Concerts on Video

Live At The Rainbow '74 (Full Concert) 80 mins

Setlist

1. Procession; 2. Now I'm Here; 3. Ogre Battle; 4. Father To Son; 5. White Queen; 6. Flick Of The Wrist; 7. In The Lap Of The Gods; 8. Killer Queen; 9. The March Of The Black Queen; 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown; 11. Son And Daughter; 12. Keep Yourself Alive; 13. Seven Seas Of Rhye; 14. Stone Cold Crazy; 15. Liar; 16. In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; 17. Big Spender; 18. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll; 19. Jailhouse Rock; 20. God Save The Queen

Live At The Rainbow Theatre, London, England - November 19th 1974 (35mm premaster) 32 mins

Setlist

Procession; Now I'm Here; White Queen; Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Father To Son; Drum Solo; Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise); Liar; Stone Cold Crazy; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; God Save The Queen

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1975 68 mins

Setlist

Now I'm Here; Ogre Battle; White Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody Ballad; Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody Reprise; Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Son And Daughter; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; In the Lap of the Gods Revisited; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock Medley; Seven Seas Of Rhye; See What A Fool I've Been

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1975 62 mins

'A Night at the Odeon' is the first official release of the band's Christmas Eve performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1975, filmed by the BBC.

Setlist

Now I'm Here; Ogre Battle; White Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Verses); Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise); Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Son And Daughter (Reprise); Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock (Medley); God Save The Queen

Hammersmith Odeon 1975 Pre Overdubbing(360p)

Setlist

Now I'm Here; Ogre Battle; White Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Verses); Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise); Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Son And Daughter; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; In the Lap of the Gods Revisited; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock (Medley); Seven Seas Of Rhye; See What A Fool I've Been.

Live at Hyde Park (1976) 83 mins

Setlist

A Day at the Races Overture; Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera and Rock Section); Ogre Battle; Sweet Lady; White Queen (As It Began); Flick Of The Wrist; You're My Best Friend; Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad); Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise); Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Son And Daughter (Reprise); '39; You Take My Breath Away; The Prophet's Song; Stone Cold Crazy; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited

Earls Court 6/6/1977 Full Concert 120 mins

Queen capped off the hugely successful 'A Day At The Races tour' with two high profile shows at London's Earls Court Arena. The band was only supposed to play the one date at Earls Court, on the night of June 5, but an extra date was added due to ticket demand. Queen were pioneers of spectacular stadium rock, including the very first mobile lighting rig. The band spent a huge £50,000 on a new lighting rig for these shows, a giant crown which was 25 feet tall and 54 feet wide, weighing two tons. The proceeds from this show went to the HRH Queen's Silver Jubilee Appeal.

Setlist

1. Procession // Overture A Day At The Races - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody To Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Doing Alright - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. The Prophets Song - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Stone Cold Crazy - 21. In The Lap Of The Gods (Revisited) - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Liar - 24. Lucille - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. Saturday Night Alright For Fighting - 27. Stupid Cupid / Be-Bop-A-Lula - 28. Jailhouse Rock (Reprise) - 29. God Save The Queen.

Live At Earl's Court 6-7-1977 33 mins

This is taken from the "Queen - Races at the Court Unofficial Bluray Edition.

Setlist

Tie Your Mother Down; Ogre Battle; Killer Queen; Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy; You Take My Breath Away; The Prophets Song; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; Rock N' Roll Medley; God Save The Queen

Bonus Track (Audio Only): '39

Live At Earls Court 1977 Chief Mouse Upgrade 120 mins

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody To Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Doing Alright - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. The Prophets Song - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Stone Cold Crazy - 21. In The Lap Of The Gods (Revisited) - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Liar - 24. Lucille - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. Saturday Night Alright For Fighting - 27. Stupid Cupid / Be-Bop-A-Lula - 28. Jailhouse Rock (Reprise) - 29. God Save The Queen.

News Of The World Tour Live in Houston (December 11,1977)

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You(Slow)- 2. A Day At The Overture- 3. We Will Rock You(Fast)- 4. Brighton Rock- 5. Somebody To Love- 6. Death On Two Legs- 7. Killer Queen- 8. Good Old- Fashioned Lover Boy- 9. I'm In Love With My Car- 10. Get Down,Make Love- 11. The Millionaire Waltz- 12. You're My Best Friend- 13. Liar- 14. Love Of My Life- 15. '39- 16. My Melancholy Blues- 17. White Man- 18. Vocal Improv- 19. Guitar Solo- 20. Now I'm Here- 21. Stone Cold Crazy- 22. Bohemian Rhapsody- 23. Keep Yourself Alive- 24. TieYour Mother Down- 25. We Will Rock You- 26. We Are The Champions- 27. Sheer Heart Attack- 28. Jaihouse Rock Medley- 29. God Save The Queen.

Live in Houston 1977 (Blu Ray) 113 mins

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Liar - 13. Love of My Life - 14. '39 - 15. My Melancholy Blues - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. Now I'm Here - 20. Stone Cold Crazy - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Keep Yourself Alive - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 28. God Save the Queen

Live in Long Beach (December 20th, 1977) 112 mins

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Liar - 13. Love of My Life - 14. '39 - 15. My Melancholy Blues - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. The Prophet's Song (Reprise) - 20. Now I'm Here - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Keep Yourself Alive - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. God Save the Queen.

JAZZ TOUR A Video Guide

This video consists of every (usable) filmed song of Queen's 1978-1979 tour.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts & Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Fat Bottomed Girls - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm in Love with My Car - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Now I'm Here - 11. Teo Torriatte - 12. Don't Stop Me Now - 13. Mustapha (intro) - 14. If You Can't Beat Them - 15. Spread Your Wings - 16. Dreamer's Ball - 17. It's Late (heavily cut) - 18. Brighton Rock (heavily cut) - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen

Concert for the people of Kampuchea - 26.12.1979 (360p) 68 mins

Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1979

Live in Hammersmith (December 26th, 1979) [Best Source Merge] 116 mins

Queen performed as part of the 'Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea' (Cambodia. Other performers included The Who (who played for three hours), Wings, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, The Clash, and the members of Led Zeppelin, minus Jimmy Page. These shows were performed over a few days at the Hammersmith Odeon in London.

Setlist

Thunderbolts & Lighting (Introduction); Jailhouse Rock; We Will Rock You (Fast); Let Me Entertain You; Somebody To Love; If You Can't Beat Them; Mustapha; Death On Two Legs; Killer Queen; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down Make Love; You're My Best Friend; Save Me; Now I'm Here; Don't Stop Me Now; Spread Your Wings; Love Of My Life; '39; Keep Yourself Alive; Instrumental Inferno; Brighton Rock (Ending); Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Sheer Heart Attack; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

Live at Hammersmith Odeon 1979 110 mins

1. Thunderbolts & Lighting (Introduction) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Somebody To Love - 6. If You Can't Beat Them - 7. Mustapha - 8. Death On Two Legs - 9. Killer Queen - 10. I'm In Love With My Car - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Don't Stop Me Now - 16. Spread Your Wings - 17. Love Of My Life - 18. '39 - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Drum And Tympani Solo - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. Brighton Rock - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are The Champions - 29. God Save The Queen

Live Japan '79 Tokyo Budokan Full 24. Apr. '79 Remastered HD 32 mins

Setlist

Part I

Intro; We Will Rock You(fast); Let Me Entertain You; Killer Queen; Bicycle Race; I'm In Love With My Car; Teo Torriatte;

Part II

Keep Yourself Alive; Don't Stop Me Now; Bohemian Rhapsody; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions

Japan (1979) 110 mins

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - We Will Rock You (Fast) - Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - Death On Two Legs - Killer Queen - Bicycle Race - I'm In Love With My Car - Get Down, Make Love - You're My Best Friend - Now I'm Here - Teo Torriatte - Don't Stop Me Now - Dreamer's Ball - 15. '39 - 16. It's Late - 17. Brighton Rock - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Sheer Heart Attack - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Queen-Live in Tokyo (April 25th,1979) [Best Source Merge] 110 mins

This is the sixth show that Queen had performed in seven nights and Freddie Mercury is simply exhausted. The workload was too much and the strain shows, with Freddie barely able to make it through many of the songs. This may well be the worst shape his voice would ever be in in concert. After 'Somebody To Love,' Freddie tells the audience, "This brings us to the last concert in Tokyo for a while, and we're gonna bust our balls for you tonight. That means we're gonna put on a good show. We're gonna try, I tell you!" That commitment to make the effort, at least, is a reference to his vocal difficulties. The rest of the band, however, are on fine form, making up for any vocal shortcomings.

Setlist

We Will Rock You (Slow) -We Will Rock You (Fast) -Let Me Entertain You - Somebody To Love -Death On Two Legs -Killer Queen -Bicycle Race -I'm In Love With My Car -Get Down Make Love -You're My Best Friend -Now I'm Here -Teo Torriatte -Don't Stop Me Now -Dreamers Ball -'39 -It's Late -Brighton Rock -Keep Yourself Alive -Bohemian Rhapsody -Tie Your Mother Down -Sheer Heart Attack -We Will Rock You -We Are The Champions -God Save The Queen

Paris (March 1st,1979) [Best Source Merge] 130 mins

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 2.Let Me Entertain You - 3.Somebody To Love - 4.Fat Bottomed Girls - 5.Death On Two Legs - 6.Killer Queen - 7.Bicycle Race - 8.I'm In Love With My Car - 9.Get Down, Make Love - 10.You're My Best Friend - 11.Now I'm Here - 12.Don't Stop Me Now - 13.Mustapha (Intro) - 14.If You Can't Beat Them - 15.Spread Your Wings - 16.Dreamer's Ball - 17.Love Of My Life - 18. '39 - 19.It's Late - 20.Brighton Rock - 21.Keep Yourself Alive - 22.Bohemian Rhapsody - 23.Tie Your Mother Down - 24.Sheer Heart Attack - 25.Big Spender - 26.Jailhouse Rock - 27.We Will Rock You - 28.We Are The Champions - 29.God Save The Queen

Paris (1979) [Full Concert] - (Restoration) 130 mins

Setlist

We Will Rock You (fast); Let Me Entertain You; Somebody To Love; Fat Bottomed Girls; Death On Two Legs; Killer Queen; Bicycle Race; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down Make Love; You're My Best Friend; Now I'm Here; Don't Stop Me Now; Mustapha (intro); If You Can't Beat Them; Spread Your Wings; Dreamers Ball; Love Of My Life; '39; It's Late; Brighton Rock; Keep Yourself Alive; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Sheer Heart Attack; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

NHK _Young Music Show 39 mins

Setlist

Now I'm Here; Another One Bites The Dust; You're My Best Friend; Flash's Theme; Let Me Entertain You; Don't Stop Me Now; Killer Queen; I'm In Love With My Car; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Sheer Heart Attack; Save Me; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions

Queen In The 70s 43 mins

Setlist

Liar - Killer Queen - Keep yourself alive - Dont stop me now - White Queen - Tie your mother down - Somebody to Love - Bohemian Rhapsody - Love of my life - Stone cold crazy - You're my best friend.

Live in Argentina 1981 Full Concert 108 mins

Live in Sao Paulo (March 20th,1981) [Best Source Merge] 115 mins

Setlist

TV Intro -Thunderbolts & Lighting -We Will Rock You (Fast) -Let Me Entertain You -Play The Game -Somebody To Love -I'm In Love With My Car -Get Down Make Love -Need Your Loving Tonight -Save Me -Now I'm Here -Dragon Attack -Now I'm Here (Reprise) -Fat Bottomed Girls -Love Of My Life -Keep Yourself Alive -Instrumental Inferno -Flash -The Hero -Crazy Little Thing Called Love -Bohemian Rhapsody -Tie Your Mother Down -Another One Bites The Dust -Sheer Heart Attack -We Will Rock You -We Are The Champions -God Save The Queen

Brasil 1981 96 mins

The Game Tour Live Estádio do Morumbi Night 1 1981 São Paulo, Brazil 83 mins

Buenos Aires (March 1st,1981) [Best Source Merge] 108 mins

This video is a mix of:

Chief Mouse Remaster -The Magic Years Vol.2 Documentary -Rare Live Documentary -Champions Of The World Documentary

Setlist

Intro - We Will Rock You (Fast) - Let Me Entertain You - Play The Game - Somebody To Love - I'm In Love With My Car - Get Down, Make Love - Need Your Loving Tonight - Save Me - Now I'm Here - Dragon Attack - Now I'm Here (Reprise) - Fat Bottomed Girls - Love Of My Life - Keep Yourself Alive - Instrumental Inferno - Flash The Hero - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Bohemian Rhapsody - Tie Your Mother Down - Another One Bites The Dust - Sheer Heart Attack - We Will Rock You - We Are The Champions - God Save The Queen

Caracas 103 mins

Live at Caracas Polyhedron Arena Caracas, Venezuela September 27th, 1981

This show was the third and final night of what was scheduled as a five night residency in Venezuela. Queen played shows on the 25th, 26th, and this show on the 27th, and had to cancel the two shows scheduled for the 29th and 30th after the death of Venezuelan president Rómulo Betancourt on the 28th sent the country into national mourning. The shows were part of the appropriately titled "Gluttons for Punishment" tour - during which everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The band was fortunate to get out of the country, given that nearly all the airports were closed. There were further crises and complications as the tour moved to Mexico as well, with the cancellation of gigs resulting in just six concerts as against the 12-14 that had been planned. Although the 'Gluttons for Punishment tour' was probably the worst experience of the Queen's live career, the band's performances are good. Freddie is in good voice in this show, although Brian has a few problems. This is a rock-solid show.

Hot Space Tour Video Guide 63mins

Setlist

1. Flash's Theme (Tape) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Now I'm Here - 5. Put Out the Fire - 6. Dragon Attack - 7. Now I'm Here (reprise) - 8. Under Pressure - 9. Love of My Life - 10. Save Me - 11. Guitar Solo - 12. Teo Torriatte - 13. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 14. Bohemian Rhapsody - 15. Another One Bites the Dust - 16. We Will Rock You - 17. We Are the Champions - 18. God Save the Queen

Live In Tokorozawa, Japan 11_3_1982 (Full Concert HD - Best Source Merge) 110 mins

Sources used for this project:

• 'Live In Japan' 1992 VHS

• 'On Fire At The Bowl' 2002 DVD Extras (Disc 2)

• 'Space Boogie' 2005 Audience Recording

• 'News Of The World' & 'Hot Space' 2011 Remasters - Bonus EPs

Setlist

Flash (Tape); The Hero; We Will Rock You (Fast); Action This Day; Play The Game; Calling All Girls; Now I'm Here; Put Out The Fire; Dragon Attack; Now I'm Here (Reprise); Love Of My Life; Save Me; Get Down Make Love; Guitar Solo; Body Language; Under Pressure; Fat Bottomed Girls; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Teo Torriatte; Another One Bites The Dust; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

Tokorozawa, Japan 11/3/1982 (Full Concert HD - Best Source Merge) 58 mins

Japan 1982 1983 VHS

Live at the Bowl, Milton Keynes 5 June 1982 126 mins

Setlist

Flash; The Hero; We Will Rock You (fast vers.); Action This Day; Play The Game; Staying Power; Somebody To Love; Now I'm Here; Vocal Improvisations; Dragon Attack; Now I'm Here (reprise); Love Of My Life; Save Me; Back Chat; Get Down Make Love; Guitar Solo; Under Pressure; Fat Bottomed Girls; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Another One Bites The Dust; Sheer Heart Attack; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

Interview With The Band

Live in Japan 1982

Flash (Intro) - The Hero - Now I'm Here - Put Out The Fire - Dragon Attack - Love Of My Life - Save Me - Guitar Solo - Under Pressure - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Bohemian Rhapsody - Tie Your Mother Down - Teo Torriate - We Will Rock You - We Are The Champions - God Save The Queen

Rio 1985 Full Concert 98 mins

Tokyo 1985 Full Concert(360p) 89 mins

Sydney 1985 Full Concert 102 mins

Live Aid Performance (1985) 21 mins

Setlist

Bohemian Rhapsody; Radio Ga Ga; Hammer To Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions

We Are The Champions - Final Live In Japan 1985 89 mins

The Works Tour, Tokyo, Japan

Setlist

1. Tear It Up; 2. Tie Your Mother Down; 3. Under Pressure; 4. Somebody To Love; 5. Killer Queen; 6. Seven Seas of Rhye; 7. Keep Yourself Alive; 8. Liar; 9. Impromptu; 10. It's a Hard Life; 11. Now I'm Here; 12. Is This the World We Created?; 13. Love of My Life; 14. Another One Bites the Dust; 15. Mustapha; 16. Hammer to Fall; 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love; 18. Bohemian Rhapsody; 19. Radio Ga Ga

Encore:

20. I Want to Break Free; 21. Jailhouse Rock; 22. We Will Rock You; 23. We Are the Champions; 24. God Save the Queen

Live In Japan 1985 HD 90 mins

Live In Yoyogi, Japan 1985

Setlist

Intro; Machines(intro); Tear It Up; tie your mother down; under pressure; somebody to love; piano solo; killer queen; seven seas of rhye; keep yourself alive; liar; improve; it's a hard life; ay oh; now i'm here; is this the world we created...?; love of my life; another one bites the dust; mustapha(intro); hammer to fall; crazy little thing called love; crazy little thing called love(encore); piano solo(part 2); bohemian rhapsody; radio ga ga; i want to break free; jailhouse rock; we will rock you(encore); we will rock you; we are the champions; god save the queen

Live in Tokyo 1985 (Matrix - Bass Boosted) 89 mins

- Queen - Live in Tokyo (May 11th, 1985):

Setlist

Machines Intro; Tear It Up; Tie Your Mother Down; Under Pressure; Somebody To Love; Killer Queen; Seven Seas Of Rhye; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; Impromptu; It's A Hard Life; Vocal Improv; Now I'm Here; Is This The World We Created?; Love Of My Life; Another One Bites The Dust; Hammer To Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Radio Ga Ga; I Want To Break Free; Jailhouse Rock; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

Live At Wembley Stadium 1986 108 mins

Setlist

One Vision; Tie Your Mother Down; In The Lap of The Gods...Revisited; Seven Seas of Rhye; Liar; Tear It Up; A Kind of Magic; Ay-Oh; Under Pressure; Another One Bites The Dust; Who Wants To Live Forever; I Want To Break Free; Impromptu; Guitar Solo; Now I'm Here; Love of My Life; Is this The World We Created..?; I Don't Care (Baby You're So Square); Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart); Tutti Frutti; Bohemian Rhapsody; Hammer To Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Radio Ga Ga; We Will Rock You; Friends Will Be Friends; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen

Hungarian Rhapsody Live In Budapest 27 July 1986 91 mins

Setlist

One Vision; Tie Your Mother Down; In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited; Seven Seas of Rhye; Tear It Up; A Kind of Magic; improvisation; Under Pressure; Who Wants to Live Forever; I Want to Break Free; Guitar Solo; Now I'm Here; Love of My Life; Tavaszi Szél Vizet Áraszt; Is This the World We Created...?; Tutti frutti; Bohemian Rhapsody; Hammer to Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Radio Ga Ga; We Will Rock You; Friends Will Be Friends; We Are the Champions; God Save the Queen

Queen - Rocks_ The Video (1998) 78 mins

Setlist

1. Queen Rocks (intro feature); 2. Tie Your Mother Down (Through The Years); 3. It's Late; 4. Headlong; 5. Now I'm Here; 6. I Want It All; 7. Tear It Up (Making Videos); 8. One Vision (extended version); 9. I'm In Love With My Car; 10. We Will Rock You; 11. Seven Seas Of Rhye; 12. Hammer To Fall; 13. Keep Yourself Alive; 14. Stone Cold Crazy; 15. Put Out The Fire; 16. Sheer Heart Attack; 17. Fat Bottomed Girls; 18. No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young); 19. I Can't Live With You (titles); 20. The Making Of No-One But You

Slane Castle (July 5th,1986) 108 mins

When the gates opened at 9am, nine hours before Queen were due to perform (and four hours before the first support band was due to take the state), some 100,000 people made their way into the grounds. Numbers are uncertain. The paid attendance of 92,000 was the largest for Slane, larger even than the numbers that Bruce Springsteen had attracted the previous year. With many people finding a way of entering without paying - some paddled up the River Boyne in canoes - it is impossible to calculate an exact attendance figure.

Setlist

Intro - One Vision - Tie Your Mother Down - In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited - Seven Seas Of Rhye - (Freddie stops a fight in the crowd) - Tear It Up - A Kind Of Magic - Under Pressure - Another One Bites The Dust - Who Wants To Live Forever - I Want To Break Free - Impromptu - Gimme Some Lovin' - Keep Yourself Alive (Improv) - Guitar Solo - Now I'm Here - Love Of My Life - Is This The World We Created? - (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart) - Tutti Frutti - Bohemian Rhapsody - Hammer To Fall - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Radio Gaga - We Will Rock You - Friends Will Be Friends - We Are The Champions

Knebworth Park, August 9, 1986 (Full, Uncut Concert) [Best Source Merge] 120 mins

The show which Queen performed at Knebworth Park near Stevenage, England on August 9, 1986, would prove to be Freddie Mercury's final live show with Queen. We can only speculate whether Freddie knew it would be his final show. He goes out on a high, giving it his all, hitting some incredible notes. The band is also in top form, delivering powerful and creative performances. This show was added to the end of the tour in response to high ticket demand. The band had already played huge back-to-back concerts at Wembley Stadium, and could have added a third Wembley day. The stadium, however, wasn't available, so the band added Knebworth Park. The attendance was estimated at 120,000 fans, although some speculate that that figure could be as high as 200,000. It would prove to be an eventful show, with a man being stabbed to death and a woman giving birth.

Although the band has a full audio recording of show in the archives, there is, to date, no official full release of the concert. Some of the songs have been overdubbed and released on the 'Live Magic' album. There are also audience recordings available. The show was also filmed, with cameras all over the stage broadcasting video to the giant StarVision screen on top of the stage. Only half of the concert was actually recorded, from 'Is This The World We Created?...' to the end of the show. There is also professional footage taken by ITV and DoRo, some of which have been used in documentaries and TV segments. A member of the audience also filmed most of the show by recording the StarVision screen on top of the stage. The film only failed to capture parts of Crazy Little Thing Called Love and the two encore waits. This video utilizes all professional footage and audio to their best extent to create the best source merge, which.

Setlist and Moments:

Intro Footage for the stage, park, audience, roadways, Queen's helicopter flight, arrival, and backstage - Run To You, by Bryan Adams - One Vision Intro - One Vision - Tie Your Mother Down - "Hello! This is what you wanted, this is what you're gonna get!" -Freddie - In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited - Seven Seas Of Rhye - Liar - Tear It Up - A Kind Of Magic - "This is an enormous place, even by our standards, I tell you. It looks beautiful from up here! It's frightening, I tell you. It looks beautiful." -Freddie - Vocal Improvisation - Under Pressure - "This next song calls for a boogie." -Freddie - Another One Bites The Dust - Freddie's rumours speech - Who Wants To Live Forever - I Want To Break Free - Impromptu - Brighton Rock / Chinese Torture Guitar Solo - Now I'm Here - Brian's first introductory speech - Love Of My Life - Brian's second introductory speech - Is This The World We Created?- (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - Hello Mary Lou - Tutti Frutti - Bohemian Rhapsody - Hammer To Fall - Crazy Little Thing Called Love *encore wait* - Radio Ga Ga *encore wait* - We Will Rock You - Friends Will Be Friends - We Are The Champions - God Save The Queen

"Thank You, beautiful people. You've been a tremendous... you've been a really special audience. Thank you very much. Good night, sweet dreams, we love you!"

Last Show at Knebworth 1986 (Compilation)

Newcastle 98 mins

Newcastle, England (09.07.1986) [Amateur Footage]

Setlist

Intro; One Vision; Tie Your Mother Down; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; Seven Seas Of Rhye; Tear It Up; A Kind Of Magic (Intro); A Kind Of Magic; Ay Oh; Another One Bites The Dust; Who Wants To Live Forever; I Want To Break Free 

Concerts in Audio 

AUDIO

1973

Live in London, 9/13/1973 (First Concert Ever Recorded) 39 mins

This is a BBC radio broadcast of the band's concert at the Golder's Green Hippodrome in London and is the first recorded Queen concert, taking place before the 'Queen I Tour.' The sound quality is fantastic, being a radio broadcast, and is near official release quality. The only flaw is that Freddie's vocal is buried in the mix.

As a complete show, the recording is a superb document of Queen at an early stage of their development, before their breakthrough into the mainstream. This is Queen at their heaviest and the performances are raw, visceral, and exciting. Freddie is in good form, although his voice is unrefined, sounding impossibly young.

Father To Son" is a difficult song, but sounds good as Freddie hits the tough A4 during the hard rock section, "Son And Daughter" is vocally good, with outstanding musicianship. The show contains one of the best versions of "See What A Fool I've Been," exchanging the camp of the studio release for a strong blues rock performance. "Ogre Battle" is crazy loud, with Freddie straining at first but pulling off the rest with aplomb. "Liar" is outstanding in both the vocals and the musicianship.

Setlist

Procession; Father To Son; Son And Daughter; See What A Fool I've Been; Ogre Battle; Liar; Jailhouse Rock; Stupid Cupid; Be Bop A Lula; Jailhouse Rock Reprise; Big Spender; Bama Lama Bama Lou.

Live in London (September 13th, 1973) - Soundboard_Broadcast Merge

London, 9_13_1973

Live at the Golders Green Hippodrome London, England September 13th, 1973 Soundboard/Broadcast Merge

Attendance: 700 Special

Event: BBC Radio Show

Excellent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Introduction To Broadcast by Brian Saxton - 2. Introduction To Concert by Alan Black - 3. Procession - 4. Father To Son - 5. Son And Daughter - 6. See What A Fool I've Been - 7. Ogre Battle - 8. Liar - 9. Jailhouse Rock - 10. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 11. Big Spender - 12. Bama Lama Bama Loo.

Liverpool (November 17th, 1973)

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at the Stadium, Liverpool, England, November 17th, 1973

This is the earliest available audience recording of a Queen concert performance. It was recorded by Ken Testi on one side of a 60-minute tape, and so captures just the opening half hour of the show. The recording quality is surprisingly good given the nature of its recording, giving up one of the most important documents in Queen's live catalogue. This is the earliest recording of two classics of Queen's live act, 'Hangman' and 'Keep Yourself Alive.'

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Son and Daughter - 4. Ogre Battle - 5. Hangman - 6. Keep Yourself Alive - 7. Liar.

Live in Oxford (November 20th, 1973)

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at Oxford New Theatre, Oxford, England, November 20th, 1973, Attendance: 1,800

This is a decent audience recording of the band on their first tour. This show is considered as perhaps the band's best performance of the tour, with everyone playing at the top of their form. It seems that playing for a non-Queen crowd put everyone on their mettle and the raw energy is palpable. The band are really earning their place on the tour, building Queen's reputation as a formidable live act, an opening act who could give the main act a run for their money. Jim Kerr, lead singer with Simple Minds, saw Queen on this tour and said that Queen blew Mott the Hoople off the stage. This recording proves the truth of that verdict.

Setlist

Soundcheck:

1. Ogre Battle (Intro) - 2. Ogre Battle (No Guitar) - 3. Procession - 4. Father to Son - 5. Procession - 6. Son and Daughter - 7. Bama Lama Bama Loo - 8. Keep Yourself Alive.

Concert:

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Son and Daughter - 4. Ogre Battle - 5. Hangman - 6. Keep Yourself Alive - 7. Liar - 8. Jailhouse Rock - 9. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 10. Bama Lama Bama Loo.

Glasgow (November 23rd, 1973)

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at the Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland, November 23rd, 1973, Attendance: 3,500

This is a decent recording of Queen on their first tour, acting as support for Mott the Hoople. The recorder, Janice Ranking, only intended to tape Mott the Hoople, but was so impressed by Queen and the crowd reaction the band's performance exciting that she gave one side of the tape over to the band. That's how non-Queen fans became Queen fans. The recording accordingly incomplete, with cuts at the beginning of 'Father to Son,' and 'Son and Daughter' missing in its entirety. For all that, this recording makes for great listening, revealing how and why Queen made their name as an early band in the process of rising. John Deacon has declared this show to be one of his favourites from this tour. The band deliver an excellent performance, easily holding their own with the main act.

Setlist

1. Father to Son - 2. Ogre Battle - 3. Hangman - 4. Keep Yourself Alive - 5. Liar - 6. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 7. Big Spender - 8. I'm a Man.

Manchester (November 26th, 1973) 42 mins

Manchester (November 26th, 1973)

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at the Opera House, Manchester, England, November 26th, 1973, Attendance: 1,900

By some odd coincidence, Queen played Manchester four times on November 26th: once in 1973, twice in 1975 (a two-concert day), and once in 1979. OK, that's really just the three dates, but it's still a bit of a curious fact.

The band's debut album, 'Queen' ('Queen I'), had been issued in July, and this show sees a keen and hungry band generating interest and gathering an increasingly substantial following. Songs like 'Keep Yourself Alive' and 'Liar' would soon become concert highlights, staying in the set over time, reappearing in the 1980s. Of particular interest is 'Hangman,' a song that was never released in studio form, but a real favourite among live audiences. Freddie is in good voice and Brian's playing is exceptional. The overall performance is exceedingly good.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Son and Daughter - 4. Ogre Battle - 5. Hangman - 6. Keep Yourself Alive - 7. Liar - 8. Jailhouse Rock - 9. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 10. Bama Lama Bama Loo.

Live in Birmingham (November 27th, 1973) 32 mins

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at the Town Hall, Birmingham, England, November 27th, 1973, Attendance: 1,100

A decent audience recording of an incomplete show.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Son and Daughter - 4. Ogre Battle - 5. Hangman - 6. Keep Yourself Alive - 7. Jailhouse Rock - 8. Bama Lama Bama Loo.

1974

Live At The Rainbow 3_31_1974 (Full Concert HD) 64 mins

Queen's show at The Rainbow Theatre was the band's first "big" headlining gig, and Freddie dresses accordingly, in an elegant white outfit designed by Zandra Rhodes. Rhodes explained in 2013, "I hadn't designed any menswear before then, but I realised he'd need a flamboyant look." It was flamboyant. The show was properly recorded with a view to becoming the band's first live album. The idea was shelved at the time, with the concert eventually seeing official release in 2014.

Setlist

Procession; Father To Son; Ogre Battle; Son And Daughter (Video); Guitar Solo (Video); Son And Daughter (Reprise) (Video); White Queen; Great King Rat; Fairy Feller's Master Stroke; Keep Yourself Alive; Drum Solo; Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise); Seven Seas Of Rhye; Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll (Video); Jailhouse Rock (Medley); Liar; See What A Fool I've Been

The Rainbow 1974-03-31 37 mins

Recording length: 37 minutes (1 CD, incomplete)

Quality: A+

Source: Multi-track

Lineage: Soundboard Master (multi-track) = ? = TDK-D Cassette (normal bias) = WAV = CDR (1)

Excellent quality recording, which showcases the band at their heaviest and rawest. Essential live document which establishes Queen's place in the history of rock music.

Setlist

Procession [cut]; Father To Son; Ogre Battle; Son And Daughter; Keep Yourself Alive; Seven Seas Of Rhye; Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll; Liar [cut].

Queen - Live in Portland (April 28th, 1974) - 44 mins

Queen Live at the Exposition Hall, Portland, Maine, USA, April 28th, 1974 (Supporting Mott the Hoople) Attendance: 3,000

This is a superb audience recording of a complete concert from Queen's first tour in America as support act for Mott the Hoople).

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Son and Daughter - 5. See What a Fool I've Been - 6. Liar - 7. Keep Yourself Alive - 8. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 9. Big Spender - 10. Bama Lama Bama Loo.

New York (May 7th, 1974) 41 mins

Queen (Supporting Mott the Hoople), Live at the Uris Theatre, New York City, New York, USA, May 7th, 1974 Attendance: 2,000

Queen made history with this show, which was the first ever rock concert to take place at a Broadway venue. The tour with Mott the Hoople came to an abrupt ending with this concert, with Brian May falling ill with hepatitis on May 12th. The illness doesn't, however, remotely show, with Brian's playing with an incredible intensity. The rest of the band are in excellent form, too. The band encores with Big Spender and Jailhouse Rock, which is a rarety for this tour.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Father to Son - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Son and Daughter - 5. Liar - 6. Keep Yourself Alive - 7. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 8. Big Spender - 9. Jailhouse Rock - 10. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula.

Liverpool (November 1st, 1974) - 2020 UPGRADE 54 mins

Live at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England, November 1st, 1974, Attendance: 2,300

This is a decent audience recording. Although not 100% complete, it does have Procession, Now I'm Here, Ogre Battle, Father to Son, White Queen, and In the Lap of the Gods which were missing from previous tapes. The inclusion of these tracks raises this show to the standard of the other great shows from this period. The show boasts a string of excellent performances tonight are excellent and it is good to hear them in decent quality. The band are evidently in high spirits on this, the third night of the tour. With the 'Sheer Heart Attack' album to be released in a weeks' time, this is the band on the brink of superstardom.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Seven Seas of Rhye - 14. Big Spender - 15. Modern Times Rock N Roll.

Sheffield (November 5th, 1974) 81 mins

Live at Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, England, November 5th, 1974, Attendance: 2,200

This is a good audience recording from early on in the 'Sheer Heart Attack Tour.' There seems to have been a problem with the monitors at this show, resulting in the band getting out-of-sync at times. Overall, though, the band's performance is very good, with Freddie in good voice and the band on form.

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Seven Seas of Rhye - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - 15. Liar - 16. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 17. Big Spender - 18. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 19. Jailhouse Rock - 20. God Save the Queen.

Glasgow (November 8th, 1974) - 2018 UPGRADE 82 mins

Live at the Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland, November 8th, 1974, Attendance: 3,500

An audience recording of poor quality.

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Seven Seas of Rhye - 12. Stone Cold Crazy - 13. Son and Daughter - 14. Keep Yourself Alive - 15. Liar - 16. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 17. Big Spender - 18. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 19. Jailhouse Rock

Live in Cologne (December 6th, 1974) 80 mins

Live at Sartory-Saal, Cologne, West Germany, December 6th, 1974, Attendance: 1,400

An audience recording of pretty good quality. This was a very small gig, certainly by Queen's standards. The band's performance is, however, exceptional. Among some superlative renditions of Queen classics, the performance of 'In the Lap of the Gods' stands out as very possibly the definitive performance of the song in concert, (which is really saying something given the generally impressive way that the band would perform the song. Fantastic concert which goes to prove the point about Queen - Queen were a superb live act however great or small the venue; the band had paid its dues and earned its spurs the hard way. These boys could play and perform, and had the songs. 'Now I'm Here' is a fantastic opening performance, solid and substantial, 'Ogre Battle' lively, 'Father to Son,' towering, 'White Queen' glacial and 'Flick of the Wrist' visceral. There's an epic set containing 'Killer Queen,' 'In the Lap of the Gods,' 'Killer Queen' and 'March of the Black.' It's just superb, thrilling rock, vibrant and raucous but controlled. Great versions of 'Keep Yourself Alive,' 'Seven Seas of Rhye,' 'Stone Cold Crazy,' and 'Liar.' Ending the show proper is a powerful and anthemic 'In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited.' Queen return for yet more great rock'n'roll. With choice cuts from the first three albums, effortlessly blended together in the one, consistent Queen sound, this performance is a great statement of the early Queen.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Seven Seas of Rhye - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - 15. Liar - 16. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 17. Big Spender - 18. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 19. Jailhouse Rock - 20. God Save the Queen.

Hague (December 8th, 1974) 43 mins

Live at the Congresgebouw, The Hague, The Netherlands, December 8th, 1974.

This is Queen's first ever show in The Netherlands, a country in which the band would come to perform some of their greatest concerts. A CD pressing of this show was handed out at a Dutch Queen Fan Club convention in 2012, and it was soon made available online. Although only half of the show was captured on tape, it is of pretty good quality, revealing Freddie in good voice and the band in fine form. The concert didn't sell well on account of poor promotion, with people being allowed in for free during the show. The capacity of the venue is about 5,000, making this a pretty small gig by Queen's standards. There is a great intimacy and immediacy to the sound, making it sound as if you are actually present in the theatre. As a result, it does indeed sound 'live.' What we have of the show consists mainly of tracks from Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack. The performances are bursting with vitality; they are the performances of a young and hungry band very much on the up. The band rocks hard from the start and then delivers the 'Father to Son' and 'White Queen' like two immense hammer blows. The show captures the band precisely at the time that I discovered them with the 'Killer Queen'/'Flick of the Wrist' single. Both songs are performed magnificently. You can actually here the band in the process of breaking through, making for an incredibly thrilling experience. The show also contains a magnificent performance of 'In the Lap of the Gods' (not 'Revisited), albeit incongruously placed in between both sides of the single. But it is all part of a medley of tunes that flow together very nicely indeed.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back that Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter.

The Sheer Heart Tour _ Japan _ Queen _ Unofficial Live Album 1974 88 mins

Setlist

Procession; Now I'm Here; Ogre Battle; White Queen; Great King Rat; Flick Of The Wrist; Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; In The Lap Of The Gods; Father To Son; Doing Alright; Keep Yourself Alive; Hangman; Seven Seas Of Rhye; Stone Cold Crazy; See What A Fool I've Been; Liar; Jailhouse Rock; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; God Save The Queen

Sheer Heart Attack Live | SHEER HEART ATTACK TOUR Live Album 117 mins

October 30th, 1974 - May 1st, 1975

Number of shows: 78

Countries: Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States

Length: 117 minutes

Shows used: 9

Tracks: 24

Editing: The Crazy Game

Thumbnail & Song Cards: The Crazy Game

Setlist

01. Procession; 02. Now I'm Here; 03. Ogre Battle; 04. Father to Son; 05. Great King Rat; 06. White Queen (As It Began); 07. Flick of the Wrist; 08. Hangman; 09. Doing All Right; 10. In the Lap of the Gods; 11. Killer Queen; 12. The March of the Black Queen; 13. Bring Back That Leroy Brown; 14. Son and Daughter; 15. Keep Yourself Alive; 16. Seven Seas of Rhye; 17. Stone Cold Crazy; 18. Liar; 19. In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited; 20. Big Spender; 21. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll; 22. Jailhouse Rock; 23. See What A Fool I've Been; 24. God Save the Queen

1975

A Night At The Odeon (1975) (2015 Digital Remaster) 73 mins

This album is the first official release of the Queen's Christmas Eve performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1975. The concert was filmed by the BBC.

Setlist

Now I'm Here; Ogre Battle; White Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Verses); Killer Queen; The March Of The Black Queen; Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise); Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Son And Daughter (Reprise); Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock (Medley); Seven Seas Of Rhye; See What A Fool I've Been; God Save The Queen

A Night At The Opera (1975) - Best Live Versions 37 mins

Concerts Used:

Santa Monica 1976/03/11 (B+ Quality)

Tokyo 1976/03/31 (B+ Quality)

Gothenburg 1977/05/10 (B+ Quality)

Bristol 1977/05/23 (B+ Quality)

New York 1977/12/02 (B Quality)

Copenhagen 1978/04/13 (A- Quality)

Lyon 1979/02/17 (A+ Quality)

Glasgow 1979/12/01 (B- Quality)

Liverpool 1979/12/06 (Ed's Revision / B+ to B- Quality)

Vienna 1982/05/12 (A Quality)

Setlist

Death On Two Legs (Bristol 1977/05/23); Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon (Santa Monica 1976/03/11); I'm In Love With My Car (Copenhagen 1978/04/13); You're My Best Friend (Lyon 1979/02/17); '39 (Liverpool 1979/12/06); Sweet Lady (Gothenburg 1977/05/10); The Prophet's Song (Tokyo 1976/03/31); Love Of My Life (New York 1977/12/02); Bohemian Rhapsody (Glasgow 1979/12/01); God Save The Queen (Vienna 1982/05/12)

Live in Concert (1975) HQ 69 mins

24th December 1975 at Hammersmith Odeon, London, broadcast by the bbc.

Setlist

1. Now I'm Here; 2. Ogre Battle; 3. White Queen (As It Began); 4. Bohemian Rhapsody; 5. Killer Queen; 6. The March Of The Black Queen; 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise); 8. Bring Back That Leroy Brown; 9. Brighton Rock; 10. Son And Daughter; 11. Keep Yourself Alive; 12. Liar; 13. In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited; 14. Big Spender; 15. Jailhouse Rock; 16. Stupid Cupid; 17. Be-Bop-A-Lula; 18. Jailhouse Rock (Reprise) 19. Seven Seas Of Rhye; 20. See What A Fool I've Been.

Live in Boston (February 15th , 1975, 10_30 PM) 60 mins

Live at the Orpheum Theater, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, February 15th, 1975 (Second Show) Attendance: 2,750

Audience Recording (Ronnie Farnsworth)

Sound Quality: B

This is the earliest known recording from this leg of the tour. The show was recorded onto a C60 cassette and is of decent quality, but cuts out during Liar. The recording reveals a young and raw band, hungry for success and hitting all the right notes. It's the stuff that legends are made out of - talent, hard work and ambition. This is the second of two shows that Queen performed this day, with the first one having taken place at 7:30.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Stone Cold Crazy - 14. Liar.

New York (February 16th, 1975, 11_30 PM) 75 mins

Live at Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, New York, USA, February 16th, 1975 (Second Show), Attendance: 2,750

This is the second of two shows that Queen performed at Avery Fisher Hall on this night. The first show began at 8:00 PM. The recording is of pretty decent quality, revealing a band in great form. Freddie's voice is in good shape, despite the heavy touring schedule (this being the fourth show the band had performed in two days). Brian May is in good form too, with more than a few jaw-dropping moments on the guitar.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Stone Cold Crazy - 14. Liar - 15. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 16. Big Spender - 17. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 18. Jailhouse Rock - 19. God Save the Queen

Milwaukee (March 7th, 1975) 78 mins

Live at Uptown Theater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, March 7th, 1975, Attendance: 1,800

This is a pretty good audience recording of some significance in the history of the band. This is the earliest recording we have of Queen after Freddie had been diagnosed with vocal nodules, a condition that would affect his singing for the rest of his career. Freddie still sounds good, but noticeably taking it easier at some points in some songs now. The band are in powerful form and the sound is heavy and loud. The version of 'Father to Son' is particularly impressive, even when set against the usually high standard of performance of this song.

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Stone Cold Crazy - 14. Liar - 15. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 16. Big Spender - 17. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 18. Jailhouse Rock - 19. God Save the Queen.

Santa Monica (March 29th 1975 11-30pm) 47 mins

One of the first Queen shows to bootlegged, on vinyl back in 1975, meaning that the original press had to be cut down. As a result, there is only 45 minutes or so of the show in circulation. People who attended the show claim that Freddie performed a little of 'The Fairy-Feller's Master Stroke' just before 'Flick of the Wrist.' Nothing before 'Flick of the Wrist' is extant. It's a high quality performance, in keeping with the standards of the tour, recorded from the audience in decent sound. Brian May is in excellent form on guitar, Roger Taylor too on drums. Overall, a great show.

1. Flick of the Wrist - 2. In the Lap of the Gods - 3. Killer Queen - 4. The March of the Black Queen - 5. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 6. Son and Daughter - 7. Keep Yourself Alive - 8. Stone Cold Crazy - 9. Liar - 10. Big Spender - 11. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 12. Jailhouse Rock - 13. Be Bop a Lula.

Tokyo (April 19th, 1975) 102 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, April 19th, 1975, Attendance: 14,000

This is a very good recording of Queen's first ever concert in Japan. In touring Japan, Queen were met with nothing less than Queenmania, so enthusiastic were the crowds for the band. There is a certain nervousness in the air as Freddie and Brian try to establish a rapport with an audience that speaks a different. Transcending the language barrier is the stunning performance that the band delivers, with Brian May particularly outstanding on guitar.

This recording is a merge from two different sources, one a decent bootleg, the other a distinctly average audience recording. But, when it comes to Queen, something is better than nothing.

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Doing All Right (First live performance of this song) - 8. In the Lap of the Gods - 9. Killer Queen - 10. The March of the Black Queen - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Son and Daughter - 13. Keep Yourself Alive - 14. Seven Seas of Rhye - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Liar - 17. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 18. Big Spender - 19. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 20. Jailhouse Rock - 21. See What a Fool I've Been - 22. God Save the Queen.

Kobe (April 23rd, 1975) - Definitive Source Merge 2019 106 mins

Live at Kobe International Hall, Kobe, Japan, April 23rd, 1975, Attendance: 2,100

A hot performance recorded in good quality, with Freddie in powerful voice and Roger Taylor a powerhouse. This is a stunning performance from the band, maybe the best performance of the tour, its only rival being Tokyo 5/1.

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Doing All Right - 8. In the Lap of the Gods - 9. Killer Queen - 10. The March of the Black Queen - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Son and Daughter - 13. Sakura (Son and Daughter) - 14. Keep Yourself Alive - 15. Seven Seas of Rhye - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Liar - 18. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 19. Big Spender - 20. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. See What a Fool I've Been - 23. God Save the Queen.

Okayama (April 28th, 1975) 96 mins

Live at Okayama Kenritsu Taikukan Okayama, Japan April 28th, 1975

This is another superb performance from Queen on the band's first tour of Japan. Maybe the crowd's enthusiastic response inspired the band to even great heights. The band is in fine form and Freddie in powerful voice. This show is at the top end of a tour on which the standards are supremely high. Marking the continual shift from the old to the new characterising the band's setlist live, this would be the last time that the immense 'Father to Son' would be performed as a concert standard. It would be performed on just two more occasions in 1976 before disappearing from the live repertoire. Audience recording in average sound.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Father to Son - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Doing All Right - 8. In the Lap of the Gods - 9. Killer Queen - 10. The March of the Black Queen - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Son and Daughter - 13: Sakura (Son and Daughter) - 14. Keep Yourself Alive - 15. Seven Seas of Rhye - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Liar - 18. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 19. Big Spender - 20. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. See What a Fool I've Been - 23. God Save the Queen

Kakegawa (April 29th, 1975) 92 mins

Live at the Yamaha Resort Exhibition Hall Kakegawa, Japan April 29th, 1975.

This is an exceedingly good performance from the band, recorded from the audience in exceptional quality. Freddie is in powerful voice and the band, too, deliver a top notch performance. This is a truly outstanding show.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Flick of the Wrist - 6. Doing All Right - 7. In the Lap of the Gods - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Son and Daughter - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Seven Seas of Rhye - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - 15. Liar - 16. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 17. Big Spender - 18. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 19. Jailhouse Rock - 20. Be Bop a Lula - 21. God Save the Queen.

Live in Yokohama (April 30th, 1975) 107 mins

Live at Yokohama Bunka Taikukan, Yokohama, Japan, April 30th, 1975, Attendance: 5,000

An audience recording boasting an exceedingly good quality sound. The band's performance is also good. 'Great King Rat' returns to the set in the place of 'Father to Son.' The band would perform the song during the following night's show, too, with these two performances marking the last time that the song would be would be played in concert. Freddie is in strong voice, other than towards the end of the show, when his voice starts to crack.

Setlist

1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Great King Rat - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Doing All Right - 8. In the Lap of the Gods - 9. Killer Queen - 10. The March of the Black Queen - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Son and Daughter - 13. Sakura (Son and Daughter) - 14. Keep Yourself Alive - 15. Seven Seas of Rhye - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Liar - 18. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 19. Big Spender - 20. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. See What a Fool I've Been - 23. God Save the Queen.

Live in Tokyo (May 1st, 1975) - Stark Remaster 120 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, May 1st, 1975, Attendance: 14,000

Queen are on fire on this, the final night of the Sheer Heart Attack Tour. Queen consistently performed to a high standard live in concert, but this show stands out as one of the greatest shows of their career, confirming their Japanese tour as a massive triumph. Queen had received a reception in Japan that was similar to the way that the USA had greeted The Beatles in 1964. Although all the Japanese shows are hugely impressive, this show at the Budokan in Tokyo stands out. First of all, it is just a great show, with the band in exceptional form throughout. Secondly, Queen pulled out all the stops when it came to quantity as well as quality, delivering a massive two hour high voltage show. Although two hours would become the norm for a Queen show, at this stage of their career, the band would normally deliver 90 minutes. The hugely popular and ever elusive "Hangman" - frequently performed, never actually released - was added to the set, sounding as good as ever. Why the song was never issued, either in studio or live version, is a mystery. This was the first time the song had been performed live 1973, and the only time it was performed in 1975. The band would play the song on a couple of occasions in 1976, then it was dropped from the setlist for good. Thirdly, the show was filmed. It was, therefore, a special occasion and the band's performance indicates that all its members knew it. This is the last performance of Queen as a band on their way to superstardom. With the release of their next album, 'A Night at the Opera,' and the huge chart-topping 'Bohemian Rhapsody' single, Queen hit the big stage. This was the culmination of early Queen's development, realising all the potential they had shown from the first. It was also the beginning of the Queen that the world would come to know and love. This is a perfect document of the Queen of the first three albums, of Queen as a raw and hungry rock band crafting its sound.

Setlist

Intro - 1. Procession - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Great King Rat - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Hangman - 8. Doing All Right - 9. In the Lap of the Gods - 10. Killer Queen - 11. March of the Black Queen - 12. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 13. Son and Daughter - 14. Sakura (Son and Daughter) - 15. Keep Yourself Alive - 16. Seven Seas of Rhye - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Liar - 19. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 20. Big Spender - 21. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll - 22. Jailhouse Rock - 23. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 24. See What a Fool I've Been - 25. God Save the Queen.

Nippon Budokan Tokyo May 1, 1975 COMPLETE 118 mins

Setlist

Procession, Now I'm Here, Ogre Battle, Great King Rat, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Hangman, Doing All Right, In The Lap Of The Gods, Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Son And Daughter, Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Stone Cold Crazy, Liar, In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited, Big Spender, Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll, Jailhouse Rock, See What A Fool I've Been, God Save The Queen

Liverpool 1975_11_14 88 mins

Liverpool, England - November 14, 1975

This was the first show of the tour and the first ever performance of 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' before the song became the multi-million selling #1 smash hit, Queen staple, and officially the greatest pop song ever. So good that those four ex-skifflers from Liverpool now seemed something of a distant memory.

Setlist

Intro - Kenny Everett introduction - Bohemian Rhapsody (opera) - Bohemian Rhapsody (rock) - Ogre Battle - Sweet Lady - White Queen - Flick of the Wrist - Bohemian Rhapsody (verses) - Killer Queen - March of the Black Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (ending) - Bring Back That Leroy Brown - The Prophet's Song - Stone Cold Crazy - Doing All Right - Son and Daughter - Guitar Solo - Keep Yourself Alive - Liar - In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Now I'm Here - Big Spender - Jailhouse Rock

Liverpool (November 15th, 1975) 80 mins

Live at the Empire Theatre Liverpool, England November 15th, 1975

Attendance: 2,300

This was the second of two nights in Liverpool, with the band playing even better than on the first night. The slips in the previous show were eliminated and the band is tight. The song 'Sweet Lady' could be something of a challenge live, but Freddie delivers a great vocal this not, making this version one of the very best. In other places, Freddie is still working out his approach to singing 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' so some of his phrasing sounds eccentric to those who are now used to later performances. 'Modern Times Rock N Roll' makes a rare appearance in one of the Opera shows. As usual, 'In the Lap of the Gods ... Revisited' makes for a great show closer. Recorded from the audience is excellent sound.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Son and Daughter - 13. The Prophet's Song - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - 15. Doing All Right - 16. Keep Yourself Alive - 17. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 18. Liar - 19. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited.

Manchester (November 26th, 1975, 6_00 PM) 88 mins

Live at the Free Trade Hall Manchester, England November 26th, 1975 (First Show) Attendance: 2,500

Queen performed two shows this day, at 6 PM and at 9 PM. This audience recording is of the first show, with a pretty good sound quality. Freddie is in good voice and the band are tight, enabling a good deal of creativity from Brian on guitar. This show contains the first known live performance of 'Brighton Rock,' taking the place of 'Son and Daughter.'

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - Ogre Battle - Sweet Lady - White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Seven Seas of Rhye - 19. Liar - 20. Now I'm Here - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. God Save the Queen.

Glasgow (December 15th, 1975) 93 mins

Live at the Apollo Glasgow, Scotland December 15th, 1975 Attendance: 3,500

This is the last date on the 1975 UK tour (excluding the BBC special in London), this show being the first of two nights in Glasgow. The show was recorded from the audience and is poor in quality. But fellow fanatics, obsessives, and completists will always consider something to be better than nothing and, priding themselves on being connoisseurs, will appreciate the superb performances throughout, with each band member on the top of their game. The great thing about these recordings, in however poor a quality, is that they make it possible for us to imagine being present, experiencing the unique qualities of each show.

Setlist

1. Ogre Battle - 2. Sweet Lady - 3. White Queen - 4. Flick of the Wrist - 5. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 6. Killer Queen - 7. The March of the Black Queen - 8. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 9. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 10. Brighton Rock - 11. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 12. The Prophet's Song - 13. Stone Cold Crazy - 14. Doing All Right - 15. Keep Yourself Alive - 16. Seven Seas of Rhye - 17. Liar - 18. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 19. Now I'm Here - 20. Big Spender - 21. Jailhouse Rock.

Glasgow (December 16th, 1975) 91 mins

Live at the Apollo Glasgow, Scotland December 16th, 1975 Attendance: 3,500

This was the last night of the Opera tour and the band is in exceptional form. Freddie is in good voice throughout and the musicianship from the other band members is fantastic. The audience recording is in decent quality and is mostly complete, with only 'Jailhouse Rock' and the taped closer 'God Save the Queen' missing. The tape thus ends with Shirley Bassey's 'Big Spender,' and hence a Queen worthy of being saved of sorts.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Seven Seas of Rhye - 19. Liar - 20. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Big Spender.

Live in London (December 24th, 1975) 68 mins

Live at the Hammersmith Odeon London, England December 24th, 1975 Multi-Track/Broadcast Merge Sound Quality: A+/A Attendance: 5,000 Special Event: Old Grey Whistle Test Christmas Special

This is a televised Christmas show at the Hammersmith Odeon filmed by the BBC and is quite the event. This was the band's most famous concert of the seventies, coming at the end of a hugely successful UK tour and on the back of a huge selling single and album, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'A Night at the Opera.' Queen were very much the band whose time had come, firmly establishing the band among the rock aristocracy. It is worth pointing out here how huge and meteoric the band's success was. Just two years later, with the rise of punk, Queen would be considered 'dinosaurs' of the rock establishment. This is errant nonsense given a) Queen's recent entry to the upper echelons and b) the raw and visceral live qualities of the band in live performance, driving them to the top. But the immensity of the band's success in reaching the top is indicated by the fact that they had seemed not only to belong there but to have been there for much longer than they actually had. By the end of 1975, Queen had not only 'made it,' they had made it big.

Interestingly, the constraints of a tight schedule meant that Queen had to reduce the set they had performed on the UK tour, with only 'Bohemian Rhapsody' from their latest album being performed. The concert therefore resembles the setlist for the 'Sheer Heart Attack Tour.' 'Now I'm Here' is the opening number for the last time. The final encore was not filmed, since the BBC camera crew had assumed that the band wouldn't return after Jailhouse Rock for another encore.

It's a famous show, but far from being Queen's best. Freddie, Roger, and Brian all had flu, and so were not in great physical shape. Which is a shame, because Queen would normally rise to the challenge of the big occasion.

1. Bob Harris Intro - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Bohemian Rhapsody - 6. Killer Queen - 7. The March of the Black Queen - 8. Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - 9. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 10. Brighton Rock - 11. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Liar - 14. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 15. Big Spender - 16. Jailhouse Rock - 17. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 18. Seven Seas of Rhye - 19. See What a Fool I've Been - 20. God Save the Queen

1976

Live in Boston (January 30th, 1976) 100 mins

Live in Boston 1976_01_30 100 mins

Live at the Boston Music Hall Boston, Massachusetts, USA January 30th, 1976, Attendance: 4,725

Audience Recording (Dan Lampinski) Sound Quality: A+

This show is Queen's second night in Boston and one of the very best performances in Queen's career. Recorded in outstanding quality from the audience, the band is on fire. It is also one of just five recordings from the American leg of the Opera Tour, so is something of a precious artefact. The band are fresh off the 1975 leg of the tour and so are comfortable with the material, they are also fresh after a break, with this being just the third show on the tour. The result is a fantastic performance recorded in superb sound. This is an outstanding show which boasts any number of highlights. The rousing opening sets the tone of what is to come, with the opera and rock section of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' cutting into 'Ogre Battle.' The sheer visceral energy of the opening immediately rouses the audience and the pace never lets up. The version of 'Sweet Lady' is, to my ears, infinitely superior to the album version in being looser, swinging like the clappers. There are a number of things that impresses about this show. This is a real rock show, boasting magnificent performances of the 'old' and 'new' Queen, with stellar performances of classics from the first two Queen albums merging seamlessly with material from 'Sheer Heart Attack.' The performances are consistently powerful and thrilling. The four tracks from 'A Night at the Opera' fit in perfectly rather than stand out. Two performances worthy of special note is a beautiful rendition of 'Doin' All Right' from thBe first album and a brave stab at the hugely ambitious 'The Prophet's Song' from the latest album. This is most certainly a rock opera, boasting a couple of set-piece, show-stopping medleys - the ballad opening of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' cuts into 'Killer Queen, with the band producing one of the best live versions of that song I've heard, successfully reproducing the up-beat nature of the single, which then cuts into the rock segment of 'March of the Black Queen' before culminating in the ballad which closes 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' It's a breath-taking section that whips the crowd into fever pitch. Then we get the older medley of 'Brighton Rock' cutting into 'Son and Daughter,' offering a showcase for Brian May's impressive guitar technique. Overall, this is an outstanding show from first to last, with a succession of stellar rock performances of the classic numbers. 'Liar' is worthy of special mention, with magnificent drumming to open before the guitars slam in. It's like being hit by a piledriver. There follows ab absolute show-stopper of a performance in a show that is studded with show-stoppers. The guitar solo is scorching. This is the band at the peak of their game, delivering all the old classics with panache, flair, and power. In the midst of all this hard rock, it is also good to hear the band perform 'Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon,' showing off the band's incredible stylistic range. Its inclusion here shows that the band - or Freddie - felt that the song had great potential 'You'll get used to that one,' Freddie says after delivering a delightful vocal performance. 'In the Lap of the Gods' brings the show to a close with a great anthemic ending. Except that it isn't the close at all! We get an encore that is as outstanding and as rousing as the show. 'Now I'm Here' sounds so vibrant as to be a concert opener! With that, we are up and running again, with Queen as the world's greatest rock'n'roll band. The Rock'n'roll medley is exhilarating, opening with the drum roll of 'Big Spender,' moving on to 'Jailhouse Rock' and culminating in a rampage through Stupid Cupid. Breathless! 'God Save the Queen' ends with applause. It's an absolute triumph of a show and the crowd clearly loved it.

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Seven Seas of Rhye - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 26. God Save the Queen.

Music Hall Boston 01_30_1976 (Full, Filmed Concert) 100 mins

Queen Live In Boston 1976 Synced up with: Rainbow 1974 Hammersmith Odeon 1975 Hyde Park 1976

Setlist

Intro - 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Verses) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Son and Daughter - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Seven Seas of Rhye - 21. Liar - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Big Spender - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. Stupid Cupid - 27. Be Bop a Lula - 28. Jailhouse Rock (Reprise) - 28. God Save the Queen.

New York (February 7th, 1976) 30 mins8

Live at the Beacon Theater New York City, New York, USA February 7th, 1976 Attendance: 3,000

An audience recording of just 30 minutes of Queen's third night at the venue, but in decent sound quality. The number of standout moments makes this well worth hearing.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock.

Milwaukee (March 2nd, 1976) 87 mins

Live at Milwaukee Auditorium Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA March 2nd, 1976 Attendance: 6,250

Recorded from the audience in decent sound quality, this show is exceedingly good. Whilst there aren't many Opera Tour recordings from the American leg, the ones that do exist reveal the band at their very best. There are several standout features of this concert in Milwaukee. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of 'Hangman' in the setlist, making it the only recording of the song outside the UK and Japan. Although noteworthy is that when it comes to the hard and fast part of the song, the band segue into a blistering performance of 'Modern Times Rock N Roll.' This would be the final recording of that song, and the only recorded version after 1975. Both these songs are blended with another couple of songs from the Queen I era, making this a condensed 'early' Queen set. The rather average sound notwithstanding, the quality of the performance is apparent throughout, revealing the band on peak form. This may be Freddie's best performance in the entire tour, and the band are at full tilt in an attempt to take the USA by storm. Average recording, magnificent show.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Hangman - 18. Modern Times Rock N Roll - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In The Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. God Save the Queen.

Santa Monica (March 11th, 1976) 92 mins

Live at the Civic Auditorium Santa Monica, California, USA March 11th, 1976, Attendance: 3,000

Audience Recording (Barry Goldstein) Sound Quality: A-

This is the fourth show in three days that Queen performed in Santa Monica (a double-header on the 9th, another show on the 10th, and this one. It is also the penultimate show on the US leg of the tour, ending the next day in San Diego. There are few signs of exhaustion, though, on this audience recording. Freddie's voice is strong and his performance is good. The band, too, are tight and on full force. They clearly are on top of the material and just power throughout the show. The sound quality is good and clear, indicating that the recording took place in close proximity to the speakers. Other than the odd cut before a couple of songs, the show is complete. This is a fantastic show and an essential document when it comes to the US shows of 1976.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Seven Seas of Rhye - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (March 22nd, 1976) - EVSD VERSION (2019) 95 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan March 22nd, 1976 Attendance: 14,000

This is Queen's first show on the tour of Japan supporting 'A Night at the Opera' and there is evidence here and there of nerves. The band were already huge in Japan, but were now returning as huge worldwide. There's the odd mistake from Brian on guitar, but these are more than remedied by some incredibly creative playing. Whilst this is far from the best show on the tour, it's pretty good and well worth a listen, an audience boasting very good sound quality.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Liar - 20. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Big Spender - 23. Jailhouse Rock - 24. God Save the Queen.

Live in Nagoya (March 23rd, 1976) 96 mins

Live at the Aichi Auditorium Nagoya, Japan March 23rd, 1976, Attendance: 7,400

If Freddie's vocal is a little rougher than the previous night, then the band are tighter so it's swings and roundabouts. Recorded from the audience in good sound, this is a good show.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 14. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 26. God Save the Queen.

Nagoya (March 23rd, 1976) 96 mins

Live at the Aichi Auditorium, Nagoya, Japan, March 23rd, 1976, Attendance: 7,400

Audience recording

The show gets off to a strong start, but Freddie's voice starts to crack in place. But he's in good spirits, toasting the toast, "May you all drink champagne tomorrow for breakfast." Recorded from the audience, the sound quality is good.

Setlist

Intro - Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - Ogre Battle - Sweet Lady - White Queen (As it Began) - Flick of the Wrist - Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - Killer Queen - The March of the Black Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - Bring Back that Leroy Brown - Brighton Rock - Sakura (Brighton Rock) - Son and Daughter (Reprise) - The Prophet's Song - The Prophet's Song (Vocal Improve) - The Prophet's Song (Reprise) - Stone Cold Crazy - Doing All right - Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - Keep Yourself Alive - Drum Solo - Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise) - Liar - In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited

Encore: 1 Now I'm Here

Encore: 2 Big Spender - Jailhouse Rock - Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - God Save the Queen

Live in Himeji (March 24th, 1976) 96 mins

Live at the Himeji Welfare Hall Himeji, Japan March 24th, 1976 Attendance: 6,000

This is the third date on the Japanese tour, and there is a marked deterioration in Freddie's performance, whether from illness or exhaustion. Brian is on good form on guitar, making the show worthy of a listen. The audience recording also sounds good.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 14. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 26. God Save the Queen.

Fukuoka (March 26th, 1976, 600 PM) 96 mins

Live at the Memorial Gymnasium Fukuoka, Japan March 26th, 1976 (Second Show) Attendance: 2,000

This is the second of two shows that Queen played on March 26th at Fukuoka. Performing two shows in one day is too much of a strain on an already ailing voice, and this is one of Freddie's poorest performances. Freddie would recover from this nadir and register some very strong performances as the tour progressed. The band are in excellent form, showing the Queen machine at full tilt.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Liar - 20. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Big Spender - 23. Jailhouse Rock - 24. God Save the Queen.

Live in Fukuoka (March 26th, 1976, 2_00 PM) 18 mins

Live at the Memorial Gymnasium Fukuoka, Japan March 26th, 1976 (First Show) Attendance: 2,000

This audience recording is a short part of the first of the two concerts that Queen performed in Fukuoka on March 26th 1976. Freddie is already struggling with his voice, a condition that would worsen in the second concert at night.

Setlist

Intro - 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - 2. Ogre Battle - 3. Sweet Lady - 4. Bohemian Rhapsody - 5. Killer Queen - 6. The March of the Black Queen - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise).

Live in Fukuoka (March 26th, 1976, 6_00 PM) 96 mins

Live at the Memorial Gymnasium Fukuoka, Japan March 26th, 1976 (Second Show) Attendance: 2,000

Audience Recording, good quality. This is the second show of the two that Queen performed on March 26th in Fukuoka. Freddie's voice sounds rough in this show and is clearly struggling. After having trouble with his voice for the past couple of nights, the two-show day certainly does not help Freddie, and he sounds very rough at this show, perhaps his worst show prior to Japan 79. Luckily, Freddie would begin to improve after tonight and give strong performances for the rest of the tour (although the drunken vocals at Osaka may be the outlier). As per usual on this tour, the band are in fine form and tear through the set with precision.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Liar - 20. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Big Spender - 23. Jailhouse Rock - 24. God Save the Queen.

Live in Osaka (March 29th, 1976, 2_00 PM) 91 mins

Live at the Osaka Welfare Hall Osaka, Japan March 29th, 1976 (First Show) Attendance: 2,400

This is the first of the two shows in Osaka that Queen performed on this day. Freddie's voice is better than it had been in Fukuoka, clearly benefiting from two days rest. The band is in top form, with some wonderful playing from Brian May on guitar. Recorded from the audience in excellent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 14. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods (Intro) - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. God Save the Queen.

Osaka (March 29th, 1976, 6_00 PM) 92 mins

Live at the Osaka Welfare Hall Osaka, Japan March 29th, 1976 (Second Show) Attendance: 2,400

Audience Recording Sound Quality: A

The second of two shows that Queen performed in Osaka on March 29th, 1976, this is an audience recording of excellent quality. After the first show of the day, the band attended a party, at which Freddie had a little too much to drink. He performs as best he can under the influence of alcohol. It makes for an entertaining hour and a half, with Freddie struggling to remember the lyrics to 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' a song that the world had heard so much of that everyone could sing it backwards. Whilst this is far from Freddie's finest hour, it is one of those documents which proves that the amazing Mr Mercury was never boring. It has to be noted, at the same, how rare it is for Queen to fall short of the highest professional standards. The band very rarely sold the public short with shoddy goods and standards. That's why they became one of the hottest tickets in town - people knew they would get a great show.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 14. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 26. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (March 31st, 1976) 106 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan March 31st, 1976 Attendance: 14,000

The Japan tour of 1976 is something of a curate's egg, with some great shows and some beset with problems. This is a great show, recorded from the audience in decent sound quality. After a number of decidedly average shows, the band turn in a blistering performance, with Freddie's voice recovering something of its power. The show is notable for being the final time that 'Seven Seas of Rhye' would be performed in full, disappearing from the setlist until its return in 1984.

Setlist

Intro - 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 14. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Seven Seas of Rhye - 21. Liar - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Big Spender - 25. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 26. See What a Fool I've Been - 27. God Save the Queen.

Hyde Park 1976 __ FULL CONCERT REMASTERED [2021] 84 mins

Live at Hyde Park London, England September 18th, 1976

Attendance: 150,000 - 200,000 Special Event: Free Concert

The Hyde Park show was final confirmation that Queen 'had really made it,' as Brian May put it. The show is the height of the band's success and popularity before they would come to be damned - quite unfairly - as 'dinosaurs' during the punk rebellion a year or so later. As Brian May said, "I think that Hyde Park was one of the most significant gigs in our career. There was a great affection because we'd kind of made it in a lot of countries by that time, but England was still, you know, we weren't really sure if we were really acceptable here. So it was a wonderful feeling to come back and see that crowd and get that response." Although the audience members had been watching the various opening acts and waiting all day for the main event, Queen delayed their entrance for as long as they could so their elaborate and expensive lighting system would have maximum impact in the dark. The band's edginess in performing in a big event are apparent throughout the show, making for an edgy show.

Setlist

1. Bob Harris Intro - 2. A Day At The Races Overture - 3. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 4. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 5. Ogre Battle - 6. Sweet Lady - 7. White Queen - 8. Flick of the Wrist - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 11. Killer Queen - 12. The March of the Black Queen - 13. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 14. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 15. Brighton Rock - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 18. '39 - 19. You Take My Breath Away - 20. The Prophet's Song - 21. Vocal Improv - 22. The Prophet's Song (Reprise) - 23. Stone Cold Crazy - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Drums Solo - 26. Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise) - 27. Liar - 28. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 29. Bob Harris Closing Statement.

Tokyo (April 1st, 1976) - EVSD VERSION (2019) 111 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan April 1st, 1976 Attendance: 14,000 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+

This is a fine show, its quality perhaps being underappreciated on account of its less than good sound quality. For this show, the band revives a couple of old standards, 'Hangman,' which is performed for its final time, and 'Father to Son,' which receives a fantastic performance. In keeping with the spirit of 'early' Queen revivalism, the band perform an intense rendition of the classic show closer 'See What a Fool I've Been' in the second encore. The band is on top form throughout and Freddie is in good voice.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Hangman - 8. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 9. Killer Queen - 10. The March of the Black Queen - 11. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 12. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. Sakura (Brighton Rock) - 15. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 16. The Prophet's Song - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Father to Son - 19. Doing All Right - 20. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Liar - 23. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 24. Now I'm Here - 25. Big Spender - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 28. See What a Fool I've Been - 29. God Save the Queen.

Sendai (April 2nd, 1976) 102 mins

Live at Miyagi Prefectural Sports Center Sendai, Japan April 2nd, 1976 Attendance: 6,000

After two nights at the Budokan in Tokyo, Queen brought the leg to a close with a couple of shows on a smaller scale. The song list, too, is stripped back, with 'early' Queen favourites 'Seven Seas of Rhye,' 'Hangman,' and 'See What a Fool I've Been' removed from the set. 'Father to Son' remains for one final - and suitably excellent performance. Freddie's voice is strong and the band are in good form. A great show recorded from the audience in decent quality.

Setlist

1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. Sweet Lady - 5. White Queen - 6. Flick of the Wrist - 7. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 8. Killer Queen - 9. The March of the Black Queen - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Stone Cold Crazy - 16. Father to Son (Final live performance) - 17. Doing All Right - 18. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Liar - 21. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 26. God Save the Queen.

Edinburgh (September 2nd, 1976) 91 mins

Live at the Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh, Scotland September 2nd, 1976 Attendance: 3,000 Special Event: The Festival of Popular Music

Audience Recording Sound Quality: C+

This show is the second of three warm-up shows that Queen played in preparation for Hyde Park. In many respects, the warm-up is better than the main event. The band had to reduce their set at Hyde Park due to time constraints, but here they play the whole set (although the audience recording, in decidedly poor sound, fails to capture the first few songs. This is also the earliest recording of a number of new songs in the set. If you can tolerate the sound and appreciate the recording for what it is, then this is a very good show, better than Hyde Park. Freddie is in superb voice throughout, and performs an exquisite version of 'You Take My Breath Away.' The closer 'In The Lap of the Gods Revisited' has never been so epic.

Setlist

1. Flick of the Wrist - 2. You're My Best Friend - 3. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 4. Killer Queen - 5. The March of the Black Queen - 6. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 7. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 8. Brighton Rock - 9. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - 10. '39 - 11. You Take My Breath Away - 12. The Prophet's Song - 13. Stone Cold Crazy - 14. Doing All Right - 15. Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon - 16. Tie Your Mother Down - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Liar - 19. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 20. Now I'm Here - 21. Big Spender - 22. Jailhouse Rock - 23. God Save the Queen/

London (September 18th, 1976) - Definitive Hyde Park Source Merge 84 mins

Live in Hyde Park London, England September 18th, 1976

Attendance: 150,000 - 200,000 Special Event: Free Concert

A massive event in Queen's live discography, and a huge triumph for the band. This free concert in Hyde Park has become one of Queen's most celebrated shows, the culmination of what can be seen as a victory tour in the aftermath of the successes of 'A Night at the Opera' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' The concert, set up by Queen and Richard Branson, set a record attendance for Hyde Park, which stands to this day. as if confirming their status as rock royalty, members of the band met Pink Floyd's Roger Waters backstage before the show. This is where Queen became 'dinosaurs' in the eyes of the soon-to-be disgruntled and disaffected. The band deliver an excellent performance. Whilst Freddie has some problems on the earlier songs, his performances are exceptional in many other parts of the show. There was no encore as the band had exceeded the time allotted for the venue and were threatened with arrest should they return to the stage. The band filmed the entire show but it never received official release. The show circulates on video, but not in good quality. This recording is taken from the best available audio sources in an attempt to present the definitive version of the Hyde Park show. It's a variable sound, from decent to excellent.

Setlist

1. Bob Harris Intro - 2. Overture - 3. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section) - 4. Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section) - 5. Ogre Battle - 6. Sweet Lady - 7. White Queen - 8. Flick of the Wrist (Final live performance) - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section) - 11. Killer Queen - 12. The March of the Black Queen (Final live performance) - 13. Bohemian Rhapsody (Ballad Section, Reprise) - 14. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 15. Brighton Rock - 16. Son and Daughter (Reprise) - (Final live performance) - 17. '39 - 18. You Take My Breath Away - 19. The Prophet's Song - 20. Stone Cold Crazy - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Liar - 23. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 24. Bob Harris Closing Statement/

Live at the Opera: OPERA TOUR Live Album 116 mins

Shows used:

European Leg:

1975-11-14 [LIVERPOOL]: Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock Section & Reprise)

1975-11-15 [LIVERPOOL]: Sweet Lady

1975-11-26 [MANCHESTER]: Flick of the Wrist; Bohemian Rhapsody (Verses); Liar

1975-12-13 [DUNDEE]: Son and Daughter (Reprise); Big Spender

1975-12-16 [GLASGOW]: Killer Queen; In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited

1975-12-24 [LONDON]: Jailhouse Rock Medley; God Save the Queen

North American Leg:

1976-01-30 [BOSTON]: Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera Section); Ogre Battle; The March of the Black Queen; Doing All Right

1976-03-02 [MILWAUKEE]: White Queen; Bring Back That Leroy Brown; Brighton Rock; Hangman; Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll; Now I'm Here

1976-03-11 [SANTA MONICA]: Stone Cold Crazy; Lazing on A Sunday Afternoon; Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas of Rhye

Japanese Leg:

1976-03-31 [TOKYO]: The Prophet's Song

1976-04-01 [TOKYO]: See What A Fool I've Been

1976-04-02 [SENDAI]: Father to Son

Setlist

Opera Intro - 1. Bohemian Rhapsody (Opera & Rock Section) - 2. Ogre Battle - 3. Sweet Lady - 4. White Queen - 5. Flick of the Wrist - 6. Bohemian Rhapsody (Verses) - 7. Killer Queen - 8. The March of the Black Queen - 9. Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise) - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Brighton Rock - 12. Son and Daughter (reprise) - 13. The Prophet's Song - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - Band Introduction - 15. Father to Son - 16. Doing All Right - 17. Hangman - 18. Modern Times Rock 'n' Roll - 19. Lazing on A Sunday Afternoon - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Seven Seas of Rhye - 22. Liar - 23. In the Lap of the Gods...Revisited - 24. Now I'm Here - 25. Big Spender - 26. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 27. See What A Fool I've Been - 28. God Save the Queen

1977

Toledo (January 30th, 1977) 43 mins

Live at the Toledo Sports Arena Toledo, Ohio, USA January 30th, 1977, Attendance: 6,500

This is the earliest available audience recording of Queen from 1977. This concert was performed on the 'Queen Lizzy' tour. After recording the whole of Thin Lizzy's opening set, the taper's batteries ran out, leaving us with just 43 minutes of Queen's set. What we have, though, is exceedingly good, with Freddie in strong voice and the band in thrilling form. The crowd are clearly excited and there is a great atmosphere in the venue. Freddie has to make an effort to calm down the audience at the beginning of 'White Queen.' I'm not surprised by either the atmosphere or the performance. Thin Lizzy were a magnificent band in their own right, a thrilling live act, and were breaking big at the time. These two bands sparking off against each other could only have lit an inferno.

Setlist

1. Overture - 0:00 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 0:48 3. Ogre Battle - 4:23 4. White Queen - 9:17 5. Somebody to Love - 15:10 6. Killer Queen - 20:23 7. The Millionaire Waltz - 22:22 8. You're My Best Friend - 25:13 9. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 27:14 10. Sweet Lady - 28:58 11. Brighton Rock - 32:58

New York (February 5th, 1977) 93 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA February 5th, 1977, Attendance: 20,000

Audience Recording (Rob Schoorl) Sound Quality: B

This is a landmark show in the Queen live concertograpthy. This was the band's first performance at Madison Square Garden and final proof that the band had made it on the global stage. Brian May had flown his parents into New York to see the show, the first time they had ever seen the band outside of the UK. May's father had always been decidedly sceptical of Brian's decision to pursue a career in rock music, seeing it as throwing away his education for a very uncertain field. This was the show that finally convinced May's father that Brian's choice was the right one after all. The show is good, although the audience recording isn't the best in terms of sound quality and cuts out in the middle of 'Ogre Battle' and misses 'Tie Your Mother Down' entirely. Freddie is in fair voice and delivers a fine performance in the main. But it is Brian May who excels in this show, playing with great precision and creativity, very probably inspired by the event and the special audience.

Setlist

1. Ogre Battle - 2. White Queen - 3. Somebody to Love - 4. Killer Queen - 5. The Millionaire Waltz - 6. You're My Best Friend - 7. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 8. Sweet Lady - 9. Brighton Rock - 10. '39 - 11. You Take My Breath Away - 12. White Man - 13. Vocal Improv - 14. The Prophet's Song - 15. Bohemian Rhapsody - 16. Stone Cold Crazy - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Liar - 19. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 20. Now I'm Here - 21. Big Spender - 22. Jailhouse Rock - 23. God Save the Queen

Live in Seattle (March 13th, 1977) 101 mins

Live at Seattle Center Arena Seattle, Washington, USA March 13th, 1977, Attendance: 8,000

Audience Recording with very good sound quality, this is the final US show of the Races Tour, with Queen playing three further shows in Canada to bring this leg of the tour leg to a close. The recording captures the show in its entirety (apart from 'God Save the Queen') and the sound quality is excellent, being taped close to the stage. After a lengthy tour, Freddie has some vocal difficulties, but is in decent voice throughout. The band are in good form and the show has many memorable moments, including a version of Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting.'

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. The Millionaire Waltz - 8. You're My Best Friend - 9. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 10. Brighton Rock - 11. '39 - 12. You Take My Breath Away - 13. White Man - 14. Vocal Improv - 15. The Prophet's Song - 16. Bohemian Rhapsody - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Liar - 20. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Big Spender - 23. Jailhouse Rock - 24. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 25. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula.

Stockholm (May 8th, 1977) 93 mins

Live at Johanneshovs Isstadion Stockholm, Sweden May 8th, 1977, Attendance: 9,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: B-/B

This show is the first leg of the Races Tour as it travelled from America to Europe. The band took the time between legs to rehearse a few new numbers to add to the set. 'Death On Two Legs' and 'Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy' are performed for the first time in this show, and Freddie sings well (although Brian has some trouble on guitar). Indeed, Freddie's voice is excellent throughout this tour leg, much better than it had been during the American leg, with Freddie in the process of developing the voice that would flourish during the 'News of the World' era.

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (First live performance) - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs (First live performance) - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. '39 - 14. You Take My Breath Away - 15. White Man - 16. Vocal Improv - 17. The Prophet's Song - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Stone Cold Crazy - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Liar - 23. Big Spender - 24. Jailhouse Rock - 25. God Save the Queen.

Gothenburg (May 10th, 1977) 105 mins

Live at the Scandinavium Gothenburg, Sweden May 10th, 1977

Attendance: 14,000

This is a superb concert, with the band delivering what may be their best performance of the tour. Freddie is in fantastic voice, going for notes that would have seemed unreachable earlier. This is a real contender for Freddie's best vocal performance of the whole Races Tour. In terms of musicianship, too, the band excel, with all members in peak form. Recorded from the audience, the sound quality is variable, pretty good overall, but with average moments.

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 30:49 11. Death On Two Legs - 32:33 12. Brighton Rock - 13. '39 - 14. You Take My Breath Away - 15. White Man - 16. Vocal Improv - 17. The Prophet's Song - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Sweet Lady - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar - 25. Big Spender - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

Copenhagen (May 12th, 1977) 100 mins

Live at Brondbyhallen Copenhagen, Denmark May 12th, 1977 Attendance: 4,500

This is the first of only two concerts that Queen performed in Denmark, and this is the first of them (the second came in 1978 in Copenhagen, too). Freddie's voice is in fairly good shape, better than in the more famous Earls Court shows on the same tour, and the band are tight. The performance is good and is captured on a very good audience recording (although the last couple of songs are missing).

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Brighton Rock - 13. '39 - 14. You Take My Breath Away - 15. White Man - 16. Vocal Improv - 17. The Prophet's Song - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Sweet Lady - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar

Rotterdam (May 17th, 1977) 111 mins

Live at the Ahoy Rotterdam, The Netherlands May 17th, 1977 Audience Recording

This is the band's return to the Netherlands after a few years away. Whereas they failed to fill a smallish venue on their last visit in 1974, the band now pack out a much larger venue. The country clearly inspired the band, and would be at the top of their game, here in Rotterdam and later in Leiden. From the off, Queen set a blistering pace, with Brian tearing into 'Tie Your Mother Down' and delivering a terrific solo, one of his very best. This pace and energy is carried on through the rest of the show. Among the classic Queen tracks, the band adds a cover of Bo Diddley's 'I'm a Man' to the encores. A hugely impressive show, recorded from the audience in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Sweet Lady - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. The Prophet's Song - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar - 25. I'm a Man - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

Bristol (May 23rd, 1977)

Live at the Bristol Hippodrome Bristol, England May 23rd, 1977, Attendance: 1,950

This show opens the short UK tour by which the band brought the hugely successful Races Tour to an end. By the end of the tour, Queen had confirmed their status as one of the very best and most popular bands in the world, and it is some indication of how far they had risen in so short a space of time that it causes some surprise to see them returning to small theatres in the UK. They would, however, climax the tour with two huge concerts at Earls Court, coinciding with Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee celebrations. Freddie's voice had expanded markedly during the past year, becoming richer and developing a greater power and range. He nails all the top notes for the most part and is in excellent voice throughout this show. Brian's guitar playing is also incredible, combining great precision and creativity. It's a good show, recorded from the audience in decent sound.

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Sweet Lady - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. The Prophet's Song - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar - 25. I'm A Man - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

Glasgow (May 30th, 1977) 115 mins

Live at the Apollo Glasgow, Scotland May 30th, 1977 Attendance: 3,500

Audience Recording (Bob Sawyer) Sound Quality: B+

Inspired by the enthusiasm and participation of the audience at the previous gig in Stafford (which inspired Freddie to write 'We are the Champions' and Brian to write 'We Will Rock You'), Queen put on a fantastic show, exuding force and energy. Freddie sounds phenomenal here, developing rapidly as a singer, increasingly at ease with difficult notes. The other band members are also on top of their game, rampaging through the setlist to deliver a superb concert. This is another contender for a concert that showcases Queen at their magnificent best, maybe the best show on the whole Races Tour.

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death On Two Legs - 12. Sweet Lady - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. The Prophet's Song - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar - 25. I'm a Man - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

Liverpool (June 2nd, 1977) 112 mins

Live at the Empire Theatre Liverpool, England June 2nd, 1977 Attendance: 2,300

Audience Recording ("Royal Family") Sound Quality: B

Absolutely superb concert. Everything that people celebrate about the two nights at Earls Court is turned up several notches here, resulting in a series of exceptional performances. This is Queen on fire, at the peak of their game. Everything we love about Earls Court is simply better here, richer, more vibrant, more intense. The band are on blistering form. The audience recording also yields another rendition of Bo Diddley's 'I'm a Man' (in place of 'Big Spender.') There are few recordings of that song, so this is a priceless gem. The sound quality is decidedly average, more or less listenable depending on the extent to which one is a Queen fan (and can suffer audience members enthusiastic in their love of Queen.)

Setlist

1. Overture - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ogre Battle - 4. White Queen - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 11. Death on Two Legs - 12. Sweet Lady (Final live performance) - 13. Brighton Rock - 14. '39 - 15. You Take My Breath Away - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. The Prophet's Song - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Liar - 25. I'm a Man - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

Queen, Live at Earl's Court Exhibition Center, London, England, June 6th, 1977, Attendance: 20,000

This is it, the main event, another landmark show in Queen's concertograpthy. This show is the first night of two that Queen performed at Earls Court. The recording from the audience has a fairly distant sound, but is decent for the most part. Of course, to the extent that there could never be a substitute for actually being at a Queen concert, all recordings suffer from a certain second hand feel, so we are left using the power of imagination to recreate the event in our heads. This gives us plenty enough to work with. It could be far better, but I tend to be grateful for what we receive from the fates.

1. Procession - 2. Overture - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Ogre Battle - 5. White Queen - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 9. The Millionaire Waltz - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Bring Back That Leroy Brown - 12. Death On Two Legs - 13. Doing All Right - 14. Brighton Rock - 15. '39 - 16. You Take My Breath Away - 17. White Man - 18. Vocal Improv - 19. The Prophet's Song - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 24. Now I'm Here - 25. Liar - 26. Lucille - 27. Jailhouse Rock - 28. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 29. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 30. God Save the Queen.

London (June 7th, 1977) 31 mins

Live at Earl's Court Exhibition Center London, England June 7th, 1977 Multi-Track/Soundboard Merge Sound Quality: A+/A/B Attendance: 20,000

This is the second show of the two nights that Queen performed at Earl's Court, and the final show of the Races Tour. The show is incomplete, with only 32 minutes of what would most likely have been a 130 minute show available. From what we have, it is evident that the band delivered a stellar performance. Freddie's voice is more powerful than the previous night, and the band are on fire. The Rock N Roll medley is awesome, perhaps their greatest ever, and the show has a whole boasts a number of strong performances. We can live in hope that one day the entire show will be released, in one form or another. The people who know and love Queen from their Live Aid and Wembley performances need to know that the band were that good at every stage of their career, with a string of landmark performances of that level running through their concertography. The world seemed surprised at Live Aid that Queen were the best band by far on the day. I wasn't. Not remotely. I would have been surprised had they not been.

Setlist

1. Tie Your Mother Down - 2. Ogre Battle (Final live performance of full song) - 3. Killer Queen - 4. '39 - 5. You Take My Breath Away (Final live performance) - 6. White Man - 7. Vocal Improv - 8. The Prophet's Song - 9. Bohemian Rhapsody - 10. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited (Final live performance of full song) - 11. Lucille - 12. Jailhouse Rock - 13. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 14. God Save the Queen.

Live at Earls Court 1977 (Marlamir Remaster) 120 mins

Setlist

Procession 1:11 A Day At The Races overture 1:50 Tie Your Mother Down 5:31 Ogre Battle 11:23 White Queen 17:56 Somebody To Love 23:44 Killer Queen 26:00 Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy 28:29 The Millionaire Waltz 31:46 You're My Best Friend 33:48 Bring Back That Leroy Brown 36:05 Death On Two Legs 40:11 Doing All Right 46:21 Brighton Rock 49:20 Guitar Solo 1:00:10 '39 1:04:11 You Take My Breath Away 1:08:13 White Man 1:12:42 The Prophet's Song 1:19:38 Bohemian Rhapsody 1:25:07 Keep Yourself Alive 1:29:35 Stone Cold Crazy 1:32:03 In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited 1:35:29 Now I'm Here 1:40:37 Liar 1:49:16 Lucille 1:51:15 Jailhouse Rock 1:54:04 Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting 1:55:32 Jailhouse Rock - improv 1:56:38 Stupid Cupid 1:57:59 God Save The Queen

London, October 6th 1977 - We Are the Champions Videoshoot concert 75 mins

This show was delivered on the occasion of Queen's shooting of the official video for 'We Are The Champions,' October 6th, 1977. The video was an attempt to recreate the live Queen experience and so involved a performance in front of an audience of highly enthusiastic fan club members. After the Video shoot, Queen performed a special live set by way of thanks to their fans for their support. The result is an incredible mini-concert, exciting and intimate, and a real joy to be savoured.

Setlist

1. Bob Harris Speech 2. Intro -WATC Shoot 1 3. WATC Shoot 2 4. Bob Harris Speech - WATC Shoot 3 5. Tie Your Mother Down 6. Keep Yourself Alive 7. Somebody to Love 8. White Man 9. The Prophet's Song / Vocal Improvisation 10. Liar 11. Bohemian Rhapsody (verses) 12. Now I'm Here 13. Jailhouse Rock 14. See What a Fool I've Been

London (October 6th, 1977) - 2019 UPGRADE 53 mins

Live at New London Theatre London, England October 6th, 1977 Attendance: 900

Special Event: We Are the Champions Music Video Shoot

This concert is a special one-off performance that Queen gave to the 900 or so fan club members who attended the video shoot for 'We Are the Champions.' After going through a number of takes for the video, Queen performed this mini-set by way of a thank you. It's a kind of Live Aid, showing just how good the band were at stripping down and scaling back their sound for an intimate gig (as well as blowing it up for a packed stadium). Whilst it is somewhat strange to see the huge band that Queen had become playing to such a small audience, the fact is that they could do it and had the musical nous to scale up or scale down as required. The band deliver a phenomenal performance here, each member on the top of their considerable game. This show represents the emergence of a new Queen, as they transitioned out of their 'early' glam and prog roots - still evident in the Races Tour - into that 'classical' mid seventies period and now into a more contemporary rock act. The transitioning would continue as the band incorporated more pop and then dance/disco/funk. That's healthy, indicating a continued growth and development, rather than dying through the repetition of past sounds and successes. A perpetual victory tour eventually becomes empty and boring. Poor Elvis could never spring the trap that forever stands in the way of great artists. Queen were never boring. They may have lost a few of their older fans, but they always managed to acquire new fans with every passing year. This show marks the beginning of Queen's maturation into one of the world's greatest - and biggest - bands. If this was indeed the passing from the old into the new, then the 'early' Queen receives a magnificent send off. The set closes with the final ever performance of 'See What a Fool I've Been,' and is blessed with one of Freddie's greatest ever vocal performances. It's a great song (much, much better in live performance than on the 'camp' studio version). And whilst it is sad to say goodbye to the song, I remember Freddie Mercury in interview saying that he has no interest in constantly doing the same things. The band chose innovation over repetition, a much braver and more creative route, one more in tune with the insurgency and resurgency of life.

Setlist

1. Tie Your Mother Down - 0:09 2. Keep Yourself Alive - 3:49 3. Somebody to Love - 8:14 4. White Man - 14:22 5. Vocal Improv - 19:05 6. The Prophet's Song - 23:00 7. Liar - 25:09 8. Bohemian Rhapsody - 33:26 9. Now I'm Here - 35:33 10. Jailhouse Rock - 40:27 11. See What a Fool I've Been - 48:50 | Final live performance

Detroit (November 18th, 1977) 107 mins

Live at Cobo Hall Detroit, Michigan, USA November 18th, 1977, Attendance: 12,000

This is the earliest recording available (to date) from the 'News of the World Tour,' and it's a superb show. Freddie is in good voice, and the rest of the band are in fine form. The sound quality is also pretty good for an audience recording, the major drawback being that the recording itself is incomplete: 'Stone Cold Crazy,' 'Now I'm Here,' and the second encore are cut.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. It's Late - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. The Millionaire Waltz - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Liar - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Keep Yourself Alive - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions.

Live in Toronto (November 21st, 1977) 116 mins

Live at Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario, Canada November 21st, 1977, Attendance: 16,500

An audience recording of the only Canadian date performed on this tour. The show is from early in the tour and the band are still familiarising themselves with the new setlist. The tape is mostly complete, only missing most of '39 and 'My Melancholy Blues.' Other than that, and the average sound, the recording is an excellent document capturing Queen at this exciting stage of their career. This is also the earliest recorded performance of 'Sheer Heart Attack,' which is Queen's response to punk rock (unnecessary, in my opinion, but ... lively, giving Freddie licence to go on a destructive rampage in a spangly leotard. The mind boggles. Entertaining, if you have a taste and talent for it).

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. It's Late - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down Make Love - 11. The Millionaire Waltz - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Liar - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. White Man - 18. Vocal Improv - 19. Guitar Solo - 20. The Prophet's Song - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Now I'm Here - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. God Save the Queen.

Philadelphia (November 23rd, 1977) 123 mins

Live at the Spectrum Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA November 23rd, 1977, Attendance: 18,200

Audience Recording Sound Quality: B

This is a great show, among the band's very best performances of the 'News of the World Tour, and one of their best ever (which, admittedly, is a lengthy list). Freddie is in good voice, although his nodules seem to trouble him in certain places. Given that Freddie was struck down with laryngitis within the week, the odd frailty here and there is understandable. Brian May is in exceptional form. A rather vocal audience member says what needs saying when he declares "May's better than f^*&%n' [Jimmy] Page!" Damn right! The setlist contains a nice surprise, a shortened version of 'early' Queen favourite 'Ogre Battle,' performed here for the final ever time. The show is long, lasting over two hours even with numerous cuts. The many great performances and memorable moments in this show have raised it to classic status in the Queen concertography.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. It's Late - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. The Millionaire Waltz - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Ogre Battle (Final live performance) - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Liar - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. My Melancholy Blues - 19. White Man - 20. Vocal Improv - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. The Prophet's Song - 23. Keep Yourself Alive - 24. Stone Cold Crazy - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Now I'm Here - 27. Tie Your Mother Down - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. Sheer Heart Attack - 31. Jailhouse Rock - 32. God Save the Queen.

New York (December 1st, 1977) 123 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA December 1st, 1977, Attendance: 20,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+/B

As fantastic a show as it is a great event, this is the classic landmark concert crowning the 'News of the World Tour.' The band are full tilt on their A-game, maintaining a blistering pace throughout a lengthy two hour plus show. Still recovering from laryngitis, Freddie has some trouble hitting the higher notes and sings within his normal range throughout, but overall is in fine voice. The sound quality is not good and, taken from two sources, is variable, but listenable. It just leaves Queen obsessives (such as I) a little sad that such a highpoint hasn't been perfectly captured for all time. But such is life.

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. It's Late - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. The Millionaire Waltz - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Liar - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Now I'm Here - 23. Stone Cold Crazy - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Keep Yourself Alive - 26. Tie Your Mother Down - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. Sheer Heart Attack - 30. Jailhouse Rock.

New York (December 2nd, 1977) 113 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA December 2nd, 1977, Attendance: 20,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: B

Another big event and fantastic performance on the 'News of the World Tour.' The band were strong in all areas on this tour and hit at full power in this show. For some reason, the band reworked the setlist quite drastically for this show, dropping three songs from their new album, played on the first night, and replacing them with 'Doing All Right' and 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting.' This would be the final time that 'Doing All Right' would be performed by the band, and is the finest version of the song in the opinion of many, displaying perfect vocal harmonies and superlative musicianship. It's a song that has faded from memory somewhat, but it did loom quite large in the Queen repertoire up to this point, and this rendition more than earns the song a cherished place in memory. Freddie sings well and is in strong voice, willing and able to hit the high notes once more.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Doing All Right (Final live performance) - 13. Liar - 14. Love of My Life - 15. '39 - 16. White Man - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. The Prophet's Song - 20. Now I'm Here - 21. Stone Cold Crazy - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Keep Yourself Alive - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 30. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 31. God Save the Queen.

Copenhagen 1977/05/12 112 mins

Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen, Denmark April 13th, 1978 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A- Attendance: 2,000

One of only two occasions that Queen played in Denmark, and the band are on fire, each member on their A-Game tonight and at full tilt. This is another contender for the best Queen live performance (there are many). Near flawless, vibrant, and thrilling renditions of each song makes this a superb listen. Happily, this audience recording has pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 -17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 30. God Save the Queen.

The Summit, Houston 11/ 12/ 1977) 108 mins

Superb concert recorded in good quality. This is Queen at their most awesome. The band was on their A-game during the 'News of the World Tour,' clearly hell-bent on conquering America big time. The intention, no question, was to become as big in the US as the band had become in the UK, and maybe as big as they were in Japan. By the evidence of this show, the band were fully entitled to think big. Queenmania would have been a more than appropriate response. Freddie is in strong voice and confident mood, the tracks flow seamlessly, the band is fluid, delivering one stellar performance after another. It's an exceptional performance, capturing 'classic' Queen in prime condition. 'Somebody to Love' is perhaps uncertain, with Brian May not quite on song. But it's an exhilarating show, with Queen on the front foot throughout. May is superb on 'Liar,' which is one of many standout performances. Some excellent performances of 'different' material, a lively 'The Millionaire Waltz' and a wonderful 'My Melancholy Blues,' along with the acoustic section that became a regular part of the set. And some incredibly hot rock. It's incredible to hear the two powerhouse Brian May tracks, 'White Man' and 'The Prophet's Song,' back to back, making huge vocal demands on Freddie. Either of these alone would have been sufficient to finish any singer off. May is in uncompromising form on the hard rock. By running the two numbers together, the performance makes clear the extent to which these tracks are compatriots. It's arguable that, although lesser known, 'White Man' is actually the more perfectly realized number, packing a hard punch. Incredible sounds on 'The Prophet's Song,' though, almost surreal. Via May's guitar showcase, the whole section runs into 'Now I'm Here' and 'Stone Cold Crazy.' Those still standing are treated to 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' This is a performance of breathless brilliance. The kind of show of which legends are made.

Setlist

We Will Rock You (Slow); We Will Rock You (Fast); Brighton Rock; Somebody To Love; Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...); Killer Queen; Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down, Make Love; The Millionaire Waltz; You're My Best Friend; Liar; Love Of My Life; '39; My Melancholy Blues; White Man; The Prophet's Song; Guitar Solo; Now I'm Here; Stone Cold Crazy; Bohemian Rhapsody; Keep Yourself Alive; Drum Solo; Keep Yourself Alive (Reprise); Tie Your Mother Down

Encore: We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions Encore: Sheer Heart Attack; Jailhouse Rock; God Save The Queen

1978

Stockholm (April 12th, 1978) 111 mins

Live at Johanneshovs Isstadion Stockholm, Sweden April 12th, 1978 Attendance: 9,000

This is the opening show on the European leg of the 'News of the World Tour,' and the band is in good form. Freddie is in excellent voice, delivering performances which in a few instances eclipse even the studio versions. This is a fantastic show which has classic status in the Queen concertograpthy.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock Medley.

Copenhagen (April 13th, 1978) - Remastered 112 mins

Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen, Denmark April 13th, 1978, Attendance: 2,000 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A-

This is a fantastic concert packed with phenomenal performances. The band are on fire delivering near flawless renditions of each song.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 30. God Save the Queen.

Live in Copenhagen (April 13th, 1978) - Remastered 112 mins

Live at Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen, Denmark April 13th, 1978, Attendance: 2,000

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock Medley - 30. God Save the Queen.

Rotterdam (April 20th, 1978) 123 mins

Live at the Ahoy Rotterdam, The Netherlands April 20th, 1978 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B- Attendance: 9,000

Another of the great shows from the 'News of the World Tour,' with all members of the band in top form. Freddie is in strong voice and Brian is performing acrobatics across the fretboard, with Roger playing out of his skin and John driving the whole thing on. For all that the 'News of the World' album was a stripped down hard rock sound, you can hear the new pop rock of 'Jazz' in its emergence on this tour. For all of the controversy that the 'Jazz' album excited, that sound was not the aberration critics took it to be. Indeed, the reason the performances on the Jazz Tour are so strong is because they had been a long time in preparation. Queen would continue to try to develop as a band. Many drew the line at the 'Hot Space' album. If 'Jazz' drew a certain scepticism, 'Hot Space' attracted plain hostility. But the fact remains that the 'Hot Space tour' contained some truly hot performances, ushering in yet another 'new' Queen sound.

The setlist for this show diverges a little from the typical 'News' setlist, with 'Liar,' once a live standard but no longer, being restored in place of 'It's Late.' It's an odd selection, given that 'It's Late' was from the new album which the tour supported. The sound quality of this audience recording isn't too good, possibly explaining why this superb show isn't better known and celebrated. The show also falls under the shadow cast by the two immense performances that the band had delivered a week earlier. But this show is on a par with those, making it one of the great Queen shows.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death on Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. Liar - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. Stupid Cupid/Be Bop a Lula - 31. God Save the Queen.

Paris (April 23rd, 1978) 122 mins

Live at Pavillon de Paris Paris, France April 23rd, 1978, Attendance: 10,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+

This is Queen's first ever show in France. Interest in the band in France had been slow, until 'We Will Rock You' became a massive smash, holding the #1 slot for weeks. The band had originally planned just the one show on the 24th, but the ticket demand was so high as to justify an extra date. The performance is excellent, with Freddie in great voice. The shows from this tour are consistently strong, with all band members on top of their game. It may be best to leave it there, rather than overload the text with minor quibbles over performances that are more or less great.

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Stone Cold Crazy - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. God Save the Queen.

London (May 11th, 1978) 120 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England May 11th, 1978, Attendance: 12,500

Audience Recording Sound Quality: C+

This show is the first of three nights at Wembley Arena and is numbered among the "big five" shows of the News of the World Tour, that select group of shows on the 1978 European tour in which the band, already in top form, go into another gear to deliver something extra special. Freddie is in great shape, and the band are in top form. It is a magnificent performance, with the band on the very top of their form. The only drawback is poor sound quality of the audience recording. It's still a great show, though, and it is almost idle to comment that Freddie is in great voice and the musicianship top of the range. That comment serves for all of the Queen performances on this tour.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Liar - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Keep Yourself Alive - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. Jailhouse Rock.

London (May 12th, 1978) 108 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England May 12th, 1978, Attendance: 12,500

This is the second of three shows that Queen performed at Wembley Arena on the 'News of the World Tour.' Numbered among one of the "big five" shows from this superb tour, this concert is exceptional, and can be heard in decent, but not great, sound. A number of tracks have also been cut, ('Bohemian Rhapsody,' 'Keep Yourself Alive,' and 'Tie Your Mother Down') and there are other cuts throughout, making this a much less than perfect document. It's still very enjoyable for all that.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Brighton Rock - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down Make Love - 10. The Millionaire Waltz - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. It's Late - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. My Melancholy Blues - 18. White Man - 19. Vocal Improv - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. The Prophet's Song - 22. Liar - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. God Save the Queen.

London (May 13th, 1978) 118 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England May 13th, 1978, Attendance: 12,500

This is the final show of the 'News of the World Tour,' and the band decide to bring things to a close by shaking things up a little. 'White Queen' is reintroduced into the setlist, after nearly a year's absence, and is performed for one last time at this show. The band also transform their usual 'Jailhouse Rock' into a 12-bar-blues played in a straight beat, breathing new life into an old Elvis favourite. More importantly with respect to shows to come the band ends the show with the soon to be classic one-two punch of 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions' for the very first time. Although these tracks open the 'News of the World' album, they work incredibly well as closers, encapsulating the entire Queen live experience in an act of consummation. Beyond these deviations and variations, the band is in great form, delivering one of the "big five" shows from this the tour. Freddie in particular is in incendiary form, singing with full force from 'Now I'm Here.' The often overlooked 'White Man' is magnificent here, with Freddie's vocal performance doing justice to one of Brian May's best numbers. This is a superb show (notwithstanding the fact that the first three songs are cut entirely, and half of 'Liar' is missing.

Setlist

1. Somebody to Love - 2. White Queen (Final live performance) - 3. Death On Two Legs - 4. Killer Queen - 5. Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (Final live performance) - 6. I'm In Love With My Car - 7. Get Down Make Love - 8. The Millionaire Waltz - 27:30 (Final live performance) - 9. You're My Best Friend - 10. Spread Your Wings - 11. It's Late - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Love of My Life - 14. '39 - 15. My Melancholy Blues - (Final live performance) - 16. White Man (Final live performance) - 17. Vocal Improv - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. The Prophet's Song (Final live performance) - 20. Liar - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Keep Yourself Alive - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Dallas (October 28th, 1978) 104 mins

Live at Dallas Convention Center Dallas, Texas, USA October 28th, 1978, Attendance: 10,000

From the heights of the 'News' tour, Queen not so much sailed as soared into hot water. Queen had always somewhat polarized opinion, but now they were competing with their past achievements and identities as they started to explore new musical directions. People now tend to remember the controversies sparked by 'Hot Space' in 1982, but before that album was 'Jazz,' an album and tour considered somewhat out of kilter with the band's identity. This is the first show of the 'Jazz Tour,' considered to be the Freddie's worst tour. There are many reasons advanced for that damning verdict. One reason offered is that the tour was long and exhausting, so it is worth noting that any examples of poor vocal performance from Freddie will be found on '79 legs. Freddie is still in very good voice on the '78 leg. Much of the controversy, I would suggest, is over style, both in sound and vision. The band's image and identity was changing, showing a marked move away from 'classical' Queen, the Queen that had made it to the top. In many respects, the 'Jazz Tour' shows the band attaining a new musical peak, a little different from their previous identity, but a peak all the same. Musically, the band are hugely impressive on tracks like 'Brighton Rock,' 'It's Late,' 'Now I'm Here,' and 'Spread Your Wings.' The new 'Jazz' material adds a more contemporary rock-pop feel, quickens the pace and adds a certain fluidity. To my ears, the band are moving in the direction of rock inflected pop, even dance/disco should one add synths and beats and a more prominent bassline.

This show reveals the band at the beginning of a new era. The band clearly haven't rehearsed the new set as hard as they normally would and the show is marked by errors, both individual and, most remarkable for Queen, collective. Freddie is also straining in parts, clearly trying to adjust to new material. For all of these reasons, this is one of the poorer shows in the Queen concertography, but is still historically interesting on account of containing the first performances of a number of songs from the new 'Jazz' album. 'Dreamer's Ball' stands out here in being played at a faster pace than in the studio and in future live performance.

It may or may not be of interest to note that the music videos for 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and 'Bicycle Race' were shot just a few hours before this show.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You (First live performance) - 4. If You Can't Beat Them (First live performance) - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race (First live performance) - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball (First live performance) - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls (First live performance) - 20. Sheer Heart Attack - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Landover (November 6th, 1978) - Source Merge (320 kbps) 97 mins

Live at Capital Center Landover, Maryland, USA November 6th, 1978, Attendance: 20,000

Audience Recording (Jeffrey Lee) Sound Quality: B

A fairly complete show recorded in decent quality. 'Tie Your Mother Down' is cut slightly, 'Dreamer's Ball' is cut heavily, and 'We Will Rock You' is cut entirely.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. If You Can't Beat Them - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Spread Your Wings - 13. Dreamer's Ball - 14. Love of My Life - 15. '39 - 16. It's Late - 17. Brighton Rock - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Sheer Heart Attack - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. We Are the Champions.

Providence (November 14th, 1978) 110 mins

Live at Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island, USA November 14th, 1978, Attendance: 14,000

Audience recording boasting excellent sound, this is a superb show containing a number of outstanding performances. Freddie's voice shows a little strain here and there, but he sounds good overall. The band is tight and in control of the material, making for a good show. There is a little blast from the past when the band play the opening snippet of 'The March of the Black Queen' before transitioning into 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' This was the first and only time that the opening part of 'Black Queen' was performed live on stage by the band, and would be the last time a song from 'Queen II' would be performed live until 1984. Whilst the song's reappearance here likely came in response to an audience request, but the fact that the entire band joined in as soon as Freddie started to play the opening piano notes suggests that it was not entirely unplanned and that the band had been rehearsing the song as a possible contender for the setlist.

The excellence the band displays during this show allied to the high quality of the recording combines to give this show a high profile in the Queen concertography. As an indication of the new worlds and new directions the band were heading for and in, this show coincided with the release of 'Jazz' in the US.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. The March of the Black Queen (Intro) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Live in New York (November 16th, 1978)

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA November 16th, 1978, Attendance: 20,000

This is a big show, the first of two nights at Madison Square Garden. The band are in great form for this important date and Freddie is in excellent voice, delivering what may well be his best performance of the entire tour (along with the Landover show). The sound quality is decent rather than good, listenable but no more. It is well worth listening to this show back to back with the MSG show from the next night. If the vocals are stronger on this show then the band is more creative on the next, so it is good to get a blend by drawing on both.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

New York (November 17th, 1978) 117 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA November 17th, 1978, Attendance: 20, 000

This is the second of two nights at Madison Square Garden on the 'Jazz Tour.' It's an important date and Freddie is in good voice and the band are on fire. This show has a claim for being the best show of the 'Jazz Tour,' alongside the first night at MSG, Landover, and Oakland. Freddie's voice is a little rougher and shakier than the first night, but the band's playing is more creative and fluid. So it's swings and roundabouts. This recording is a three source merge and is therefore of variable quality, but very high all the same. The source which is used for the majority of the recording boasts an incredible sound, making this an essential listen.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

New York City 11/17/ 1978 COMPLETE REMASTERED 119 mins

Friday, November 17, 1978 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Intro We Will Rock You (Fast) Let Me Entertain You Somebody to Love If You Can't Beat Them Death On Two Legs Killer Queen Bicycle Race I'm In Love With My Car Get Down, Make Love You're My Best Friend Now I'm Here Spread Your Wings Dreamers Ball Love Of My Life '39 It's Late Brighton Rock Fat Bottomed Girls Keep Yourself Alive Bohemian Rhapsody Tie Your Mother Down Sheer Heart Attack We Will Rock You We Are The Champions God Save The Queen

Philadelphia (November 20th, 1978) 113 mins

Live at the Spectrum Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA November 20th, 1978, Attendance: 18,200

The band are in good form, putting on a good show. The sound quality is not too good but the musicianship is excellent and Freddie's voice still in decent shape, before the strain of a long tour started to show.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Montreal (December 1st, 1978) 118 mins

Live at the Montreal Forum Montreal, Quebec, Canada December 1st, 1978, Attendance: 18,000

Audience recording with superb sound quality. In line with the general standard of this tour, the band's performance is excellent. That said, 'Brighton Rock' is something of a disaster, with Brian breaking a string and loses track of where he is. Roger fills in with a drum solo, and the song is ended with neither able to extricate themselves from the mess. The band go off the rails in a couple other instances too, making for a performance that is less than perfect. It's still good, but there are better performances on this tour. Further, it is in this show that the strains start to be heard in Freddie's voice, a problem that would get worse, leading to the view that this was Freddie's worst tour. This is unfair, given that Freddie had been in strong voice up to this point. But from now on, the cracks start to show. It's a solid show all the same.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Toronto (December 3rd, 1978) 120 mins

Live at Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario, Canada December 3rd, 1978, Attendance: 16,500

The glitches which hobbled parts of the Montreal show a couple of days earlier are ironed out here, making for a show of more consistent quality, the band performing better than in Montreal. 'Brighton Rock' is performed without any hitches, only for Brian to have problems in a few other areas. Freddie is in stronger voice, though. If the sound quality is less impressive than the Montreal show, it is still good.

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Chicago (December 7th, 1978) 115 mins

Live at Chicago Stadium Chicago, Illinois, USA December 7th, 1978, Attendance: 18,000

A fantastic show captured in good sound from the audience. If Freddie's voice is a little strained at times, he still manages to sing well within those constraints. The band are tight, displaying good, confident, creative musicianship. This show distils the essence of the 'Jazz Tour' and delivers it in the one performance. Interestingly, before 'Spread Your Wings,' Freddie plays a snippet of 'Don't Stop Me Now,' which had yet to find its way into the setlist. As to why the song was so slow to enter the live repertoire, we can only speculate. Brian was known not to care too much for the song, perhaps indicating at controversies over musical differences and directions. The song clearly anticipates the pop and dance turn in the 1980s. Now recognized as a Queen classic, it wasn't that big a hit at the time, stalling outside of the top ten, and not particularly liked within the band. I think Freddie knew its qualities, and these eventually came out in public. A little hesitant step in the emergence of a new Queen.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now (Intro) - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Fat Bottomed Girls - 21. Keep Yourself Alive - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Chicago 12/7/1978 115 mins

Queen - Live in Chicago, Illinois, USA - December 7, 1978

Setlist

We Will Rock You (Fast)- Let Me Entertain You - Somebody to Love - If You Can't Beat Them - (Medley) Death on Two Legs - (Medley) Killer Queen - (Medley) Bicycle Race - (Medley) I'm in Love with My Car - (Medley) Get Down, Make Love - (Medley) You're My Best Friend - Now I'm Here - Don't Stop Me Now (Piano Intro) - Spread Your Wings - Dreamer's Ball - Love of My Life - '39 - It's Late - Brighton Rock - Fat Bottomed Girls - Keep Yourself Alive - Bohemian Rhapsody - Tie Your Mother Down - Sheer Heart Attack - We Will Rock You - We Are the Champions - God Save the Queen.

Vancouver (December 14th, 1978) 115 mins

Live at Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada December 14th, 1978, Attendance: 17,500

Audience Recording (Fred W) Sound Quality: A

A long and exhausting tour had put way too much of a strain on Freddie's voice, and the roughness shows at times in this show. At the same time, Freddie was smart enough a vocalist to know how to use what he has to its best effect. As a result, he still manages to put in some decent performances here, managing to sound good when singing well within his usual range. Brian May is at the very top of his game at this show, playing with a blend of precision and creativity that characterises only the very best of the very best. This show contains what may very well be the definitive version of 'Brighton Rock.'

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Oakland (December 16th, 1978) 116 mins

Live at Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, California, USA December 16th, 1978, Attendance: 15,000

Although coming near the end of an exhausting tour, putting impossible strains on Freddie's voice, this show has a real claim to be the best show on the 'Jazz Tour.' Freddie has recovered something of his vocal strength and range and sounds pretty good. The band, however, are performing at their peak, demonstrating a simply superb fluidity and creativity in their musicianship. Musically, the band were rarely better, with amazing fills from Roger and blistering fretboards from Brian and John. It is one of Queen's greatest ever performances. Unfortunately, the sound quality of this audience recording is pretty average, making us pine for the perfection this could so easily have been.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

American Jazz Tour - Unofficial Live Album 1978 114 mins

Concerts Used: Dallas 10/28/1978 (B+ Quality) Landover 11/6/1978 (B- Quality) Providence 11/14/1978 (A Quality) New York 11/16/1978 (B Quality) New York 11/17/1978 (A Quality) [Source 3] Montreal 12/1/1978 (A Quality) Toronto 12/3/1978 (A- Quality) Vancouver 12/14/1978 (A Quality) Oakland 12/16/1978 (B Quality)

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts & Lightning (New York 11/16/1978) - 2. We Will Rock You [Fast] (New York 11/16/1978) - 3. Let Me Entertain You (New York 11/16/1978) - 4. Somebody to Love (Landover 11/6/1978) - 5. If You Can't Beat Them (New York 11/16/1978) - 6. Death On Two Legs (Landover 11/6/1978) - 7. Killer Queen (Oakland 12/16/1978) - 8. Bicycle Race (Landover 11/6/1978) - 9. I'm In Love With My Car (New York 11/16/1978) - 10. Get Down, Make Love (New York 11/16/1978) - 11. You're My Best Friend (Vancouver 12/14/1978) - 12. Now I'm Here (New York 11/16/1978) - 13. Spread Your Wings (Vancouver 12/14/1978) - 14. Dreamer's Ball (New York 11/16/1978) - 15. Love of My Life (Dallas 10/28/1978) - 16. '39 (Landover 11/6/1978) - 17. It's Late (Landover 11/6/1978) - 18. Brighton Rock (Toronto 12/3/1978) - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls (New York 11/17/1978) - 20. Keep Yourself Alive (New York 11/17/1978) - 21. The March of the Black Queen (Providence 11/14/1978) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody (New York 11/16/1978) - 23. Tie Your Mother Down (Montreal 12/1/1978) - 24. Sheer Heart Attack (New York 11/16/1978) - 25. We Will Rock You (Montreal 12/1/1978) - 26. We Are The Champions (New York 11/16/1978) - 27. God Save the Queen (New York 11/16/1978).

1979

Crazy Tour 1979 - Unofficial Live Album 117 mins

Concerts Used: Glasgow 12/1/1979 (C+ Quality) Newcastle 12/3/1979 (C+ Quality) Newcastle 12/4/1979 (B+ Quality) Liverpool 12/6/1979 (B+ Quality) London 12/26/1979 (A Quality)

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning [Intro] (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 2. Jailhouse Rock (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 3. We Will Rock You [Fast] (London 12/26/1979) - 4. Let Me Entertain You (London 12/26/1979) - 5. Somebody to Love (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 6. If You Can't Beat Them (London 12/26/1979) - 7. Mustapha (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 8. Death On Two Legs (Glasgow 12/1/1979) - 9. Killer Queen (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 10. I'm In Love With My Car (Liverpool 12/6/1979) - 11. Get Down, Make Love (Glasgow 12/1/1979) - 12. You're My Best Friend (London 12/26/1979) - 13. Save Me (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 14. Now I'm Here (Liverpool 12/6/1979) - 15. Don't Stop Me Now (London 12/26/1979) - 16. Spread Your Wings (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 17. Love of My Life (Liverpool 12/6/1979) - 18. '39 (Liverpool 12/6/1979) - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 20. Keep Yourself Alive (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 21. Instrumental Inferno (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 22. Liar (Newcastle 12/4/1979) 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Liverpool 12/6/1979) 24. Bohemian Rhapsody (Newcastle 12/4/1979) - 25. Tie Your Mother Down (Glasgow 12/1/1979) - 26. Sheer Heart Attack (Newcastle 12/3/1979) - 27. We Will Rock You (Glasgow 12/1/1979) - 28. We Are the Champions (London 12/26/1979) - 29. God Save the Queen (London 12/26/1979).

Dortmund (January 21st, 1979) 100 mins

Live at Westfalenhalle Dortmund, West Germany January 21st, 1979, Attendance: 16,000

Audience Recording 

The European leg of the 'Jazz Tour' frequently falls under the heading of 'Live Killers,' after the double album the band issued under that title, composed of tracks recorded on this leg of the tour. On a personal note, I became a teenager in the time of 'Jazz' and 'Live Killers,' so this period was my real initiation into the Queendom, my confirmation, having taking the plunge into the baptismal font with 'Killer Queen' in 1974. I have a great affinity for this period, and the controversies and peculiarities associated with it, bicycles, posters, and all. The album 'Live Killers' was panned by critics and even disowned by members of Queen themselves. But it was my big Christmas present of 1979 and I cherish it now as I cherished it then. And this was the European leg of the 'Jazz Tour' which yielded the tracks which went into the making of that album.

This is the fourth show of the leg, but the first one that was recorded. Freddie is vocally shot, making for probably the worst performance of the European shows. The puzzle is that the band had a month off in between legs, time enough for some kind of recovery. But if Freddie sounds bad, the show is still well worth hearing for the superlative musicianship from Brian, Roger, and John.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death on Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Berlin (January 24th, 1979) 119 mins

Live at Deutschlandhalle Berlin, West Germany January 24th, 1979, Attendance: 11,000

If Freddie had suffered something of a vocal collapse just three days earlier in Dortmund, he is in better voice here, but still far short of being good. The band are tight and the sound quality of the audience good, making the show much more enjoyable than the Dortmund show (which isn't saying much by way of praise. It's a fair show for all that. Queen at much less than their best form are still much better than most other bands. (I'll name no names, not wishing to be dragged into needless controversies, but I frequently give a listen to recordings of favourite rock bands from the '70s and '80s. Sad to say, with a few exceptions, the bigger the names the greater the disappointment).

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Don't Stop Me Now - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive- 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Brussels (January 26th, 1979) 130 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium January 26th, 1979, Attendance: 9,000

This is the first show that was recorded for 'Live Killers' album, although none of the material found its way onto the album. The reason for this might well be the poor state of Freddie's vocals. It's a decent show for all that, with the band exhibiting a high level of musicianship. The recording, however, is pretty awful. Fanatics and completists will enjoy it, others are better advised to look elsewhere.

Setlist

Interview with Queen - Pre-show set-up / Interviews with the crew - 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death On Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Don't Stop Me Now - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Brussels 1/26/1979 122 mins

Setlist

Pre-show / Backstage Footage; Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro); We Will Rock You (Fast); Let Me Entertain You; Somebody to Love; Death On Two Legs; Killer Queen; Bicycle Race; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down, Make Love; You're My Best Friend; Now I'm Here; Don't Stop Me Now; Spread Your Wings; Dreamer's Ball; Love of My Life; '39; It's Late; Brighton Rock; Fat Bottomed Girls; Keep Yourself Alive; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Sheer Heart Attack; We Will Rock You; We Are the Champions; God Save the Queen

Lyon (February 17th, 1979) - 116 mins

Live at Palais des Sports Lyon, France February 17th, 1979, Attendance: 5,900

Audience Recording/Live Killers LP Merge Sound Quality: A+/B+

Freddie is in good form vocally, certainly relative to his troubles on this leg. Indeed, Freddie's voice comes back to life in these shows in the middle of February. Many of Freddie's performances here are not merely good relative to context, but strong. This is the case on 'Let Me Entertain You' and 'Spread Your Wings.' And where Freddie still struggles, he comes up with different melodies, such as on 'It's Late.' In addition to the return of Freddie to something like his old vocal form, the musicianship of the band is strong. Ironically, if this is Freddie's worst tour, then it might well be Brian's best, establishing his claim to be in the top echelon of guitar greats. It should be no surprise that so many cuts from this show found their way onto the 'Live Killers' album. This is a candidate for being the best 'Live Killers' concert.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Fat Bottomed Girls - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Munich (February 11th, 1979) - 16mm Film 43 mins

Live at Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle Munich, West Germany February 11th, 1979 Pro Film (16mm) Film Quality: A Sound Quality: A Full TV report on the band while in Munich, including interviews, the soundcheck, and about 25 minutes of the concert. Remastered by Chief Mouse. Soundcheck - Interview: Concert: 1. Let Me Entertain You - 2. Now I'm Here - 3. Bohemian Rhapsody - 4. Sheer Heart Attack - 5. We Will Rock You - 6. We Are the Champions - 7. God Save the Queen.

Barcelona (February 20th, 1979) - 101 mins

Live at Palacio de los Deportes de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain February 20th, 1979, Attendance: 8,000

Audience Recording/Live Killers LP Merge Sound Quality: B/A+

This show is one of the very best on the Live Killers tour, maybe the best. Freddie is in fine voice for the most part, delivering his best performance of the tour. The band are on full power. As a result, songs like 'Don't Stop Me Now' and 'It's Late' are outstanding. On the downside, there are a lot of cuts in between songs, although the performances of the songs are complete in the main (the big exception being 'Brighton Rock').

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Paris (February 28th,1979) 118 mins

Live at Pavillon de Paris Paris, France February 28th, 1979, Attendance: 10,000

Multi-Source Merge Sound Quality: A-/A+

The 'Live Killers' tour ended with three shows in Paris. This is the second show, and the band are on fire, each member turning in a blistering performance when it comes to the instrumentals. And although Freddie's voice is showing strain, it holds up in the main (it gives on the next night in the final show). All three shows were filmed, and a decent amount of footage has emerged over the years.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live In Paris 01/03/1979 129 mins

At the end of the second song, Brian May welcomes the audience in French, announcing that this is the sixty third and final show of the European tour. He carries on in English, "This is the last concert and we're gonna have some fun. Chantez!" There follows a show which boasts many memorable moments. At the end of the third song, Freddie tells the audience, "I hope you got your bicycle bells tonight." The audience members ring their bells for a few moments, and Freddie responds, "Ah yeah, they sound great!" He continues, "We have a hell of a lot of music for you tonight. I don't know which order they're gonna come in. We'll see." He wasn't joking, either. This would turn out to be the longest Queen show in history, lasting some 140 minutes. Whereas the band would normally play either 'Fat Bottomed Girls' or 'If You Can't Beat Them,' they played both this night. At the end of 'Fat Bottomed Girls' Freddie declares, "This next song is about a really dirty old man, as you know. We seem to get a lot of those guys. Yes, we really do. This is called Death On Two Legs." The band pause when it comes to 'Bicycle Race' to allow audience members to ring their bells. The bell ringing continues during other songs, and what amused for a moment soon starts to annoy. As the sensual 'Get Down Make Love' draws to a close, a fan can be heard complaining "I wish they'd stop ringing those bloody bells!" Freddie shouts out a quick reference to Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B. Goode,' shouting "Go Johnny!" during the instrumental on 'Now I'm Here.' The band shows off its musical prowess in the long instrumental section that closes 'Spread Your Wings.' In the intro to 'Dreamers Ball,' Freddie says, "We're gonna take you to New Orleans right now. Quick fling from Paris [in a French accent]." There is also a fantastic rendition of 'If You Can't Beat Them,' which really ought to have been included on 'Live Killers,' especially given that it was another 'Jazz' track. It's a good song, defining the new Queen sound, and showcases Brian May's excellence on guitar. Three years later, Brian May's extended solo would feature on Alexis Korner's Guitar Greats show. 'It's Late,' too, is superb, and also omitted from 'Live Killers.' (With no 'Somebody to Love' and 'Fat Bottomed Girls,' it is no wonder that the song selection for 'Live Killers' drew criticism). A fantastic - and extended - version of 'Keep Yourself Alive' follows. And both 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'Big Spender' are performed instead of just the one or the other. Segments of 'Get Down Make Love' and 'Brighton Rock' would be featured on 'Live Killers.'

Setlist

We Will Rock You (fast); Let Me Entertain You; Somebody To Love; Fat Bottomed Girls; Death On Two Legs; Killer Queen; Bicycle Race; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down Make Love; You're My Best Friend; Now I'm Here; Don't Stop Me Now; Mustapha (intro); If You Can't Beat Them; Spread Your Wings; Dreamers Ball; Love Of My Life; '39; It's Late; Brighton Rock; Keep Yourself Alive; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Sheer Heart Attack; Big Spender; Jailhouse Rock; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen.

Paris (March 1st, 1979) 129 mins

Live at Pavillon de Paris Paris, France March 1st, 1979, Attendance: 10,000

Multi-Source Merge 

This is the longest Queen show ever, clocking in at nearly two and a half hours. This recording lasts 129 minutes on account of a number of cuts. The show boasts a massive set list. Whereas the band would normally alternate between 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and 'If You Can't Beat Them,' they played both this night. Curiously, neither found a place onto the 'Live Killers' album. The extended version of 'Brighton Rock' clocks in at a substantial 15 minutes. Whilst this is the norm for this tour, that is still a sizeable chunk of the concert. The band adds a third encore this night to its normal two (which is already extravagant). They perform both 'Big Spender' and 'Jailhouse Rock' rather than just the one.

Vocally, Freddie is showing the strain, but instrumentally the band are in top form, playing with great precision, creativity, and fluidity. And that is pretty much typical for the 'Live Killers' tour.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Fat Bottomed Girls - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Mustapha - 15. If You Can't Beat Them - 16. Spread Your Wings - 17. Dreamer's Ball - 18. Love of My Life - 19. '39 - 20. It's Late - 21. Brighton Rock - 22. Dead On Time (Brighton Rock) - 23. Keep Yourself Alive - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. Big Spender - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (April 13th, 1979) 114 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan April 13th, 1979, Attendance: 14,000

Audience Recording (Unknown/Mr. Peach) Sound Quality: B+/A

Freddie's voice is in an awful condition on the Japanese leg of the 'Jazz Tour.' This tour is considered as the nadir of Freddie's live career. That said, this show at the Budokan is the first show of this leg, and the band have had more than a month off to rest and recuperate. Freddie's voice certainly shows a marked improvement. It wasn't to last, with Freddie's voice giving out during the next show and plummeting to an all-time low between April 21st to May 1st. So this show, with Freddie in decent voice, is one to be appreciated. The other three band members are on great form, and get better as the tour progressed. It seems the band members knew that Freddie was struggling and so had to give an extra something musically. It makes for an edgy, exciting experience. This is a good show with many memorable moments. The sound quality of this recording is very good, making for a very enjoyable experience.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Fat Bottomed Girls - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (April 14th, 1979) - Stark Remaster 118 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan April 14th, 1979, Attendance: 14,000

Freddie had put in a strong vocal performance in the previous night's show at the Budokan, but here his voice gives out. Some songs are fine, but others are not good at all. In complete contrast, the band are hot, making the show well worth a listen, especially since the sound quality is so good.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death on Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Spread Your Wings - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Osaka (April 20th, 1979) 120 mins

Live at the Festival Hall Osaka, Japan April 20th, 1979, Attendance: 3,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: A

Freddie's voice bears up quite well under the strain, but clearly decisions were taken to compensate for any vocal deficiencies with some innovations with the music. The 'We Will Rock You' pairing on the 'News of the World Tour' is revived, giving the Japanese audience something of what they had missed. The band also introduce a song that Brian May had written as a response to the enthusiastic reaction to the band's first Japanese tour, 'Teo Torriatte.' This show sees the song's first ever live performance, with Brian's first ever performance on the piano. Finally, the band deliver a superlative rendition of 'Brighton Rock,' one of the best ever performances of this classic Queen track. After the usual tympani and guitar solos, the band move into lightning fast jam, with the musicians adding their different talents to conjure up something unique. There would be a similar jam at the concert performed three days later. For all that Freddie's voice is a little ropey, this is a pretty decent show, recorded with very good sound quality.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Teo Torriatte (First live performance) - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Nagoya (April 28th, 1979) 122 mins

Live at the International Exhibition Hall Nagoya, Japan April 28th, 1979 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 20,000

Freddie's voice is terrible throughout this show, but better than the previous night's show in Kobe. Freddie is well aware of his vocal difficulties, saying after '39, "That finishes the so-called acoustic set. We're gonna do something a bit heavier... with this dreadful voice." In truth, the shows should have been cancelled and rescheduled for a later date, if possible. The relentless hammering of the vocal cords as a result of constant touring and demanding vocal performances had taken its toll, and time and recuperation were the order of the day.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Teo Torriatte - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 15. Dreamer's Ball - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. It's Late - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Queen - Live in Yamaguchi (May 2nd, 1979)

Live at Yamaguchi Prefectural Athletic Association Yamaguchi, Japan May 2nd, 1979, Attendance: 1,000

Audience Recording 

Freddie's voice is in poor condition in this show, making for painful listening at times. He may not be as bad as he was at the 4/23, 4/25, or the Fukuoka shows, but that was not the bar for Freddie Mercury vocals. The band, too, are looser than usual. They had been in such good form that some slackening was inevitable, but the high quality instrumental performance of the band had gone a long way to cover for Freddie's vocal difficulties. Now, the flaws become more noticeable. On the ballads, Freddie sounds fine, so the show is not beyond redemption. The sound quality of this audience recording is decent. The show is OK, but far from being Queen anywhere near their best.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Death on Two Legs - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Bicycle Race - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Teo Torriatte - 13. Don't Stop Me Now - 14. Dreamer's Ball - 15. Love of My Life - 16. '39 - 17. It's Late - 18. Brighton Rock - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen.

Sapporo (May 5th, 1979)

Live in Sapporo (May 6th, 1979)

Live at the Makomanai Ice Arena Sapporo, Japan May 6th, 1979, Attendance: 11,000

Audience recording with decent sound quality makes this fairly listenable, once one understands and accepts Freddie's vocal difficulties. This show brings the long and exhausting 'Jazz Tour' to a close, and not before time for the sake of Freddie's voice. Freddie's vocal difficulties are still in evidence, although his performance here is not as bad as it had been in a number of previous shows. The band drops 'It's Late' and reintroduces 'Fat Bottomed Girls' to the set.

With the end of the tour, Queen went into the studio to work on the 'Live Killers' album and to record four new songs for their next album, 'The Game.' It had been a testing period. Somewhere among the trials and tribulations, the new musical directions of the band started to solidify. The band which emerged at the end of this tour was markedly different from the 'classic' Queen of the mid-seventies, with quite a contemporary pop/rock sound that opened up new horizons. If 'Jazz' had caused a stir, then the transition into synthpop, dance, and disco on 'The Game' and 'Hot Space' generated real controversy, dividing opinion to this day. You can still hear people who claim that seventies Queen and eighties Queen were two different bands. I tend to see both change and continuity, valuing the both together as necessary and healthy. I can still hear the 'early' Queen in the 'later' band, but prefer continuous innovation to a nostalgia that traps us in one time and place.

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You (Slow) (Final live performance) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Bicycle Race (Final live performance) - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Teo Torriatte - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 15. Dreamer's Ball (Final live performance) - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Brighton Rock - 20. Keep Yourself Alive (Final live performance of the whole song) - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Jailhouse Rock - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Saarbrucken (August 18th, 1979) 95 mins

Live at Ludwigsparkstadion Saarbrucken, West Germany August 18th, 1979.

Special Event: Saarbrucken Festival Attendance: 35,000

Audience/Broadcast Merge Sound Quality: B/C+

With the end of the long and exhausting 'Jazz Tour,' Queen returned to the studio to record overdubs for the 'Live Killers' album and four new songs for their new album, 'The Game.' This work completed, the band performed a one-off concert as the headline act at the 1979 Saarbrucken Festival, which included acts, such as Alvin Lee, Rory Gallagher, Ten Years Later, and The Commodores. Freddie's voice has had time to recover and he sounds good. The band, too, put in a strong performance, with Brian in particular on great form. The sound quality is decidedly poor, with the recording coming from audience member at a far remove from the speakers but very close to singing and talking audience members. This is a Queen concert in which one hears the people around you more than you hear the band. Take is as an infinite conversation with enthusiastic Queen fanatics. On balance, I would prefer to hear the music.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. If You Can't Beat Them - 5. Mustapha (First live performance) - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. You're My Best Friend - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Somebody to Love - 13. Spread Your Wings - 14. Love of My Life - 15. Keep Yourself Alive - 16. Instrumental Inferno - 17. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Tie Your Mother Down - 20. Sheer Heart Attack - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Newcastle (December 3rd, 1979) - 2018 108 mins

Live at Newcastle City Hall Newcastle, England December 3rd, 1979, Attendance: 2,135

Audience Recording 

This is the first of two shows that Queen played at Newcastle. The second is the better show, but this one is nearly as good. The sound of this audience recording is average, a little muffled.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Let Me Entertain You - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. If You Can't Beat Them - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 

15. Spread Your Wings - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Instrumental Inferno - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Newcastle (December 4th, 1979) - 2019 107 mins

Live at Newcastle City Hall Newcastle, England December 4th, 1979, Attendance: 2,135

Audience Recording 

This is the second of two shows that Queen performed in Newcastle, recorded in better sound (though still less than good). The remarkable thing about this show is Freddie's voice. From an all-time low on the Japanese tour, Freddie is not only back to his best but delivers a vocal that may actually be his best ever. In the opinion of many, this is Freddie's best ever vocal performance. That's debatable, of course. What can be said with complete certainty is that Freddie is at the top of his game here, going for the tough notes and nailing every one, singing with an intensity that raises great songs to the sublime. His renditions of 'Liar,' 'Spread Your Wings,' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' are so good as to raise these Queen classics to another level. In the least, these are among Freddie's greatest performances. There is a great energy and atmosphere to this show, with both band and audience sparking off one another. The electricity is incredible. The biggest downside at the show is the inexplicable sloppiness of Brian May on guitar. May had been at the peak of his game throughout the previous couple of tours, but is all over the place during many of his solos in this show. It's just odd to note that previously Brian had been at his best and Freddie at his worst - now the roles were reversed. Overall, though, this is a great show.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death on Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 15. Spread Your Wings - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Liar - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Encore) - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Liverpool (December 6th, 1979) 103 mins

Live at the Empire Theatre Liverpool, England December 6th, 1979, Attendance: 2,300

This show in Liverpool is one of Queen's greatest ever performances. Freddie puts in one of his very best performances and the other three band members display some great musicianship. In addition to this, the interaction between band and audience is electric, with the enthusiasm of the Liverpool crowd making for an ecstatic atmosphere. Apart from the odd cut here and there, and the omission of 'We Are the Champions,' the show is captured in complete form. The biggest downer is the sound quality, which is variable, ranging from the decent to the average to the poor. It would have been wonderful to have captured this show in good sound in its entirety, because it is one of Queen's very best.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Mustapha - 6. The Millionaire Waltz (Intro) - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Don't Stop Me Now - 15. Spread Your Wings - 16. Love of My Life - 17. '39 - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Instrumental Inferno - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. God Save the Queen.

Live in London (December 26th, 1979) - 2020 Master Tapes 113 mins

Live at the Hammersmith Odeon London, England December 26th, 1979, Attendance: 5,000, Special Event: Concerts for the People of Kampuchea (Night 1)

Audience Recording (Kinney Omoto) Sound Quality: A

As part of the series of charity gigs for the crisis in Kampuchea (now Cambodia), Queen were asked - by Paul McCartney, who organized the shows - to perform on the opening night. Queen accepted the invitation and rose to the challenge. Firing on all cylinders, Queen delivered a truly devastating performance. This was Queen's A-game in overdrive, will all band members in peak form. On song after song, Freddie's vocals are simply stunning, with a number of standouts, 'Let Me Entertain You,' 'Somebody to Love,' and 'Don't Stop Me Now.' Seeing as it was Boxing Day, Brian performs a version of 'Silent Night' during his guitar solo. It was also good to hear bits from 'Flash Gordon' performed in the instrumental interlude. This could have been done more often a) for its own intrinsic musical worth and b) to recover the worth of the 'Flash' soundtrack, which seemed to fall by the wayside as an aside in Queen appreciation pretty early on. Aside from the odd slight error - Brian's solo in 'Save Me' is a bit off - the vocals and musicianship are near flawless, earning the band many critical plaudits. Those who were surprised by Queen's triumph at Live Aid had paid too little attention to critics and none at all to historical fact and musical reality. Queen were an exceptional live act with the talent, the nerve, and the nous to rise to the big occasion. The bigger the occasion, the better the performance.

This was Queen's final concert of the 1970s and is one of the greatest Queen shows ever. It also marks the continuing transition in the musical profile of the band, witnessing the final performances of 'If You Can't Beat Them,' 'Don't Stop Me Now,' 'Spread Your Wings,' and '39.' 'Don't Stop Me Now' is now one of the most popular Queen songs. Freddie's hymn to hedonism is the perfect party song. I remember when the song was released as a single and thought it a certain #1. It seems that other band members were more cool in their appraisal, seeing it as a little ephemeral musically. It seemed a song that was tailor made for live performance. But for some reason it never seemed to catch fire. It could have been and should have been a concert highlight, but wasn't. I still say that the song anticipated future directions in Queen music and would have fitted perfectly alongside those developments in dance/pop/disco.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. If You Can't Beat Them (Final live performance) - 7. Mustapha - 8. Death On Two Legs - 9. Killer Queen - 10. I'm In Love With My Car - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Don't Stop Me Now (Final live performance) - 16. Spread Your Wings (Final live performance) - 17. Love of My Life - 18. '39 (Final live performance of full song) - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Instrumental Inferno - 21. In the Space Capsule (Instrumental Inferno) - 22. Silent Night (Instrumental Inferno) - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Reprise) - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Tie Your Mother Down - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Hammersmith Odeon 1979 Concert for People of Kampuchea (Full Concert) [Re-Upload] 70 mins

Live At The Hammersmith Odeon 1979 - Legendary Master Tapes 110 mins

Queen - Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (December 26th, 1979)

NEW UPDATED 2021 SOURCE MERGE/MATRIX

The purpose of this merge was to create the best viewing/listening experience for Queen's epic night at the Hammersmith Odeon on Boxing Day 1979. This is the stuff of which legends are made, and so fully deserves to be showcased properly. This is Queen in peak form but, for some reason, the show has never received official release. It has, however, slipped out in the intervening years, via a number of different sources, including an excellent audience recording. This merge offers a great alternative to the available audience recording. It is well worth hearing this legendary show in two different forms, each with merits of their own.

Setlist

1. Introduction - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Somebody To Love - 6. If You Can't Beat Them - 7. Mustapha - 8. Death On Two Legs - 9. Killer Queen - 10. I'm In Love With My Car - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Don't Stop Me Now - 16. Spread Your Wings - 17. Love Of My Life - 18. '39 - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Drum And Tympani Solo - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. Brighton Rock - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are The Champions - 29. God Save The Queen.

Live Killers 2.0 (Unofficial Live Album) 124 mins

The 'Live Killers' album released in 1979 was panned by critics for any number of reasons: poor song selection, the overuse of overdubs, the use of segments of songs from multiple shows for single songs, poor and muffled sound. The album was even disowned by members of the band themselves. For all that, I loved the album. It was lively, it had different sections, and it seemed a comprehensive document. I loved the lots of pictures on the inner sleeve, too. It was my big Christmas present for 1979, gathering all the great Queen songs in one place - apart from 'Somebody to Love,' 'Fat Bottomed Girls,' 'Seven Seas of Rhye' ...

The various criticisms of 'Live Killers' gives ample scope to the disgruntled and the inspired to put their own version of the album together. The idea of a live album at the end of the seventies is actually a good one. Queen had been one of the very best live acts around since the start of their career and had a string of hit singles and albums behind them. A live document made complete sense. The idea behind this 'unofficial' idea was to create a live album without overdubs and using one show per song to present the most accurate representation of the 'Live Killers' era. Given that Freddie was suffering badly with vocal problems, I'm less than sure that 'accurate representation' is that good an idea. If accurate reproduction of the Queen live experience is the intention, it makes much more sense to record the band when all members were firing on all cylinders. I'm a stickler for accurate reproduction and representation in history, but not in the creative arts - that's what makes them creative. Other Queen tours offer more fitting shows for reproduction. That said, I'm glad to see the presence of songs that failed to make the official 'Live Killers' album - 'If You Can't Beat Them,' 'Somebody to Love,' 'It's Late,' 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and the Rock'n'Roll medley. Too much of a good thing is simply marvellous.

Shows Used: Cologne 2/1/1979: Audience Source (A-) Frankfurt 2/2/1979: Multi-Track (A+), Audience Source (A-) Zurich 2/4/1979: Multi-Track (A+) Munich 2/11/1979: Broadcast (A) Barcelona 2/19/1979: Audience Source (B-) Barcelona 2/20/1979: Multi-Track (A+), Audience Source (B) Paris 2/28/1979: Multi-Track (A+), Audience Source (A-), Broadcast (B+) Paris 3/1/1979: Broadcast (B+), Audience Source (B-)

Setlist

1. We Will Rock You [Fast] (Cologne 2/1/1979) - 2. Let Me Entertain You (Cologne 2/1/1979) - 3. Somebody to Love (Barcelona 2/19/1979) - 4. Fat Bottomed Girls (Barcelona 2/19/1979) - 5. Death On Two Legs (Barcelona 2/19/1979) - 6. Killer Queen (Cologne 2/1/1979) - 7. Bicycle Race (Paris 2/28/1979) - 8. I'm In Love With My Car (Zurich 2/4/1979) - 9. Get Down, Make Love (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 10. You're My Best Friend (Cologne 2/1/1979) - 11. Now I'm Here (Munich 2/11/1979; Intro filled with Cologne 2/1/1979 due to cut) - 12. Don't Stop Me Now (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 13. Mustapha [Intro] (Paris 3/1/1979) - 14. If You Can't Beat Them (Paris 2/28/1979) - 15. Spread Your Wings (Cologne 2/1/1979) - 16. Dreamer's Ball (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 17. Love of My Life (Barcelona 2/19/1979) - 18. '39 (Frankfurt 2/2/1979) - 19. It's Late (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 20. Brighton Rock (Paris 2/28/1979) - 21. Keep Yourself Alive (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 23. Tie Your Mother Down (Barcelona 2/20/1979) - 24. Sheer Heart Attack (Paris 2/28/1979) - 25. Big Spender (Paris 3/1/1979) - 26. Jailhouse Rock (Paris 3/1/1979) - 27. We Will Rock You (Munich 2/11/1979) - 28. We Are the Champions (Munich 2/11/1979) - 29. God Save the Queen (Munich 2/11/1979).

1980

Live in San Diego (July 5th, 1980) 102 mins

Live at the San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, California, USA, July 5th, 1980, Attendance: 15,000

This is an excellent audience recording, the earliest known recording from 1980. This is the fourth show of 'The Game Tour,' after Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland. Queen's latest album, 'The Game, had been released less than a week earlier, so the songs are new to the audience. The track selection is interesting, with the earliest performances of 'Play the Game,' 'Need Your Loving Tonight,' and 'Rock It.' The latter two numbers didn't have a long shelf life in the Queen concerts, but their early performance indicates the band's high estimation of these tracks. I remember 'Rock It' causing a stir among fellow Queen fans for the use of synthesizers. Exciting times. The song is now largely forgotten. These early live versions of the song are therefore incredibly precious. The early shows in 'The Game Tour' are considered among Freddie's best performances, and this show is no exception.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Ming's Theme - 12. You're My Best Friend - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Need Your Loving Tonight - 16. Rock It - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Improv Jam - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen

Phoenix (July 6th, 1980) - 2019 54 mins

Live at Compton Terrace Phoenix, Arizona, USA July 6th, 1980, Attendance: 20,000

This is one of the few outdoor shows that Queen did before their triumph as a stadium band in the 80s. This audience recording covers only about half of the show, in decent sound quality. Particularly noteworthy is the fantastic version of 'Rock It.' This song was played only a few times live before being dropped. That it was played at all indicates that the band thought highly of its potential. I remember the song causing something of a stir among fellow Queen fans when 'The Game' album was released, being a rock song with synthesizers, something new for the band that made a point of declaring 'No Synthesizers!' on their album sleeves. It's a lively song, with great scope for live performance, but seemed to fade from memory over time.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Need Your Loving Tonight - 15. Rock It - 16. Love of My Life.

Inglewood (July 12th, 1980) - 2019 UPGRADE_SOURCE MERGE 111 mins

Live at the LA Forum Inglewood, California, USA July 12th, 1980, Attendance: 18,000

This was the final night of a four night run at the Forum for the band. Freddie is in good voice and the band are in creative form, although a little loose. The renditions of 'Now I'm Here' and 'Keep Yourself Alive' rank among the very best versions of these Queen classics. The sound quality of this audience recording is average, but better than nothing. We have become a little bit spoiled over the years with the advance of musical technology. I remember my younger days, before video, sat in front of the TV with my little Grundig cassette recorder taping Queen at Milton Keynes Bowl and being happy to hear it back, hissy sound and all.

On an interesting note, Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley has said in interview that Queen were the first rock band she ever saw, in Inglewood, California: "I think I saw them in 1978 or 1979 at The Forum. I remember bringing Freddie Mercury a scarf of my Dad's and I gave it to him after the show. I loved it. I loved the theatrics. I loved Freddie. I thought Queen were awesome. I'm a big fan of theatrics."

Lisa Marie Presley, Now What?

https://www.popentertainment.com/lisamariepresley.htm

Queen played the Forum twelve times, in 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1982.

Lisa Marie's dating is somewhat precise, but question begging. There was no Queen gig in Inglewood in 1979, so that leaves 1978. Peter Freestone tells the tale of Lisa Marie presenting Freddie with one of her father's scarves in his book, but he was not part of the entourage in 1978. Maybe he is repeating Lisa Marie's tale rather than claiming that he witnessed the event. In Queen Touring America: The Complete North American Concert History from 1974 to 1982, Gary Taylor claims that the meeting took place at the last LA gig in 1982. The truth is that we don't really know, and there is a world of difference between Lisa Marie's 1978 - the first Queen gig in Inglewood - and 1982, the last. Splitting the difference, we could imagine that the great event took place at this gig in 1980. It's an appealing image for me. I grew up as a huge Elvis fanatic. In fact, for a long time I never wanted the records of anyone but Elvis. Queen were the ones who broke that boundary, but even then it was many years before anyone else broke through. Christmas 1979 was a handing over of the crown, with the 'Live Killers' album being the first time I received a non-Elvis album as my main Christmas gift. It is reassuring to think of Elvis' daughter sanctioning my transition as I moved from the King to Queen.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Need Your Loving Tonight - 6. Play the Game - 7. Mustapha - 8. Death On Two Legs - 9. Killer Queen - 10. I'm In Love With My Car - 11. Somebody to Love - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. You're My Best Friend - 14. Save Me - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Oakland (July 14th, 1980) 84 mins

Live at Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, California, USA July 14th, 1980, Attendance: 15,000

This is the second night in Oakland on 'The Game Tour' and is one of Queen's most celebrated shows. The band is tight and hot and Freddie is in peak form, giving us performances that surpass the Live Aid show in many respects. Live Aid is consistently judged to be the greatest live performance ever. The remarkable thing about Queen is that they have more than a few candidates for that title. The audience recording isn't 100% complete, 'Now I'm Here' is cut as are the encores. But the sound quality is excellent and presents the band in peak form.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Need Your Loving Tonight - 6. Play the Game - 7. Mustapha - 8. Death On Two Legs - 9. Killer Queen - 10. I'm In Love With My Car - 11. Somebody to Love - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. You're My Best Friend - 14. Save Me - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down.

Hartford (August 20th, 1980) 101 mins

Live at Hartford Civic Center Hartford, Connecticut, USA August 20th, 1980, Attendance: 15,600

This is the earliest recording from midway in the second leg of 'The Game Tour,' an audience recording in decent quality. The recording is noteworthy for being the first recorded performance of 'Another One Bites the Dust.' Freddie has some difficulties with the song, but it's an important moment in Queen history as the band set on course for new musical horizons, conquering America in the process.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Another One Bites the Dust - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Providence (August 26th, 1980) 82 mins

Live at Providence Civic Center Providence, Rhode Island, USA August 26th, 1980 Audience, Attendance: 14,000

Providence 80 is an excellent show. Freddie is in superb voice and Brian in creative form on guitar. 'Another One Bites the Dust' is a particular highlight. The song is new and fresh and Freddie and the band nail it perfectly this night. One minus is the disastrous first performance of 'Dragon Attack.' It's a great song which the band would come to perform well in future concerts. This night, however, the band get out of sync and Freddie gets the lyrics wrong. It's a first effort in a new style for the band. Overall, this is a great show, recorded in good sound quality (although incomplete, with everything after 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' being cut.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 6:47 5. Play the Game - 9:45 6. Mustapha - 14:30 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Another One Bites the Dust - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Dragon Attack (First live performance) - 16. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 17. Fat Bottomed Girls - 18. Love of My Life - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Instrumental Inferno - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

Toronto (August 30th, 1980) 85 mins

Live at Exhibition Stadium Toronto, Ontario, Canada August 30th, 1980, Attendance: 20,000

Although Queen would become known as a stadium band, this was the only stadium show that the band performed in the US and Canada. Perhaps it was a question of timing. Queen's fortunes in the US dipped just as the band took off globally. Whatever the reason, this show has a different atmosphere to that of other concert recordings at this time. Freddie is in strong voice and the band in excellent form, resulting in a show that has many highlights. Brian is in creative form in the solos, with 'Killer Queen' being particularly memorable. It's a decidedly average audience recording, though.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down.

Milwaukee (September 10th, 1980) 100 mins

Live at Milwaukee Arena Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA September 10th, 1980, Attendance: 12,500

Audience Recording Sound Quality: A-

With the band taking ten days off after the Toronto show, this show is the first night of the third leg. The date coincided with 'The Game' hitting #1 on the Billboard 200. It is a massive achievement and the band are clearly thrilled. The band are in fantastic spirits from the off. The band come out all guns blazing with 'Jailhouse Rock,' and tear through the performances with an incredible intensity to deliver one of the best shows of the tour. Freddie appears to blow a gasket towards the end, which is understandable. Mr Fahrenheit had been threatening to explode from the off. This is a fantastic concert capturing Queen at their commercial peak in the US in good sound quality. I remember the time well. For all of the controversy over Queen's deviations from rock into dance and synths, it was a joy to be a Queen fan, seeing the band go from one triumph after another. After years of being told that the band were a joke and Freddie Mercury a prat, Queen fans such as I were entitled to feel a little smug. We kept telling you how good this band was.

Setlist

Radio Promo - 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Rosemont (September 19th, 1980) 108 mins

Live at the Rosemont Horizon Rosemont, Illinois, USA September 19th, 1980, Attendance: 18,500

The band is now well into the tour and Freddie's voice is showing a little strain. He still sounds good, though, and the fact that he knows he can't go into overdrive has him using voice better. Instrumentally, the band are strong, making for a good show captured in good sound.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

New York (September 28th, 1980) 109 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA September 28th, 1980, Attendance: 20,000

This is the first of the three shows that Queen performed at MSG to bring their largest tour of North America to a suitably grand end. The band are on awesome show on this first night, with Freddie in fine form and the band on fire. The fact that Bob Marley was in the audience this night possibly inspired the band to reach for a little bit extra. These shows are the band's crowning moment of glory. The tour had been an unqualified success. Further, the band's latest album, 'The Game,' was at #1 on the US charts whilst the single 'Another One Bites the Dust' would hit US #1 a week later, continuing the success of 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' which had hit US #1 earlier in the year. At this moment in time, Queen were the biggest band in the US and the biggest band in the world, and three sellout gigs at MSG was their crowning glory. Decent sound quality, but not great.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

New York (September 29th, 1980) 110 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA September 29th, 1980, Attendance: 20,000

This show is the second of three nights that Queen performed at Madison Square Garden, bringing the triumphal North American leg of 'The Game Tour' to a suitably grand end. Like the first show, this is an excellent show, with the band on top of their game. The show is noteworthy for the brief reappearance of '39, a song which was no longer in the set. An audience recording with fairly average sound quality.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. You're My Best Friend - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. '39 (Intro) - 19. Keep Yourself Alive - 20. Instrumental Inferno - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Essen (November 29th, 1980)

This show has an interesting setlist, with some tracks from the 'Flash Gordon' soundtrack being performed. This would be the first time that the band played 'The Hero,' a song which would become a concert highlight for a couple of years. It's a great song that tends to be overlooked on account of being buried on a soundtrack album that no-one listens to. A shame. It's a modern day 'Seven Seas of Rhye,' and its live performance gave it a prominence it deserved, however briefly. Brian breaks a string during 'Tie Your Mother Down,' forcing him to go and find a new guitar, with Roger performing a big snare fill in his absence. Brian returns but since his guitar doesn't have the slide required for the second half of the guitar solo, he just plays the rhythm part. Recorded in good quality sound.

Setlist

01 Intro 02 Jailhouse Rock 03 We Will Rock You (fast) 04 Let Me Entertain You 05 Play The Game 06 Mustapha 07 Death On Two Legs 08 Killer Queen 09 I'm In Love With My Car 10 Get Down, Make Love 11 Need Your Loving Tonight 12 Save Me 13 Now I'm Here 14 Dragon Attack 15 Now I'm Here (Reprise) 16 Love Of My Life 17 Keep Yourself Alive 18 Tympani Solo 19 Guitar Solo 20 Battle Theme 21 The Hero 22 Brighton Rock (Reprise) 23 Crazy Little Thing Called Love 24 Bohemian Rhapsody 25 Tie Your Mother Down 26 Another One Bites The Dust 27 Sheer Heart Attack 28 We Will Rock You 29 We Are The Champions 30 God Save The Queen

Birmingham (December 6th, 1980) 109 mins

Live at the National Exhibition Center Birmingham, England December 6th, 1980, Attendance: 14,000

This is the second show of the two nights Queen performed at the NEC, and it is the occasion for the debut performance of 'Flash,' Queen's soon to be released new record. The band put on a blistering performance. Other than that expected brilliance, the only noteworthy thing is that the band changed the order of their encores. The show gets off to a vibrant hard rocking start with 'We will rock you,' the pace being maintained by a fierce and frenetic 'Let me entertain you.' The interesting thing about this show is the way the 'new' modern Queen is presented through the 'Jazz' and 'Game' material, making it clear the extent to which the supposedly radical departure represented by the 1980 album is prefigures in the 1978 album. 'Play the Game' sounds a little uncertain at this stage, but Freddie continues to drive things on on piano with the next track, 'Mustapha.' The piano-driven drama continues with a powerful 'Death on Two Legs,' which segues seamlessly via piano 'Killer Queen,' then 'I'm in Love with My Car' - superb guitar, powerful, piano and drums. We get a very good 'Get Down Make Love,' which cuts into a jaunty 'I Need Your Love Tonight' from 'The Game.' It is interesting to hear this track, which was soon lost from view in the Queen catalogue. The band clearly thought it a promising live track. In terms of sound, the concert sounds like an updating of 'Live Killers' with 'The Game.' 'Save Me,' from the latter album, is performed as a modern day 'White Queen,' elegant, poignant, grand and moving. Also worthy of note is the way that the vibrant hard rock of 'Now I'm Here' is paired with the funky dance-based 'Dragon Attack.' The performance is not as slick as it became, but is well on its way. 'Fat Bottomed Girls' is rough and raucous, an obvious crowd pleaser. The way that the band run a loud and driving 'Keep Yourself Alive' into a Brian May guitar showcase, the thumping intro to 'The Hero,' then the song 'Flash,' ending with the last line from 'Now I'm Here' is outstanding musicianship and showmanship. On 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' Freddie gives us a full-on Elvis impression, which goes down great with the crowd. We get the classic show stoppers, followed by a stunning encore, 'Another One Bites the Dust,' 'Sheer Heart Attack' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' are a show in themselves. It is simply mystifying as to why so many were so surprised by Queen's show-stealing performance at Live Aid - the band had perfected medleys, set-pieces, and mini-concerts its entire career. This is an outstanding show.Recorded from the audience in decent sound.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Mustapha - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Need Your Loving Tonight - 11. Save Me - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Love of My Life) - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Battle Theme - 21. Flash (First live performance) - 22. The Hero - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Another One Bites the Dust - 29. Sheer Heart Attack - 30. Tie Your Mother Down - 31. God Save the Queen.

Live in London (December 8th, 1980) - 2020 Master Tapes 110 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England December 8th, 1980, Attendance: 12,500

This show is one of the very best from 'The Game Tour,' with the band performing with great energy and intensity. Freddie in particular is in incredibly powerful form, hitting the high notes with a voice as clear as a bell. Instrumentally, too, the band are hot, delivering some fiery renditions of pretty much every song in the set. 'Dragon Attack' has rarely, if ever, sounded better whilst 'Play the Game' takes its place as a true Queen classic. It's good to note that this fantastic show was recorded from the audience in excellent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Need Your Loving Tonight - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Battle Theme - 21. Flash's Theme - 22. The Hero - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. Another One Bites the Dust - 29. Sheer Heart Attack - 30. Tie Your Mother Down - 31. God Save the Queen.

London (December 9th, 1980) 97 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England December 9th, 1980, Attendance: 12,500 Audience Recording 

John Lennon had been fatally shot outside his apartment in New York the previous night. In response, Queen rehearsed Lennon's song 'Imagine' as a tribute, which they were to perform in this night's show at Wembley Arena. The band drop 'Keep Yourself Alive' for this night's show, as well as 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'Need Your Loving Tonight,' making for a show that is shorter than usual. With The Who's Pete Townsend in the audience, the band put on a great show. The sound quality of this audience recording is decidedly average.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Mustapha - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Save Me - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Dragon Attack - 13. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Imagine (First live performance) - 17. Instrumental Inferno - 18. Battle Theme - 19. Flash - 20. The Hero - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. Another One Bites the Dust - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. Tie Your Mother Down - 29. God Save the Queen.

Brussels (December 13th, 1980) 100 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium December 13th, 1980, Attendance: 9,000

This show is the second of two nights that Queen performed in Brussels. Freddie is singing at the height of his powers in this show, with this possibly being his best performance of the European tour. He would rarely, if ever, sing 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and 'Another One Bites the Dust' better than he did this night, so it's good to hear the show in pretty good sound quality. Both vocally and instrumentally 'Dragon Attack' is exceptional, establishing its status as a classic of the new Queen. Brian's solo is incendiary. The band are in good form and Freddie is in good voice. This is a seamless show, moving from one killer performance to the next. 'Jailhouse Rock' is a lively starter, followed by a typically raucous 'We Will Rock You.' 'Let Me Entertain You' maintains the pace, altogether making for a powerful, pulsating opening. We then get the exotic, strange dynamics of 'Play the Game' and 'Mustapha' before a medley of 'Death on Two Legs,' 'Killer Queen,' and 'I'm in Love with My Car.' This is followed by the atmospherics of 'Get Down Make Love' and the poignant 'Save Me,' the marvellous 'White Queen' update. Great guitar work from Brian May here. The pace and beat is picked up again with gutsy renditions of 'Now I'm Here' seguing into 'Dragon Attack.' 'Fat Bottomed Girls' receives its usual rumbustuous performance. 'Love of My Life' takes us into a little acoustic set, complete with audience participation, followed by a guitar heavy jam with Freddie scatting. There is great variety and pacing to the set, with 'Keep Yourself Alive' showcasing a guitar and drum solo. The concert then goes hell-for-leather for the close, with great versions of 'The Hero,' 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' the slow 'We Will Rock You' and 'We are the Champions.' The band return to the stage to perform a solid 'Another One Bites the Dust,' a visceral 'Sheer Heart Attack' and a 'Tie Your Mother Down' that is so vibrant as to make you think the show is about to begin again. A great performance. If only we had the visuals to go with the sound. It's concerts like these that earned Queen the reputation of being one of the very best live acts around. 

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Save Me - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Battle Theme - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. Another One Bites the Dust - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. Tie Your Mother Down - 29. God Save the Queen.

Frankfurt (December 14th, 1980) 97 mins

Live at the Festhalle Frankfurt, West Germany December 14th, 1980, Attendance: 14,000

Audience Recording Sound Quality: A-

This is one of Queen's very best shows on the European Tour (notwithstanding the abominable singing of the audience member sat next to the person who was taping the show. Imagine paying good money to hear Queen and be seated next to a cloth eared tone deaf noise polluting herbert. I would have smashed the tape recorder over his head). The band is cooking in this show, with each member playing of his skin. As with the other shows in this tour, Freddie's vocals are in peak form, and his improvisation during 'Dragon Attack' is simply stunning. The band perform John Lennon's 'Imagine' as a tribute to the recently assassinated ex-Beatle. As much as I appreciate enthusiasm, if only it had been the "Frankfurt Guy."

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Save Me - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Imagine - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Battle Theme - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

1981

Tokyo (February 12th, 1981) 105 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan February 12th, 1981, Attendance: 14,000

This is the first show of 1981. Queen booked five nights in Tokyo as a warm up for the massive stadium concerts they had planned in South America at the end of the month. They had planned other dates in Japan, but the Budokan was the only venue that was able to accommodate their massive lighting rig ("The Bic Razors"). Coming hot on the heels of peak performances on the American and European tours, the band deliver a great performance in this show. Queen were really hot at this point of their career. Of particular interest is the addition of tracks from the new album 'Flash Gordon' (released in December of 1980) to the setlist. Freddie is in fine form, whilst the band is energetic. This is a great show recorded in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Save Me - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Battle Theme - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

TOKYO 1981-02-12 Full Concert 104 mins

Live in TOKYO Budokan Feb. 12 1981 Rock Budokan SHAKANTULA

Setlist

1 Jailhouse Rock 2 We Will Rock You fast 3 Let Me Entertain You 4 Play The Game 5 Mustapha 6 Death On Two Leg 7 Killer Queen 8 I'm In Love With My Car, 9 Get Down Make Love 10 Save Me 11 Now I'm Here 12 Dragon Attac 13 Now I'm Here reprise 14 Fat Bottomed Girls 15 Love Of My Life 16 Keep Yourself Alive 17 drum/guitar solos 18 Battle Theme 19 Flash 20 The Hero 21 Crazy Little Thing Called Love 22 Bohemian Rhapsody 23 Tie Your Mother Down 24 Another One Bites The Dust 25 Sheer Heart Attack 26 We Will Rock You 27 We Are The Champions 28 God Save The Queen

Tokyo (February 13th, 1981) - Sue Dounim Remaster 110 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan February 13th, 1981 Audience Recording (Mr. Peach) Sound Quality: A Attendance: 14,000

This is the second of five nights at the Budokan for Queen. It's good to hear the 'Flash Gordon' component of the show, with the band adding 'Vultan's Theme' to the 'Flash' material they were already performing, Freddie showing his keyboard skills on synths. Also noteworthy is the fact that 'Need Your Loving Tonight' has been added to the set in place of 'Fat Bottomed Girls.' It is impossible to fathom the vagaries and vicissitudes of taste and popularity. 'Need Your Loving Tonight' is a loose and lively track possessing great feel and energy. It's presence in the concert setlist early on suggests that the band thought the track had great potential. I think it catchier than the more obvious 'Fat Bottomed Girls,' a more spontaneous, guitar ready, version of the later synthpop of 'I Want to Break Free.' The other two songs remained big Queen favourites and 'Need Your Loving Tonight' disappeared from view. I think it's a catchy track, really fresh. Overall, this is an excellent show, with Freddie maintaining good voice quality and the band in peak form. The show can be heard in excellent sound.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death on Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Need Your Loving Tonight - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. Vultan's Theme (First live performance) - 20. Battle Theme - 21. Flash - 22. The Hero - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Tie Your Mother Down - 26. Another One Bites the Dust - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Budokan, Tokyo, Japan - February 13, 1981 111 mins

Tracklist: Disc 1 01. Intro 02. Jailhouse Rock 03. We Will Rock You (fast) 04. Let Me Entertain You 05. Play The Game 06. Mustapha 07. Death On Two Legs 08. Killer Queen 09. I'm In Love With My Car 10. Get Down Make Love 11. Need Your Loving Tonight 12. Save Me 13. Now I'm Here 14. Everybody All Right 15. Dragon Attack 16. Now I'm Here (reprise) 17. Love Of My Life Disc 2 01. Keep Yourself Alive 02. Drum Solo 03. In The Death Cell 04. Guitar solo 05. Vultan's Theme 06. Battle Theme 07. Flash 08. The Hero 09. Crazy Little Thing Called Love 10. Bohemian Rhapsody 11. Tie Your Mother Down 12. Another One Bites The Dust 13. Sheer Heart Attack 14. We Will Rock You 15. We Are The Champions 16. God Save The Queen 17. Announcement

Tokyo (February 16th, 1981) - Stark Remaster 111 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan February 16th, 1981, Attendance: 14,000

This is the third of five shows that Queen played at the Budokan. Although the band had had two days of rest since the second show, Freddie's voice is a little shaky in parts. He still sounds good overall, but is singing within his range and power, regaining something of the soft tone of his seventies vocal, which is actually rather good. Any loss of power is more than compensated by interpretive skill and vocal tone. 'Rock It' returns to the show, its first appearance since early in the American tour. The band, evidently, had not given up hope on its potentials coming to be appreciated. Brian plays part of 'The Death Cell' from 'Flash Gordon' during his solo spot. It is evident that the band were enthusiastic for the new soundtrack album they had just released and were doing their best to promote it. Recorded in excellent sound, this is the best recording of 1981.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. Jailhouse Rock - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Let Me Entertain You - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Rock It - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Keep Yourself Alive - 18. Instrumental Inferno - 19. In the Death Cell (Instrumental Inferno) - 20. Vultan's Theme - 21. Battle Theme - 22. Flash - 23. The Hero - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Tie Your Mother Down - 27. Another One Bites the Dust - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (February 17th, 1981) 112 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan February 17th, 1981, Attendance: 14,000

This is the fourth of five nights that the band played in Tokyo and Freddie's voice now starts to show the strain. He had been shaky in parts the previous nights, but still strong in the main. Here, however, he is struggling. There are still memorable moments, even moments of peak performance, but Freddie pulls his vocal punches for many songs. The musicianship from the rest of the band is excellent, with Brian in particular on top form. The band drop 'Jailhouse Rock' as the opening song and go straight into 'We Will Rock You.' The sound quality is good.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Mustapha - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Rock It - 11. Save Me - 12. Now I'm Here - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Keep Yourself Alive - 17. Instrumental Inferno - 18. Vultan's Theme - 19. Battle Theme - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. Teo Torriatte - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (February 18th, 1981) - 2021 Source Merge 110 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan February 18th, 1981 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A Attendance: 14,000

This is the fifth and final night of Queen's residency at the Budokan.

Setlist

0. Intro - 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. The Millionaire Waltz (Intro) - 5. Play the Game - 6. Mustapha - 7. Death On Two Legs - 8. Killer Queen - 9. I'm In Love With My Car - 10. Get Down, Make Love - 11. Rock It - 12. Save Me - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 16. Sakura - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Vultan's Theme - 21. Battle Theme - 22. Flash - 23. The Hero - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Tie Your Mother Down - 27. Another One Bites the Dust - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. Teo Torriatte - 32. God Save the Queen.

Buenos Aires (February 28th, 1981) - Best Source Merge 100 mins

Live at Estadio José Amalfitani (Vélez Sársfield) Buenos Aires, Argentina February 28th, 1981, Attendance: 63,000

Having conquered North America, Queen now head south and into the unknown. South America was virgin territory, with Queen's tour being the very first stadium tour of the continent by a rock band. Queen were hugely popular in South America, on a par with The Beatles' US popularity in 1964, so it made complete sense to tour if at all possible. The logistics not to mention the politics were daunting, but Queen were nothing if not ambitious, so off they went. Not only did the band fill a number of massive stadiums in Argentina and Brazil, they also set the record for the highest paid attendance for a band when some 131,000 people poured into Morumbi Stadium in Sao Paulo on March 20th. The show at Estadio José Amalfitani (Vélez Sársfield) Buenos Aires is the first show of the tour, and the first of three nights at this venue, and the excitement in the air is tangible. Queen show some nerves here and there, but deliver a great show overall. It's another triumph in a Queen concertography studded with triumphs. The recording is from the soundboard and is good.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Mustapha - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Need Your Loving Tonight - 11. Ay Oh! - 12. Rock It - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Dragon Attack - 16. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Buenos Aires (March 8th, 1981) - Audience Broadcast Matrix 100 mins

Live at Estadio José Amalfitani (Vélez Sársfield) Buenos Aires, Argentina February 28th, 1981 Soundboard Recording Sound Quality: A Attendance: 63,000

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Mustapha - 6. Death On Two Legs - 7. Killer Queen - 8. I'm In Love With My Car - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Need Your Loving Tonight - 11. Ay Oh! - 12. Rock It - 13. Save Me - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Dragon Attack - 16. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Keep Yourself Alive - 19. Instrumental Inferno - 20. Flash - 21. The Hero - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Tie Your Mother Down - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Caracas (September 27th, 1981) - Soundboard Recording 114 mins

Live at Caracas Polyhedron Arena Caracas, Venezuela September 27th, 1981 Attendance: 20,000

This is the third and final night of what was scheduled as a five night residency in Venezuela. This was the "Gluttons for Punishment" leg of the tour. An appropriate title, since everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Queen performed three shows on the 25th, 26th, and the 27th, but the death of Venezuelan president Rómulo Betancourt on the 28th were the occasion for national mourning, causing the cancellation of the remaining two shows on the 29th and 30th. Given that the airports were almost entirely shut down, the band were lucky to get out of the country. Problems followed them into Mexico, where only six of the scheduled 12-14 went ahead. This leg was the worst experience of Queen's career as a touring band. It is remarkable that through it all the band maintained a high level of performance. This particular show is fine, with Freddie in good voice. Brian, however, has some issues, but it's a decent show. This concert was filmed in its entirety and is widely available online. This is a soundboard recording of decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. I'm In Love With My Car - 8. Get Down, Make Love - 9. Need Your Loving Tonight - 10. Save Me - 11. Now I'm Here - 12. Under Pressure (Improv) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Keep Yourself Alive - 17. Instrumental Inferno - 18. Flash - 19. The Hero - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen

Live in Caracas (September 27th, 1981) (Full Concert) 92 mins

Setlist

We Will Rock You (Fast); Let Me Entertain You; Play The Game; Somebody To Love; Killer Queen; I'm In Love With My Car; Get Down To Make Love; Need Your Loving Tonight; Save Me; Now I'm Here; Vocal Improvisation; Dragon Attack; Now I'm Here (Reprise); Love Of My Life; Keep Yourself Alive; Flash; The Hero; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Another One Bites The Dust; Sheer Heart Attack; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions

Monterrey (October 9th, 1981) 98 mins

Live at Estadio Universitario Monterrey, Mexico October 9th, 1981, Attendance: 41,600

The band just about escape a Venezuela in national mourning and make it into Mexco, somehow getting the entire 18-man crew into the country despite a policy of 6 visas per day (strict rules and regulations are a cover for and invitation to bribery and corruption). The band are treated badly by the venue staff, the show was appallingly organized, and the KFC that the crew members eat consisted not of chicken but of kittens and rats. The band put on a great show and then got the hell out, cancelling the show scheduled for the next day and leaving in pairs (Brian and John flew to LA, Freddie and Roger to Dallas). The recording is a merge of audience and broadcast and is of average sound.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. I'm In Love With My Car - 8. Get Down, Make Love -9. Save Me - 10. Now I'm Here - 11. Dragon Attack - 12. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 13. Fat Bottomed Girls - 14. Love of My Life - 15. Keep Yourself Alive - 16. Instrumental Inferno - 17. Flash - 18. The Hero - 19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Puebla (October 17th, 1981) 106 mins

Live at Estadio Olimpico de beisbol Ignacio Zaragoza Puebla, Mexico October 17th, 1981 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 22,000

The shows that the band performed in Puebla were originally planned for Mexico City. The band were informed of the change at the last minute. If that was a cause of anger and consternation, worse was to follow. They were met with a rowdy crowd that went mad in a venue that was falling apart. There were reasons for crowd anger. Upon entering the stadium, fans had the batteries in their recording equipment confiscated by the police, who proceed to resell them at an exorbitant price, causing fans to believe the band was out to rip them off. As the band performed, they had to dodge objects being thrown by outraged audience members, including the very expensive batteries they had had to buy back. True pros, the band deliver a fantastic show, although understandably truncated at around 85 minutes. For good reasons, the band wanted to get out of harm's way as quickly as possible. This version of the show begins with the soundcheck, containing a rehearsal of 'Rock It,' it's last known performance, and a rare pre-release version of 'Under Pressure.' Peter Freestone's recollection of this eventful show is included at the end.

Setlist

Radio Introduction - Soundcheck: 1. Rock It - 2. I'm In Love With My Car - 3. Under Pressure

Concert: 1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. I'm In Love With My Car - 8. Get Down, Make Love - 9. Save Me - 10. Now I'm Here - 11. Dragon Attack - 12. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 13. Love of My Life - 14. Keep Yourself Alive - 15. Instrumental Inferno - 16. Flash - 17. The Hero - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Montreal (November 24th, 1981) - Rock Montreal Audience Recording 88 mins

Live at the Montreal Forum Montreal, Quebec, Canada November 24th, 1981 Attendance: 18,000 Special Event: Rock Montreal Film

In 1981, Queen and Saul Swimmer came up with the idea to document the band's live show on 35mm film. The original plan was for the show to be recorded at Madison Square Garden, but the expense proved to be prohibitive, so Montreal was selected as the location for the project. This show is the first of two nights that Queen performed in Montreal. Both shows were professionally filmed and recorded. This show, the first night, is presented on an audience recording in decent sound quality. Given that most of the material on the official releases derives from the second night, this recording contains a lot of unheard material. The best of this is the first ever - and best ever - performance of 'Under Pressure.' That alone makes this recording of huge musical and historical importance. The recording isn't complete, with a couple of songs being cut ('Dragon Attack' and 'Love of My Life'). But this is still an impressive document, recorded in decent sound.

Setlist

1. Thunderbolts and Lightning (Intro) - 2. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 3. Let Me Entertain You - 4. Play the Game - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. I'm In Love With My Car - 8. Get Down, Make Love - 9. Save Me - 10. Now I'm Here - 11. Under Pressure (First live performance) - 12. Keep Yourself Alive - 13. Instrumental Inferno - 14. Flash - 15. The Hero - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Tie Your Mother Down - 19. Another One Bites the Dust - 20. Sheer Heart Attack - 21. Jailhouse Rock - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

1982

Stockholm (April 10th, 1982) 110 mins

Live at Johanneshovs Isstadion Stockholm, Sweden April 10th, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 9,000

This is the earliest recording in circulation for the 'Hot Space Tour,' which had opened the previous night in Gothenburg. The band are still getting used to the new set and the new arrangements on the second night, easing their way into their new sound. In just two or three years, the sound of the band had undergone a substantial transformation, something which would continue over the next few years. Reflecting the new sounds presented in the studio albums, the band now added an extra member on stage to take care of the keyboards. On this, the European leg of the tour, Morgan Fisher takes on the keyboard duties. Fred Mandel would take over on the North American and Japanese legs. From 1984 until the end it would be Spike Edney. The new Queen is still in the process of emerging, something which is evident in the setlist. In this show we hear the new sounds in their molten phase, with lots of treats from the new album put alongside a number of other surprises. There is an improvisation between Brian and Morgan Fisher which savours a little of 'Bijou' from 1991's 'Innuendo,' but which was never developed any further. 'Liar' is also performed for the first time since 1979, although it would survive only to the end of the month. Whilst 'Back Chat' has yet to be make the setlist, Freddie repeats its lyrics in improvisation. The song would be performed for the first time in Zurich a week later. These little hints and touches scattered throughout this show and the others on the European leg reveal a band in rapid transition. It makes for interesting times in the history of Queen the live act. The old is passing into the new, but the precise nature of that new is not altogether certain at this stage. How interesting to hear the new material of 'The Game' now bedded in and serving as a bridgehead to the fresh 'Hot Space' material.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Ay Oh - 6. Play the Game - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Staying Power - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. We Will Rock You (Improv) - 11. Fat Bottomed Girls - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me (False Start) - 14. Save Me - 15. Guitar/Keyboard Improv - 16. Liar - 17. Not Fade Away - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Under Pressure - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Dragon Attack - 23. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Live in Drammen (April 12th, 1982) 105 mins

This audio recording documents the only concert Queen ever performed in Norway, in Drammenshallen, in Drammen. It's not a great show, with the band struggling to get to grips with their new sounds. Freddie's voice is shaky and cracks in places. We are at an early stage of the new Queen, and the band seem to lack confidence in the new direction. We need to bear in mind how big a departure these new directions were in Queen's music. Nearly half of the set derives from tracks recorded only in the past two years.

Setlist

1. (Intro) Flash: 2. The Hero: 3. Tie Your Mother Down: 4. Action This Day: 5. Play The Game: 6. Somebody To Love: 7. Staying Power: 8. Get Down Make Love: 9. Now I'm Here/Improv: 10. Dragon Attack: 11. Guitar Solo: 12. Improv/Now I'm Here (Reprise): 13. Under Pressure: 14. Love of My Life: 15. Save Me: 16. Fat Bottomed Girls: 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love 18. Death On Two Legs: 19. Liar 20. Another One Bites The Dust: 21. Sheer Heart Attack: 22. We Will Rock You: 23. We Are The Champions: 24. God Save The Queen.

Zurich (April 16th, 1982) 97 mins

Live at the Hallenstadion Zurich, Switzerland April 16th, 1982, Attendance: 11,400

This is the first of the two nights that Queen would play in Zurich. The show is early in the tour and the recording reveals a band still taking the measure of their new sounds and set. This results in some strange bedfellows, with 'Liar' - a rare selection for 1982 - being performed just before 'Under Pressure.' Freddie puts in a pretty good vocal, although he struggles to sustain and to hit the high notes at times. The band clearly thought highly of 'Action This Day,' performing it here and elsewhere, but whatever its qualities are, it never sounds quite right, vocally or instrumentally. It's an experimental song. The band are in good form, all the same, the challenges of the new sounds inciting some creative flair. In nearly messing up his solo in 'We Will Rock You,' Brian goes to work to turn it into something unique, displaying musical imagination of the highest order. Almost the entire show is recorded here in good sound quality, with only 'Flash' and 'The Hero' missing.

Setlist

1. Tie Your Mother Down - 2. Action This Day - 3. Play the Game - 4. Somebody to Love - 5. Staying Power - 6. Get Down, Make Love - 7. Liar - 8. Under Pressure - 9. Love of My Life - 10. Back Chat (Improv) - 11. Save Me - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Fat Bottomed Girls - 14. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 15. Death on Two Legs (Intro) - 16. Bohemian Rhapsody - 17. Now I'm Here - 18. Dragon Attack - 19. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. Sheer Heart Attack - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Zurich (April 17th, 1982) 91 mins

Live at the Hallenstadion Zurich, Switzerland April 17th, 1982, Attendance: 11,400

This show is the second of the two nights that Queen performed in Zurich and Freddie's voice is showing the strain. Throughout the April shows of the 'Hot Space Tour,' Freddie's voice is strong but unstable. In this show his voice sounds worn out, unable to hit any of the high notes. His voice would start to recover a couple days later in Brussels, so we can only speculate whether the problem was one of overuse or abuse. Whilst Freddie struggles with his vocals, the band are on the top of their game. Having hinted at it throughout previous concerts, the band finally decide to give 'Back Chat' a go on stage. It's a shame that Freddie's voice is so poor, because the band absolutely nail it. This is fantastic to hear. I thought 'Back Chat' the standout song on 'Hot Space,' and I thought the 'Hot Space' concept a good one that just needed edgier and harder playing. 'Back Chat' gets the treatment tonight and it sounds incendiary. This is how 'Hot Space' should have sounded, both feet down hard on the dance floor. The ground had been laid for better, richer, more powerful performances of the 'Hot Space' material in future concerts. With the new songs in the set, the band drop 'Liar' and 'Somebody to Love.' The old Queen is dead, long live the Queen. Actually, the old Queen wasn't dead, and the new Queen was in somewhat uncertain health. The show was recorded from the audience and can be heard in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Get Down, Make Love - 8. Back Chat (First live performance) - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Love of My Life - 11. Mustapha (Intro) - 12. Save Me - 13. Ay Oh - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 16. Bohemian Rhapsody - 17. Now I'm Here - 18. Dragon Attack - 19. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. Sheer Heart Attack - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Paris (April 19th, 1982) 101 mins

Live at the Palais des Sports Paris, France April 19th, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: C/C+ Attendance: 4,600

Even with a day's rest after his troubles in Zurich on the 17th, Freddie's voice is still in poor shape and is shaky throughout. It may be a blessing, then, that the sound quality of this audience recording is so poor. There are still some high points, though, with strong renditions of 'Play the Game' and 'Another One Bites the Dust.' 'Back Chat' is performed again tonight, but Freddie's vocal difficulties combined with his not knowing the lyrics combine to sink the song. The show is also noteworthy for being the last time that Brian doesn't have his usual solo section. He makes up for it elsewhere, with the great uses of feedback on 'Sheer Heart Attack' bringing out the punk qualities of the song.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Under Pressure - 11. Love of My Life - Improv - 12. Save Me - 13. Back Chat - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 16. Mustapha (Intro) - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen.

Brussels (April 22ns, 1982) 95 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium April 22nd, 1982, Attendance: 9,000

Freddie's voice shows marked signs of recovery tonight after his troubles in the previous few shows, remaining in good condition for the rest of the European Tour. The band is in somewhat relaxed mood, taking their time to warm up. They catch fire on 'Staying Power' and remain in hot form from that point on. There are some standouts, with 'Now I'm Here' receiving a great performance from the band. Audience recording in decent sound.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Get Down, Make Love - 10. Guitar Solo - 11. Under Pressure - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 16. Mustapha (Intro) - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen.

Brussels (April 23rd, 1982) 96 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium April 23rd, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 9,000

This show is the second of two nights the band played in Brussels, and there are some marked differences between the two shows. Indeed, this leg of the tour is known for its heavily rotated set, with the band switching things around quite radically from show to show. This is the first time in 1982 where the fast 'We Will Rock You' is performed to open the concert with 'The Hero.' Accordingly, the usual opener, 'Tie Your Mother Down,' is performed towards the end of the show, as on previous tours. There is another rare outing for 'Liar,' in place of 'Somebody to Love.' It's a great show on the whole, with Freddie's voice showing real signs of improvement after recent difficulties and the band in excellent form. The band are showing real signs of getting to grips with the new repertoire, improving with each show, making for an excellent tour. This recording from the audience is in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Get Down, Make Love - 9. Guitar Solo - 10. Under Pressure - 11. Liar - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Improv - 14. Save Me - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Leiden (April 24th, 1982) 94 mins

Live at the Groenoordhallen Leiden, The Netherlands April 24th, 1982, Attendance: 12,800

The band put on a great show, possibly inspired by the enthusiastic audience or inspiring it in turn. There is a great atmosphere at this concert. The band is in peak form and Freddie's voice is on a par, despite some uncertain moments here and there. This is one of the band's best shows of the tour, firing off blistering renditions of one song after another. The stellar musicianship throughout the concert transcends the average sound quality of the recording.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Liar - 8. Love of My Life - 9. Ay Oh - 10. Save Me - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Under Pressure - 14. Mustapha (Intro) - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Somebody to Love (Intro) - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Now I'm Here - 20. Dragon Attack - 21. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Leiden (April 25th, 1982) 87 mins

Live at the Groenoordhallen Leiden, The Netherlands April 25th, 1982, Attendance: 12,800

The second show in successive nights at Leiden is another fantastic performance from the band. The atmosphere in the arena is electric as the audience witness Queen living up to their billing of the best live act around. 'Back Chat' is performed instead of 'Staying Power' and receives another superb performance. 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' is also lively. Apart from a couple of uncertain moments, Freddie is in strong form. Slowly but surely, Freddie is fining his definitive 'Hot Space' voice, hitting his stride in the next show and never letting up for the rest of the tour. This is an incomplete audience recording in decent sound.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Back Chat - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Love of My Life - 9. Mustapha (Intro) - 10. Save Me - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Under Pressure - 14. Ay Oh - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Sheer Heart Attack.

Frankfurt (April 28th, 1982) 106 mins

Live at the Festhalle Frankfurt, West Germany April 28th, 1982, Attendance: 14,000

Another great performance from Queen in Frankfurt. This is Queen on fire, even more than usual in the 'Hot Space' shows. The band have bedded in and Freddie's voice has settled in. Freddie would sound better and better with each show. There are some notable features of this show. The band perform 'Liar' in full for the final time live, and the song bows out with an excellent rendition. It would be revived on 'The Works Tour' as part of a medley. Audience recording in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Ay Oh - 6. Play the Game - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Liar (Final live performance of full song) - 10. Love of My Life - 11. Save Me - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Under Pressure - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Back Chat (Improv) - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Now I'm Here - 20. Dragon Attack - 21. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Dortmund (May 1st, 1982) 93 mins

Live at Westfalenhalle Dortmund, West Germany May 1st, 1982, Attendance: 16,000

The band are in incendiary form in this show, and Freddie's voice is up to the demands placed on it. Freddie sings well, delivering fantastic versions of a number of songs. The band manage to pull off the excellent version of 'Action This Day' they had been promising in previous shows. This is an audience recording in good sound quality. An interesting moment occurs at the end of 'Play the Game,' with Freddie having to break up a fight at the front. It is unlikely they were Queen fans. It appears a lot of British soldiers stationed in Germany used the occasion, as they used many occasions (football etc) to get drunk. It's a good job the Soviets never had any intention of invading, because these morons were permanently inebriated.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Love of My Life - 10. Save Me - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Under Pressure - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 16. Death On Two Legs (Intro) - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen.

L'Île-Saint-Denis (May 3rd, 1982) 90 mins

Live at the Vannes Island Sports Complex L'Île-Saint-Denis, France May 3rd, 1982 Attendance: 5,000

Clocking in at around 90 minutes, it is the shortest show on the tour, but it packs a huge punch. As was the case throughout 1982, the band are firing on all cylinders and Freddie is in strong voice. Among the many standouts are a thrilling version of 'Tie Your Mother Down' and a wonderful 'Play The Game,' which has a great solo from Brian. Average sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Ay Oh - 6. Play the Game - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Love of My Life - 10. Ay Oh (Part 2) - 11. Save Me - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Under Pressure - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Cologne (May 6th, 1982) - 2019 Source Merge 90 mins

Live at the Sporthalle Cologne, West Germany May 6th, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B/C+ Attendance: 8,000

This is yet another great show, with the band in top form. For all of the ignominy into which this period in Queen's career has fallen as a result of the controversies incited by the 'Hot Space' album, it has to be noted that the band was on fire during the European leg of the 'Hot Space Tour.' The power, energy, and creativity of the band is simply exceptional, with each member at full tilt. This is an audience recording with decidedly average sound.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Love of My Life - 9. Ay Oh - 10. Save Me - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Under Pressure - 14. Fat Bottomed Girls - 15. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 16. Mustapha (Intro) - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Now I'm Here - 19. Dragon Attack - 20. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Wurzburg (May 9th, 1982) 84 mins

Live at Carl-Diem-Halle Wurzburg, West Germany May 9th, 1982 Attendance: 4,800 Even heard in average sound quality, this show stands out on a tour boasting any number of great shows. The entire band are cooking and there is an electric charge running through the show that is palpable. 'Back Chat' returns to the set and band go at it with some relish. It is clear that the band thought a great deal of this track, begging the question why it wasn't made the lead-off single for the 'Hot Space' album, launching that soon to be controversial album on a powerful note. 'Dragon Attack,' too, is exceptional. The atmosphere is incendiary and the band's playing generates positive energy in all directions. The show boasts one strong and exciting performance after another. The recording is from the audience in pretty average quality, but the quality of the show is apparent. The point bears repetition, that 'Hot Space' sounded infinitely better live than it did on record suggests that the idea was right and just needed less caution and more fire in the studio production. And nobody is going to tell me that 'Staying Power' and 'Back Chat' shouldn't have been huge smash hits on a par with 'Another One Bites the Dust.'

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Back Chat - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Now I'm Here - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Save Me - 13. Get Down, Make Love - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Under Pressure - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Tie Your Mother Down - 20. Another One Bites the Dust.

Vienna (May 12th, 1982) - AudienceSoundboard 99 mins

Live at the Stadthalle Vienna, Austria May 12th, 1982, Attendance: 14,100

Queen returned to Vienna for the first time since May, 1978 and the 'News of the World Tour.' That makes exactly four years, which is not long at all, but the band had changed massively in short time. This show is the first of the two nights Queen performed in the city, and both shows are exceptional. Freddie is in fantastic form whilst Brian is in playful mood, playing the riff of "I Go Crazy" during his solo, a song which would finally emerge two years later as the B-Side to Radio Ga Ga. The audience recording is merged with a short recording from the soundboard to produce a recording with great quality sound. This is an absolutely top notch performance from a tour blessed with great performances.

Setlist

Audience Recording: 1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Ay Oh! - 5. Action This Day - 6. Play the Game - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Now I'm Here - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me - 14. Back Chat - 15. Get Down, Make Love - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. I Go Crazy (Guitar Solo) - 18. Under Pressure - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Mustapha (Intro) - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Vienna (May 13th, 1982) 96 mins

Live at the Stadthalle Vienna, Austria May 13th, 1982, Attendance: 14,100

This is the second show of two in Vienna and is every bit as thrilling as the first. This time, however, the band swap things around a bit, as they tended to do on the 'Hot Space Tour.' One notable feature of this show is the first performance of the 'Body Language,' the infamous lead single from the 'Hot Space' album. The band would perform the song just one more time in Europe before dropping it on account of its being poorly received. The song would be reintroduced into the set in the North American leg. There is quite a remarkable split here which has tended to colour the 'Hot Space' period. Many dismiss the album, and the tour with it, as an aberration in Queen history. The truth however, is much more nuanced. For all of the unpopularity of 'Body Language' (and 'Hot Space' with it) in Europe, where it stalled at a miserable UK #25, it was a smash hit in North America, hitting #11 and #3 in the US and Canada respectively. Regardless of what we think of the song, the 'Hot Space' shows are invariably good, both excellent and exciting, and this show is one of the best. The show is also noteworthy for being the only time on the tour that 'The Hero' goes right into 'Action This Day' rather than having 'Tie Your Mother Down,' 'We Will Rock You' (Fast), or 'Sheer Heart Attack' in between. Audience recording in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. Action This Day - 4. Play the Game - 5. Ay Oh - 6. Staying Power - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Now I'm Here - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Save Me - 13. Body Language (First live performance) - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Under Pressure - 17. Fat Bottomed Girls - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Sheer Heart Attack - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen/

Live in Berlin (May 15th, 1982) 82 mins

Live at the Waldbühne Berlin, West Germany May 15th, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 22,300

Queen in the seventies and well into the eighties were principally an arena band. They would go on in the eighties to play massive stadiums in front of hundreds of thousands of people. This is a rare outdoors concert played at an amphitheatre. Worse than the mosquitoes that plagued the band all night, however, is the distinct antipathy of the audience towards the new sounds from 'Hot Space.' This clearly ticks Freddie off, and leads to the suggestion that what sunk 'Hot Space' was less the quality of the material than the narrow mindedness of large sections of the public. Tonight saw the end of attempts to sell the virtues of 'Body Language' to a European audience. The show is still a good one but whilst the band are in fine form, you can sense that their hearts are not entirely in it. I suspect that the band are beginning to understand that 'Hot Space' might be a harder sell than they had anticipated.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Now I'm Here - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Under Pressure - 17. Body Language - 18. Back Chat - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down.

Hamburg (May 16th, 1982) 90 mins

Live at Ernst-Merck-Halle Hamburg, West Germany May 16th, 1982, Attendance: 5,600

After the poor reception the 'Hot Space' material had received the previous night in Berlin, Queen change their set around a bit, dropping 'Body Language' and 'Back Chat.' The band also seem to playing within themselves tonight. The musicianship is solid, if less fiery than usual. Audience recording in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. My Fairy King (Intro) - 6. Play the Game - 7. Ay Oh - 8. Staying Power - 9. Somebody to Love - 10. Now I'm Here - 11. Dragon Attack - 12. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 13. Love of My Life - 14. Save Me - 15. Get Down, Make Love - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Under Pressure - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 20. Spread Your Wings (Improv) - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Live in Leeds (May 29th, 1982) 118 mins

Live at the Elland Road Football Stadium Leeds, England May 29th, 1982, Attendance: 40,200

With the end of the tour of mainland Europe, Queen took a week off before embarking on four show mini-tour of the UK. Queen are on fire, with each show having a claim to being the best Queen shows of the tour and even of all time. The band is on fire and deliver blistering performances in each of these shows. Freddie, too, is in strong voice. This is a stadium show, recorded from the audience in good sound quality. Brian May is on record as stating this as his favourite Queen show. He also expresses a wish that this show had been recorded instead of the show at Milton Keynes. Given that the show at the Milton Keynes Bowl is exceptional, released on CD with the title "Queen on Fire," you can gain some idea of how incendiary the Leeds show was.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 18:04 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Now I'm Here - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me - 14. Back Chat - 15. Get Down, Make Love - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Drum Solo - 18. Under Pressure - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. Sheer Heart Attack - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Edinburgh (June 1st, 1982) - 2019 UPGRADE 98 mins

Live at the Ingliston Showground Edinburgh, Scotland June 1st, 1982, Attendance: 11,000

Part of the UK leg of the European tour, this show in Edinburgh - the first of two - sees the band delivering another fantastic performance. If the band are a little more restrained than they had been in Leeds, then Freddie is in even better voice. These shows may well be Queen in their prime as a live act. They would go on to some major triumphs in concert, but this is peak Queen. The show here is recorded in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Somebody to Love - 8. Now I'm Here - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Save Me - 13. Back Chat - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. I Go Crazy (Guitar Solo) - 17. Drum Solo - 18. Under Pressure - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Edinburgh (June 2nd, 1982) - 2019 UPGRADE 97 mins

Live at the Ingliston Showground Edinburgh, Scotland June 2nd, 1982, Attendance: 11,000

This is the second of two shows that Queen played two nights running in Edinburgh, and the band deliver another stellar performance. At this point of their career, Queen are a live act without peer, revving up for the big date at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, June 5th, which would be filmed and recorded. The band are in form and on fire. Audience recording in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. The Hero - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Ay Oh - 7. Staying Power - 8. Somebody to Love - 9. Now I'm Here - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 12. Love of My Life - 13. Save Me - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Drum Solo - 17. Under Pressure - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Sheer Heart Attack - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Hot in Europe | EU HOT SPACE TOUR Live Album 117 mins

European 'Hot Space Tour,' April 9th, 1982 - May 22nd, 1982 Number of shows: 26 (22 shows have circulating recordings) Countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, West Germany. Shows used: 13 Tracks: 28 (32 including improvs & co.) Editing: The Crazy Game Thumbnail & Song Cards: The Crazy Game

Setlist

01. Flash's Theme [tape] - 02. The Hero - 03. We Will Rock You (fast) - 04. Action This Day - My Fairy King (intro) - 05. Play the Game 00:17:18 - 06. Staying Power 00:21:11 - 07. Somebody to Love - 08. Get Down, Make Love - 09. Under Pressure - We Will Rock You (improv) - 10. Fat Bottomed Girls - III) Mustapha (intro) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Save Me - 13. Body Language - 14. Back Chat - 15. Keyboard / Guitar Solo - 16. Liar - 17. Not Fade Away - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Spread Your Wings (intro) - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Now I'm Here - 22. Dragon Attack - 23. Now I'm Here (reprise) - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Sheer Heart Attack - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Action This Night _ HOT SPACE TOUR Live Album 1982

Boston (July 23rd, 1982) 90 mins

Live at Boston Garden Boston, Massachusetts, USA July 23rd, 1982, Attendance: 15,900

This is Queen's last performance ever in Boston, a city in which the band had always gone down well. Appropriately, the Mayor of Boston, Kevin White, made this day, July 23rd, "Queen Day" in Boston. The announcement, read to by DJ Mark Parenteau from WBCN Radio, can be heard at the beginning of this recording. In light of the announcement, the 'Flash' tape normally used to start the show isn't played, with the show starting instead with the opening chords to 'Rock It' on guitar. The band put on a lively show, a little shorter than the usual 90 minutes, and a little sloppy in places too (Brian starts the solo to 'Dragon Attack' too early). It's still a top show, though, recorded from the audience in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. "Queen Day" Announcement - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Calling All Girls - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Under Pressure - 15. Fat Bottomed Girls - 16. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 17. Bohemian Rhapsody - 18. Tie Your Mother Down - 19. Body Language - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. We Will Rock You - 22. We Are the Champions - 23. God Save the Queen.

Philadelphia (July 24th, 1982) 92 mins

Live at the Spectrum Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA July 24th, 1982, Attendance: 18,200

Apart from a cut just before 'Get Down Make Love,' this is a complete recording in good sound quality. The band put on a solid performance, although Freddie's voice is showing a little strain. The odd error here and there apart, the band are tight and fluid.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Staying Power - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Calling All Girls - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Body Language - 15. Under Pressure - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Tie Your Mother Down - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. We Will Rock You - 22. We Are the Champions - 23. God Save the Queen.

New York (July 28th, 1982) 95 mins

Live at Madison Square Garden New York City, New York, USA July 28th, 1982, Attendance: 20,000

This is the second of two nights that Queen played at MSG, and the band's last ever performance at the prestigious venue. The band is tight and puts on a solid show. 'Somebody to Love' returns to the set in place of 'Staying Power,' and the band deliver a good rendition. This is one of the best shows of the US leg of the tour, although the band seem to be a little rushed in parts. Audience recording in pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Calling All Girls - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Body Language - 15. Under Pressure - 16. Ay Oh - 17. Fat Bottomed Girls - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. We Will Rock You - 23. We Are the Champions - 24. God Save the Queen.

Detroit (August 6th, 1982) 95 mins

Live at Joe Louis Arena Detroit, Michigan, USA August 6th, 1982, Attendance: 18,000

The band seem rushed in their playing in this show, pushing the tempo as if looking forward to the end of the tour. Having been in such incendiary form for so long, this is understandable. The band don't seem to be enjoying playing, something confirmed by Brian May in an interview after the tour. The tour seems like a chore to promote what had proven to be a fairly controversial album, and the strain is beginning to show. It's still a fine performance, although recorded from the audience in pretty terrible sound.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Calling All Girls - 12. Get Down, Make Love - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Body Language - 15. Under Pressure - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Tie Your Mother Down - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. We Will Rock You - 22. We Are the Champions - 23. God Save the Queen.

East Rutherford (August 9th, 1982) 99 mins

Live at Brendan Byrne Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA August 9th, 1982, Attendance: 14,000

This show is something of a damp squib. For some reason, the venue is far short of being sold out, with an attendance of 14,000 in a 20,000 capacity arena. The band are also a bit off all night, instrumentally and vocally. There is also a droning noise that can be heard going on throughout the show, which causes Freddie's temper to flash. Brian, too, is out of sorts, having guitar troubles. After he breaks a strong on his Red Special, Brian switches to his John Birch copy. When this goes out of tune, Brian hurls it over his stack of amps. The show is one of Queen's poorest, recorded in pretty poor sound. On the plus side, the audience recording picks up one of the very few times that 'Life is Real' was ever performed, so it's an important document for all of its issues.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Ay Oh - 12. Calling All Girls - 13. Get Down, Make Love - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Body Language - 16. Under Pressure - 17. Life is Real - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Tie Your Mother Down - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. We Are the Champions - 25. God Save the Queen.

Hoffman Estates (August 13th, 1982) 91 mins

Live at Poplar Creek Music Theatre Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA August 13th, 1982, Attendance: 20,000

This show is performed at an outdoor venue, which is unusual, since in the main Queen were an arena band in the US. The acoustics are none too good, but the recording picks up probably the band's best show of the tour in pretty decent sound. Freddie sings better and the band more enthusiastic than is normally the case on this tour. Brian in particular is on fire. The band also performs 'Life is Real' again, making this one of only two recordings of a song performed only five times in total. It's a good show.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Calling All Girls - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Dragon Attack - 9. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 10. Save Me - 11. Get Down, Make Love - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Body Language - 14. Under Pressure - 15. Life is Real - 16. Fat Bottomed Girls - 17. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 18. Bohemian Rhapsody - 19. Tie Your Mother Down - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. We Will Rock You - 22. We Are the Champions.

Oakland (September 7th, 1982) 84 mins

Live at Alameda County Coliseum Arena Oakland, California, USA September 7th, 1982 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A- Attendance: 15,000

The band are firing on all cylinders in this show, giving us some idea of what the band sounded like in the second half of the US 1982 tour, for which this is the only recording. The band introduce 'Put Out The Fire' into the set, playing it in the medley with 'Now I'm Here' and 'Dragon Attack.' Freddie's voice is good but is now veering towards his later Works-era voice, louder and huskier. This audience recording cuts the second encore but is in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Calling All Girls - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Put Out the Fire - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Ay Oh - 12. Save Me - 13. Get Down, Make Love - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Body Language - 16. Under Pressure - 17. Fat Bottomed Girls - 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Tie Your Mother Down - 21. Another One Bites the Dust.

Rock n' America, HOT SPACE TOUR Live Album 115 mins

LIVE ALBUM:

July 21st, 1982 - September 15th, 1982

Countries: Canada, United States

Number of shows: 33 (11 shows have circulating recordings)

Shows used: 8

Setlist

01. Flash (tape) - 02. Rock It (Prime Jive) - 03. We Will Rock You (fast) - 04. Action This Day - 05. Play the Game - 06. Staying Power - 07. Somebody to Love - 08. Now I'm Here - 09. Put Out the Fire - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (reprise) - 12. Save Me 13. Calling All Girls - 14. Back Chat - 15. Get Down, Make Love - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Body Language - 18. Under Pressure - 19. Life Is Real (Song For Lennon) - 20. Fat Bottomed Girls - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen

Fukuoka (October 19th, 1982) 102 mins

Live at the Memorial Gymnasium Fukuoka, Japan October 19th, 1982, Attendance: 2,000

This is the first show of Japanese leg of the tour. Queen would perform six shows in Japan, with Freddie's voice in variable form throughout. This is one show in which he has difficulties throughout. Tonight sees the final performance of 'Back Chat,' which is something of a shame. The track had real potential, a potential that for one reason or another fell by the wayside. It ought to have been the lead-off single for 'Hot Space,' but instead was the fourth single release from an album that was already struggling against a poor reaction. The song was performed better live and the band showed real signs of getting to grips with its hot rhythms. But it didn't go down well and didn't find a place in the set for most of the US tour. It was played for the last time here, a lost Queen classic. Each to their own, I think the song is at least as good as the much better known and better appreciated 'Another One Bites the Dust.' The band perform a cover of Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' for the first time since 1977, and the song would keep cropping up for the rest of the band's live career. The band are not as tight as usual, but still do some great things on tracks like 'Get Down Make Love,' 'Back Chat,' 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (which has a beautiful piano introduction from Freddie). Audience recording in good sound.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Calling All Girls - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Put Out the Fire - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Improv Jam - 13. Save Me - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Body Language - 17. Back Chat - 18. Under Pressure - 19. Fat Bottomed Girls - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. We Are the Champions - 27. God Save the Queen.

Nagoya (October 26th, 1982) 102 mins

Live at the International Exhibition Hall Nagoya, Japan October 26th, 1982, Attendance: 20,000

Coming towards the end of the tour, this is a solid but relaxed show, with the band playing around and being creative at times. Brian adds a few licks to songs here and there, whilst Freddie sings 'Teo Torriatte' with the audience, rehearsing it for its performance in the following shows. Freddie is in pretty good voice, although a bit shaky at certain points. The band takes a little time to warm up, but are in great form once they get going. The show contains five tracks from 'Hot Space,' but no 'Staying Power' and 'Back Chat' which, for me, are the definitive 'hot' tracks along with 'Body Language' (played tonight) and 'Dancer' (never played). Audience recording with very good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Flash (Intro) - 2. Rock It - 3. We Will Rock You (Fast) - 4. Action This Day - 5. Play the Game - 6. Calling All Girls - 7. Now I'm Here - 8. Put Out the Fire - 9. Dragon Attack - 10. Now I'm Here (Reprise) - 11. Love of My Life - 12. Improv Jam - 13. Save Me - 14. Get Down, Make Love - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Body Language - 17. Under Pressure - 18. Fat Bottomed Girls - 19. Teo Torriatte - 20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Tie Your Mother Down - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Nishinomiya (October 24th, 1982)

Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan 1982 (COMPLETEREMASTERED) 110 mins

Wednesday, November 3, 1982 Seibu Lions Stadium, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Kantō, Japan

Setlist

Flash; The Hero; We Will Rock You (Fast); Action This Day; Play The Game; Calling All Girls; Now I'm Here/Put Out the Fire/Dragon Attack; Love Of My Life; Save Me; Get Down, Make Love/Guitar Solo; Body Language; Under Pressure; Fat Bottomed Girls; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Te O Toriatte (Let Us Cling Together); Another One Bites the Dust; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen.

Jump To It, JAPAN HOT SPACE TOUR 123 mins

October 19th, 1982 - November 3rd, 1982

Number of shows: 6

Setlist

01. Flash (tape) - 02. Rock It (Prime Jive) - 03. We Will Rock You (fast) - 04. Action This Day - 05. Play the Game - 06. Somebody to Love - 07. Calling All Girls - 08. Now I'm Here - 09. Put Out the Fire - 10. Dragon Attack - 11. Now I'm Here (reprise) - 12. Love of My Life - a) Improv Jam - 13. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) - 14. Save Me - 15. Get Down, Make Love - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Body Language - 18. Back Chat - 19. Under Pressure - 20. Fat Bottomed Girls - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - b) Spread Your Wings (improv) - c) Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) - d) Death on Two Legs (intro) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Tie Your Mother Down - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Jailhouse Rock / Improv - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen

Vienna 5 12 1982 (Best Source Merge) 99 mins

Setlist

Flash; The Hero; We Will Rock You (Fast); Action This Day; Play The Game; Staying Power; Somebody To Love; Now I'm Here; Dragon Attack; Now I'm Here (Reprise); Love Of My Life; Save Me; Back Chat; Get Down Make Love; Guitar Solo; Under Pressure; Fat Bottomed Girls; Mustapha (Intro); Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Tie Your Mother Down; Another One Bites The Dust; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions; God Save The Queen.

1984

Live at Work, The Works Tour, Live Album 127 mins

Setlist

0. Machines (Or Back to Humans) - 1. Tear It Up - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Under Pressure - 4. Somebody to Love - Piano Improv Medley - 5. Killer Queen - 6. Seven Seas of Rhye - 7. Keep Yourself Alive - 8. Liar - 9. Impromptu - 10. It's A Hard Life - 11. Staying Power - 12. Dragon Attack - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Is This the World We Created...? - 15. '39 (improv) - 16. Love of My Life (w/Lullaby) - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Instrumental Section (w/The Skye Boat Song) - 20. Brighton Rock (ending) - 21. Hammer to Fall - We Will Rock You (improv) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Not Fade Away (improv) - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

USED SHOWS:

European Leg:

1984-08-24 [BRUSSELS]: Seven Seas of Rhye; Liar; It's A Hard Life; Radio Ga Ga; I Want to Break Free (mostly) 1984-08-28 [DUBLIN]: Tear It Up 1984-08-31 [BIRMINGHAM]: Now I'm Here; God Save the Queen 1984-09-02 [BIRMINGHAM]: Love of My Life (introduction) 1984-09-04 [LONDON]: Stone Cold Crazy; Great King Rat; Not Fade Away 1984-09-07 [LONDON]: Staying Power (introduction); Love of My Life (Brahm's Lullaby); Instrumental Section; Brighton Rock (ending) 1984-09-14 [MILAN]: Staying Power 1984-09-20 [LEIDEN]: Is This the World We Created...?; '39; Love of My Life (mainly) 1984-09-27 [STUTTGART]: Dragon Attack; Hammer to Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)

Sun City Leg:

1984-10-19 [SUN CITY]: Piano Medley (The March of the Black Queen; My Fairy King); Killer Queen; Keep Yourself Alive; Impromptu; Another One Bites the Dust; Bohemian Rhapsody; We Are the Champions

Rock in Rio:

1985-01-12 [RIO DE JANEIRO]: Under Pressure; Somebody to Love; We Will Rock You

Oceanian Leg:

1985-04-26 [SYDNEY]: Piano Medley (Death on Two Legs)

Japan Leg:

1985-05-09 [TOKYO]: Tie Your Mother Down 1985-05-11 [TOKYO]: I Want to Break Free (intro & ending); Jailhouse Rock 1985-05-15 [OSAKA]: Machines

Brussels (August 24th, 1984) 107 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium August 24th, 1984 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 9,000

This show is the very first show of 'The Works Tour,' a tour which has gone down as a low point in Queen's concertography on account of Freddie's ailing performances and some rather uninspired musicianship from the band. None of these things are in evidence in this opening show, however. Freddie is in good voice and the band is in energetic form. The setlist is also noteworthy, evincing a rich and varied blend of tracks drawn from all parts of Queen's career. Every one of the band's albums is represented in the setlist apart from, curiously, 'Jazz'. Alongside the first performances of seven tracks from the new album, 'The Works,' we see the return of a number of old favourites after a few years away: 'Great King Rat,' 'Seven Seas of Rhye,' and 'Stone Cold Crazy.' The band had come a long way in the intervening years, and is now taking stock of who they were and still are and where they had arrived. This seems to be a band that knows itself to have scaled the heights, with nothing left to prove, more concerned with showing off its achievements than promoting the new album. The show is excellent and sets a high standard that the rest of the tour failed to follow. Maybe it's a natural process of aspiration, attainment, and relaxation, but the band could no longer perform with the same creativity and intensity it had in reaching the top. It was now time to celebrate the achievement. This show is one to savour as a late example of a elite performance from a band that knows itself to be at the top.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up (First live performance) - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye (First live performance since 1976) - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. It's a Hard Life (First live performance) - 11. Staying Power - 12. Dragon Attack - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Is This the World We Created (First live performance) - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Stone Cold Crazy (First live performance since 1978) - 17. Great King Rat (First live performance since 1975) - 18. Guitar/Keyboard Solo - 19. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 20. Radio Ga Ga (First live performance) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Hammer to Fall (First live performance) - 25. I Want to Break Free (First live performance) - 26. Sheer Heart Attack - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Dublin (August 28th, 1984) 103 mins

Live at the Royal Dublin Society Simmonscourt Dublin, Ireland August 28th, 1984, Attendance: 7,000

This show was the first of two nights that Queen played in Dublin, two of only four shows that the band played in Ireland their entire career (the other two being in 1979 and at the end in 1986). Queen were well known to end their shows with the tape of their version of 'God Save the Queen,' the UK national anthem, a controversial selection in politically fraught times. Indeed, there were bomb threats made for this show. The band played the 'Day at the Races' overture to close the show instead of the usual track. The show is fantastic, the band are in great form and Freddie is in good voice. Indeed, it is arguable that Freddie would never sound this good again (with the possible exception of some of the shows in Japan the following year). Like the Brussels opener, this is a fantastic show that offers a tantalising glimpse of just how great this tour could have been had the band been able to keep pace with themselves. Unfortunately, it is a pretty poor sounding recording from the audience.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Ay Oh - 5. Under Pressure - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Seven Seas of Rhye - 9. Keep Yourself Alive - 10. Liar - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Guitar/Keyboard Solo - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. I Want to Break Free - 27. Sheer Heart Attack - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. Overture.

Birmingham (August 31st, 1984) 106 mins

Live at the National Exhibition Center Birmingham, England August 31st, 1984, Attendance: 14,000

This show is the first of three nights that the band performed in Birmingham. Although it is only the fourth show of 'The Works Tour,' Freddie's vocals start to show a change in quality, developing a louder, darker, and huskier tone. This was the shape of things to come. For the moment, however, he still sounds strong. Brian is also in good form, putting in a spirited performance, particularly on the immense 'Hammer to Fall,' where he scorches the fretboard in the stunning solo that ends the song. There are many other memorable moments in the rest of the show, making for what is very probably the best of the seven UK shows on the tour. The show was captured from the audience in good quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's A Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Hammer to Fall - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. I Want to Break Free - 28. Sheer Heart Attack - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Birmingham (September 1st, 1984) 102 mins

Live at the National Exhibition Center Birmingham, England September 1st, 1984, Attendance: 14,000

This show is the second of three nights that Queen would perform in Birmingham. It is only the fifth show of the tour and Freddie's voice is already cracking under the strain. Whereas he had hit all the high notes in 'Tear it Up' just a few days earlier in Dublin, tonight he struggles. His vocals would fluctuate between good and bad for the rest of the tour, in and between concerts. If he sounds fantastic in some shows (for instance, Leiden, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart), he could sound pretty awful in others (for instance, Dortmund, Paris, and Vienna). In terms of the musicianship, the band are solid, with a few creative flourishes here and there. Brian improvises new melodies in his solo to 'Killer Queen,' investing that old favourite with a new freshness. Brian also plays a bit of 'Dead On Time' in the midst of 'Keep Yourself Alive.' This means that the band reference every album in their catalogue in this show (not counting the 'Flash' soundtrack). The last time that they had done that was in 1978, but it is more of an achievement now given the additional albums and changes in style in the intervening years. This show is also noteworthy for being the last time the band would perform 'Sheer Heart Attack,' a concert stalwart that could always be relied upon to liven proceedings up. Overall, this is a pretty good show, certainly by the standards of this tour. A good recording from the audience in good sound.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Dead On Time (Keep Yourself Alive) - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Staying Power - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Stone Cold Crazy - 19. Great King Rat - 20. Keyboard Solo - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 27. Bohemian Rhapsody - 28. Radio Ga Ga - 29. I Want to Break Free - 30. Sheer Heart Attack (Final live performance) - 31. We Will Rock You - 32. We Are the Champions - 33. God Save the Queen.

Live in Birmingham (September 2nd, 1984) 142 mins

Live at the National Exhibition Center Birmingham, England September 2nd, 1984, Attendance: 14,000

The cracks had started to show in the previous night's show, and tonight Freddie's voice gives way. Freddie was not using his voice properly on this tour, and was shot to pieces by this, only the sixth show of the tour. Things would get worse in the London shows. This tour could have been great given the blend of all Queen albums in the setlist, and given the great new material, but Freddie didn't have the stamina. On the plus side, the band are on their game tonight though, delivering hot performances on 'Staying Power' and 'Dragon Attack.' Freddie's vocal problems notwithstanding, this is a pretty good show overall (captured in good sound quality). The tour would go downhill from here.

Setlist

Soundcheck: 1. Drums - 2. Red Special - 3. Ovation Pacemaker 1615 - 4. Gibson Chet Atkins CE - 5. Red Special - 6. Roland VP-330 - 7. Steinway 1972 Grand Piano - 8. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 9. It's a Hard Life - 10. Radio Ga Ga - 11. Staying Power - 12. Dragon Attack - 13. Hammer to Fall - 14. Stone Cold Crazy - 15. Another One Bites the Dust - 16. Dead On Time.

Concert: 1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Dead On Time (Keep Yourself Alive) - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Staying Power - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Stone Cold Crazy - 19. Great King Rat - 20. Keyboard Solo - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - 27. Bohemian Rhapsody - 28. Radio Ga Ga - 29. I Want to Break Free - 30. Jailhouse Rock - 31. We Will Rock You - 32. We Are the Champions - 33. God Save the Queen.

London (September 4th, 1984) 104 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England September 4th, 1984, Attendance: 12,500

This show is the first of a four concert residency at Wembley Arena. Freddie sounds better than he had in Birmingham a couple of days earlier, but not much better. He is clearly toiling with a voice that is shot. In terms of musicianship, the concert is great, so your appreciation depends on whether you can make concessions for Freddie's vocal difficulties. Audience recording in pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Dead on Time (Keep Yourself Alive) - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Staying Power - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Ay Oh - 19. Stone Cold Crazy - 20. Great King Rat - 21. Keyboard Solo - 22. Guitar Solo - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Another One Bites the Dust - 26. Not Fade Away - 27. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 28. Bohemian Rhapsody - 29. Radio Ga Ga - 30. I Want to Break Free - 31. Jailhouse Rock - 32. We Will Rock You - 33. We Are the Champions - 34. God Save the Queen.

London (September 5th, 1984) 106 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England September 5th, 1984, Attendance: 12,500

On his 38th birthday, Freddie is in poor voice but great spirits. The audience, too, are in a happy mood, singing 'Happy Birthday' on a number of occasions throughout the show. For all that his voice is shot, Freddie does some beautiful falsetto, employing the delay to harmonize with himself, recalling his seventies heyday. Recorded from the audience in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

Live in London (September 7th, 1984) 114 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England September 7th, 1984, Attendance: 12,500

This is the third of four nights at Wembley for the band and the show is an ... eventful one. It had been Freddie's 38th birthday two days earlier and what was left of Freddie's already shot voices was shredded completely in the party celebrations. Freddie rarely sounded worse and spends most of the show struggling and straining to hit the notes. Any sadness at hearing at how bad he sounds is quickly dispelled by imagining all that he got up to in the partying that reduced him to this. The band are in good form, though, and are joined onstage by none other than Rick Parfitt of Status Quo, making for a very entertaining 'Jailhouse Rock.' That's worth the entrance fee in itself (OK, I am a big fan of Elvis and Quo and have an affinity for Rick Parfitt, who died of a heart attack the day I was taken into hospital with a heart attack). The show boasts a gargantuan setlist, with some songs rarely heard getting a run out. It all makes for fascinating listening in decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Dead On Time (Keep Yourself Alive) - 10. Liar - 21:50 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Staying Power - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Brahms' Lullaby (Love of My Life) - 19. Stone Cold Crazy - 20. Great King Rat - 21. Guitar/Keyboard Solo - 22. The Skye Boat Song (Guitar Solo) - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Hammer to Fall - 26. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 27. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 28. Bohemian Rhapsody - 29. Radio Ga Ga - 30. I Want to Break Free - 31. Jailhouse Rock - 32. We Will Rock You - 33. We Are the Champions - 34. God Save the Queen.

London (September 8th, 1984) 108 mins

Live at Wembley Arena London, England September 8th, 1984, Attendance: 12,500

This is the fourth and final night for the band at Wembley Arena and the entire stint has been memorable. Freddie sounds better than he had in previous shows, not great but decent. The band takes quite some time to warm up but when they finally get going, some twenty minutes in, they put in some fine performances. Brian plays a long instrumental to introduce 'Is This the World We Created?' which is very pleasant. Audience recording with decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

Milan (September 14th, 1984) 106 mins

Live at the Palazzo Dello Sport, Milan, Italy

This is a pretty solid if uninspired performance from the band. It's hard to fault the playing, but that little spark and edge that made Queen a cut above is missing. One thing about Queen I always loved is that the band were never boring. They could walk a tightrope between good and bad taste, and do things that would make you nervous, but they were never dull. For all of the relentless, high energy, touring, Queen were never a 'just add water and stir' band going through the motions. This was as close as they ever came to being such a band. The highlights - of which there are a few - save the show from such a damning verdict. There is a great jam before 'Liar,' grace of Brian breaking a string. It is also worth mentioning that this would be the final time that Queen would perform 'Staying Power,' which is a real shame. It's a great track, a lost Queen classic (first lost by the synths over guitars approach on record). The reason for its omission seems to have been the demands it made on Freddie in performance. So appreciate the red hot version we have in the Milton Keynes show.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - [Final live performance] - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. I Want to Break Free - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Milan (September 15th, 1984) 106 mins

Live at the Palazzo Dello Sport Milan, Italy September 15th, 1984 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A Attendance: 18,000

This is the second and last show in Italy, and Freddie's voice is just hanging on as best it can. The band, too, sound rather uninspired, the normally incendiary hard rockers plodding along nicely. With the departure of 'Staying Power,' the variety and intensity of the set has also declined. There are still some highlights, though, to retain interest. The killer solo that Brian performs in 'Dragon Attack' redeems the entire night. Brian also reprises the Brahms' Lullaby during 'Love of My Life,' as he had done a week earlier in London.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Dead On Time (Keep Yourself Alive) - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Mustapha (Intro) - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Brahms' Lullaby (Love of My Life) - 19. Stone Cold Crazy - 20. Great King Rat - 21. Keyboard Solo - 22. Guitar Solo - 23. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 24. Another One Bites the Dust - 25. Hammer to Fall - 26. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 27. Bohemian Rhapsody - 28. Radio Ga Ga - 29. I Want to Break Free - 30. Jailhouse Rock - 31. We Will Rock You - 32. We Are the Champions - 33. God Save the Queen.

Brussels (September 21st, 1984) 104 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium September 21st, 1984, Attendance: 9,000

Queen added this second night in Brussels in response to the high ticket demand, although the concert took place a month later due to scheduling conflicts. Freddie was in good voice in that opening show but a lot has happened since. Freddie struggles to hit the high notes throughout the show and tries to do falsetto to cover his difficulties, which doesn't sound good. Freddie's voice is rough, marking a massive deterioration from the first show in Brussels, where his singing was on a par with the best shows of 1982. On a plus side, the band are in good form, with John Deacon coming to the fore with an extra funky bass, and Roger Taylor in powerhouse form. Audience recording with good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Improv Jam - 18. Stone Cold Crazy - 19. Great King Rat - 20. Keyboard Solo - 21. Guitar Solo - 22. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 23. Another One Bites the Dust - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

Paris (September 18th, 1984) 100 mins

Live at Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy Paris, France September 18th, 1984, Attendance: 17,000

This is a fairly middling show in 'The Works Tour.' Freddie's voice is unstable, pretty good at some times and pretty average at others. The band are fairly sloppy and sluggish, too. There is still some good work here and there, particularly from Brian on guitar. A pretty average show recorded in average sound.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. I Want to Break Free - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Berlin (September 24th, 1984) 105 mins

Live at Deutschlandhalle Berlin, West Germany September 24th, 1984, Attendance: 11,000

As a result of an accident at the show in Hanover, Freddie is now performing with his leg in a brace. He is in decent voice, if a little rough. The final German shows in the tour at Berlin, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart mark a return to good form, with the band playing with a lot of energy. It's as though Freddie's busted leg brought the realisation that the band would have to reach for a little bit extra than normal. Whatever the reason, the band are in excellent form in these shows, maintaining their good form to Vienna. Recorded from the audience in decent, if a little distant, sound quality. The acoustics gives the recording the big arena sound.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created? - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Bohemian Rhapsody - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. I Want to Break Free - 28. Jailhouse Rock - 29. We Will Rock You - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Stuttgart (September 27th, 1984) 111 mins

Live at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, West Germany, September 27th, 1984, Attendance: 15,000

'The Works Tour' is considered to be perhaps weakest tour of all, with the band sounding rather uninspired throughout. This show is exceptional, certainly in that context. Freddie's voice is in good form and the band, too, are inspired. All in all, this is a great performance, raising it well above the norm for 'The Works tour.' Captured on an excellent audience recording, this show should have been the high norm for that tour, but wasn't. This is very much a document on what could and should have been.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

Stuttgart (September 27th, 1984) - Amateur Video 112 mins

Live at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle Stuttgart, West Germany September 27th, 1984

The full Stuttgart show was captured on video from the audience and can be hear din pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

Vienna (September 29th, 1984) 108 mins

Live at the Stadthalle Vienna, Austria September 29th, 1984 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A Attendance: 14,100

This show is the first of two nights in Vienna, the final stop on the European tour, and Freddie's voice shows a marked deterioration from the last show in Stuttgart. Where he had sung with real power and flexibility on the 27th, tonight he sounds spent, as if he had putting all he had left into the last show. That makes the recording a difficult listening experience. This show is a contender for Freddie's worst performance of the tour. It's a pity because the other members of the band are in pretty decent form and the show has been captured in good sound quality. Such is life, tantalising glimpses of perfection in fragments leaving us to piece it altogether as one in the imagination. Strange dreams of Heaven.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Mustapha (Intro) - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Keyboard Solo - 20. Guitar Solo - 21. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

The Quirks, Worst of The Works Tour, Live Album 1984 108 mins

In all truth, 'The Works Tour' was Queen's worst ever live tour. It's not just that Freddie isn't in good voice, the entire band seem uninspired and uninterested. There are many 'Queen by numbers' performances, which is most unusual for this band. Musically, it is still hard to fault the band. They are more sloppy than usual on occasions, but it is a sign of the band's high standards that Queen at their worst signs like many a band on a normal day. I went through Lockdown 2020 listening to and watching live concerts of my old rock favourites on You Tube. Frankly, a lot of big reputations don't withstand the scrutiny. I shall name no names, but think of some of the biggest names in the history of hard rock. You can't dredge up excitement by loudness and noise. This album showcases at their worst on 'The Works Tour,' gathering all the worst versions of every song performed in one place. Queen don't get any worse than this. The odd thing is, I'd take this over many a band on a normal day. I love Elvis and have listened to any number of Elvis concerts. Elvis could often be poor. He was soon trapped into a soul-destroying cycle of Las Vegas and touring and his boredom and desperation showed quite often. The road is a killer. The remarkable thing is that when Queen start to feel the strain and get bored, the musicianship never collapses. The shows at their worst can be a little dull and routine, but are never poor.

Setlist

1. Machines (Or Back to Humans) [Tape] - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's A Hard Life - 12. Staying Power - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created...? - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Stone Cold Crazy - 18. Great King Rat - 19. Instrumental Section - 20. Brighton Rock (ending) - 21. Radio Ga Ga - 22. Another One Bites the Dust - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Hammer to Fall - 26. I Want to Break Free - 27. Jailhouse Rock - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Down Under Pressure, OCEANIA THE WORKS TOUR, Live Album 104 mins

The Works (1984) in Australia / New Zealand, April 13th, 1985 - April 28th, 1985. Number of shows: 9 (5 shows have circulating recordings); Countries: Australia, New Zealand, Shows used: 5. Editing: The Crazy Game Thumbnail & Song Cards: The Crazy Game

Setlist

01. Machines (Or Back to Humans) [tape] - 02. Tear It Up - 03. Tie Your Mother Down - 04. Under Pressure - 05. Somebody to Love - I. Death on Two Legs (intro) - II. My Fairy King (intro) - 06. Killer Queen - 07. Seven Seas of Rhye - 08. Keep Yourself Alive - 09. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's A Hard Life - III. Vocal Improv - 12. Dragon Attack - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Is This the World We Created...? - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Brighton Rock (ending) - 18. Another One Bites the Dust - 19. Mustapha (intro) - 20. Hammer to Fall - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Radio Ga Ga - 24. I Want to Break Free - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Live in Sun City (October 19th, 1984) 106 mins

Live at the Sun City Super Bowl Sun City, Bophuthatswana October 19th, 1984 Soundboard Recording Attendance: 6,000

This is one tour we could have well done without, embroiling the band in precisely the kind of political controversy they had always sought to avoid. Queen had always sought to separate music and politics and, in many respects, were groundbreakers in showing how music could transcend politics. Performances in various parts of the world affirmed a unity and solidarity among people the world over regardless of political regime. Queen took the view that if they only toured those parts of the world which had liberal and democratic political regimes, they would be playing few places indeed, cutting off many areas in which they had a huge popularity. 'I Want to Break Free' had been adopted as an anthem of the African National Congress and Queen declared that they would play to non-segregated audiences. It was poor timing, with Queen touring at the height of the international boycott and Artists Against Apartheid. Although the tour was supported by a reasoned argument - you could argue for or against the reasons offered, but at least there was an argument - and the band played to mixed audiences, the band caught Hell for their decision to play South Africa. There was a massive backlash from within the music industry and the band were even blacklisted by the United Nations. Queen fell in bad odour for a long while, and it took Live Aid to redeem their reputation. Indeed, many artists objected to Queen's presence at Live Aid and expressed their discomfort for having to appear alongside such 'jerks' (Darryl Hall). Personally, I prefer reasoned positions to enforced conformity and censorship, and find all orthodoxies inflicting the collective moralism of self-appointed sheriffs of the moral landscape to be baneful. I didn't agree with Queen on this and I wouldn't have gone - not for any price. But that is my personal position, recognising that others have their own. I value a reasoned process of argumentation far more than right ends attained by wrong means. Be careful of supporting bad process because it delivers the right conclusions, because at some point in the future that process will assuredly come and bite you on the backside.

'It was not as if the trip had been a complete jamboree,' said Spike Edney. 'Queen had done quite a bit of charity stuff out there, including fundraising for the Kutlawamong school for the deaf and blind children. They later released a special live album there, and donated all royalties to the school. The reaction to the band was so fantastic that I still don't believe it was the wrong thing to do. Within a couple of years, of course, the whole political thing had changed, and the world started going there.' The band received a heavy fine, which they insisted be donated to charity rather than fill the union coffers. They remained unrepentant. 'We're totally against apartheid and all it stands for,' argued Brian, 'but I feel we did a lot of bridge-building. We actually met musicians of both colours. They all welcomed us with open arms. The only criticism we got was from outside South Africa.'

Queen had always pretty much defined themselves and charted their own path, paying zero attention to others, least of all the critics. Self-made men, they tended to get it right. 'That's true,' says Spike Edney. 'They were arrogant. But it was because, most of the time, they were right. I got the impression that they believed they had been unfairly treated when they started out, which had taught them to be self-sufficient and to rely on their own judgement.' And that suits me fine, having learned in life to trust my own judgement and distrust the warm words and promises of others. I knew instinctively that this was my band, showy, loud, unconventional, and not giving a hoot about others' attempts to impose taste. Or politics.

If we can put the politics out of the way and assess the music in abstraction from its negative connotations, then the fact is that this show, the eighth of the scheduled nine, is one of Queen's very best of this period. The band play with remarkable passion and an energy, playing out of their skins. This is definitely Queen back to their very best. Probably the most surprising thing about this show, however, is hearing just how good Freddie sounds. Reports from the earlier shows in Sun City focus on Freddie's vocal difficulties, but here he delivers a very strong vocal performance, easily one of his best from 1984. All in all, this recording, in excellent sound, showcases the Queen of the eighties perfectly. It's a great show - politics notwithstanding ... (And remember, if we are going to talk politics, then let's please talk politics as opposed to shouting one unarguable position against another - whatever else that is, it isn't politics).

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. The March of the Black Queen - 7. My Fairy King - 8. Killer Queen - 9. Seven Seas of Rhye - 10. Keep Yourself Alive - 11. Liar - 12. Impromptu - 13. It's a Hard Life - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Another One Bites the Dust - 19. We Will Rock You (Improv) - 20. Hammer to Fall - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Radio Ga Ga - 24. I Want to Break Free - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions.

Sun City 1984 (Marlamir Remaster) 106 mins

Setlist

Machines (tape); Tear It Up; Tie Your Mother Down; Under Pressure; Somebody To Love; March of the black queen (improv); My Fairy King (improv); Killer Queen; Seven Seas Of Rhye; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; Impromptu; It's A Hard Life; Dragon Attack; Now I'm Here[cut]; Is This The World We Created?; Love Of My Life [cut]; Another One Bites The Dust; We Will Rock you improvisation; Hammer To Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Bohemian Rhapsody; Radio Ga Ga; I Want To Break Free; Jailhouse Rock; We Will Rock You; We Are The Champions

1985

Live in Rio de Janeiro (January 12th, 1985) 117 mins

Live in Parque dos Atletas (Athletes' Park) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil January 12th, 1985. Attendance: 350,000 - 470,000 Special Event: Rock in Rio '85

Queen started a new year by headlining at the 'Rock in Rio' festival. The band performed two shows on the 12th and the 19th of January. The band had had two months off and the rest has done Freddie's voice a world of good, with strong vocals evident throughout the entire the show. The band deliver a performance that is standard for 'The Works Tour,' competent, flawless even, but not as creative and inspired as the band at its best. This show from the 12th of January is the largest audience in Queen's career, ranging from 350,000 to 470,000. That's pretty big.

Setlist

Interviews: 1. Brian, Roger, and John - 2. Freddie.

Concert: 1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Ay Oh - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Seven Seas of Rhye - 9. Keep Yourself Alive - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Guitar Solo - 18. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 19. Another One Bites the Dust - 20. Mustapha (Intro) - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. I Want to Break Free - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Rio 1985 Full Concert 97 mins

Rock You From Rio (1985) (2009 Digital Remaster) 57 mins

Massive event and immense live concert in front of a human sea. The show boasts many strong and exciting performances throughout.

Setlist

Tie Your Mother Down; Seven Seas of Rhye; Keep Yourself Alive; Liar; It's a Hard Life; Now I'm Here; Is This the World We Created... ?; Love of My Life; Brighton Rock; Hammer to Fall; Bohemian Rhapsody; Radio Ga Ga; I Want to Break Free; We Will Rock You; We Are the Champions; God Save the Queen.

Melbourne (April 19th, 1985) 102 mins

Live at Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Center Melbourne, Australia April 19th, 1985, Attendance: 7,200

With an opening show in New Zealand on the 13th and two Melbourne shows on the 16th and 17th, this is the fourth show of this leg of the tour, and the band are in sluggish form, barely seeming interested. The effort is lacking and the performance is strewn with errors. This is Queen going through the motions. Recorded in pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Ay Oh - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Guitar Solo - 18. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 19. Another One Bites the Dust - 20. Hammer to Fall - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Radio Ga Ga - 24. I Want to Break Free - 25. Jailhouse Rock - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Sydney (April 26th, 1985) - Remastered 101 mins

Live at the Sydney Entertainment Center Sydney, Australia April 26th, 1985, Attendance: 13,000

This show was captured almost in its entirety on an audience film and is the best of the Australian shows that have emerged over the years. It's a pretty good show, if still a little dull, as per the norm on 'The Works Tour.' Relentless touring takes it out of any band, but Queen were always at the high energy end of live performance. It's bound to catch up with you at some point, and this seems a tour too far for the band. They are in pretty good form in this show, mind, with the odd standout performance. Pretty good sound quality.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Death On Two Legs (Intro) - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Seven Seas of Rhye - 9. Keep Yourself Alive - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Ay Oh - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. I Want to Break Free - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (May 8th, 1985) - 2019 SOURCE MERGE 110 mins

Live at the Nippon Budokan Tokyo, Japan May 8th, 1985, Attendance: 14,000

This is the first show on the Japanese leg of 'The Works Tour' and, miracle of miracles, Queen are on fire! Who knows what the problem had been. Maybe the lethargy was caused not by lack of energy but lack of enthusiasm. Great artists thrive on challenges that inspire them. Whatever the reason, the band suddenly springs back to life in this show, sounding fresh and full of energy. Freddie is in good voice and the band deliver strong performances, well beyond the 'by the numbers' approach on a lot of 'The Works' shows. Decent sound quality.

Setlist

1. House Music (It's Still Rock and Roll to Me by Billy Joel) - 2. Machines (Intro) - 3. Tear It Up - 4. Tie Your Mother Down - 5. Under Pressure - 6. Somebody to Love - 7. Killer Queen - 8. Seven Seas of Rhye - 9. Keep Yourself Alive - 10. Liar - 11. Impromptu - 12. It's a Hard Life - 13. Ay Oh - 14. Dragon Attack - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. Love of My Life - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Guitar Solo - 19. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 20. Another One Bites the Dust - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. I Want to Break Free -26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Tokyo (May 11th, 1985) - Audience Broadcast Matrix 106 mins

Live at Yoyogi Gymnasium Tokyo, Japan May 11th, 1985, Attendance: 13,300

This show was filmed, broadcast, and issued in any number of formats, and so is very well known. This recording is in excellent sound quality, capturing the band in good form. The band sound like they want to be where they are, doing what they are doing, which was not always the case in the Australian leg of the tour. Freddie's voice is holding up and Brian does some really good work throughout. Overall, it's a pretty good show, certainly one of the best from 'The Works Tour.'

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's a Hard Life - 12. Ay Oh - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Guitar Solo - 18. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 19. Another One Bites the Dust - 20. Mustapha (Intro) - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. I Want to Break Free - 26. Jailhouse Rock - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Nagoya (May 13th, 1985) 111 mins

Live at the Aichi Auditorium Nagoya, Japan May 13th, 1985 Audience Recording (Kinney Omoto) Sound Quality: A/B Attendance: 7,400

This is Queen's penultimate show, and it is one of the best shows of the tour, captured in excellent sound quality, although not in its entirety.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love - 6. Killer Queen - 7. Seven Seas Of Rhye - 8. Keep Yourself Alive - 9. Liar - 10. Impromptu - 11. It's A Hard Life - 12. Ay Oh! - 13. Dragon Attack - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Is This the World We Created? - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Guitar Solo - 18. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 19. Another One Bites the Dust - 20. Mustapha (Intro) - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. I Want to Break Free - 27. Jailhouse Rock - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Osaka (May 15th, 1985) - 2019 Source Merge 109 mins

Live at Osaka-jo Hall Osaka, Japan May 15th, 1985 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A+ Attendance: 16,000

This concert could have gone down in history as Queen's last ever concert, if there was any truth in the rumours of internal differences bringing the band close to splitting. In this story, Queen were saved by the positive public reaction to their triumph at 'Live Aid' a couple of months later. Queen would go out for one more tour before the fates conspired to bring the band to the end of the road. This could have been the ending, but wasn't. As it is, it is the final show of 'The Works Tour.' It was far from being the greatest of the band's tours, but maybe the greatest achievement of the band here was to survive intact for another, better, day. Freddie's voice is a bit rougher than it had been on the other shows on the Japanese leg, but he's in pretty decent form. Maybe aware that this show could have been their last, the band put in a strong performance, recorded in clear sound. It's a farewell of sorts. The first signs of how big Queen were to become were in that first tour of Japan in 1974, where Queenmania was born. It is fitting that Queen's final show in Japan is captured from the audience in such great sound. The show is noteworthy, too, for seeing the final performances of Queen classics and favourites, 'Somebody to Love' (my choice for the greatest Queen song of all); 'Killer Queen,' (the band's great breakthrough single and the song that was my initiation into the Queendom); 'Keep Yourself Alive' (the band's very first single and a concert stalwart); 'Liar' (magnificent track from the very first album which distinguished the band's rock opera style from all other rock bands); 'Dragon Attack' (super hard funk that inspired the 'Hot Space' mis/adventure); 'It's a Hard Life' (magnificently operatic rock ballad, definitive Queen). The show also sees the last ever performance of 'Jailhouse Rock,' the Elvis classic that had been with Freddie from the start. It's impossible to hear the show without feelings of sadness and sentimentality creeping in. The end was drawing near.

Setlist

1. Machines (Intro) - 2. Tear It Up - 3. Tie Your Mother Down - 4. Under Pressure - 5. Somebody to Love (Final live performance) - 6. The March of the Black Queen - 7. My Fairy King - 8. Killer Queen (Final live performance) - 9. Seven Seas of Rhye - 10. Keep Yourself Alive (Final live performance) - 11. Liar (Final live performance) - 12. Impromptu - 13. It's A Hard Life (Final live performance) - 14. Ay Oh - 15. Dragon Attack (Final live performance) - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Is This the World We Created - 18. Love of My Life - 19. Guitar Solo - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust - 22. Mustapha (Intro) - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. I Want to Break Free - 29. Jailhouse Rock - 1:37:14 (Final live performance) - 30. We Will Rock You - 31. We Are the Champions - 32. God Save the Queen.

The Japanese Tour of 1985 - Unofficial Live Album 116 mins

The 1985 tour of Japan was Queen's sixth and final tour of the country that gave birth to Queenmania. These shows are the best of 'The Works Tour' (which unkind critics could describe as the best of the worst). It could have been the band's very final tour, had 'Live Aid' not taken place a couple of months later, and had the band not triumphed so spectacularly. The band seemed to lack interest as much as energy on 'The Works Tour' and clearly there were internal tensions threatening to drive the band apart. For whatever reason, the band sounded rejuvenated and fresh in the tour of Japan. Maybe they thought that if this really was the end, it would be best to go out all guns blazing. Of the five shows performed in Japan, four are in circulation in excellent sound quality. This recording is a selection of the best versions of each of the songs that were performed on the tour, giving us a definitive Japanese Works album. On a personal note, I rather like that there are fellow fanatics out there who do this kind of thing. One of my most favourite Queen albums is the critically panned 'Live Killers' album of 1979. Whatever one thinks of the execution, the idea of issuing a definitive compilation of a Queen tour seems a most genial one to me. The idea of issuing a compilation of the best versions of each leg of every Queen tour seems like Heaven. I'd listen to them all, and I'm not the only one.

Versions used: - Tokyo, May 8th 1985: - 2008 source + Budokan 1985 1st Night (Wardour-348) | A-/B+ Quality - Tokyo, May 9th 1985: Definitive Budokan 1985 2nd Night (Wardour-300) | A Quality - Tokyo, May 11th 1985: My own matrix - Definitive Final Concert In Tokyo (Wardour-289) + 2018 Audience Source | A+ Quality - Nagoya, May 13th 1985: Definitive Nagoya 1985 (Wardour-301) | A/B Quality - Osaka, May 15th 1985: Definitive Osaka 1985 (Wardour-302) | A+ Quality

Setlist

1. Machines [Intro] (May 15th) - 2. Tear It Up (May 8th) - 3. Tie Your Mother Down (May 9th) - 4. Under Pressure (May 8th) - 5. Somebody to Love (May 9th) - 6. The March of the Black Queen (May 15th) - 7. My Fairy King (May 15th) - 8. Killer Queen (May 8th) - 9. Seven Seas of Rhye (May 9th) - 10. Keep Yourself Alive (May 8th) - 11. Liar (May 13th) - 12. Impromptu (May 9th) - 13. It's A Hard Life (May 9th) - 14. Ay Oh (May 9th) - 15. Dragon Attack (May 13th) - 16. Now I'm Here (May 9th) - 17. Is This the World We Created (May 15th) - 18. Love of My Life (May 15th) - 19. Guitar Solo (May 13th) - 20. Brighton Rock (Reprise) (May 13th) - 21. Another One Bites the Dust (May 8th) - 22. Mustapha [Intro] (May 11th) - 23. Hammer to Fall (May 11th) - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (May 11th) - 25. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting (May 13th) - 26. Bohemian Rhapsody (May 9th) - 27. Radio Ga Ga (May 9th) - 28. I Want to Break Free (May 13th) - 29. Jailhouse Rock (May 15th) - 30. We Will Rock You (May 11th) - 31. We Are the Champions (May 8th) - 32. God Save the Queen (May 15th).

Stockholm (June 7th, 1986) 102 mins

Live at Råsundastadion Stockholm, Sweden June 7th, 1986, Attendance: 37,500

This is the opening show of what was destined to be Queen's final tour. We can speculate the extent to which Queen knew that the end was near. Apparently, Freddie gave hints here and there as the tour drew on that this would be his last time, that the effort of touring and performing had grown to be too much. His ailing health would soon make it impossible to meet the demands of live performance. The band went out with an enormous bang, taking a loud and high energy show to the stadiums and amphitheaters of Europe, East as well as West. To the end, the band were determined to break new ground. The show-stealing, show-stopping, performance at 'Live Aid' had incited a resurgence in the band's popularity and enthusiasm for who and what they were. Queen were back on track, and now seemed closer than they had ever been, both in the studio and on stage. The rejuvenation is evident in their playing, with their performances exuding a passion and an enthusiasm that had been lacking from the back end of the 'Hot Space Tour' onwards into 'The Works Tour.' Freddie is in good voice in this first show, and would remain in excellent form for the entire tour, three or four shows excepting. The band have also recovered some of its old instrumental creativity, playing around a bit with the songs in their performance. The band change things around a little in this concert, placing 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in the middle of the show for some reason (it would soon be put back in its usual place towards the end). Who knows what the reason was. Had I been in the audience, I would have been panicking, thinking the show was drawing to a close. The show sees the first live performances of new Queen classics, 'One Vision,' the immense 'Who Wants to Live Forever,' and a particular favourite of mine, the irresistible 'A Kind of Magic.' And good to see the immortal 'In the Lap of the Gods ... Revisited' back for the first time since 1977. Audience recording in good sound quality.

Setlist

1. One Vision (First live performance) - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited (First live performance since 1977) - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic (First live performance) - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever (First live performance) - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Bohemian Rhapsody - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 19. Hello Mary Lou - 20. Tutti Frutti - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 23. Radio Ga Ga - 24. We Will Rock You - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Leiden (June 11th, 1986) - Definitive Matrix 112 mins

Live in Leiden (June 11th, 1986)

Live at the Groenoordhallen Leiden, The Netherlands June 11th, 1986, Attendance: 12,800

This show is one of Queen's greatest ever shows and can be heard in good quality from five sources. The performances here are better than those on issued on the official releases of this tour. That's not to put the official releases down, simply to say that if you think the official recordings you have are fantastic - they are - then these performances are better.

Setlist

0. Intro/Ole Ole - 1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ole Ole - 4. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 5. Seven Seas of Rhye - 6. Liar - 7. Tear it Up - 8. A Kind of Magic - 9. Ay Oh - 10. Under Pressure - 11. Another One Bites the Dust - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends (First live performance) - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Leiden (June 12th, 1986) 116 mins

Live at the Groenoordhallen Leiden, The Netherlands June 12th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B Attendance: 12,800

The second Leiden show, like the first the previous day, is one of the greatest Queen concerts ever, getting 'The Magic Tour' off to an inspiring start. There is a great atmosphere at the concert, with great interaction between band and audience, each leading the other on in escalating heights of enthusiasm. Queen were unashamedly 'populist' in their approach. It is easy to deride 'showbiz' and pour scorn on those who set out to entertain. Freddie Mercury loved opera and showbusiness and knew the value of selling the music by way of its performance. He knew that there was more to being a great band than impressing an audience with vocal prowess and instrumental virtuosity, but that there was a need to move people in the very depths of their being. He quite explicitly moved Queen in this direction. In an age when some celebrated the distinction between artist and audience, and others made a fetish of scorning the audience, there is a certain nobility in Queen's unabashed populism. They were playing for the enjoyment of the great public and not only knew it but embraced it with full force and vigour. Queen were a crowd-pleasing band and set out to make the audience an integral part of the show. That was the idea behind 'We are the Champions.' Critics sneered at Freddie Mercury's ambitions of bringing 'ballet to the masses,' dismissing 'Champions' and 'We Will Rock You' as football stadium chants (as a football fan I say 'so what?'). But those same critics could also be found wetting themselves in their enthusiasm for the snarling street alienation of punk, phoney and futile in equal measure.

Queen put on a show; they put out for the audience. They took some pretty complicated songs and took pains to deliver them with such panache and flair that there was nothing for the audience to do other than simply enjoy the aural and visual experience. How strikingly different from artists who make a fetish of their art, cultivating a separation from those who consume it. In some ways it is a laudable aim to avoid the 'easy,' the pleasurable, and the comfortable to challenge norms and conventions. Queen were never a political band, preferring to couch their statement of ideals in such general terms as to command universal assent. They took risks - and risked causing offence - in respects, mind. Indeed, it cost them their standing in the US. Culturally, in being themselves, they were much braver than those who chose to make more overt political statements. Queen were subversive in the way that they took a certain 'otherness' to the masses and presented it in an irresistible show. I'm not kidding. I've read other people say the same thing. Mick Rock, for one, who refers to his fairly conservative mother of old school views and musical tastes - she loved Freddie Mercury and praised his great, great voice. I've heard people describe Freddie as the Piaf of his generation. I can speak from personal experience here. My mum was a huge Piaf fan, she liked the old musical traditions. She was a bit leery of Queen at first. I can remember watching the band perform 'Fat Bottomed Girls' on Top of the Pops in 1978. My mum watched with a worried frown on her face, declaring that 'there has to be something wrong with you to get on these days.' Slowly but surely, the band won her over and, by 1986, she was a huge fan, putting Queen pictures up all over the house. How did this great transformation happen? The band were just such great entertainment value, reaching out and grabbing the audience. From there, people came to appreciate the music in short order. There was an inevitability about it all. My mum's personal favourite Queen song says it all - the band had 'A Kind of Magic.' It's easy for critics and the cool kids to sneer at bands of the Queen type. Like all dull people, they lack a sense of humour. Queen had that unique combination of confidence, arrogance, self-deprecation, and humour going on. Listen to 'The Fairy Fellers Master Stroke' and ask which band could even conceive such a harpsichord driven orgy of filth, fantast, and fury let alone execute it with such flair. None, that's how many. For all of the populism, Queen were actually very far from being 'safe', 'comforting' and 'unthreatening.' As a Queen fan who didn't know where to look when 'Body Language' turned up on TV and radio I should know. Queen walked the tightrope of good and bad taste and, in the opinion of some, frequently fell off it. But they kept getting back up there and kept seeking new ways to keep the great public royally entertained. Ridiculous as it often was, in bursting the bubble of their own self-importance, they also reminded us all that we were, in our own ridiculousness, all at one, and better than we ever thought we were, part of the same great wave of humanity. That was the thinking behind 'We are the Champions,' the idea that we are all champions. As band members themselves said, Queen are a football team in which everyone is one the same side, winners one and all, no losers. It is the same thinking that went into 1986's 'Friends Will Be Friends,' performed here for the first time. Critics sniffed at the twee lyrics. But as the 30th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury approaches, I'll take the take the opportunity to remind the world that his - and that of the band - was a rather noble mission. They made money, lots of it. They were also broke for years, but backed their talent and kept working hard. Then they made it. It could have easily gone so wrong. It's easy to say that they did it just for the money. Thick-Alecs said the same thing about The Beatles. It's rot. But I'm glad the band are now one of the biggest earners on the planet. But there is more than money and success going on here. There is indeed noble about Queen's populist 'showbiz' approach, particularly in the affirmation of life and community, nurturing a sense of belonging. It's a quality that the world is in desperate need of.

That glowing tribute paid, it is unfortunate to record that the audio quality of this recording is decidedly average. This is also the only time that 'Friends Will Be Friends' would be performed in full, with only shortened versions being played in future shows.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ole Ole - 4. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 5. Seven Seas of Rhye - 6. Liar - 7. Tear It Up - 8. A Kind of Magic - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Ay Oh - 11. Another One Bites the Dust - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Gimme Some Lovin' - 16. Guitar Solo - 17. Now I'm Here - 18. Love of My Life - 19. Is This the World We Created - 20. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 21. Hello Mary Lou - 22. Tutti Frutti - 23. Big Spender (First live performance since 1979) - 24. Bohemian Rhapsody - 25. Hammer to Fall - 26. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 27. Radio Ga Ga - 28. We Will Rock You - 29. Friends Will Be Friends - 30. We Are the Champions - 31. God Save the Queen.

Paris (June 14th, 1986) - Remastered 98 mins

Live at Hippodrome de Vincennes Paris, France June 14th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A- Attendance: 60,000

For an outdoor show played at a horse-racing venue, this recording is remarkably warm, more akin to the sound you would associate with an indoors arena. The band finally nail 'A Kind of Magic' tonight, giving us the classic we would associate with the final tour. The band were experimenting with the set even at the end, breaking up the classic one-two of 'We Will Rock You' and 'We are the Champions' with 'Friends Will Be Friends.' Some people groan at the change, but it's always a good idea to keep things fresh, change things around to prevent things becoming stale. For this show, however, the band wisely decide to play a shortened version of 'Friends,' ensuring that the ending punches at its full emotional weight, rather than outstaying its welcome. Freddie is in strong voice throughout the show and it has to be said that his vocals on these shows are significantly better than those on the (justly) celebrated Wembley and Budapest shows. He's booming a bit, and there is a roughness here and there. But he would use what he had well and get through the rest of the tour in fine voice. As is the case with this tour in general, the band is in excellent form, delivering a string of powerful performances.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ay Oh - 4. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 5. Seven Seas of Rhye - 6. Liar - 7. Tear It Up - 8. A Kind of Magic - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Is This the World We Created - 18. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 19. Hello Mary Lou - 20. Tutti Frutti - 21. Ay Oh (Part 2) - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Live in Brussels (June 17th, 1986) 103 mins

Live at the Forest National Brussels, Belgium June 17th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A Attendance: 9,000

This is the smallest venue that Queen would play on 'The Magic Tour,' and the small indoor arena actually showcases the immense sound that the band had now developed to awesome effect, especially as the audience recording has really good sound quality. The band are on top form, delivering a series of phenomenal performances. Here, nearing the end, the band perhaps the greatest rendition of 'We Will Rock You.' Other standout performances include 'Radio Ga Ga,' 'Friends Will Be Friends,' and 'In the Lap of the Gods ... Revisited,' all among the best of the entire Magic tour.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ay Oh - 4. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 5. Seven Seas of Rhye - 6. Liar - 7. Tear It Up - 8. A Kind of Magic - 9. Ay Oh (Part 2) - 10. Under Pressure - 11. Another One Bites the Dust - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Mustapha (Intro) - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. Friends Will Be Friends - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Leiden (June 19th, 1986) 104 mins

Live at the Groenoordhallen Leiden, The Netherlands June 19th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B- Attendance: 12,800

Due to overwhelming ticket demand, a third show in Leiden was added to the tour. Because of scheduling conflicts, the show took place a week later. It is obvious that a stadium show was required for the Netherlands given the band's huge popularity, but instead of that one big show in the outdoors we get three excellent performances in an arena, with all the natural reverb. Freddie is at the top of his game, exercising his range to a far greater extent than was the case later in the tour in the more famous shows at Wembley and Budapest. Brian is also playing out of his skin, delivering what may be his most creative show of the 80s, with a fantastic solo in 'A Kind of Magic' being particularly noteworthy and his 'Bohemian Rhapsody' solo as being perhaps his most explosive performance of all. The fantastic quality of the performances here transcend the sound quality, which is pretty good but not great.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Ole Ole - 4. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 5. Seven Seas of Rhye - 6. Liar - 7. Tear It Up - 8. A Kind of Magic - 9. Ay Oh - 10. Under Pressure - 11. Another One Bites the Dust - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Live in Berlin (June 26th, 1986) 106 mins

Live at the Waldbühne Berlin, West Germany June 26th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A/A- Attendance: 22,300

After a few days break, the second segment of the Magic tour starts off in Berlin. It is most curious that the band decided to return to this particular venue. When they played at this amphitheatre back in 1982, the band had to battle with a plague of mosquitoes all through the show. The mosquitoes were back this night, too. Not so much 'magic' as 'gluttons for punishment,' then. Mosquitoes notwithstanding, the band are in fine form in this show, with Freddie in good voice, too. Taking everyone by surprise, Queen perform a short improvisation of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song.' It's unrehearsed, and Freddie can't quite remember the words either, but it's an interesting nod to the band's influences. Early in their career, critics had noted the band's indebtedness to Zeppelin. Queen were quite well aware of the influence, working hard to distinguish themselves from the first. There is little twelve bar rock blues in Queen's repertoire, and when they did it, on 'See What a Feel I've Been,' Freddie camped it up (at least in the studio, singing it straight - and magnificently - in concert). It's a little nod at the end to the band's beginnings. In the main, the band is on top of its game in this concert, delivering a string of powerful performances. This is a band in peak form. It's good to note, then, that this fantastic show is recorded in great clarity, especially bearing in mind it is an outdoor show. A priceless recording of a special time in Queen history.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Immigrant Song - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Munich (June 28th, 1986) 101 mins

Live at the Olympiahalle Munich, West Germany June 28th, 1986, Attendance: 16,000

This is the first of two indoor shows in Munich. Freddie is in something of a bad mood in this show, which some attribute to his awareness of HIV and the way its deadly effects were cutting through his gay friends in the city. Whatever Freddie's spirits, he still manages to deliver an excellent performance, his voice sounding very good indeed, especially on 'Under Pressure.' The musicianship of the band, too, is stellar, making for a great show. 'We Will Rock You' is, again, a highlight, with some great riffing from Brian.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Is This the World We Created - 18. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 19. Hello Mary Lou - 20. Tutti Frutti - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Hammer to Fall - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. Friends Will Be Friends - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Cologne (July 19th, 1986) 110 mins

Live at Müngersdorfer Stadion Cologne, West Germany July 19th, 1986, Attendance: 50,000

Another fantastic show on a Magic tour that is packed with them. This show is among the best of the best, with the band cooking, flying off some incredibly creative renditions of their best songs. It is a superb show, recorded from the audience in pretty decent sound. 'A Kind of Magic' sounds superb, a real highlight. Brian also plays the intro to '39, in recognition of the fact that it was his 39th birthday on this day. Incredible to think that the band seemed to me to be the grand old men at the top of the rock world back in 1986. They were actually still very young. However much of a history of massive achievement they had behind, we were surely right to expect so much more greatness to come from them in the future.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear it Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. '39 (Intro) - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. Friends Will Be Friends - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Zurich (July 2nd, 1986) 101 mins

Live at the Hallenstadion Zurich, Switzerland July 2nd, 1986, Attendance: 11,400

In the main, Freddie is in excellent voice throughout 'The Magic Tour.' The impression that he wasn't at his best arises from criticisms of the Wembley concert, which was the most publicised. I think he sounds pretty good at Wembley, too, mind. This show at Zurich is one of the handful of shows - three or four - where Freddie doesn't sound in too good a voice. This is probably Freddie's worst vocal performance of the tour. This is the second of two nights in succession at Zurich. There is no recording of the first night, July 1st, so we can't really judge where the deterioration in Freddie's voice took place. It seems that the temperature in the venue this night was over 40C, which is hardly conducive to good singing. The band understandably skip some of the more vocally demanding songs. Other than that, the band plays well and the show is pretty good, recorded in decent sound from the audience.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Seven Seas of Rhye - 4. Liar - 5. Tear It Up - 6. A Kind of Magic - 7. Ay Oh - 8. Under Pressure - 9. Another One Bites the Dust - 10. I Want to Break Free - 11. Impromptu - 12. Guitar Solo - 13. Now I'm Here - 14. Love of My Life - 15. Is This the World We Created - 16. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 17. Hello Mary Lou - 18. Tutti Frutti - 19. Bohemian Rhapsody - 20. Hammer to Fall - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 22. Radio Ga Ga - 23. We Will Rock You - 24. Friends Will Be Friends - 25. We Are the Champions - 26. God Save the Queen.

Manchester (July 16th, 1986) 106 mins

Live at Maine Road Manchester, England July 16th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 35,000

Queen took a few days off to recuperate after the huge dates at Wembley, and Freddie's voice shows the benefit in Manchester. It's another stadium show and the band are in good form, if a little loose at times. Freddie's voice is better than it had been on the second Wembley show, although still far from being in peak condition. He has some difficulties with the high notes at times. The band isn't quite tight, but are very creative at times, making for a pretty decent show overall.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Is This the World We Created - 18. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 19. Hello Mary Lou - 20. Tutti Frutti - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Hammer to Fall - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. Friends Will Be Friends - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Live in Vienna (July 21st, 1986) 104 mins

Live at the Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria, July 21st, 1986, Attendance: 14,100

This show is the first of two dates that Queen played in Vienna. They would be the last two indoor shows that the band would play with their classic line-up. This audience recording is of excellent quality and reveals a band on form and playing well. Freddie's vocal is strong, though straining at times. Brian May's guitar work is also superb. On the whole, this is an excellent show.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Mustapha (Intro) - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Live in Vienna (July 22nd, 1986)

Live at the Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria, July 22nd, 1986, Attendance: 14,100

This night's show is the second of two dates that Queen played in Vienna, and would be the very last time that the band's classic lineup would play an indoors concert. The remaining shows of this, the band's final tour, would all be outside. The show can be heard on a brilliantly clear audience recording, the indoor arena's reverb capturing the immensity of the Queen sound superbly. Freddie's vocals are a little less confident tonight, with him singing within his range, skipping some notes that he would normally nail easily. 'One Vision' boasts a fantastic guitar solo from Brian, but the band as a whole get a little muddled on the number. Other than this minor glitch, the band are in excellent form, delivering a super-funky version of 'Another One Bites the Dust,' a string-busting hard rocking version of 'Hammer to Fall,' and a great acoustic set.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. Seven Seas of Rhye - 4. Liar - 5. Tear It Up - 6. A Kind of Magic - 7. Ay Oh - 8. Under Pressure - 9. Another One Bites the Dust - 10. Who Wants to Live Forever - 11. I Want to Break Free - 12. Impromptu - 13. Guitar Solo - 14. Now I'm Here - 15. Love of My Life - 16. Is This the World We Created - 17. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 18. Hello Mary Lou - 19. Tutti Frutti - 20. Bohemian Rhapsody - 21. Hammer to Fall - 22. Mustapha (Intro) - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. Friends Will Be Friends - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Frejus (July 30th, 1986) - Remastered 106 mins

Live at the Amphitheatre Frejus, France July 30th, 1986, Attendance: 15,000

This relatively small show was originally supposed to take place in Nice, but was changed to Frejus, with Freddie not learning of the switch until the day of the show. Although Freddie didn't turn up to the soundcheck, even arriving late to the show, his singing is phenomenal throughout this show, perhaps delivering his best performance of the whole Magic Tour. Rather poignantly, he delivers what may be his best ever rendition of 'Who Wants to Live Forever.' For Freddie's performance alone this ranks as a great show.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Now I'm Here - 16. Love of My Life - 17. Is This the World We Created - 18. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 19. Hello Mary Lou - 20. Tutti Frutti - 21. Bohemian Rhapsody - 22. Hammer to Fall - 23. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 24. Radio Ga Ga - 25. We Will Rock You - 26. Friends Will Be Friends - 27. We Are the Champions - 28. God Save the Queen.

Barcelona (August 1st, 1986) - Two-Source Merge 104 mins

Barcelona (August 1st, 1986)

Live at Mini Estadi Barcelona, Spain August 1st, 1986, Attendance: 30,000

Freddie is in excellent voice as The Magic Tour draws to a close, and with it Queen's career as a performing band. The band are still bringing new things to the act, with Brian now employing a harmonizer pedal, which he makes use of during his solo for a piece that would eventually go by the name of 'Chinese Torture,' recorded during the Miracle sessions of 1988 and released as the B-side of a single in 1989.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Chinese Torture (Guitar Solo) - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Madrid (August 3rd, 1986) 102 mins

Live at Nuevo Estadio de Vallecas Madrid, Spain August 3rd, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: A- Attendance: 30,000

With the tour drawing to a close, cracks start to open up in the band. Relentless touring was putting a strain on the band's personal lives, and tempers start to fray at the edges. It seems there was a fight between members of the band in the dressing room before the start of the show, and Freddie doesn't declare his usual denial of the band breaking up before 'Who Wants to Live Forever.' Despite those tensions, the band still put on a great performance, professionals to the very end. When Queen were at their worst as a live act they were either dull or simply tired - they were never poor and never shambolic, and never let their private lives interfere with their day job. Freddie's vocals are a bit rough but his performance is spirited. The band, too, play with energy. Of particular note is Roger's explosive drumming on 'Who Wants to Live Forever' and Brian's super-funky chord work on 'Another One Bites the Dust.' It's a fine show.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Mustapha (Intro) - 12. Who Wants to Live Forever - 13. I Want to Break Free - 14. Impromptu - 15. Guitar Solo - 16. Chinese Torture (Guitar Solo) - 17. Now I'm Here - 18. Love of My Life - 19. Is This the World We Created - 20. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 21. Hello Mary Lou - 22. Tutti Frutti - 23. Bohemian Rhapsody - 24. Hammer to Fall - 25. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 26. Radio Ga Ga - 27. We Will Rock You - 28. Friends Will Be Friends - 29. We Are the Champions - 30. God Save the Queen.

Mannheim Germany Full concert audio 1986 72 mins

Recorded live at the Maimarktgelände, Mannheim, Germany on June 21st, 1986.

Setlist:

01. Tie Your Mother Down 02. In The Lap Of The Gods 03. Seven Seas Of Rhye 04. A Kind Of Magic 05. Under Pressure 06. Another One Bites The Dust 07. Who Wants To Live Forever 08. I Want To Break Free 09. Improvising Jam 10. Chinese Torture 11. Now I'm Here 12. Love Of My Life 13. You're So Square 14. Mary Lou 15. Tutti Frutti 16. Bohemian Raphsody 17. Hammer To Fall 18. Crazy Little Thing Called Love 19. We Are The Champions

Marbella (August 5th, 1986) - Remastered 108 mins

Live at Estadio Municipal de Marbella Marbella, Spain August 5th, 1986 Audience Recording Sound Quality: B+ Attendance: 28,000

This show in a small stadium in the coastal city of Marbella was scheduled to be the final night of 'The Magic Tour,' and hence the final show of Queen's live career, until Knebworth was booked for one last show. The band had been on an unforgiving touring schedule, performing on full power night after night, and the strain is starting to show in Freddie's voice. He sounds pretty good in the main, but showing a deterioration from his performances a few weeks earlier. As was the case throughout The Magic Tour, the band are in energetic form. There are some errors, particularly early on, but it's a lively show overall. It may be worth noting that whilst the show is dated 5th August, it actually began close to midnight, meaning that it took place mainly on the 6th August.

Setlist

1. One Vision - 2. Tie Your Mother Down - 3. In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - 4. Seven Seas of Rhye - 5. Liar - 6. Tear It Up - 7. A Kind of Magic - 8. Ay Oh - 9. Under Pressure - 10. Another One Bites the Dust - 11. Who Wants to Live Forever - 12. I Want to Break Free - 13. Impromptu - 14. Guitar Solo - 15. Chinese Torture (Guitar Solo) - 16. Now I'm Here - 17. Love of My Life - 18. Is This the World We Created - 19. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 20. Hello Mary Lou - 21. Tutti Frutti - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody - 23. Hammer to Fall - 24. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 25. Radio Ga Ga - 26. We Will Rock You - 27. Friends Will Be Friends - 28. We Are the Champions - 29. God Save the Queen.

Knebworth Park 9th August 1986 (Master Tape Quality) 47 mins

And finally, the end. Although no-one knew it at the time, this was the final concert that Queen would perform with its classic lineup of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. The band went out in triumph, putting on a great show, combining style, substance, and spectacle, in front of an audience of least 120,000 (some put the figure as high as 200,000). This was the largest single paying audience for a UK rock concert in over a decade. This final date was added to the tour after the massive shows at Wembley Stadium shows in July sold out so quickly. Queen were the hottest ticket in town and for good reason - they were the best live act around and had been for quite some time; people knew that they would be getting a great show. In a later interview, Brian May said that ticket demand was such that the band could have done another five or six nights at Wembley. In truth, promoter Harvey Goldsmith had already anticipated the huge demand and had already booked the park, since Wembley wasn't available for any extra dates. Good to see an Elvis track in the rock'n'roll medley. 'Jailhouse Rock' had been a regular in the set throughout the band's live career. Tonight, the band played 'Baby, I Don't Care,' from the 'Jailhouse Rock' movie. Nice to see King and Queen together for one last time.

The band put on an excellent show, with 'One Vision' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' as perfect openers. The show then returned to 'early' Queen with the epic 'In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited' and the fantastic rocker 'Seven Seas Of Rhye,' both from 1974. 'Tear It Up' keeps the tempo - and volume - high, before we come to the cherry on top of the cake, 'A Kind Of Magic,' which was very much Queen's current classic (and a huge favourite in our house). 'Under Pressure,' 'Another One Bites The Dust,' 'Who Wants To Live Forever,' and 'I Want To Break Free' are just monster Queen tracks from the 1980s, and they hit here, one after the other, like hammer blows. There follows the great seventies classic 'Now I'm Here,' from 1974, a homage to Mott the Hoople, recalling the early days and the one and only time that Queen went out as a support act. There follows an acoustic set, led by 'Love Of My Life,' from the classic album 'A Night At The Opera,' and followed by 'Is This The World We Created...?,' a song that graced Live Aid (although frequently forgotten, because it was performed hours after Queen's stunning performance earlier in the day that day.) We then get the rock'n'roll medley and the tribute to the roots of it all: '(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care,' 'Hello Mary Lou,' and 'Tutti Frutti.' It is well known that Freddie was a huge Elvis fan. So am I. But as much as I would love to wax lyrical on the Elvis connection, I'm interested in 'Tutti Frutti' here. I had the great honour of seeing Little Richard in concert, when he played Liverpool. He was awesome! I've never stopped raving about Little Richard ever since. One of the things I distinctly remember telling people is that you can see Richard's influence on Freddie. I watched Little Richard work the stage, left to right and back again, making contact. I felt he was looking directly at each and everyone of us, getting us all on our feet. I saw Freddie in that act. Many claim that Freddie Mercury was a great showman. He was more than this. But he was indeed a great showman, someone who knew how to communicate, connect, move, and motivate. Little Richard did precisely that.

'Bohemian Rhapsody,' the 'greatest song ever,' is performed one last time by Queen with its composer, Freddie Mercury, on vocals. Powerful and moving, as it ever was. There follows the hard rocker 'Hammer To Fall.' Back to the Elvis influence with 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' massive US #1 smash hit. Then we are into the encores, the first being 'Radio Ga Ga,' one of the legendary songs that made Live Aid. Then the second and final encore, the final minutes of Queen as a live band, the communal celebration and affirmation of 'We Will Rock You,' 'Friends Will Be Friends,' and 'We Are The Champions.' And then they were gone, to the strains of 'God Save The Queen.' As a French philosopher once said after reading Spinoza for the first time, 'if only it were true.hanks Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John. "Give it to me one more time!"

Setlist

One Vision; Tie Your Mother Down; In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited; Seven Seas of Rhye; Tear It Up; A Kind of Magic; Ay Oh; Under Pressure; Another One Bites the Dust; Who Wants to Live Forever; I Want to Break Free; Impromptu; Guitar Solo (w/parts of "Get Down, Make... more ); Now I'm Here; Love of My Life; Is This the World We Created...?; (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care; Hello Mary Lou; Tutti Frutti; Bohemian Rhapsody; Hammer to Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

Encore: Radio Ga Ga; Encore 2: We Will Rock You; Friends Will Be Friends; We Are the Champions; God Save the Queen