Artist: Queen
Label: EMI Records
Released: 2004
Even though their charismatic frontman Freddie Mercury died thirteen years ago, Queen still live on in the hearts of fans, who now have tons of chances to hear and see plenty of concert recordings where Queen truly shone.
When Hot Space came out, an album that marked a major turning point in Queen’s sound, with a bit of a swerve toward funk and a few synthetic touches, the band headed out on a long world tour. On the first disc of the double DVD Live at the Bowl, you’ll find the complete show from Milton Keynes Bowl, which went down on June 5, 1982.
The first half of the show lets you enjoy some of the better-known (Play this game, Somebody to love, Now I’m here, Love of my life, Save me) and lesser-known (Action this day, Staying power, Dragon attack, Back chat) songs. After Brian May’s guitar solo, it’s pretty much all of the band’s biggest hits, which sounded fresh and fantastic back then and sound exactly the same today, twenty years later.
Now, the second disc offers some excerpts from the shows in Tokyo (November ’82) and Vienna (May ’82). Both the sound and the picture are seriously lacking there, though judging by the crowd’s excitement at both gigs, you couldn’t feel that live at all.
The interviews are just as interesting. They were shot backstage at the Milton Keynes show with Brian and Roger Taylor (the drummer), and before the show in Munich with Freddie, and again with Brian and Roger.
They talk about the tour, the Hot Space record, the band’s tenth anniversary and the future, the difference between playing live and working in the studio… The interviews are short but very thorough and entertaining, and you’ll learn plenty about the music world, much of which is still relevant today.
Separate from the DVD release, though out at the same time, there’s also a double CD, Live at the Bowl, with all twenty-five songs and a booklet with some great photos. You’ll miss out on the video, but never mind – Queen are a joy to watch and / or listen to.
Live at the Bowl, on DVD or CD, will please all the true Queen fans, and of course those who don’t know the band that well or are only just getting into them. With Queen, the best place to start getting to know them might just be the live recordings, since back then they were considered an indestructible live band
Lineup
Freddie Mercury – vocals, piano
Brian May – guitar
John Deacon – bass guitar
Roger Taylor – drums
GUEST MUSICIAN:
Morgan Fisher: piano, keyboards
Production
Justin Shirley-Smith
Track list
CD1.:
1. Flash (May)
2. The Hero (May)
3. We Will Rock You (Fast) (May)
4. Action This Day (Taylor)
5. Play The Game (Mercury)
6. Staying Power (Mercury)
7. Somebody To Love (Mercury)
8. Now I’m Here (May)
9. Dragon Attack (May)
10. Now I’m Here (Reprise) (May)
11. Love Of My Life (Mercury)
12. Save Me (May)
13. Back Chat (Deacon)
CD 2.:
1. Get Down, Make Love (Mercury)
2. Guitar Solo (May)
3. Under Pressure (Queen/Bowie)
4. Fat Bottomed Girls (May)
5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Mercury)
6. Bohemian Rhapsody (Mercury)
7. Tie Your Mother Down (May)
8. Another One Bites The Dust (Deacon)
9. Sheer Heart Attack (Taylor)
10. We Will Rock You (May)
11. We Are The Champions (Mercury)
12. God Save The Queen (Trad. arr. May)
DVD bonus material:
-MK Bowl backstage interview
-Freddie Mercury interview
-Brian May and Roger Taylor interviews
Songs from concert at Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria on May 12, 1982
1. Another One Bites The Dust
2. We Will Rock You
3. We Are The Champions
4. God Save The Queen
Songs from concert at Seibu Lions Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on November 3, 1982
1. Flash / The Hero
2. Now I’m Here
3. Impromptu
4. Put Out The Fire
5. Dragon Attack
6. Now I’m Here (Reprise)
7. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
8. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)
-Photo gallery (Calling All Girls)
DVD running time: 170:00
