QUEEN Discography- MONTREAL '81 in theaters near you

[DragonAttack]

WEMBLEY STADIUM, July 11th and 12th





Before we get to the shows....

News broadcast from July 11th  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyf9_cEJsPo

Of note, due to the demand where hundred of thousands could not get tickets for either night, it is announced that the following night’s show would be broadcast on radio and television in October.  That broadcast provides the source for many incomplete bootlegs.

It’s not an exaggeration that these tickets would be the hottest selling ever at the time, (quoting Brian), as both shows sold out in under two hours.  A third show had been pushed for, but Wembley was not available.  Instead, one additional show would be added at the end of the tour schedule.  Little did anyone know at the time……..

*************
MAGIC Tour Indoor Rehearsal  (including the lighting rig)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C336a2XS84k

Before the tour, one needs to practice.  This is listed as 'Wembley', but they would have taken the day off after Newcastle.  Plus, they're working out some of the bugs as to when certain lights should be on during 'Now I'm Here', of how far the lighting rig should lower, etc.  But....I came across it a week ago, and found it quite fascinating.

The sound is much like a bar or small theater.  Plus, it's one of the few times where one actually gets to see the rig in action. 

Under 16 minutes of footage:  ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ (ending, complete with flash pods), ‘Seven Seas Of Rhye’, ‘Tear It Up’, ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

4:50  ending of AKOM, lights and all

Beginning of Now I'm Here…Freddie stops it, and discusses what lights shouldn’t be used

9:48 noodling at the piano before a 99% complete BoRhap, with perhaps the best filming of the opera section lighting of this tour (no artsy BS involved).  This is 'only' a rehearsal, and yet it is a fantastic performance!   

(oh, and Roger in full body striped outfit while John’s bouncing around almost as much as Freddie 😉)

***********
on to the meat and potatoes (or Shephard's Pie) of this post....



Audience recording
Wembley Stadium, London, July 11th, Attendance:  72,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHSl2rZ_L5Y   Grade: A-

The first of the two memorable concerts at this famed venue, almost a year to the day of their legendary performance at ‘Live Aid’.  Support acts were INXS at 4pm, followed by The Alarm and Status Quo. 

(am jealous of two friends who flew over and saw both shows....and those on this forum who did the same.   )



Second night, Saturday, July 12th, Attendance:  72,000    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfcXzZAwc2o&t=12s    Grade: A

Taken from the radio broadcast.  Sadly, nine songs are missing.  Quite worth listening to in spots, as this is minus all overdubs (the same with the first nights audience recording) and has a warm but ‘less polished’ sound compared to the official release.

The complete shows for both nights are included next…

[DragonAttack]

LIVE AT WEMBLEY ‘86

Recorded:  July 12, 1986
Released:  May 26, 1992, UK (Parlophone), USA (Hollywood Records)

Charts: UK#2, USA #53
Portugal #1, New Zealand #3, Austria #6, Switzerland #6, Netherlands #12, Hungary #13, Germany #13, Sweden #29

Chart (2005–06):  Italy #13, Spain #14, Ireland #91   

Chart (2020): Portugal #37

Certifications:  Platinum in UK and USA
Gold in Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland
Platinum in France and Spain
 


QUEEN are:  Freddie Mercury, John Deacon, Roger Taylor, Brian May
Additional keyboards, guitar and vocals:  Spike Edney

Procuduced by Queen
Recorded by Mack
Mixed by Brian Malouf

Tour production manager: Gerry Stickells   Band assistants: Chris Taylor and Joe Fanelli   Guitar technician:  Brian Zellis
Keyboard and bass technicians: Peter Hince and John Collins
Concert sound: Trip Khalaf
*********************
   
SIDE ONE
One Vision  5:50
Tie Your Mother Down  3:52
In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited  2:44
Seven Seas Of Rhye  1:19
Tear It Up  2:12
A Kind Of Magic  8:41
Under Pressure  3:41
Another One Bites The Dust  4:54

SIDE TWO
Who Wants To Live Forever  5:16
I Want To Break Free  3:34
Impromptu  2:55
Brighton Rock Solo  9:11
Now I'm Here  6:19

CD Disc Two
SIDE THREE
Love Of My Life  4:47
Is This The World We Created...?  2:59
(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care  1:34
Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)  1:24
Tutti Frutti  3:23
Gimme Some Lovin'  1:55
Bohemian Rhapsody  5:50
Hammer To Fall  5:36

SIDE FOUR
Crazy Little Thing Called Love  6:27
Big Spender  1:07
Radio Ga Ga  5:57
We Will Rock You  2:46
Friends Will Be Friends  2:08
We Are The Champions  4:05
God Save The Queen  1:27



This is more like it……and it wasn’t their best show of the tour from many accounts (the prior night might have been better).  But its a complete Magic tour performance, with the band lively in front of the cameras and their hometown crowd. 
Before 'Love Of My Life', Brian didn't have a lot to say during his point of the show when the guitarist speaks now and again.  "Thanks for making this show the hottest ticket this country's ever seen.  You're great!  We luv ya!"

Both shows sold out in two hours.  Another was attempted, but Wembley Stadium was already booked.  Because of ticket demand and this situation, an additional night at Knebworth Park was scheduled and added to the end of the tour.  Little did anyone know at the time.......

I mentioned waaay back that I wish 'Somebody To Love' had replaced 'Who Wants To Live Forever', and that ''39 would have made for a rousing replacement of two of the singalong oldies.  But the rest of the set, with 'Big Spender' reappearing for only the second time in years, is terrific.  As are the performances of everything else.  The 'Ay Oh' singalong video is stll played at Queen+AL concerts, and was played during the closing ceremony of the London Summer Olympics. 



2003 reissue
Bonus Tracks: A Kind Of Magic, Another One Bites The Dust, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Tavaszi Szel Vizet Araszt

This also had the full version of ‘Tutti Frutti’ (just for that, it was worth the additional purchase price to me)

[DragonAttack]

LIVE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM DVD

(originally released on VHS in 1990)
DVD release:  2003, UK (EMI), USA (Hollywood Records)
Re-issued: 2011 (Universal)

Charts: UK #1, Australia #1, Norway #3, Austria #5

2005: Hungary #7

2018-19: UK #1
Australia #1, Switzerland #1, Spain #2   

Certifications: 4x Platinum in UK, 5x Platinum in USA
? in Italy
Gold in Austria
Platinum in Mexico
2x Platinum in Australia
4x Platinum in Germany
11x Platinum in Portugal



The recorded concert was first seen on British TV in October 1986, transmitted in mono. It was broadcast simultaneously on radio in stereo so that viewers had the option to play the audio on a nearby radio and enjoy “the world’s first ever stereo simulcast”.
 
The recording was first commercially released in December 1990 as an edited VHS (missing 9 songs), then as the Live at Wembley '86 audio CD in 1992. This was followed by a DVD release as Queen: Live at Wembley Stadium (in its entirety) to coincide with the CD rerelease in 2003.

The re-issued DVD in 2011 added the Friday night show as well.  For once, they nailed it with the bonus disc!
*****
VIDEO  Friday, July 11th         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQRHN_zKb8g&list=PLsP_qYAkJM0vEM_TPVswggOYA7oykcT-I       (separate tracks)

This footage was a test run for Saturday’s filming.  'Gimme Some Lovin' and ‘Big Spender’ were not played this night. 

VIDEO, Saturday, July 12th  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCu9YvSM9QA

I had the original VHS, and even though nine songs were missing (such as 'Impromptu', the guitar solo and 'Now I'm Here, the medley and the oldies), it had the main songs to somewhat satisfy me.  And then I bought the vinyl, the '92 and '03 CDs. And the '03 DVD.  Some day I'll spend the money on yet another hard copy just to have the first night in my collection.  Or, I'll suffer through the irritating youtube ads for free.

(seeing Freddie perform what was available on VHS certainly felt a lot different in '90 than it did after his passing....)



As with the audio release, fans finally had a complete Magic tour show.  For many, their first Queen purchase, or their first experience with any live material since 'Live Killers' over two decades earlier.  Freddie as only Freddie could be.  I do wish Brian's guitar sounded better on BoRhap, that there were more views of Roger from behind the kit showing the crowd, rather than close ups on him, and......  that John could have at least found some longer shorts!   And the usual, fewer close ups or shots of just Freddie, and no frickin video during the operatic section!   But that's me.  Everything else is fab-you-luss!!!

[Cool Chris]

I needed to test an old DVD player just the other day, and I picked this video as the tester. I honestly forgot I had it. Always loved the (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care/Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)/Tutti Frutti/Gimme Some Lovin' section.

The CD got a ton of play with me and my friends back in high school.

[The Curious Orange]

and......  that John could have at least found some longer shorts!  

Those shorts were the height of fashion in 86, at least here in the UK. Everyone was wearing them. There's nothing so dated as yesterday's fashion!

[TAC]

Gonna peel through the Wembley stuff later today and pull up a live show or two from the tour.

[DTwwbwMP]

I once again flew over from NJ (USA) for these two shows. This time was REALLY more of a vacation as I went with my fiancee, her brother and his fiancee, so there was no "meeting" of any English women this time When these shows were announced we made travel plans immediately as we KNEW Queen weren't coming stateside. I wasn't thrilled about having to see them outdoors, but it was what it was. While myself and my future BIL went to both shows, the future wives went sightseeing. It worked out for many reasons...1) Scalping the tickets outside was a nightmare and VERY EXPENSIVE, 2) It was very hot both days and the women would've just been uncomfortable, 3) The first show we were on the field and it was jam packed and NOT something either woman would've wanted, 4) The second show we waited until after the show began with the opening bands to secure tickets (didn't really help the cost) and spent more time just walking around the stadium checking everything out before QUEEN came on and basically moved around alot during the performance to try and get better views. The shows were both great, but the QUEEN I REALLY LOVED was gone by this point. More pop/rock stars now than real rockers like the seventies, but I still LOVED them. We spent the next week sightseeing and taking in the local establishments and left for home on Friday. Not realizing that this was the final tour, the whole experience hit me with a great amount of appreciation years later. I feel truly blessed that I got to see THE GREATEST BAND EVER on EVERY tour they did from '74-'86. Spent a lot of money, but IT WAS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE!

WEMBLEY STADIUM, July 11th and 12th





Before we get to the shows....

News broadcast from July 11th  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyf9_cEJsPo

Of note, due to the demand where hundred of thousands could not get tickets for either night, it is announced that the following night’s show would be broadcast on radio and television in October.  That broadcast provides the source for many incomplete bootlegs.

It’s not an exaggeration that these tickets would be the hottest selling ever at the time, (quoting Brian), as both shows sold out in under two hours.  A third show had been pushed for, but Wembley was not available.  Instead, one additional show would be added at the end of the tour schedule.  Little did anyone know at the time……..

*************
MAGIC Tour Indoor Rehearsal  (including the lighting rig)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C336a2XS84k

Before the tour, one needs to practice.  This is listed as 'Wembley', but they would have taken the day off after Newcastle.  Plus, they're working out some of the bugs as to when certain lights should be on during 'Now I'm Here', of how far the lighting rig should lower, etc.  But....I came across it a week ago, and found it quite fascinating.

The sound is much like a bar or small theater.  Plus, it's one of the few times where one actually gets to see the rig in action. 

Under 16 minutes of footage:  ‘Tie Your Mother Down’ (ending, complete with flash pods), ‘Seven Seas Of Rhye’, ‘Tear It Up’, ‘A Kind Of Magic’, ‘Now I’m Here’, ‘I Want To Break Free’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

4:50  ending of AKOM, lights and all

Beginning of Now I'm Here…Freddie stops it, and discusses what lights shouldn’t be used

9:48 noodling at the piano before a 99% complete BoRhap, with perhaps the best filming of the opera section lighting of this tour (no artsy BS involved).  This is 'only' a rehearsal, and yet it is a fantastic performance!   

(oh, and Roger in full body striped outfit while John’s bouncing around almost as much as Freddie 😉)

***********
on to the meat and potatoes (or Shephard's Pie) of this post....



Audience recording
Wembley Stadium, London, July 11th, Attendance:  72,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHSl2rZ_L5Y   Grade: A-

The first of the two memorable concerts at this famed venue, almost a year to the day of their legendary performance at ‘Live Aid’.  Support acts were INXS at 4pm, followed by The Alarm and Status Quo. 

(am jealous of two friends who flew over and saw both shows....and those on this forum who did the same.   )



Second night, Saturday, July 12th, Attendance:  72,000    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfcXzZAwc2o&t=12s    Grade: A

Taken from the radio broadcast.  Sadly, nine songs are missing.  Quite worth listening to in spots, as this is minus all overdubs (the same with the first nights audience recording) and has a warm but ‘less polished’ sound compared to the official release.

The complete shows for both nights are included next…

[DragonAttack]

after Wembley.....

QUEEN after Wembley

DICKY HART and The Pacemakers



After the Saturday show, billed as "Dicky Hart And The Pacemakers" for fun, Queen and some other stars had a jam session at the Kensington Roof Gardens Night Club. Tutti Frutti and Sweet Little Rock And Roller were among the songs played. Short video clips have turned up in documentaries, like The Magic Years.  Samantha Fox, Cliff Richards, Gary Glitter and Spandau Ballet were present, along with other listed below


Cliff Richards.  One memorable stage appearance of the two awaits…..


john Deacon with crew members John Collins and Peter ‘Ratty’ Hince.

Samantha Fox recalls: "I sang with Freddie Mercury at a party once and that was fantastic. I couldn’t believe it when he pulled me up. It was their private party in Kensington. As soon as you got into the lift there were naked women painted green, like a forest. They had midgets with little trays of drinks. You just knew it was going to be a brilliant party. Queen took the stage and they jammed for about an hour [the party itself went until about 9am]. It was amazing. And Gary Glitter got up, too! He pulled me up and asked me what songs I knew. And you know when you can’t think? I asked if he knew Touch Me and he laughed and said, 'What about Go Johnny Go?’ We ended up singing that together. It was amazing to do a duet with Freddie."


with Samantha Fox

The party itself was a tame affair for a mere 500 guests, including designers Yves St Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, and Queen's old colleague Zandra Rhodes, who'd designed outfits for them in 1974. One publication recalls, "Queen held a famous party after their Wembley concert in July 1986 at the Roof Garden above Kensington High Street where 500 guests included Cliff Richard, Spandau Ballet and Gary Glitter. 'The uniform of every waiter, boy or girl, was body paint,' remembers Gary. 'At first you didn't notice they had nothing on, then you did a double take and thought, Wow! Only Queen would have thought to do this.' Among the other delights laid on for the guests were a scantily-clad woman on duty in the men's toilet and an equally under-dressed gent in the ladies ready to render whatever assistance was asked. That night Freddie made a point of being seen with Mary Austin on his arm. His boyfriend Jim Hutton was nowhere in sight."

courtesy queenlive.ca

[DragonAttack]

Spotify numbers thanks to Tim yet again!   

1. One Vision....6.9m
2. Tie Your Mother Down....5.3m
3. In The Lap Of The Gods....5.9m
4. Seven Seas Of Rhye....4.5m
5. Tear It Up....3.7m
6. A Kind Of Magic....7.1m
7. Under Pressure....10.2m
8. Another On Bites The Dust....7.9m
9. Who Wants To Live Forever....6.2m
10. I Want To Break Free....8.7m
11. Impromptu....3m
12 Brighton Rock Solo....2.6m
13. Now I'm Here....2.9m

1. Love Of My Live....13.4m
2. Is This The World We Created....3.6m
3. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care....2.7m
4. Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)....3m
5. Tutti Frutti....3m
6.  Gimme Some Lovin'....2.3m
7. Bohemian Rhapsody....15.8m
8. Hammer To Fall....4.7m
9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love....5.4m
10. Big Spender....2.2m
11. Radio Ga Ga....8m
12. We Will Rock You....6.3m
13. Friends Will Be Friends....3.6m
14. We Are The Champions....5.6m
15. God Save The Queen....2.4m

just throwing this video in of WWRY, WATC, and GSTQ.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY8qFCcTSOA  What I tend to listen to after a memorable sporting event win. 

And just like the official cassette release, FWBF is not included (which is how I listen to the album)

[DragonAttack]

I needed to test an old DVD player just the other day, and I picked this video as the tester. I honestly forgot I had it. Always loved the (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care/Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)/Tutti Frutti/Gimme Some Lovin' section.

The CD got a ton of play with me and my friends back in high school.

I hurt the sales of the CD, as I probably had a dozen friends and coworkers that I recorded cassettes for.  Though I would have preferred ''39, the acoustic section really worked for me after seeing it performed.

and......  that John could have at least found some longer shorts!  

Those shorts were the height of fashion in 86, at least here in the UK. Everyone was wearing them. There's nothing so dated as yesterday's fashion!

I was still wearing them in the '00s....but never on stage

I once again flew over from NJ (USA) for these two shows. This time was REALLY more of a vacation as I went with my fiancee, her brother and his fiancee, so there was no "meeting" of any English women this time When these shows were announced we made travel plans immediately as we KNEW Queen weren't coming stateside. I wasn't thrilled about having to see them outdoors, but it was what it was. While myself and my future BIL went to both shows, the future wives went sightseeing. It worked out for many reasons...1) Scalping the tickets outside was a nightmare and VERY EXPENSIVE, 2) It was very hot both days and the women would've just been uncomfortable, 3) The first show we were on the field and it was jam packed and NOT something either woman would've wanted, 4) The second show we waited until after the show began with the opening bands to secure tickets (didn't really help the cost) and spent more time just walking around the stadium checking everything out before QUEEN came on and basically moved around alot during the performance to try and get better views. The shows were both great, but the QUEEN I REALLY LOVED was gone by this point. More pop/rock stars now than real rockers like the seventies, but I still LOVED them. We spent the next week sightseeing and taking in the local establishments and left for home on Friday. Not realizing that this was the final tour, the whole experience hit me with a great amount of appreciation years later. I feel truly blessed that I got to see THE GREATEST BAND EVER on EVERY tour they did from '74-'86. Spent a lot of money, but IT WAS A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE!

Ha ha ha ha haa....! I'll bet  it was worth it!!! 
(the amount of correspondence sent to and received from Queen fans (and that I've sent to those unaware) that included your closing line probably amounts to well over a thousand all these years later ).

My wife and I just got back from a gathering, and total driving time amounted to enough time to listen to my one disc edited version.  From OV on through the 'Ay-oh' segment, and 'Tutti Frutti' to the end.....was volume up, head bobbing, very little talk time.  To have actually been there....and both nights.....just 'wow!'

[TAC]

So, I'm about a half hour through the Wembley video.

Damn, the band came to play! One Vision 

John Deacon seems particularly up for this show...
...and worst rock star hair ever!
...and what's with the green t shirt and yellow shorts??


I Want To Break Free is awesome on this!

I think Now I'm Here is one of their best songs.

Bohemian Rhapsody 

Wow, phenomenal show. We Are The Champions crushed it!

Was that Spike Edney onstage at the end or Richard Simmons? 

[DragonAttack]

Great show?  Yes.   
They crushed it?  Yes.   
John's hair?  Not as bad as in the Radio GaGa video. 
Richard Simmons...   Spike is chiseled while being quite handsome.

How much chowder did you consume while you were watching this?

[MoraWintersoul]

I hadn't seen these shows in a loooong while for some reason. Cranked them up last weekend in preparation to this thread and they were so, so, so amazing. I prefer the acoustic jam and Crazy Little Thing from the first night, for everything else it's the second night all the way.

Y'all leave John Deacon's style choices out of this the dumb round perm of the mid 80's (yes, including the long one in Radio Gaga) is miles better than his accountant look. And yeah, Spike was handsome, but he also looked like a regular 80's musician and they look like a bunch of mystical elves trying to fit in with mortals during this show, so I can see the visual dissonance TAC is talking about!

[DragonAttack]

I hadn't seen these shows in a loooong while for some reason. Cranked them up last weekend in preparation to this thread and they were so, so, so amazing. I prefer the acoustic jam and Crazy Little Thing from the first night, for everything else it's the second night all the way.

Y'all leave John Deacon's style choices out of this the dumb round perm of the mid 80's (yes, including the long one in Radio Gaga) is miles better than his accountant look. And yeah, Spike was handsome, but he also looked like a regular 80's musician and they look like a bunch of mystical elves trying to fit in with ]immortals during this show, so I can see the visual dissonance TAC is talking about!

FTFY   

Yeah....over three decades after seeing it for the first time, years since my last viewing.....what a joy it was for me!!!

[DragonAttack]

Back on the road again……


Status Quo



Maine Road, Manchester, England July 16th, 35,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I6EBfRoK-I  Quality: B+

After Wembley and their 'Dicky Hart and The Pacemakers' gig, Queen take a few days off to recharge.  Freddie's voice sounds even better than the weekend at Wembley, it takes the band a few songs to get their legs, and though it isn't without flaws, is a good show.

AUDIENCE VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHl6DX581FU  Wow, this is shaky as all  !  However, if you can make your way through the beginning of AKOM, parts of the guitar solo, BoRhap, CLTCL, and WATC….you get to see the band’s movement on stage, as well as the lighting rig (at times actually annoying due to the changes per beat).  It is the best viewing of BoRhap this tour, as you see it the way the audience did.



***************
Müngersdorfer Stadion, Cologne, West Germany July 19th,  Attendance: 50,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsyGYKMYqe4      Quality: A-/B

it's Brian's 39th Birthday, he plays a bit of '39. It's the last time the song would ever be played on stage (even though it's only the intro) before ‘Love Of My Life’.  Freddie responds to it after Under Pressure. "That's right. He's 45 years old today!"

Brian plays a great guitar solo. At one point he tripped and fell down a staircase on stage and didn't miss a beat (it's impossible to detect on the audience recordings). This is followed by a stellar version of Now I'm Here.

Now that he has turned 39, Brian plays a bit of '39 before Love Of My Life, after jokingly admitting that people take up rock guitar because they can't grow up! "That's me. So I'm nine years old today, alright?" He adds that it's the biggest birthday party he's ever had.


Brian with opening act Marillion

Fish returns the favor of Brian playing with Marillion, by adding BVs on 'Tutti Frutti'.  ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’ makes a return for the only time on the tour..Roger’s drumming and BVs are great on this.

Great to be reading Play The Game's reviews again, where he/she goes gaga over Brian's godly playing on 'Hammer To Fall' and other great band moments throughout this show.


******
the Stadthalle Vienna, Austria July 21st,  Attendance: 14,100   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6FvzQpE8u8&t=1s   Quality: A+

Tonight is the first of two nights in Vienna, their first arena show after six outdoor concerts.  The band are in fine form tonight (as can be heard on this excellent audience tape). Freddie sounds great, although his high end sounds a tad strained in parts, and perhaps not quite as good as Cologne two days prior. However, despite a couple range issues here and there, he does fantastic, turning in strong vocals all through the show. Brian's playing is off the charts during A Kind of Magic, and he generally plays excellently through the whole set, as do the rest of the band.

******
Second night,  Vienna, July 22nd,  Attendance: 14,100  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm2AlN3bymw&t=106s  Quality: A

“In the Lap Of The Gods’ is skipped.

The band are definitely feeling it tonight, with an extra-funky version of 'Another One Bites The Dust' being performed, a very loose yet effective acoustic set, a string-breaking version of 'Hammer to Fall' (Brian seamlessly switches guitars), a great solo in ‘One Vision’, and an epic jam into 'We Will Rock You'.

Yet another excellent audience recording, though a few people are a bit too chatty.

This would be their last indoor concert.

[DragonAttack]

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY

Released:  September 20, 2012, UK (Island Records), USA (Hollywood Records)
Venue   Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary

Charts: 2012–19
Hungary #7, Germany #23, Italy #29, Netherlands #44, Belgium #90

DVD
Charts: 2012   
Austria and Belgium #1, Itally #5, Denmark #6, Spain #7, Australia and Sweden #8, Switzerland and The Netherlands #10

DVD certifications:  Gold in Hungary, Platinum in Poland

OFFICIAL VIDEO  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue1CDLdpdjc
(considering this was just uploaded three weeks ago, there’s no guarantee how long this will be up)

Or with the individual songs  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDY0ILGRFio&list=PLuP7vk48yjcrjBKMu1b5FwJCXVxh1IKFq

(oh, and ‘Surprise!  Surprise!’…they get artsy fartsy during BoRhap again  )

Complete concert audio  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGNNpAuxBUE&list=PLSZ_IJBStXPFUertckXFVUnPtRUWqdRa3

and ....the complete concert  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHnPy0W6K3A&t=29s  with the '16 camera view....all at once'

(once again....one of the worst entries for a live release this century is chosen )


CD DISC ONE
One Vision
Tie Your Mother Down (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited
Seven Seas of Rhye
Tear It Up
A Kind of Magic
Under Pressure
Another One Bites the Dust (omitted on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Who Wants to Live Forever
I Want to Break Free (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Looks Like It's Gonna Be a Good Night (omitted on DVD and Blu-ray)  *
Guitar Solo (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Now I'm Here

DISC TWO
Love of My Life (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Tavaszi Szél Vizet Áraszt (Traditional)
Is This the World We Created...?
(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care (omitted on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Hello Mary Lou (omitted on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Tutti Frutti (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Bohemian Rhapsody
Hammer to Fall
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (edited on DVD and Blu-ray) *
Radio Ga Ga
We Will Rock You
Friends Will Be Friends
We Are the Champions
God Save the Queen 
 
* reasons for omissions and edits posted below




This had been released in Japan and the UK on Laser Disc in 1987.  The film footage was quickly edited, as the "Live In Budapest" video premiered on December 12 at the city's National Congress Hall.

A Kind Of Magic and Under Pressure from this show were released on Live Magic (also in December 1986).

A newly remastered video was released to theatres worldwide in September 2012. Two months later it was released on blu-ray and DVD. This was still the same edit as the 1987 release, as MaFilm allegedly discarded the footage that didn't make it past the cutting room floor. All Queen Productions could do was clean up the film and do a new audio mix. The video and audio quality are absolutely brilliant. The complete concert was simultaneously released on CD, making Another One Bites The Dust and the two remaining cover songs available for the first time, as well as full versions of many songs that were edited for the 1987 VHS.

Due to the cuts, of all things, Brian is shown riding in a hot air balloon is placed in the middle of the 'Guitar Solo'.    There's lots of really good camera angles used, often better than Wembley, with less changes per minute.  The band sings, plays, and sounds better, but...it's almost a bit too polished.

And there was perhaps 'buyers' fatigue'.  This was made available in 2012, one year after all of the Universal reissues.  And, 'we' already had a Magic Tour show, whilst still lacking anything official from '76 through '80. 

The most famous part of the show is Tavaszi Szel Vizet Araszt   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAclgON4cGc&list=PLuP7vk48yjcrjBKMu1b5FwJCXVxh1IKFq&index=9

A Hungarian folk song that Freddie sang while reading the words off of a piece of paper.  Translated….

The spring wind blows the waters,
My flower, my flower,
The spring wind blows the waters,
My flower, my flower.

Every bird searches for a partner,
My flower, my flower.
Every bird searches for a partner,
My flower, my flower.

And I, whom should I choose,
My flower, my flower.
And I, whom should I choose,
My flower, my flower.

I choose you, and you choose me,
My flower, my flower.
I choose you, and you choose me,
My flower, my flower.

[DragonAttack]

The final week of the Magic Tour within the next nine hours (and some Budapest touchups...)

Meanwhile....a few different behind the scenes looks from Budapest.  queenlive.ca 'pick a year'  '86  Budapest has these and many other terrific pix












Preconcert video included on the DVD   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs4H627KSoM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AD6vzneYIM  six minute TV report, including footage of Roger's birthday, interview, and Freddie interview.

The interviewer asks if this is the beginning of the band's friendship with Hungary, and if it will last as long as Queen will last.

Freddie: "If I'm still alive, I'll come back."   :'(

[TAC]

Dropping the needle on the Vienna shows, as well as the Budapest video.

The Vienna shows sound incredible. These are great boots.

[TAC]

Another thing I forgot to mention about Wembley, which I thought of by going back and forth with the Budapest show was that Freddie started to lose his voice a little, but that makes it all the more compelling.  His raspy vocal on Bohemian Rhapsody was moving.

[DragonAttack]

Another thing I forgot to mention about Wembley, which I thought of by going back and forth with the Budapest show was that Freddie started to lose his voice a little, but that makes it all the more compelling.  His raspy vocal on Bohemian Rhapsody was moving.

An interesting way of viewing and listening to the two shows.   As to official live releases, Wembley's 'BoRhap' is one of my top two renditions, along with Montreal.

Vienna was top notch due to the quality recording, and being indoors.  An added 'warmth' to the sound.

[DragonAttack]

The MAGIC Tour   Final Week

Frejus, France


 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ar%C3%A8nes_de_Fr%C3%A9jus

per wiki:  Arčnes de Fréjus or Amphithéâtre de Fréjus is a 12,000-capacity Roman amphitheatre located in Fréjus, France.[1] The structure was built in the 1st century. In recent times the arena has been used for major rock concerts, hosting artists such as Rod Stewart, Queen, Iron Maiden, David Bowie and Tina Turner.
 


The Amphitheatre Frejus, France July 30th,  Attendance: 15,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbConVP5bI0    Quality: A-



Outdoors, but only 15,000 in 'the bedroom' per Freddie, who sounds rather disappointed at the size of the venue.  In fact, the concert was originally supposed to be in Nice (as seen on the poster above). Freddie actually didn't find out the venue had been changed until the day of the show, refusing to show up to soundcheck. Having realized the contract couldn't be broken, he finally arrived late to the gig. "Let's f*cking do this," he shouted as he got out of his car and headed to the stage.

Having said all that, there are great versions of  BoRhap and AOBTD performed this night.



***********
Mini Estadi, Barcelona, Spain August 1st, Attendance: 30,000 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Al229QrWU&t=42s    Quality: A-
The originally scheduled final three shows in Spain, after having not performed there since ’79.  The audio is a merge (just to fill out Brian’s guitar solo).. Freddie sounds excellent tonight, giving another great performance. Brian has now brought a harmonizer pedal on stage, and he uses it during his solo for a little piece that would eventually be known as ‘Chinese Torture’. He would do this on all the remaining shows of the tour.

Brian says a few words to the audience in Spanish before ‘Love Of My Life’, and in a response of gratitude, the audience start chanting his name in unison. Freddie responds, with mock jealousy, "I don't like it! Too much adulation!"

**********
Nuevo Estadio de Vallecas, Madrid, Spain August 3rd   Attendance: 30,000    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp8ofXjve7Y&t=1s     Quality: A-

Per Ryan Newton:  “Before the show began, a fight broke out in the dressing room between the members of the band. As such, Freddie doesn't do his typical break-up speech before 'Who Wants to Live Forever'. A bit telling, eh?
There is a bit of tension through the night, but this is still a great performance overall The tempos of the songs are pretty speedy. Freddie's vocals are a bit on the rough side but he gives it a good effort. As for the other three, they are playing with a lot of energy. The most eye-catching being Roger's explosive drumming in ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’, and Brian's extra-spicy chord work in ‘Another One Bites the Dust’. The acoustic set is also performed wonderfully.

 File this show into the underrated category!”

****************
Estadio Municipal de Marbella, Marbella, Spain August 5th, Attendance: 28,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5pchGBbZo0   Quality: B-

Distant recording, lots of talking and clapping drowning out the band, as if you’re in a bar and no one’s paying attention to the performer. And most seem to have enjoyed a few too many spirits.  Painful just to listen to segments of this, plus Freddie’s voice cracks on occasion.

Marbella was intended to be the final show of the tour, but fortunately we have one more show on the tour left to listen to.

Near the end of Roger's fiery drum solo at the end of the impromptu, Mercury says "my oh my oh my." Brian then goes on for quite a while in his solo spot - over ten minutes, and likely his longest ever.

The show was a late one, finishing around 1:30am.
 

[DragonAttack]

Knebworth Park, Stevenage, England,  August 9th    Attendance: 120,000 – 200,000





VIDEO taken by a fan off the screen  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGlfDmvWWaY
The concert begins at the six minute mark.  This made the rounds pre youtube.  Sometimes you just have to take what you can get. Considering the historical nature of the concert, it was worth the watch.

Audio,released in early 2007, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6UhYPsY-wA&t=2s   Quality: A   sounds very soundboard to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hnuAliiizI&t=51s  B  combined dry and warmer  the crowd sounds better

Status Quo




(the inner gatefold from the ‘Live Magic’ LP


A likeness of one of the band member's inflatable balloons, also done at Wembley (one of which ended up at a farm miles away)



guess who else wears short shorts?
 

 


Before Another One Bites The Dust, he says, "This next song calls for a boogie, I mean... it means I throw my cunt around the stage even more than I've done." After the vocal improv in the middle section, John plays a couple funky bass riffs, and playing off him, Brian throws in some equally funky riffs, reminiscent of "Fun It" from the Jazz album. Some fans consider this to be the best version of the song ever performed by the band.

After Dust, Freddie says, somewhat seriously, "I think most of you know that this is the last stop on our tour." Then more informally, "You know that, don't you? And such a beautiful way to end it. I mean, look at the lot of you. I might also add that this has been the best European tour for us, thanks to all you fuckers out there. And earlier on there were rumours of us splitting up, but, I mean... fuck 'em. I mean really, look at this!" he says as he smiles, once again referring to the size of the audience. "How can you split up when you have an audience like this? I mean, really. We're not that stupid!"

John Deacon uncharacteristically tosses his bass immediately following Radio Ga Ga,
 



This can also be seen on the official Rare Live video. He hit the other basses on their stands in front of the amps, knocking them all over. The roadies then took them off stage, presumably to check for damage and retune them before the second encore. John ultimately doesn't cause any significant damage to his P-bass, as he uses it for the final three songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSrF95IpM0M
***********
The show was recorded, but someone supposedly pulled the plug.  A good version from 'One Vision' made it onto 'Live Magic', as did edited versions of 'We Will Rock You', 'We Are The Champions', and the final time the tape would play with Freddie on stage.....and captures his farewell.




"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,"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlYQIcpXNnQ



They would return less than four years later to a stage for one final public appearance together.

[DTwwbwMP]

Hey DA, this was really incredible going along and re-living all of these great moments.

Thanks

[TAC]

Knebworth Park, Stevenage, England,  August 9th    Attendance: 120,000 – 200,000

John Deacon uncharacteristically tosses his bass immediately following Radio Ga Ga,
 



This can also be seen on the official Rare Live video. He hit the other basses on their stands in front of the amps, knocking them all over. The roadies then took them off stage, presumably to check for damage and retune them before the second encore. John ultimately doesn't cause any significant damage to his P-bass, as he uses it for the final three songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSrF95IpM0M

Has this ever been explained?



EDIT: I was reading the comments for the Madrid show. They shed light on the strife in the band. Interesting. It mentions John was struggling with depression.

It also mentions the constant touring, which is strange because they played 23 shows in the summer/fall of '84, then the 7 Sun City Shows, followed by only 17 shows in 1985. Then they don't really play for about a year and even then it's only 27 dates in 1986.


At what point does Freddie find out he's HIV positive? When does the band find out, or is there one member he confides in? John?

[TAC]

Maine Road, Manchester, England July 16th, 35,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I6EBfRoK-I  Quality: B+

AUDIENCE VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHl6DX581FU  Wow, this is shaky as all  !  However, if you can make your way through the beginning of AKOM, parts of the guitar solo, BoRhap, CLTCL, and WATC….you get to see the band’s movement on stage, as well as the lighting rig (at times actually annoying due to the changes per beat).  It is the best viewing of BoRhap this tour, as you see it the way the audience did.

Joe, this video is phenomenal. For 1986, it's really not that bad. I'd take a good audience shot boot over a pro shot show any day of the week.

[The Curious Orange]

At what point does Freddie find out he's HIV positive?

Apparently while working on the Barcelona project.

[DragonAttack]

^
Correct from what his boyfriend Jim Hutton wrote years later. But there had to be signs earlier. The fact that no tour was ever planned after Europe in August indicates that.

I have it planned to post Prenter's Sun articles on Wednesday night when some of the sh*t hit the fan (after a short post of collaborations and Freddie's next solo single).

John and his guitar tossing....some of these things I read about for the first time maybe two weeks before posting.  I have followed queenlive.ca for over a decade, but not as in depth until this year.  As others have mentioned, depression was a big part, or he'd drank more that night during other shows that tour (amounts were increasing) and got miffed too easily.  He certainly looks very 'lonely' in Budapest.  I don't know if the family toured along at times or not, unlike pictured here in Buenos Aires in '81



Brian had tossed his guitar near the end of the '82 (?) tour.....some nights are like that, I guess.  His marriage was in total shambles during the Magic Tour.   Some of the roadies have written about behind the scenes events....I still haven't bought one of their books.  Maybe next year...

All the ins and outs of what took place within the four members....they were perhaps the most loyal and tight lipped band that ever existed.

Maine Road, Manchester, England July 16th, 35,000  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I6EBfRoK-I  Quality: B+

AUDIENCE VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHl6DX581FU  Wow, this is shaky as all  !  However, if you can make your way through the beginning of AKOM, parts of the guitar solo, BoRhap, CLTCL, and WATC….you get to see the band’s movement on stage, as well as the lighting rig (at times actually annoying due to the changes per beat).  It is the best viewing of BoRhap this tour, as you see it the way the audience did.

Joe, this video is phenomenal. For 1986, it's really not that bad. I'd take a good audience shot boot over a pro shot show any day of the week.

I have tried to be honest and and straight forward with these posts.  I am mildly to moderately affected by watching similar things, to where I have to stop after a minute or two.  But, yeah, the person gave us some great views that the band never did.   

After this is over, I'm going to pick out the top show of each tour, and listen to them from start to finish.  The first night in Vienna will be my Magic Tour concert

Hey DA, this was really incredible going along and re-living all of these great moments.

Thanks

You're welcome!   

I'm not happy their touring days were over.  But as to posting on this thread, I fell into an enormous rabbit hole. I should have just posted a couple of shows with pics from each tour, but then I didn't want to leave too many out.  And there were a ton of good/great shows made available these past couple of years.

Wish I could have seen as many shows as you did, of one of the best bands ever on stage....and a fair front man

later today:  another collaboration with Billy Squier

[MoraWintersoul]

re:  some of the stuff that goes into super speculative mode!

I always thought (and if you dug deep enough, you'd probably find some super sleuths working this timeline out) Freddie would have started to get tested for HIV around this time. The tests were unreliable so certainly he would get some negatives and some positives and would have to keep getting tested but he probably had some doubts. Around this time he gave an interview to David Wigg where he said he'd shut down his sex life due to the disease that was going around. It's very sad that the timeline worked out the way it did, many people have said that scientists came out with such good meds a year or two after Freddie had passed, his life would have been certainly prolonged had he been around to take them.

About the fight near the end of the tour, I read one or two more accounts/mentions of it, and Brian and Roger had briefly mentioned it. I'm about almost convinced (just in my head!) it started out between Freddie and John. If you think about it, almost all Queen fights we've heard of had either Brian or Roger or most commonly both involved in it, and they'd told us all about it, but this one seems a bit bigger than the regular Queen fights we'd heard about, and yet they only briefly mention it. So I think it was down to John's mental health and Freddie's fatigue from the tour that something could have broken out like that. I think the break after that - not the fact that they hadn't scheduled something right away, clearly they were all fatigued after the tour, but up to '88 - would have also partially been due to John's mental health. Again, I think so because Brian and Roger don't go into too much detail about that except mentioning what was going on with them at the time (Brian) and what they decided to occupy their time with during the break (Roger), but also because even the Queen bio mentions John had had some marital problems during this time, and he's notoriously private. So to have something like that mentioned - you know. Makes you wonder!

[Stadler]

In my experience, I think Mora is on to something.  Even in the sanctioned book by the fan club President, Freddie's frayed nerves  - blamed on touring, not his illness, which goes virtually unmentioned until the reference to the Tribute concert - were clearly influencing the rest of the band. 

[TAC]

In one of the writeups for one of the shows, it mentions that Freddie says to the crowd, "They won't let me leave".

I'm not in their shoes, but blaming it on touring...it must mean any touring, because as I mentioned, they had an extremely light touring schedule from '84-'86.

[Stadler]

In one of the writeups for one of the shows, it mentions that Freddie says to the crowd, "They won't let me leave".

I'm not in their shoes, but blaming it on touring...it must mean any touring, because as I mentioned, they had an extremely light touring schedule from '84-'86.

I can't recall the exact years, but not all touring was the same. I know the South American tours were far shorter but almost infinitely more stressful than, say, a 20 date tour of the UK.

[TAC]

Yeah, that's true. I think it was the Mexico dates were mentioned earlier that was crazy as hell.

Also, Queen for the most part was an extremely heavy touring band. They were on the constant write-record-tour cycle for over a decade.

[DragonAttack]

re:  some of the stuff that goes into super speculative mode!
<SNIP>

Thanks for all that.  Please chime in Wednesday when we come back to this topic.

For now, I have to move on to upcoming collaborations.  We'll start with the most well known one(s)

BILLY SQUIER  'Love Is The Hero' and....

Released in December of '86, the album only reached #61 on the charts, a commercial disappointment selling about 300,000 copies in the United States, making it his first album since 1980's The Tale of the Tape to not reach Platinum status. Mostly because of the negative reception for the video of Squier's 1984 hit "Rock Me Tonite" and changing music trends, his career had taken a sudden dip, damaging both ticket and album sales.

There’s ‘Shot ‘O Love to open, the following two tracks, and a damn good Side One closer called ‘Come Home’, co written by Bobby Chounard.  Side Two was below average IMO.  I bought the album because it was Billy Squier.  Didn't know I was in for an unexpected treat (which could have been even better)



As to the collaborations, this would be the third straight Billy Squier LP that a member of Queen had performed on a song.  This time it's two. Freddie sang on ‘Love Is The Hero’, and co wrote ‘Lady With A Tenor Sax’.

Love Is The Hero   album version   4:49 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYsqtC_W47E
Freddie’s intro was removed.  Wonder whose brilliant idea that was? 

Extended 12” single version …the video starts with a flyin over the Hudson River focusing on The Twin Towers.  This has the Freddie intro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8WeggAnAlg&list=RDq8WeggAnAlg&start_radio=1   I've watched this on 9/11 for eons.

The mostly extended version on the  ‘Reach For The Sky’ Anthology  (cuts out the short instrumental after Freddie’s intro)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw95a0XCN8A

Lady With A Tenor Sax  Freddie’s demo  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih4HOsyhzaU

The album version      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa9WIsQdNU8


***************

BRIAN



1986:  Minako Honda   'Cancel', producer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtY5QF9U6Gk
And guess who wrote and plays guitar on this.  Of course, it’s GARY MOORE!!!!

"Crazy Nights"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zX8r-odjfo    songwriting, production, guitar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minako_Honda    She sadly died at age 38 from acute myelogenous leukemia in ’05.



1987: Bad News, self titled: producer

1987   Heavy Pettin, 'Lettin Loose':  produced by May and Mack
**************
ROGER

1985
 Jimmy Nail   "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"   Take It or Leave It (album); Love Don't Live Here Anymore (single)   drums, synthesizer; produced by Taylor and David Richards   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWOaW2I71E

Camy Todorow   "Bursting at the Seams"   Bursting at the Seams (single)   drums; produced by Taylor and David Richards    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWCNbs27Dx0

Elton John   "Too Young"   Ice On Fire (album)   drums (bass by John Deacon)    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JORwlCK5Lk

Feargal Sharkey   "Loving You"   Loving You (7"/12" single)   additional drums and synths; produced by Taylor and David Richards  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCvlfe1sVCY

Debbie Byrne   "Fools Rush In"   Persuader (album)   drums

1986
Virginia Wolf    Virginia Wolf (album)   produced by Taylor and David Richards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nom4o3ByfWY&list=RDEMzUAy9glEwnNcNv4mU_W8dA&start_radio=1

Roger Daltrey   "Under a Raging Moon"   Under a Raging Moon (album)   drums  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4VuUBI5gtw

Elton John   "Angeline"   Leather Jackets (album)   drums (bass by John Deacon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S3-PQCSh3c

Magnum   "When the World Comes Down", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1VerQbpvSA
"Sometime Love"   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vUQVY0FHqA
Vigilante (album)   producer; backing vocals on two tracks



OCT 26 Edit  QUEEN THE MAGIC YEARS Vol 1,2,3

These three VHS offerings were made available in '87, with snipped performances of their early years on through Knebworth

http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/queen/videos/the-magic-years-volume-1.htm

 

I purchased these in the late 90s, and my memory made me think that's when they were released 

*************

a Platters cover tomorrow, with The Sun Prenter articles as well

[King Postwhore]

That Billy Squier song with Freddie is amazing.  I haven't played that in a decade.   

On a side note, an employee who retired a few years ago was the niece of Bobby Chounard. Small world.

[Stadler]

THat whole album is decent; it's a crying shame, because Billy has some really good music in the latter half of his career and virtually no one not named "Squier" knows about it.