You can recognise those first lonely notes of Bohemian Rhapsody within two seconds, even if you've never heard a single name connected to the band. And this summer that music returns to the capital. When people say Queen Prague, most think of the O2 Arena and Adam Lambert, but this is a different format: on 11 August 2026, the entire setlist from the legendary Wembley 1986 concert will be performed at Křižík's Fountain, song by song. And symbolically, exactly 40 years after more than 70,000 people heard it live in London. Behind it all stands Queenie, the tribute band that became the first Czech act to sell out the Prague arena. The concert at Křižík's Fountain has a date, a venue and tickets on sale.

Queen Prague 2026: what's happening at Křižík's Fountain

TL;DR: On 11 August 2026, the band Queenie will perform at Prague's Křižík's Fountain as part of their 20th anniversary tour. Queen Prague here means a faithful rendition of Queen's songs in the original keys - no playback and no original line-up with Brian May.

Let's start with what needs to be clear from the outset. Brian May and Roger Taylor will not be stepping onto the stage by the fountain. The event at Křižík's Fountain on 11 August 2026 belongs to the Prague band Queenie, which has been tending Queen's repertoire with extraordinary care for two decades. The music is therefore "the real thing", just performed by a formation that knows how to bring it to the stage with respect for the original.

Why here? The open-air stage at Křižík's Fountain adds a visual layer that a regular hall simply can't offer: water and light elements right behind the band. For a show built on big sound and theatrical dramaturgy, it's a rewarding backdrop. Mark the date in bold - 11 August 2026 - because the Prague stop is one of the highlights of the entire summer tour. You can find tickets via the link on the event page; prices vary between individual venues around the country, so the safest bet is to check them directly with the ticket seller. Open-air summer events have their own rules about what you can bring into the venue, and opening times and programme lengths differ at each location, so it's worth checking the details for the specific event before you travel. If you want to keep track of what's happening in Prague and beyond, take a look at our concerts section.

Who is Queenie and why they're not just another tribute band

TL;DR: Queenie has been performing since 2006, has more than 1,400 concerts in 25 countries under their belt and has sold out the O2 Arena seven times. At the premiere of the Queen Relived project in 2021, they became the first Czech act to sell out the arena to the very last seat.

There are dozens of tribute bands playing Queen around the world. What sets Queenie apart are the numbers and the recognition that normally belong to original stars. The band has, according to their own figures, been looking after Queen's repertoire since 2006, with more than 1,400 concerts including seven sell-outs of the O2 Arena and performances in 25 countries around the world. This is no longer a bunch of enthusiasts playing clubs.

One moment in their biography is worth highlighting. In September 2021, their mega-show Queen Relived premiered at the O2 Arena, and the band became the first Czech act to sell out the arena to the very last seat. Selling out an arena for Queen is one thing; selling it out as a homegrown name is something else entirely. Add to that the international stages that tribute bands don't normally reach: Queenie performed as the first Czech band ever at the renowned Montreux Jazz Festival and also accepted an invitation to the official birthday celebration of Queen Elizabeth II.

The second thing is the line-up and the sound. The band describes itself as "concert theatre" and bets on faithfulness to the original arrangements and keys, combined with elaborate production. That's an important difference from a standard run-through of hits: the goal is for the evening at the fountain to sound as if you're listening to a Queen record at full blast, only live and right in front of you.

Michael Kluch: the man who keeps Freddie's legacy alive

TL;DR: At the helm of Queenie stands Michael Kluch, who recalls Freddie Mercury in voice, movement and appearance. For his role as Freddie in a musical he was nominated for the Thalia Award.

The strength of a tribute show is decided by the frontman, and here it's a clear hit. Michael Kluch doesn't just resemble Mercury visually - above all, he commands the stage the same way. And it's not only about looks: for his performance in the role of Freddie in the musical Freddie by Karel Janák he was nominated for the Thalia Award, which is the highest accolade in Czech theatre. That name on the poster means something beyond the world of tribute concerts.

Why does the frontman matter so much? Because Mercury was a rock singer who could hold even the last audience member in the furthest row of a stadium. His charismatic stage performances, in which he played with the crowd, became most famous at Live Aid in 1985. Imitating that energy isn't just about hitting the notes; it has to be recreated live. That is precisely what Queenie has refined over two decades.

The Wembley 1986 setlist: a double anniversary and why it matters

TL;DR: The 2026 tour celebrates two anniversaries at once. Queenie turns 20 and it's also been 40 years since the Magic Tour, Queen's last tour with Freddie. At every concert the band therefore plays the setlist from Wembley in July 1986.

This is the heart of the whole show. The tour has a double reason to celebrate: the band marks 20 years of existence and it's also exactly 40 years since Queen's concert at Wembley Stadium, which went down in history as part of the famous Magic Tour. At every concert the band therefore plays the setlist from Queen's iconic performance at London's Wembley in July 1986.

What does that mean for the ears in the audience? The backbone of the evening is the sequence of songs exactly as the crowds at Wembley heard them back then. The concert opened with One Vision, followed by Tie Your Mother Down, A Kind of Magic, Under Pressure, Another One Bites the Dust, Who Wants to Live Forever and more. This is not a random best-of, but a reconstruction of a specific evening.

And why 1986 in particular? Because that year is a turning point in Queen's story. The album Live at Wembley '86 captures the concert recorded on 12 July 1986 during the Magic Tour at London's Wembley Stadium. The band played to a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 and it was one of the last major performances with Freddie Mercury. And then came the full stop: Queen's very last concert with Mercury took place at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire on 9 August 1986, as the closing date of the European tour for the album A Kind of Magic. After that, Freddie never performed live again. The Magic Tour is therefore not just one tour among many - it is the final chapter of Queen as the world knew them live. Playing this setlist forty years later is a tribute to the band's final live era.

Queen: from a London party to the biggest stadium band

TL;DR: Queen were formed in London in 1970; the name was devised by Freddie Mercury. They are among the best-selling artists in history and their performance at Live Aid in 1985 is often cited as the peak of their career.

To make the evening at the fountain fully meaningful, it helps to know who it's actually about. Queen are a British rock band founded in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, who were joined by bassist John Deacon. It was Mercury who proposed the name Queen. A detail few people know: Mercury, a trained graphic designer, later used his art-school background to design the band's heraldic logo.

Commercially, it's one of the most successful stories in popular music. The band has sold over 300 million records. And then there's the performance that is still cited to this day. At Live Aid at Wembley on 13 July 1985 they played to what was estimated to be the largest television audience in history at the time, around 400 million viewers, while 72,000 people in the sold-out stadium sang and clapped in unison. In an industry poll in 2005, their performance was voted the greatest live act in the history of rock.

The journey there is remarkable in itself. Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in 1946 in Zanzibar to Indian parents from the Parsi community, and his family fled to England in 1964 during the Zanzibar Revolution. From a small island to stadiums holding hundreds of thousands. The end came early and quietly: Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987 and publicly announced it the day before he died from complications related to the disease on 24 November 1991. If you want to keep the band close to hand, check out the Queen profile on our site.

Where else to catch Queen's music in the Czech Republic in 2026

TL;DR: If the fountain date doesn't work for you, Queenie is touring the whole of the Czech Republic with this programme, and Queen's music is also offered by other projects, such as QUEENSHOW in Prague and at Konopiště, or Queenways in Dobruška.

The Prague concert isn't the only chance. Queenie's summer tour kicks off on 7 July in Strakonice and will visit other cities across the country throughout the summer. If the Queen Prague date doesn't fit your calendar, you have a decent selection of alternative dates with the same programme:

Besides Queenie, there are other projects working with the band's legacy. QUEENSHOW heads to Prague's Divadlo Hybernia on 7 December 2026 and will also appear in summer at Přírodní divadlo Konopiště (4 July 2026). If you prefer a festival atmosphere under the open sky, check out the concert with the band Queenways in Dobruška on 3 July 2026. You can browse the full overview in our events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Is the band Queen really performing at Křižík's Fountain?

No, it is not the original Queen led by Brian May and Roger Taylor. On stage will be Queenie, a tribute band that interprets Queen's repertoire in the original keys and arrangements. The music is therefore faithful to the original, but performed by a top Czech formation.

When and where exactly is the concert?

The date is 11 August 2026 and the venue is Křižík's Fountain in Prague. The specific time, entry conditions and tickets can be found directly on the event page.

What will be played at the concert?

The backbone of the programme is the setlist from Queen's Wembley concert in July 1986, running from the opening One Vision through A Kind of Magic and Under Pressure to a finale of the biggest hits. The tour is dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Magic Tour and also to 20 years of the band Queenie.

Why is 1986 so important?

The Magic Tour was Queen's last concert tour with Freddie Mercury, and his very last live performance took place in August 1986 at Knebworth House. Playing this particular setlist is therefore a tribute to the band's final live chapter.

Where can I buy tickets and where can I find an alternative date?

Tickets are purchased through the seller listed on the event page on our site. If the Prague date doesn't work for you, Queenie plays the same programme in Strakonice, Plzeň, České Budějovice and Loket, and you'll also find the QUEENSHOW and Queenways projects in the calendar.

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