LIVE MAGIC

It is very unfortunate, that although Queen were one of the best live acts ever, they really hadn't figured out how to record and release a decent document of their live show! Their 1979 attempt, Live Killers was not a terrible attempt, but the sound quality and the lack of several of the tour's best songs made for an incomplete and uneven document. When they finally tried again, with this release in 1986, they collected together a horrid collection of tracks from their 1986 Magic Tour.

The sound quality is much improved, but half of the show is missing...and the tracks are taken from various shows, really breaking any kind of live feel. Those tracks that are included are often edited down to cut out the parts that actually make them interesting. The only really good thing about this release is that it DOES contain several tracks from Queen's last ever concert at Knebworth Park in August 1986. All-in-all, Queen's 1986 tour, although their most successful tour ever, was nothing all that exciting. The set was made up of mostly hit songs, with a few surprises for older Queen fans. Almost every show was identical and Freddie's voice at this point was past its LIVE prime.

This album is pretty terrible!! If you want a really good, complete record of Queen's 1986 tour, buy Live At Wembley. There are actually MUCH better shows out there from the 1986 tour, all on the bootleg market. If you can track down either the German radio broadcast (where Fish from Marillion sings Tutti Frutti on stage with Queen), or the SOUNDBOARD release of their final concert at Knebworth Park (although everyone has been saying for 15 years that it doesn't exist..I own it people), get them. Much better, unedited, raw recordings from the greatest touring act in history...in my opinion of course.