Jubilee: The Concert

It took me a little while to find a live stream of the Jubilee Concert, but I am glad I persevered and was able to watch it. It was very well done, and made even better by following along with @Queen_UK’s tweets, which were hysterical.

I arrived at the Concert at the same time as Annie Lennox, who was wearing a pair of wings. As usual, she sang like an angel.

Next up, Sir Tom Jones of Pontypridd, Wales who sang Mama Told Me Not to Come and then Delilah, a rollicking song sung at every rugby match I attended in Wales.

HM arrived about half way through the concert. Prince Phillip had been taken to hospital earlier in the day, and I imagine the Queen is exhausted. She was wearing one of her gorgeous cloaks, which was perfect for the chilly evening.

And the day dimmed, Buckingham Palace began to light up with coloured lights as well as graphics.

Dame Shirley Bassey of Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, sang Diamonds are Forever, a thoroughly appropriate tune.

The beautiful opera singer, Renee Fleming, sang a duet from a balcony on Buckingham Palace.

Er, perhaps one means snipers.

Sir Elton John was next up, and he sang “I’m Still Standing” which may have been a good choice, and then “Crocodile Rock” which had the Royals, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and their cousin Zara Phillips Tindall, singing along.

The group “Madness” sang their one hit “Our House” from the roof of Buckingham Palace, while graphics projected onto the façade showed the front of the Palace peeling back,looking like our house in the middle of the block… is a very very fine house…and even an old warehouse.

Stevie Wonder sang Isn’t She Lovely, and then very inexplicably, his Happy Birthday Song.

Sir Paul McCartney, who looks younger every day, sang some old Beatles songs, and then concluded with Live and Let Die with its natural fireworks finale.

Then HM arrived on stage to mingle with the artists who had performed, and then place a giant crystal in a holder which would light the final beacon of the evening.

Of course, I couldn’t let the event go by without lighting my own beacons. Naturally, at 5:30 p.m. they don’t quite have the punch as later in the evening when it’s dark. So we tried it again at duskand lit the chandelier’s eight candles and the two beacons and now it’s…

All in all, a wonderful event.