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Review
by Collectors
music reviews
Queen
ended the month long Works tour of Europe with two shows at the Stadhalle
in
Vienna
on September 29th and September 30th. Great Queen
In Vienna on Gypsy
Eye is the only silver pressing of any of the
Vienna
shows, presenting the first of the two. The label utilizes the
soundtrack from the 8mm amateur home video taped of the entire show.
It is very clear and precise but thin sounding with the emphasis on the
high end.
The
show is virtually complete. There are small cuts at the
beginning of “Is This The World We Created?,” a very small cut at the
beginning of the keyboard “Machines” solo and a gap cutting out
Freddie’s introduction to “Another One Bites The Dust.”
The
strain of singing every night is evident in Freddie’s voice in the very
first songs “Tear It Up” and “Tie Your Mother Down.” He
struggles to hit the high notes and his voice wanders everywhere
throughout the entire evening. The rest of the band compensate
however and Brian May in particular delivers and amazing display of
virtuosity throughout.
The first
medley of the night is played at a furious pace beginning with “Somebody
To Love.” The Queen II homage “Seven Seas Of Rhye” is simply
furious, but May tears up “Keep Yourself Alive,” having fun in
spitting out heavy metal screeches on the guitar.
One
of the characteristics of the Works set is Queen’s desire to pack
so much into medley. The first begins with “Somebody To Love,”
but ”Mustapha” stars one with “Dragon Attack” and
“Stone Cold Crazy” begins one which showcases May and ends with the final
verse of “Brighton Rock.” This tactic is more than simple
nostalgia by referencing songs from the past, but it creates a sense of
possibility and that anything is possible.
This fury is broken up by the short acoustic set. May handles the
introductions as he normally does and points out that, no matter what
their fortunes are in the rest of the world their popularity is consistent
in
Vienna
. It’s ironic that Works,
the only Queen album recorded and mixed in the
US
, was never played there and Brian sounds a bit bitter in his comments.
Queen’s reaction to their drop in popularity in the
US
is an overreaction. The
Game was such a success
that anything would have paled in comparison.
Regardless,
after the medleys they focus upon the hits and the new singles. In
“Hammer To Fall” May busts a string and has to use a spare
guitar. He disappears in the mix obviously but otherwise the band
don’t miss a beat.
Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright” is played by audience
request as a prelude to “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The big hit from
the LP “
Radio
Ga
Ga” closes the show. A full two minutes of cheering proceeds the
first encore, “I Want To Break Free” complete with the audience
reacting to Freddie in drag. A six minute improvisotory ”Jailhouse
Rock” leads into the expected “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The
Champions.” Great
Queen In Vienna
is given an austere looking front cover with a shot of Freddie
singing one of the acoustic songs. Overall this is a great sounding document
and one of Gypsy Eye’s best releases.
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