20 MAY 22-28, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | It was a trip to study all of the photo- graphs in preparation for the show. While he had used some Queen photos in the fi rst exhibit, he says that “for most of these photos in this Queen exhibit, I hadn’t seen them in forty years.” To make the selections, he notes that “I’m looking at which ones have more action and facial features.” All of them surge with the force of the performers, whether it’s Mercury stripping off a fl ashy rainbow jacket, which hangs from one arm while he sings, or bowing his head back as May clearly shreds on guitar. It almost makes viewers wonder just what notes he was playing, and it’s impossible not to absorb the passionate response to music that emanates from Mercury’s posture. The liveliness of the singer, who passed in 1991 from AIDs, was on display from the beginning of the show to the end, when he threw the bouquet of fl owers to his fans. “That’s one thing that Freddie did: He en- gaged with the crowd all the time,” Perea recalls. At one point, Perea locked eyes with Fred- die Mercury, just as he did earlier with Brian May. He got the shot. “It was just so exciting,” he recalls, “to have a rock icon look at you out of 20,000 people — they’re seeing you.” He hopes those who come to the show can get a bit of that feeling, too. “For the young crowd, I really am excited for them to see these photos of Freddie Mer- cury when he was healthy, and just ripping the microphone, just ruling the stage,” he says. “And I really want people that are of my age, that actually saw those tours, so they can feel and revisit that time of their lives and experience the music again.” Queen Uncovered: Denver’s Untold Moments in Rock History runs Sunday, May 25, through Sunday, June 15, at D’art Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive. There will be a reception with Ben Perea from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 31. Brian May happened to look right at Ben Perea when he snapped this photo (top); Freddie Mercury and May together. Music continued from page 19 BEN PEREA BEN PEREA
