The government had paid €100,000 to feature last April’s Brian May concert as part of the national celebrations for Freedom Day – issuing a tender after the performance had already been scheduled.

NNG Promotions, organisers of a number of concerts over the years, had last December applied to the Valletta council for the necessary permits to hold the concert.

The government issued an expression of interest for the holding of a concert as part of the Freedom Day celebrations on January 14. NNG was the only applicant.

The expression of interest, issued by the Office of the Prime Minister for the “organisation of a rock concert”, specified that the concert by an “international key artist” had to be held between March 15 and April 15.

It stated that the concert organisers could still raise income from ticket sales and retain all income from sponsorship as long as they were given “secondary importance to Foundation for National Celebrations”. In return, the government asked for 200 free tickets, “half of which in the top tier” to be distributed to its invitees.

On February 10, during a colourful ceremony at Castille in the presence of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the Foundation of National Festivities announced the Brian May concert on April 5 as one of the main highlights of its year-long list of events.