Cheap Trick opened a few shows. Meanwhile, Thin Lizzy were promoting their latest album, "Johnny The Fox". The North American leg of the their tour was supposed to begin in late November 1976, but guitarist Brian Robertson injured his hand during a fight, which led to it being postponed to January 1977. Guitarist
Gary Moore stood in for Robertson. And, as fate would have it, arrangements were made to be the warmup act for a certain British band.
Queen set out on their fourth tour of the States, once again in the winter. This would often have an effect on Freddie’s voice (as well as transporting equipment and themselves), and four California concerts were cancelled or rescheduled due his vocal problems. He often had issues hitting the high ranges throughout, his voice ‘cracks’ at times, and yet….I’ll bet no one in the audience those nights noticed (and we harp on JLB in his fifties!
)
"Part of the American leg of that tour involved the bands use of a very special plane. The plane that was originally booked was found not to be airworthy, and so a substitute was rented at very short notice from a very special place. The Lisa Marie was furnished by the Elvis Presley Organisation and we used this delightful personalised jet for several weeks. It was the closest Freddie ever got to meeting Elvis. It would have been his dream come true. At a later date, Lisa Marie actually gave Freddie a scarf which had once belonged to her father." queenlive.ca
(my wife and I were on it three years ago…..)
Queen are still playing occasional 8000 seat arenas (sold out!), but often in the largest available venues, such as Detroit’s Cobo Arena, the Boston Garden, Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, the Omni in Atlanta, and two nights each at The Forum in Inglewood and Madison Square Garden.
Five very good songs have been dropped on this tour: ‘Flick Of The Wrist’, ‘The March of the Black Queen’, ‘Seven Seas Of Rhye’, the surprisingly great rendition of ‘Doing Alright’, the fun and short ‘Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon’ and the first half of ‘The Prophet’s Song’.
The setlist is beginning to change into what we would become familiar with for the rest of their career. Two songs are added that would remain concert staples, while a third transformed into its current form.
The taped intro of ‘A Day at the Races’ plays to a darkened arena. Brian then plays the familiar opening riff before the lights and flash pods explode to
‘Tie Your Mother Down’. Once again,
'Never miss the beginning of a Queen concert!.... and this was one of their best. The familiar to some ‘Ogre Battle’ and ‘White Queen’ follow. Even if you have tired of these by now, those seeing the band for the first time certainly enjoyed them (just listen to the Boston and NYC crowd reactions). ‘
Somebody To Love’, which they were very hesitant in performing, worked out damn well in concert. The medley really works well , and ‘The Millionaire Waltz’ fits in quite nicely.
The singalong
‘’39’ is great for its unique fun, and then just Freddie and piano for the ‘main’ part of
‘You Take Me Breath Away’. And his performance took away mine!
‘White Man’ is very faithful to the album version, and then the very odd vocal improv hystrionics. Captivating in person, with Freddie under the spotlight, but it is certainly not ear candy. This leads right into the ending of ‘The Prophet’s Song’.
The major change follows:
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in its now familiar and forever form (other than ‘Live Aid’).
And then the reminders that they are a rock band, but still with the Queen touch, with
‘Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)’ finding its way into the rock ‘n roll medley encore for some shows.
Sadly, there is absolutely NO available professionally filmed footage of this tour, just a few snippets from not so good views, such as San Francisco, March ’77
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X490TGpnS4**********
Typical set list: Overture / Tie Your Mother Down / Ogre Battle / White Queen / Somebody to Love / Medley: Killer Queen : The Millionaire Waltz : You're My Best Friend / Bring Back That Leroy Brown / Sweet Lady / Brighton Rock / ' 39 / You Take My Breath Away / White Man / Vocal Improv / The Prophet's Song / Bohemian Rhapsody / Stone Cold Crazy / Keep Yourself Alive / Liar / In The Lap Of The Gods…revisited Encores: Now I’m Here / Big Spender / Jailhouse Rock / God Save The Queen
**********
Uploaded less than two months ago
Dane County Coliseum, Madison, Wisconsin, January 14th, 1977 Attendance: 10,000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKV3Ezg0jdM Quality: B-(incomplete, cuts out during ‘Liar’) The volume goes up and down often, but it is the first available live recording of 'Somebody To Love'
The Kalamazoo Gazette's harsh review on
https://www.queenlive.ca/ Select a year '77 submitted by yours truly.
The picture below is from the Kalamazoo Airport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LcbMcAcm24 30 seconds of big spender
Of note was a great Thin Lizzy performance in Toledo, followed by half of the Queen concert, before the taper's batteries ran out. Sadly, the link was pulled in the last year.
************************************
Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio, January 23rd, 1977 Attendance: 20,270
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WYe2LfhNds Quality: C+ to me
‘It’s good to be here in Cleveland, the nasty Queenies are back’. One of the last times Freddie would utter that phrase. It is missing most of the ending from ‘Lap…’ onwards. Of note is that it is the first available North American soundboard concert, and was the first available NA concert up until two months ago.
********************
EDIT: Jan 23 2023 additionToledo Sports Arena, Toledo, Ohio, January 30th, 1977 Attendance: 6,500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP3_nN7ByTg&t=2s Quality: B
The first recording of this concert surfaced a little over a year ago, but it was only the first half of the show as the taper’s batteries ran out. This is a second source that is much more complete, but is missing the second encore.
***********
EDIT: Jan. 23, 2023 addition
Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, February 1st Attendance: 16,500 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfI_hb5oAbc Quality: B+Queen’s first performance ever in Toronto. The '74 tour stop was cancelled due to Brian's illness, and they did not visit during the ANATO tour. This show now becomes the first available ADATR Canadian show available.
Only ‘Now I’m Here’ is missing
**********
Cole Fieldhouse, College Park, Maryland February 4th Attendance: 14,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK2-v5UI7y0 incomplete Grade: C+
Their last university arena performance, now just down the road from me.
I paid $20 for this subpar incomplete show over twenty years ago……
**********************************
If you care to recreate one of these evenings, here's the
Thin Lizzy concert from February 6th.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thin+lizzy+nassau+coliseum+live+1977https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtchHDR9npQW8qRqnyYc4-g-iK_B3lnhK Nassau Coliseum
*************************************************
Madison Square Garden, New York City, February 5th, Attendance 20,000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txp3u1aOslw&t=121s Grade: B ( the taped intro, TYMD and most of ‘Ogre Battle’ are missing). Freddie’s introduction speech and ‘listen to me my darlings’ before ‘White Queen’ are included (so one can use the beginning of another concert to this point)
This is an important show in Queen history for two reasons. For starters, this is their first performance at Madison Square Garden. Just three years earlier, after five shows in five nights at The Uris Theater opening for Mott, Brian became seriously ill.
The crowd is responsive during the intro, STL, BoRhap and claps along during the ending medley
*********************
Thin Lizzy - Live in Boston (February 9th, 1977) - Source 2 (NEW) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAGp2imu52c . Around 20 minutes of the show (everything up to the drum solo during Sha-La-La) can now be heard for the first time as Source 1, taped by the one who recorded what we have of Queen's set, is heavily incomplete (but does include the last 2 songs in full). The recording is decent, but quite distant.
0:00 - Still In Love With You (CUT) 0:14 - Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed (CUT) 0:30 - The Boys Are Back In Town 5:53 - Cowboy Song 12:01 - Warriors 16:42 - Sha-La-La (20:49 - Drum Solo) 24:04 - Baby Drives Me Crazy (CUT)
*********************
Boston Garden, Boston, MA February 9th Attendance: 15,900 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy-XT1gNcFE&t=3987s Grade A- One can hear the stereo in vocals during 'Somebody To Love' and the guitar solo. It is incomplete from “Liar onwards’ (bad performance by Freddie? I didn’t think so).
I have made comments in my reviews of the Universal 2011 bonus disc reissues, as to what could have been included. For ADATR, I mentioned that there are numerous ’77 and ’78 live recordings available of ‘Somebody To Love’ that could have been included in place of the ’82 Milton Keynes version. Their performance this night would have been in the running. From the taped intro of ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ onwards,
this is a fabulous show. And it's a damn good crowd!
*********************************
LA Forum, Inglewood, California, March 3rd, Attendance: 18,000 second show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8t7_F_65A0&t=1788s Quality: A+(minus the intro and fades in during TYMD) Made available less than two years ago. The cream of the crop from this tour.
***************************
Seattle Center Arena Seattle, March 13th, 1977 Attendance: 8,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Z2Tk2y_14&t=77s Quality: A-It is only missing GSTQ (which I borrowed from a European concert to make complete) The only concert of the N.A. Tour I had for about eight years. No complaints. I do not have MEGA, but Tim mentioned this link which includes the Thin Lizzy show as well
https://mega.nz/file/gt4HUBYL#UXfptXG_tzxsXm_Q4d_P0jvgS3cxR2WqCjMDlv0FD_0 Thank you, sir!
*********************
First available Canada recording
Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, March 11th Attendance: 17,500 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd0SUashln8&t=54s Quality: B-
The beginning is missing up to Killer Queen.
***************
I'll post a short European leg some time tonight, including their legendary Earl's Court concert. And then I'll have 'Raise The Knife' and 'Unfinished Sweet' running through my head for tomorrow
Topic: QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you (Read 70572 times)
