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Review
by Collectors
music reviews
Queen’s Works tour played in England for
only a handful of shows. The NEC in Birmingham is the only venue
outside of London to host the tour and demand was so high that a third
night, September 2nd, was added after the first two nights sold out and
didn’t meet demand. The tape used by Gypsy Eye for Real
Dazzleris a very good but boomy audience recording.
Opening with the “Machines” theme from Works,
the first numbers are the two fast paced rockers “Tear It Up” and
“Tie Your Mother Down” and afterwards Freddie tells Birmingham that “it’s
nice to be back on the road after a two year absence. It seems kinda
different but as long as you guys are here we’ll be alright.”
The medley is comprised of early material and Freddie
acknowledges that ”it’s nice to do some of the really early
stuff, even though I’ve forgotten the fucking words I don’t care,
I’ll make ‘em up.” By the improvisation before “It’s A
Hard Life” Freddie’s voice is weak. Before the first line
he jokes to the audience: “If I don’t get this first note,
I’ll kill myself!” Hardly hitting it, he sings the rest of the
song in falsetto.
Afterwards Freddie dispels the perennial breakup rumors,
saying ”If we wanted to break up, we’d let you know. But as long
as you buggers buy the records we’re gonna be here. Just to prove it,
this is ‘Staying Power.’” The Hot Spacetrack is
segued in a short medley with “Dragon Attack” from The Game and with
“Now I’m Here.” This arrangement is very clunky, unwieldy
and will be dropped later in the tour.
“Is This The World We Created?” is the first song
of the short, two song acoustic set. When May plays the introduction
to “Love Of My Life,” someone starts singing the song in the audience
as was the custom. Freddie quips to May: “They started it up
before I even sang.”
“Let’s start from the top. Don’t mess
about! How dare you sing without my command?” Freddie
continues in jest. He gives the microphone to someone in the
front row, but instead of singing they shout some incomprehensible nonsense.
Freddie retrieves the microphone and says: “Looks like we really
attract a really intelligent bunch.” He then asks, “Should we sing
this fucker or not?” and turns to May and says “Why don’t you
give the introduction again?”
The third medley of the set is a showcase for the
guitar, starting with “Stone Cold Crazy,” a bit of “Great King
Rat” and the “Bright Rock” guitar solo followed by May’s tune from Work
“Hammer To Fall,” introduced by Freddie as “a light little
number.”
After “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” Freddie
leads the band into an impromptu performance of Elton John’s “Saturday
Night’s Alright For Fighting” which serves as prelude to “Bohemian
Rhapsody.” The final song of the set is a ragged version of
“Radio Ga Ga.” It is played without the keyboard introduction
and Freddie and Roger get their “goo-goos” and “ga-ga’s”
mixed up in the first chorus.
The first encore set is “I Want To Break Free” and
“Jailhouse Rock” with “We Will Rock You,” “We Are The
Champions” and “God Save The Queen” as the final encores. While
they are leaving the stage Freddie quips “come back any time. You’re
welcome.”
There is also a soundcheck tape from before this show
made by the same taper in circulation. It has never been booted
and would have been a nice bonus on this release. But overall the
final Birmingham show is a very enjoyable, laid back and relaxed affair
with spectacular playing despite some of the mistakes and limitations.
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