News

Stormtroopers In Stilettos Exhibition

23rd Feb 2011

“Let's face it, darlings, we're the most preposterous band that's ever lived.”
Freddie Mercury

February 25th 2011 sees the opening of ‘Stormtroopers in Stiletto’s, a fabulous whirlwind of rock, glamour and entertainment ready to kick off London’s musical calendar for 2011.

‘Stormtroopers in Stiletto’s: Queen, The Early Years’ is a major exhibition celebrating the formation and first five albums of one of the most exciting and influential bands in global musical history. Beloved by millions around the world, including the likes of Dave Grohl and The Foo Fighters, Katy Perry, Muse and the current high priestess of drama Lady Gaga, the exhibition heralds the start of Queens 40th Anniversary.

‘Stormtroopers in Stilettos’ is the first ever large-scale Queen exhibition and takes place in a huge warehouse space in the heart of London’s East End at Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, opening on February 25th, closing on March 12th. The exhibition is global and London is the first stop in a tour of major world cities.

The exhibition date has been specially chosen to coincide with March 1st which is the official date of Queens 40th Anniversary.

The exhibition is a vibrant and contemporary, 360 degree, three dimensional experience taking visitors to the heart of Queen by combining unseen and bespoke interactive audio and visual environments with never-before-seen snap-shots from the bands personal archive which come together to create an exciting and fun insight into the foundation and rise of the global super group Queen became.

Guiding the visitor through a series of rooms that start from the bands formation where we get a glimpse into the period when Freddie and Roger were working in Kensington Market (the Shoreditch of its time) by day and writing in Freddie’s bedsit by night and take us right through to the bands iconic live show to over 150,000 people in Hyde Park in 1976.

Some of the unique items on display includes Freddie Mercury’s legendary ballet pumps that led to one of the more unlikely encounters of the era – when Queen and the Sex Pistols were recording the same studio in 1976, Sid Vicious bumped into Freddie who said ‘Ullo Fred, I see you’ve bought ballet to the masses then.’ To which Freddie replied, ‘Oh yes, Mr Ferocious. Trying my best dear.’ Brian May’s iconic Zandra Rhodes winged top and Roger Taylors original drum kit are on display alongside a special studio area dedicated to the bands early John Peel sessions; an area dedicated to Mick Rock’s incredible and era-defining photography, a cinema space that will show a range of filmed pieces on the band, and an art and design space looking at the Queens incredible artwork on releases from around the world.

‘Stormtroopers in Stilettos’ kicks of a year long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Queens formation in 1971, subsequent to the exhibition there will be a major BBC TV Documentary featuring a rare interview with Roger Taylor and Brian May and many other surprises and releases to come through the rest of the year. 2011 will see filming begin of a major Hollywood movie about Queen, starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury. Acclaimed script writer Peter Morgan (“The Queen”,” Frost/Nixon” ) is working on the project, which is being produced by GK Films, Robert de Niro’s Tribeca Productions and Queen Films.

Entry to ‘Stormtroopers in Stilettos’ at Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, London, E1, is free of charge and open from 11.00AM until 8.00PM daily