You don’t bring out a rock god and get silence. But that’s exactly what happened when Benson Boone brought out Sir Brian May, yes, the legendary guitarist of Queen, during his Coachella set.
And now, Boone is dragging the crowd for not knowing a cultural icon when they saw one.
On Friday night (April 11) at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Benson Boone stunned everyone by teaming up with Brian May to perform Bohemian Rhapsody, complete with a choir and full-scale light show. It should’ve been a jaw-drop moment. Instead, the crowd reacted like someone had just brought their uncle on stage to play air guitar.
Boone wasn’t having it.
He took to TikTok after the show, posting a video where he dramatically sang into a banana, motioned for a fake crowd to sing louder, and looked confused as silence filled the air. The caption?
“Me trying to get the crowd at Coachella to understand what an absolute legend Brian May is and the cultural impact he has on music and THE WORLD.”
And honestly? He’s got a point.
We’re talking about the guy who co-wrote We Will Rock You, invented some of the most iconic guitar solos in history, and literally holds a PhD in astrophysics. But somehow… the Gen Z-heavy crowd didn’t react like they were witnessing rock royalty in real-time.
Sir Brian May, 77, handled it like a pro. He not only shredded through Bohemian Rhapsody but also joined Boone for his viral hit Beautiful Things. Afterwards, he posted a sweet Instagram message about the night, praising Boone as a “golden 22-year-old prodigy” and calling their Coachella adventure one he’ll “treasure.”
Boone, for his part, kept it moving. He used the rest of his set to announce something big:
“I’ve got one more announcement to make. This is less like one song and more like 10. My second album will be coming out June 20, 2025 and it is called American Heart.”
He then dropped the title track live, right there in the desert.
The new album promises a shift from his pop beginnings to a more nostalgic sound. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Boone said:
“A lot of it is very Bruce Springsteen, Americana, like a little more of a retro vibe… I’ve never believed so much in a body of work.”
Still, the moment people will remember isn’t just the album announcement, it’s the wild fact that Coachella 2025 hosted one of the most legendary guitarists on Earth and the crowd kinda shrugged.
Boone’s trolling was the polite version of what most classic rock fans were probably thinking:
How do you not lose your mind when Brian May starts playing THAT solo?
Even if some in the crowd didn’t get the memo, the moment was huge. Boone pulled off one of Coachella’s biggest surprises, and he knew it. The kids might’ve missed the significance, but social media? Not so much. Boone’s TikTok is already blowing up with fans defending him, and dragging the audience.
FKA Twigs and Missy Elliott also performed Friday, with Lady Gaga headlining, but the loudest conversation online is about one thing: the crowd that didn’t cheer for Brian May.
Coachella, consider yourselves on notice. If you get Queen on your stage, maybe act like it matters.
- Benson Boone SLAMS Coachella Crowd for Disrespecting Queen Legend Brian May - April 14, 2025
- Katy Perry Sings ‘What A Wonderful World’ While Floating in Space - April 14, 2025
- Why Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Skipped Coachella 2025 - April 14, 2025
