Customer Reviews

Live at Wembley

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This two-disc set is the perfect antidote for those who think that Queen's studio canon was overproduced and a little fussy-sounding. Performing live, this band could ROCK! Every cut here is a winner, and some are the definitive versions of the songs, blowing the studio renditions out of the water. Mercury sounds great, May's guitar work is impeccable, and the back-and-forth synergy between the crowd and the band energizes the entire set. Standouts include the rip-roaring renditions of cover tunes "Tutti Fruitti" and "Hello Mary Lou," along with spirited performances of classic Queen tunes such as "Under Pressure," "Another One Bites The Dust," and "We Will Rock You."

I can't think of a more deserving band for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and this album showcases why. A must-own for Queen fans or live-album lovers.

Queen have churned out a few excellent live albums in their time but I didn't expect this box set to be so special. No matter what kind of music you like (and I'm not counting R&B or classical here) you'll find something you'll listen to again and again in this compilation. From the first juicy riff of the immaculate ONE VISION, used as a sort of flamboyant intro and quite possibly the best live adaptation of a song ever to have been recorded, to the final few chords of GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, the concert is a trip through the very heart of rock n' roll and captures the spirit of Queen. The best songs by a street are ONE VISION, as mentioned above which leads into TIE YOUR MOTHER DOWN, a sort of mood-setter which gets the stadium rocking with that catchy quitar rhythm and superb vocals by Freddie, A KIND OF MAGIC featuring solos for all four members of the band in an all-out seven minute wonder of a song, WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER, a heartfelt ballad that somehow made it on to the stage (where it sounds a whole lot better than on record let me tell you), BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY that needs no introduction as Queen's best-known song ever, HAMMER TO FALL where Brian excels himself in several stunning solos and where Roger Taylor cements his status as one of the world's greatest drummers, CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE, a catchy little ditty that develops into a pedal-to-the-metal hard rock chant halfway through, RADIO GA-GA involving the ritualistic hand-clapping of all 72000 spectators, and of course WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS. Add to that the sublime rendition of ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST, the bone-crunching guitar solos on WE WILL ROCK YOU, the superb and all-too-shor SEVEN SEAS OF RHYE, the live staple NOW I'M HERE, a few golden oldies (TUTTI FRUTTI et al), a crackling atmosphere and some hilarious and eerily prophetic comments from Freddie and you have what is surely the best live performance ever caught on tape. This is an absolute must-have for anyone remotely interested in Queen or even just rock music on the whole.

I was never a huge "Queen" fan growing up but as I got older I learned to appreciate this band. We all know the "hits" as we here them on the radio everyday. But, the "live" show? This is an excellent cd release and puts no doubts that Queen could rock any size stadium from start to finish. Highly recommended!

THIS LIVE DISC ROCKS. One of the best live albums I've ever had the pleasure of owning. The band just blazes thru this amazing set with all the power and volume you would expect. And they brought a *few* thousand friends along for the ride. This is the lasting testament to the live power of Queen. Do not miss this album...

Essential.

Culled from the band's final tour, Wembley was to have been the last show but it ended up at Knebworth Park (which should've been released instead of this one, for pure historical value.)Regardless, this is a pretty damn fine show featuring a good mix of (then) new songs and (very) old ones.As part of the ever popular Queen medley, the band decided to incorporate several 50's-era tunes (Brian was heavily influenced by Buddy Holly.)This tour marked the first time in which Queen broke up the now famous pairing of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions"."Another One Bites the Dust" gets an even funkier coat of paint here with the band grooving along with John's bass line.Certainly a slicker package than "Live Killers" and a FAR site better than "Live Magic", it's worth listening to knowing Queen were coming to an end sooner than they (and us) ever thought.

Queen. You know their history. Led by perhaps the greatest vocalist of all-time, Freddie Mercury, this band truly did it all. Whether it was blues, hard rock, heavy metal, pop rock, rockabilly, or R&B, Queen truly were one of the best and were certainly way ahead of their time.

By 1986, Queen were superstars -- #1 albums and singles almost everywhere you looked -- except America (boy were we MISSING OUT!) and were playing some of the biggest stadiums and soccer fields in the world across the globe. But, nobody knew the 1986 Magic Tour would also be their last.

Perhaps the most notable show on the '86 tour was their several night stand at Wembley Stadium -- playing to a crowd of over 400,000 people over the course of a few nights, it was recorded for a possible live album. Tracks from the band's appearance at Wembley Stadium were later included on the 'Live Magic' album which was released in Europe only in 1986 (Hollywood reissued the album in 1996 so it's now available stateside).

Finally, in 1992, one year after Freddie's untimely passing at the age of 45, Hollywood Records (the group's United States label) released this double-disc set, 'Live at Wembley '86' chronicling the band's performance at Wembley. To further appreciate this show, I *STRONGLY URGE* you to seek out the 'Live at Wembley Stadium DVD' as a companion to this.

Now, there's the history and the brief synopsis. Here are my thoughts on this double-disc live album.

Wow. Just wow. Queen were truly one of the all-time great live bands. And this set proves it. Queen rips through classics during their 13 years of recording (at that time -- 1973-1986), opening with a ripping version of 'One Vision' (that is one of the most enthusiastic crowds I have ever heard) as Freddie sings his heart out and Brian May shreds like a madman in his own, unique way.

The jam on 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' is incredible as well. This version found here blows the album version away. Why the radio stations always play the 1980 version from 'The Game' and not this one is beyond me. Freddie's doing a fine job as a rhythm guitarist, and Brian and John Deacon help lead him down the right path (Queen -- with the May/Taylor/Deacon punch are one of the best rhythm sections of all-time in my opinion).

The acoustic set is great as well. Listen to 'Love of My Life,' Freddie's tribute to his soulmate, Mary Austin, as the crowd sings along mellowly, further conveying the emotion of this song. What a touching, beautiful version, and Freddie clearly is impressed by the Wembley crowd as they sing this classic word for word.

Other highlights include 'Another One Bites The Dust,' a slightly different version of 'We Will Rock You' then the studio version, and a rocking version of 'We are the Champions,' which ultimately concludes the amazing performance at Wembley (along with an exit of 'God Save the Queen' -- played over the loudspeaker from Queen's interpretation on the 'A Night at the Opera' album from 1975).

Overall, this show is as good as it gets. Queen (or any band for that matter) could rarely play a show that matches the energy and raw performance of this one. The band is having a blast, and the crowd is clearly as into the show and the music as you possibly could be. An impressive crowd and an even more impressive show.

But don't buy this edition. Seek out the remastered edition -- titled 'Live at Wembley Stadium' which was released as a companion to the concert's release on DVD a few year's back. That edition sounds even better than 'Live at Wembley '86' and even includes bonus tracks -- always a plus when you are looking to make a purchase, right?

If you like live music or you like Queen even a *little* bit, the Wembley Stadium 1986 show is a must-own. Period. I don't care which version of the performance you buy, you must own the Wembley Stadium show. It's mandatory listening for a Queen fan. Truly one of the greatest concerts ever given by Queen -- or any band, for that matter.

Highly, highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended.

ENJOY!!!

This one is the first one I bought when I started my collection and let me tell you...It's a blast! Such a treat when you are singing along to their infamous Live at '86 whilst you are taking a bubble bath, pelting out the notes and words and not caring when your sister yells at you to shut up. A great sing-a-long and Freddie has got a personality on him! WOW! What more can I say. Brian and his unforgettable Brighton Rock solo, Freddie with his vibrance and his vigor, and the crowd's overzealous cries! I have some of their yells memorized when I sing to it. Two CD's, so worth your money and your time, and it will guarantee you a TRUE Queen fan. Rock on brothers...

This is definately one of the best if not THE best live performance, although the quality of the CD isn't so good, the show is amazing, in the first CD you'll hear all the Queen classics, such as Tie your Mother Down, One Vision, etc. and on the second CD they are moving to something that sounds a bit like the 50s-60s Rock N' Roll with songs like: Hello Mary Lou, Tutti Frutti and more. If you are a Queen fan don't even think twice just click on Buy Now and that's all, if you're just starting with Queen and Freddy, you should buy this CD but I would also recommend some of their oldies, because live performance is great, no doubt about it, but the original is always better. Anyways, this is Freddy Mercury and Queen giving the Show of a life time in at Wembley Stadium.

I was fortunate enough to go to this show (on the Saturday night at Wembly - they actually filled out wembley for two nights on the trot), and was aw struck by the whole show.

Every band I've seen since has had to compare to that show, and none have come close.

This is a great recording of queen live, and should be in any collection (along with their other live album - live killers).

Excellent album

Queen proves to be unarguably the 'best live band' of all times with this extraordinary performance.Wembley goes wild as John,Roger,Brian,and Freddie make an over the top performance.What u will get with this set is not only an over the top recording,but a guideline to other rock bands;interms of live performance,sound quality...Impromtu says it all! Go for it