This September, a group of journalists and influencers were invited to live like rock stars for a day to celebrate Freddie Mercury's birthday and the upcoming release of Bohemian Rhapsody. Over 24 hours, we journeyed from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with the stars of the film, saw Queen perform with Adam Lambert and learned how to play one of the band's iconic songs. It was a day I'll never forget -- mostly because I took meticulous notes so that I could detail every second of the experience for your reading pleasure.
Wednesday, September 5
8:00am: It's Freddie Mercury's birthday and, in a tribute to the legendary rock star, I have overslept and need to hightail it over to the Fox lot from my hotel. I decide to not wash my hair or put on makeup and to wear my pajamas. It seems like something Freddie would do.
8:30am: Over breakfast at the Fox lot, the thirty or so journalists mingle while the influencers Snapchat their croissants.
9:00am: Inside the Blakeley Theater, we're treated to 35 minutes of footage from Bohemian Rhapsody. At first I'm not sure why we're not just watching the whole movie, but then I realize we're being shown what are probably the best scenes -- Mercury joining the band, the recording of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and subsequent fight to get it played on radio, Mercury revealing to his bandmates that he has contracted AIDS, a performance of "Radio Ga Ga" at the iconic Live Aid concert -- and I decide that this is how I would like to see all movies. Just the best, most important scenes with all the fat trimmed -- if every movie was 35 minutes long I'd watch a lot more movies. But, the footage is so good that it leaves me dying to see the full film.
10:30am: After shuttling over to LAX, we gather around a private jet and meet the main cast of the film, Rami Malek, Gwilym Lee, Joseph Mazzello and Lucy Boynton. Like most celebrities they are smaller and much more attractive in person. We pose for photos around a private jet and for some reason, Willam is there.
11:30am: We board a different private jet and I immediately order a mimosa from the flight attendant, because that seems like the rock star thing to do.
2:00pm: After landing in Vegas and checking into the Park MGM, it's time to continue our rockstar activities. First up is the School of Rock experience: we're split up into small groups and each chose an instrument. I pick the bass because it seems sexier than the guitar. A teenage bass played teaches me the basics of how to play Queen's "We Will Rock You," which is surprisingly easy because it's just a few chords repeated over and over again. The most difficult part is not breaking a nail on the strings. After 10 minutes of rehearsal, we perform the song and, honestly, I kill it. Jackson Maine who?
3:00pm: Now it's time to get into hair and makeup for my interview with the cast. I ask for braids and a bold red lip, and that's what I get. Thanks, MAC!
4:30pm: Finally it's time for me to chat with the cast of Bohemian Rhapsody. I'm one of the later interviews of the day and I can tell they're flagging a bit, so I keep it short and sweet. I ask Rami Malek about the responsibility of playing a queer icon -- you can see his answers in the November issue of OUT -- and ask all the cast members where they think Mercury would be today, and they all believe he'd still be dominating the charts. I decide to try for something fun and ask them to recreate the iconic Waynes World scene by headbanging to "Bohemian Rhapsody." They demure, saying it wouldn't really work as they're not wearing wigs. Girl...
5:00pm: Now it's time for a meet and greet with Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, which is honestly the thing I've been looking forward to the most. They are, without a doubt, the nicest people I've interacted with all day. May thanks me profusely for coming and seems genuinely interested in what I thought of the footage we saw from the film, and Taylor gives me one of the warmest hugs I've ever received. I...might be in love.
7:30pm: After laying sideways on my hotel bed for 20 minutes as to not mess up my hair, I head down for the press reception and stuff my face with as many passion fruit macarons as I can. It's been a long day.
8:00pm: At the Park Theater, it's time for the Crown Jewels Concert with Queen and Adam Lambert. Having grown up listening to my parents play Queen on the weekends, it's incredible to see these songs performed live. Adam Lambert, who I know is talented but have never been super impressed with before, blows me away. he knows he'll never be Freddie but that doesn't stop him from making the music his own, giving a captivating performance. At one point, he leads the audience in "Happy Birthday" as a tribute to Mercury. The real stars of the show for me are May and Taylor -- May especially is a rock god, playing his guitar like it's an extension of his body. I weep openly during "Radio Ga Ga."
10:30pm: There's an after party at the Juniper Cocktail Lounge and I pop in for long enough to grab a signature red cocktail, stare at Rami Malek's cheekbones and ghost. On my way to the elevators I spot a Sex and the City slot machine and proceed to lose $30 -- worth it, honey!
11:30pm: Back in my hotel room, I open Grindr while taking out my braids, but honestly, living like a rock star is exhausting and I just don't have the energy. Instead, I fall asleep humming "Fat Bottomed Girls."
Thursday, September 6
11:00am: At the airport I look for my private jet and realize I'm flying home in coach. Nothing has broken me like this.
Bohemian Rhapsody is in now theaters.
