Christmas Eve, December 24, 1975...a date that most Queen fans will certainly recognize as their triumphant appearance at London's Hammersmith Odeon, filmed in its entirety and simulcast live on both BBC Radio 1 and 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' television show on BBC 2. Now, many years later, this concert is officially available on both DVD & SD Blu-ray formats from the wonderful folks at Eagle Rock, and trust me, it's a reason to celebrate. Featuring state of the art video restoration and newly remixed stereo and 5.1 surround sound, A Night at the Odeon looks and sound absolutely spectacular, showing the young upstarts Queen skyrocketing to superstardom, and there was no turning back.
At the time, the band were finishing up their 26-date 'Queen invite you to A Night At The Opera' UK tour of 1975, and this was the last show of the tour. Throwing out everything in their bag of tricks, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon dip into many of their early classics, which of course highlight the heavier sound from those initial Queen albums. "Now I'm Here" and "Ogre Battle" is pure heavy metal bombast, May's booming riffs and Mercury's flamboyant yet powerful vocal attack leading the charge, while the medley of "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Killer Queen", and "March of the Black Queen" providing for some spectacular moments. No Queen concert would be complete without Brian May's guitar solo housed within the rocking "Brighton Rock", and the relentless barrage continues throughout the crushing numbers "Son and Daughter" (though way too brief), "Keep Yourself Alive", and "Liar", each one further proof of just how heavy this band could get. "In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited" is pure grandeur, complete with a glorious Freddie vocal, and while I've never been a huge fan of the '50s medley the band always performed during their shows, they always seem to be having a blast with it and that's no exception here. Throughout the entire set, the crowd is completely into it, as they are witnessing a band just starting to hit their peak.
Also included is a documentary that looks back at the Odeon show, plus red hot (but raw) footage from the band's show at Japan's Budokan Theater in May of that year. Audio and video clarity on the Odeon concert is superb, and really amazing considering the vintage of the source material. For the loyal Queen fan, this is as close to a mandatory purchase as you are going to get.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Now I'm Here
2) Ogre Battle
3) White Queen (As It Began)
4) Bohemian Rhapsody
5) Killer Queen
6) The March Of The Black Queen
7) Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise)
8) Bring Back That Leroy Brown
9) Brighton Rock
10) Guitar Solo
11) Son And Daughter
12) Keep Yourself Alive
13) Liar
14) In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited
15) Big Spender
16) Jailhouse Rock Medley
17) God Save The Queen
Bonus Features
Looking Back At The Odeon
Live At The Budokan Japan 1975 1) Now I m Here 2) Killer Queen 3) In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited
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