When someone mentions ‘Queen’s Jazz party,’ there’s only one event that comes to mind. Thrown at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans in 1978, the party was to celebrate the launch of their new album “Jazz.” Besides iconic music, this event came with wild costumes, attractions, and nostalgic memories. This article is dedicated to the thrilling highlights of the iconic and unforgettable party. Let’s dive in.
Where else could hold all that energy?
Looking for the perfect place for the party was a huge task itself. It was an event that everyone was waiting for, so the venue had to be a perfect location.
After several trips to New Orleans, Queen’s public relations manager, Bob Gibson, decided on the Fairmont Hotel. The large ballroom could occupy hundreds of guests, and the large space was needed. Well, it was a fitting choice.
Budgeting was never Mercury’s thing
If we knew anything about Freddie Mercury, the band’s lead singer, it’s that he had a thing for excess. He stood on the notion that the focus should be on living and enjoying life, not the cost it requires.
That set the standard for the whole event. Although there was a budget of $200,000, it was not a limit. The whole planning team was more interested in making the event memorable– and it remains one-of-a-kind.
The grand entrance
Led in by the blasts of trumpets of a brass band at midnight, Queen brought with them performers of all kinds. When we say ‘all kinds,’ we’re talking about performers, festooned revelers, strippers, drag queens, and snake charmers. You already know what type of party to expect.
Their entrance was a party in itself. The loud music that blared from the speakers was soon followed by nudity, which wasn’t a surprise for guests who knew the band. To date, we still see nudity as being synonymous with the Fairmont party.
Halloween night like none other
The New Orleans concert set the mood for Halloween. Freddie Mercury, known for his fantastic costumes and eccentric stage antics, danced around in black sequin garb before changing into orange hot pants for the first encore and a revealing white bodysuit for the second.
The light show at the concert was an unforgettable aspect. Purple lights were shining into the crowd while a smaller stage lowered down onto the larger structure, bringing with it 400 lamps to create a white plane of curtain light.
Of course, it was carnival-style
Generally, the party’s theme at Fairmont reflected Freddie Mercury’s love for extravagance, the French Quarter’s culture, and the Halloween vibe.
With dead trees decorating the originally stark ballroom, it became a skeletal forest. A Dixieland band played jazz music until the band arrived around midnight. There were videos of people naked on bicycles to debut the “Fat Bottomed Girls” single off the album.
