was performed for the first time at the concert by a choir from many Commonwealth countries. The song draws inspiration from the music and people of the Commonwealth. Its creation was the subject of a one-hour BBC documentary entitled Gary Barlow: On Her Majesty's Service, broadcast on 3 June 2012 by BBC One.[9]
Jubilee picnic
Concert ticket holders were given access to the palace gardens for an afternoon picnic before the main event. They were served cold hampers with a British themed menu specially designed by Heston Blumenthal and the royal chef Mark Flanagan.[10]
Performers
The running order was:
- Robbie Williams with drummers and trumpeters from the second battalion of the Coldstream Guards[11][12] – "Let Me Entertain You"[13]
- Introduction - Rob Brydon
- will.i.am and Jessie J - "I Gotta Feeling" / "This Is Love"
- Jessie J – "Domino"[14]
- JLS – "Everybody in Love" / "She Makes Me Wanna"
- Interlude - Miranda Hart
- Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole – "Need You Now" (cover of Lady Antebellum song)
- Interlude - Lee Mack
- Sir Cliff Richard – Medley of Hits (followed by "Congratulations")
- Interlude - Jimmy Carr
- Lang Lang – "Hungarian Rhapsody" / "Rhapsody In Blue"
- Interlude - Miranda Hart
- Alfie Boe - "O Sole Mio" / "It's Now Or Never"
- Interlude - Lenny Henry
- Jools Holland and Ruby Turner – "You Are So Beautiful"
- Interlude - Jimmy Carr
- Grace Jones - "Slave to the Rhythm"
- Interlude - Lee Mack and Miranda Hart
- Ed Sheeran – "The A Team"
- Annie Lennox – "There Must Be An Angel"
- Interlude - Rolf Harris
- Renée Fleming – "Un Bel Di Vedremo"
- Interlude - Rob Brydon
- Sir Tom Jones – "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" and "Delilah"
- Interlude - Lenny Henry. During the interlude, the Queen arrived.
- Robbie Williams - "Mack The Knife"
- Interlude - Rolf Harris
- Gary Barlow, The Commonwealth Band, Gareth Malone and the Military Wives - "Sing" (Note: not all performers involved in the making of this song were present and performing[citation needed])
- Interlude - Rob Brydon organised a forward moving Mexican wave in the Mall
- Dame Shirley Bassey – "Diamonds are Forever"
- Kylie Minogue - medley "Spinning Around", "Can't Get You Out of My Head", "Step Back in Time" and "All the Lovers" (Note: Flawless performed as backing dancers during the second half of the performance.)
- Interlude - Jimmy Carr
- Alfie Boe and Renée Fleming – "Somewhere" (Note: performed on one of the Palace balconies)
- Interlude - Rob Brydon
- Sir Elton John – "I'm Still Standing", "Your Song" and "Crocodile Rock"
- Interlude - Rolf Harris
- A film about the Queen's reign was played, which included her coronation, past jubilees, The Royal Wedding and other events. The film was accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, performing an instrumental arrangement of "Beautiful Day". (Note: this was projected onto the front of Buckingham Palace as well as the digital displays)
- Interlude - Lenny Henry (Rolf Harris sang, unaccompanied, "Two Little Boys" during the interlude.) (Note: the song had to be cut short)
- Stevie Wonder – "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely?" the lyrics were amended to refer to Her Majesty), "Happy Birthday" (with will.i.am), "Superstition"
- Interlude - Lee Mack
- Madness – "Our House", "It Must Be Love" (Note: performed from the roof of Buckingham Palace, while accompanying videos were projected onto the front of the Palace. The final line of "Our House" was changed to "Our house, in the middle of one's street", in tribute to the Queen.)[15]
- Interlude - Peter Kay (dressed as a Beefeater)
- Sir Paul McCartney – "Magical Mystery Tour", "All My Loving", "Let It Be", "Live and Let Die", "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (Note: during the performance of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", all performers returned to the stage[citation needed].)
...as a nation this is our opportunity to thank you and my father for always being there for us. For inspiring us with your selfless duty and service and for making us proud to be British.
Prince Charles' tribute to the Queen.[16]
- Finish - Prince Charles made a speech
- The National Anthem was played, which everyone sang
- Grand Finale - The Queen lit the last National Beacon, after which there was a firework display, during which the melodies of several national hymns were played
Broadcasting
The concert was broadcast live on BBC One, BBC One HD and BBC Radio 2. American broadcaster ABC showed highlights the following day after as Concert For The Queen: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration With Katie Couric as well as an encore airing on 9 June.[6] Broadcasting unions announced in April 2012 that they would ballot their members over taking strike action due to an ongoing pay dispute with the BBC, leading to media speculation that the BBC coverage of the concert could be affected.[17] It was later confirmed that the BBC's coverage wouldn't be affected by any strikes.[18] It aired on 5 June on CBC television in Canada. BBC Entertainment showed the concert on 8 June in Latin America.
The concert aired from 7:30pm until approximately 11:00pm (19:30-23:00) UK time. In the UK the programme was seen by an average of 15.32 million viewers on BBC One, peaking near 17 million, making it the 14th highest UK TV audience of 2012.[19][20]
For the ABC broadcast the following aired:
- will.i.am and Jessie J - "I Gotta Feeling" / "This Is Love"
- Jessie J – "Domino"
- Sir Tom Jones – "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" and "Delilah"
- Kylie Minogue - "Spinning Around", "Can't Get You Out Of My Head", "Step Back In Time" and "All The Lovers"
- Sir Elton John – "I'm Still Standing", "Your Song" and "Crocodile Rock"
- Stevie Wonder – "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely", "Happy Birthday" (with will.i.am), "Superstition"
- Madness – "Our House", "It Must Be Love"
- Sir Paul McCartney - "All My Loving", "Let It Be", "Live and Let Die", "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"
- Finish - Prince Charles made a speech at the end of the concert
- The National Anthem was played, which everyone sang.
- Grand Finale - The Queen lit the National Beacon followed by a display of fireworks, during which the melodies of several national hymns were played.
- Annie Lennox's participation was listed in the program description yet her appearance did not air.
The 5 June show on ABC opened to 6.4 million (4.1/6) before rising in the second hour to 7.2 million (4.7/8) for an average of 6.8 million viewers for the evening.[21]
The broadcast was aired on Channel 9 in Australia on 5 June - and was broadcast in its entirety apart from:
- Interlude - Jimmy Carr
- Lang Lang – "Hungarian Rhapsody" / "Rhapsody In Blue"
- Interlude - Miranda Hart
- Interlude - Lenny Henry
- Jools Holland and Ruby Turner – "You Are So Beautiful"
- Interlude - Jimmy Carr [22]
References
- ^ "Radio Times Feb 7, 2012". Radiotimes.com. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
- ^ "Digital Spy Elton John, Paul McCartney, Jessie J for Diamond Jubilee Concert". Digitalspy.co.uk. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
- ^ "That'll relight one's fire". The Sun. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ "Telegraph, Take That's Gary Barlow promises night to remember at Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert". Telegraph.co.uk. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2012-04-08.
- ^ "Prince Philip in hospital and missing Diamond Jubilee concert". BBC News. BBC. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Sir Paul McCartney to play Queen Diamond Jubilee gig". BBC News. BBC. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Jubilee concert had 240 applicants for every ticket". BBC News. BBC. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ "Diamond Jubilee Concert Preview: Gary Barlow & Cheryl Cole To Duet - Who Else Will Perform?". The Huffington Post. huffingtonpost. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ "Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow write Jubilee song". BBC News. BBC. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ "Heston Blumenthal plans 'best of British' Jubilee picnic". BBC News. BBC. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ "Robbie Williams kicks off The Queen's Diamond Jubilee gig" at orange.co.uk
- ^ "Stars shine on The Queen at Jubilee concert". BBC Online. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ^ "Robbie Williams joins Queen's Jubilee concert". BBC News. BBC. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Jessie J will perform at Diamond Jubilee Concert" at jessiej.ru
- ^ "'Our house, in the middle of One's street': Madness transform Buckingham Palace into terraced housing with amazing light show", dailymail.co.uk., Retrieved 5 June 2012
- ^ 'Thanks for making us all so proud to be British': Prince Charles pays moving and personal tribute to 'Mummy' the Queen at spectacular Buckingham Palace Diamond Jubilee Concert". Daily Mail. Retrieved 5 June 2012
- ^ "BBC unions threaten diamond jubilee strike". The Guardian. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ "Diamond Jubilee strike by BBC staff averted after agreement over new pay deal". Daily Mail. Retrieved 5 June 2012
- ^ "England's Euro 2012 exit to Italy pulls in 20 million". guardian.co.uk. 2012-06-25. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
- ^ "Portugal nail-biter lures record TV audience". sport.co.uk. 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ^ "ABC's 'Concert for the Queen' Tops Premieres on NBC and FOX". tvbythenumbers. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
- ^ "Diamond Jubilee Concert". Channelnine.