Each year, surprise collabs prove to be a key part of Coachella’s festivities. Pop superstar Benson Boone continued that tradition by tapping Brian May for a firework-laced finale to his festival set, which included a romp through Bohemian Rhapsody.
The American singer-songwriter has shot to fame in double-quick time and, was placed just below Lady Gaga – who would later rock a Suhr Custom Classic T for her performance – and Missy Elliot on the bill. However, he was evidently determined to make the most of his time on the world’s most famous festival stage – and the Queen electric guitar legend was to be his trump card.
Dressed in a white and blue jumpsuit and very regal cape that gave more than a whiff of Freddie Mercury, Boone began the cover playing a grand piano – which he then front-flipped off as May and his Red Special guitar soon rose out of the stage high above him in time for his guitar solo.
But not everyone in the crowd was as excited as Boone for the collab, with his flip getting a louder cheer than his fevered shout of “Brian May everybody!”
May stayed on for the show's closing number, Boone's chart-smashing hit Beautiful Things, which was given an altogether riffier sound. May had teased the performance on Instagram earlier in the day, posting a picture of Boone’s scheduled slot saying “Who's gonna be there tonight? This guy will shake the world.”
Afterward, Boone took to TikTok to make light of the underwhelming response May, a hero in the singer’s eyes, received on the night. He called Brian May an “absolute legend” and championed the “cultural impact he has had on the world”, but an apparent generational divide in the crowd meant the cameo fell slightly flat.
Returning to social media the next day, May clearly loved every second of his spot, saying: “I'm still reeling from last night at Coachella. Thanks to all of you folks who made it feel so special… this particular way of concluding Bohemian Rhapsody will be hard to beat in the years to come! I'm awestruck.”
This was one of May’s first major shows since suffering a minor stroke last year.
@bensonboone Mystical Magical.
♬ Bohemian Rhapsody - Remastered 2011 - Queen
Elsewhere, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong donned an SG Junior for his guest appearance during the Go-Go's afternoon showpiece, powering through their 1984 anthem Head Over Heels. An excitable Armstrong exclaimed, “Holy shit, I’m playing with the Go-Gos,” before hurtling into the song’s first verse.
Lady Gaga's Suhr-fuelled headline performance, meanwhile, came hot on the heels of her latest album, Mayhem, for which she's cited Nine Inch Nails as a surprise influence. Her guitar choice was likely inspired by her band member's employment of the brand, with Gaga reuniting with long-time guitarist Tim Stewart earlier this year.
Some additional guitar goodness came courtesy of Beabadoobee and LISA, whose own set was filled with some sensational solos.
@spin ♬ original sound - SPIN
Last year’s big Coachella collab shock came when Nile Rodgers and his trusty Stratocaster joined K-pop sensation Le Sserafim, while AP Dhillon's guitar-smashing antics caused controversy, leading Guitar World to ponder whether smashing instruments was still deemed cool or not.
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