Queen / Saarbrucken Festival 1979 / 2CDR / Uxbridge
Live At Ludwigsparkstadion Saarbrucken Germany 18th August 1979.
Play sample :
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“JAZZ TOUR” that gave birth to “LIVE KILLERS” and “CRAZY TOUR” that is known for its great performance. Introducing a valuable live album that records the one and only show that existed in the meantime.
The precious show is “August 18, 1979 Saarbrücken performance”. Audience recording when performing at the West German music festival “SAARBRUCKEN OPEN AIR”. What was the relationship between this festival and the two tours? First, let’s check the position from the schedule at that time.
● 1978
“JAZZ TOUR”
・ October 28-December 20: North America (35 performances)
● 1979
・ January 17-March 1: Europe (28 performances)
・ April 13-May 6: Japan (15 performances)
《June 22nd release of “LIVE KILLERS”》
・ August 18: SAARBRUCKEN OPEN AIR appearance ← ★ This work ★
“October 5: Single” Crazy Little Thing Called Love “released”
“CRAZY TOUR”
・ November 22nd-December 26th: UK (20 performances)
This is QUEEN in the “JAZZ TOUR” and “CRAZY TOUR” era. “LIVE KILLERS” was produced from the “Europe” leg in 1979, and “JAZZ TOUR” ended with the subsequent performance in Japan. And at the end of the year, “CRAZY TOUR” will be held to match the single “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, but in the meantime, there was only one performance at the festival. TEN YEARS LATER, Rory Gallagher, MOLLY HATCHET, THE COMMODORES, etc. appeared at this festival, but QUEEN was the headliner.
This work, which recorded such a show, is overwhelmingly realistic. Although this recording has long been known to exist, it has remained only among the core collectors and has not been distributed to the general public. The super rare master known to those who know it has finally been released. It’s a type where ridiculous stories give priority to preciousness, but that doesn’t mean it’s a kind of roaring or explosive noise. The recording itself is very neat and there are no elements that hurt your ears. However, unfortunately it is far from the stage. For that reason, the atmosphere of the venue is greatly absorbed, and it is a type of recording that enjoys the mood rather than the performance.
However, the show you hear at such a scene is amazing. The main point is “JAZZ TOUR”, but the sprout of “CRAZY TOUR” can be seen and hidden here and there. First, the set. Let’s organize it while comparing it with “LIVE KILLERS”.
● SHEER HEART ATTACK (2 songs)
・ Killer Queen / Now I’m Here
● A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (5 songs)
・ Death On Two Legs / I’m In Love With My Car / You’re My Best Friend / Love Of My Life / Bohemian Rhapsody
● A DAY AT THE RACES (2 songs)
・ Tie Your Mother Down
・ Songs that cannot be heard in “LIVE KILLERS”: Somebody To Love
● NEWS OF THE WORLD (6 songs)
・ We Will Rock You (fast) / Get Down Make Love / Spread Your Wings / Sheer Heart Attack / We Will Rock You / We Are The Champions
● JAZZ (3 songs)
・ Let Me Entertain You
・ Songs that cannot be heard in “LIVE KILLERS”: If You Can’t Beat Them / Mustapha
● Others (2 songs)
・ Keep Yourself Alive “QUEEN”
・ Songs that cannot be heard in “LIVE KILLERS”: Jailhouse Rock
… And it looks like this. A set of 4 songs that cannot be heard on “LIVE KILLERS”. “Somebody To Love,” “If You Can’t Beat Them,” and “Jailhouse Rock” weren’t selected as official editions, so there were days when they played on tour, but the point is “Mustapha.” In “LIVE KILLERS”, I sang a cappella for the introduction of “Bohemian Rhapsody”, but here it was performed in a band for about 2 minutes (the audience is happy that “Oh, Mustapha”). It is the prototype after that.
Freddie is more reminiscent of “CRAZY TOUR” than such a set! “CRAZY TOUR” is known that Freddie was in great shape every night, but this work is as great as it is. I thought that the ensemble would be awkward only for a one-shot show that was not a tour, but the opposite. If the throat is in great shape and sharp, the singing will grow. Whether it was inspired by Freddie, or whether he was so happy to be released from studio work for the first time in three months, the whole band was very excited. This work is a live album that goes through the audience and listens to QUEEN, but it is also a sound that you can clearly see how it is doing well.
The full show alone is wonderful, but the other highlight of this work is the last. As usual, “We Are The Champions” was a big hit and ended with “God Save The Queen”, but for some reason there was a gap of about a minute. You can hear strange noises there, but one theory is that Roger destroyed the drum kit at this time. In fact, Roger was in a very bad mood that day. He tried to dye blonde hair the day before and failed, and (for some reason) his hair was green. He also said, “It was the most embarrassing experience of his life,” but he also had a bad monitor throughout the show. The frustration accumulated in the pool and it ran out.
Freddie, who was in great shape, barked and barked, and the feeling of openness that escaped from the studio was a wonderful performance. It is a live album where you can experience a precious show that is different from the world tour with real sound. It’s not for beginners, but it’s an extremely rare must-listen board that conveys the irresistible charm of mustard enthusiasts. Please take this opportunity to enjoy yourself.