Queen - On Fire - Live At The Bowl [DVD] [1982]

So said Freddie Mercury from the stage at Milton Keynes Bowl, whilst reassuring his audience that just because they had taken a more 'funk' direction with their then most recent album 'Hot Space', it did not mean that they had suddenly turned their back on rock 'n' roll, which the audience present that night were pleased to hear!

The DVD release of this concert features the complete set for the first time, previously the Channel 4 special was all that was ever seen. With several then new songs making the set, you actually see Roger Taylor use his new Simmons drums on these numbers (personally I hated those things!) - in the edited version you could have been forgiven for thinking they were for show! Freddie's reassurance to his audience is backed up by a performance high in volume, and the playing of the fast version of 'We Will Rock You' at the start signalled their intent to do just that.

The set played in this show is sufficiently different from the Wembley '86 DVD to make this release worthwhile, of course songs which have since become regarded as favourites, such as 'Radio Ga Ga' and 'A Kind of Magic' were yet to be written, and so here we get a gloriously OTT performance from Freddie during 'Somebody To Love' and some high camp during the wonderfully politically incorrect 'Fat Bottomed Girls' (they would never get away with that nowadays!)

Freddie on this performance both looks and sounds in fantastic shape; his voice in superb condition and you never feel he is singing 'within himself' - a night when he was indeed 'on fire'. The 'Hot Space' material does come over well live, and trivia fans will notice that John Deacon swaps his bass for a Telecaster guitar during 'Staying Power' (bass synth was played by keyboard player Morgan Fisher, this tour marked the first time they had used an extra musician live). The sharp-eyed will also notice Brian May use the John Birch replica of his famous guitar on some numbers; he smashed it in frustration shortly after and has only recently had the guitar - still in bits - returned to him!

The concert filming does not use the multitude of cameras that was used for the Wembley show, and so you do not get that many 'cuts' between band members; consequently you do still feel you're watching a video rather than feeling part of the audience at the show. For the time however, it was well put together and the band were sufficiently impressed with director Gavin Taylor to work with him again at Wembley. The footage has been considerably enhanced for the release and although 'dark' in places (remember they were not using their normal battery of lights) stands up well. Once again, they have included a DTS soundtrack for those suitably equipped to access it.

Fans will be pleased to note that Brian May's solo includes the moment where his guitar cut out on him - you can hear clearly the roar from the crowd when he got it back on!

The second disc contains all the 'extras'; some footage from Austria and Japan is included. The Japan footage features a superb rendition of 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' with an extended piano solo, even Freddie joins in at one point! Also featured is a rare interview with Freddie, discussing their ten years together at that point, and he is musing over whether they would last another ten years. As we all know, that did not quite happen.

To conclude then: the devoted fans will snap this up but the casual fan will also find plenty to enjoy here; the playing and singing performances are excellent and although the Wembley DVD features arguably more favourably regarded songs, more thorough coverage of the show and the spectacular setting of Wembley itself, this concert on live performance edges it.

Another well put together, good value live DVD. My thanks to Brian and Roger for releasing it.

Queen, by all accounts, were brilliant live (I sadly never got to see for myself). But awful releases like the Live Magic album only conveyed the inferior complexity of the rendition of their songs live, not the energy and magic of being there. So I gave up on live albums. Until, that is, a few years ago when I happened across an edited version of this concert on Channel 4. I was completely blown away! The energy, the intensity, the 'liveness' of it all. Watching this DVD on a good TV with good sound is almost (I imagine) like being at a Queen show. It's the closest I'll ever get.

The quality of the digitally scrubbed up sound and vision is excellent, and the whole package has all the great extras (interviews, snippets of other live shows) and beautiful packaging that has characterised all the Queen DVD releases to date. The show itself, well I won't give to much away. Better that you sit down and watch this, without looking at the track listing, and just pretend you're there, enjoying the thrill of discovering which song they play next. Of course all the classics are here, as are many less familiar but equally brilliant album tracks. And Freddie's banter with the audience really personalises this show.

So to conclude, this show not only reignited my love for the band, it also convinced me that a live recording can be worthwhile. And that is high praise indeed. I recommend this DVD to not only Queen fans (who will already have it by now!), but to anyone who loves rock music and wants to see a great show from a unique band at the height of their powers. This may have been recorded in 1982, but it sure has staying power!