Ryan Newton's Concert Analyses Thread: 1970s

Liverpool, November 14th 1975


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - The band's first performance of Bohemian Rhapsody is in three parts, and this is how it would remain until 1977. This makes reviewing these bits quite difficult as they are all so short, but I'll give it a shot. Freddie's voice sounds pretty close to the record tonight, and what's interesting is that his phrasing on "so you think you can love me and leave me to die" is different from what he would typically do around this time, and is similar to what he would eventually do on the News of the World Tour and beyond (Brian May once said that this is how it was originally supposed to be sung on the record, and Freddie amended the vocal). Even through the distorted recording you can tell the band sound huge here. 7/10.

Ogre Battle - As Brian May leads in the main riff at the beginning, Freddie can be heard letting out a great scream. They are clearly excited to be back on the road here as this is their first show in England since November 20th 1974. This UK tour is also the last tour where Freddie would sing the choruses of Ogre Battle in their original melody, and he can be heard struggling to hit the right notes here, which explains why he would opt for the harmony lines later on. Roger's drum fills just before the "battle" section of the song are a bit sloppy. This is still pretty solid performance and we can excuse some minor mishaps for a first night. 7/10.

Sweet Lady - Freddie proclaims before the first performance of Sweet Lady, "I'm not sure of the words myself, so I'm going to read them to you, or sing them to you." This remains to date the only version of the song where Freddie sings the original melody of the verse (A high B4 on "treat me like a dog"), but while he sounds strong, the bungled lyrics (which was going to happen by his own admission) and a very sloppy band to boot makes this a below average performance of the song. They go totally out of sync before the second chorus and the bridge is an absolute mess as well with everyone seemingly playing different things. To finish the song, Freddie's voice cracks at the end when he shouts "stay sweet." 3/10.

White Queen - The tape is clipped a bit at the beginning of the song, starting at the first verse. This is a much better follow up to the train wreck that was Sweet Lady. Brian's solo in this song is always a highlight, Freddie sounds great, about what you'd expect. I often refer to the Opera tour as Roger's best, and he is on full display here and for much of the show. 8/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Freddie sounds magnificent on this song, singing with great power and clarity. A song like this is good at displaying the flexibility of his voice. The whole band sound tight as nails here too. 8/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - These 1975 versions of Bohemian Rhapsody are pretty odd as Freddie is trying to figure out how he wants to sing the song. His phrasings tonight are all over the map in ways that don't really sound all that great. Brian's solo starts off a bit rough but he carries it through alright. Roger then misses the transition to Killer Queen. 5/10.

Killer Queen - Brian's playing during the second verse is quite different from the norm, but his solo isn't totally clean. 7/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Roger takes an extra bar to get into the rhythm of the song, but once they're all together they sound super good. Freddie sings with excellence. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Another short section, the subdued finale of Bohemian Rhapsody sounds very nice for its inaugural performance. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - Brian gets a bit of extra time on the banjo-ukulele tonight, but then they all go out of sync in the final vocal bit. 6/10.

The Prophet's Song - The Prophet's Song is also performed for the first time. Freddie goes for the high notes on "See no day I heard him say" during these early tour versions but this is a line that would prove issue for him as he would soon adopt an alternate melody for it (although this is strange as "God gave you grace" is the same notes but he never had issue with this line). The middle section is quite short tonight, especially compared to how it would expand in later years. The early version of this song (up to and including New York 1976) also feature no harmony vocals from Roger during the choruses. The tempo is pretty fast but nonetheless the performance is quite solid. 7/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - It's hard to tell who's doing it between John or Brian due to the distortion on the recording but someone hits a bum note right as the song begins. They sound great here, even if it's a bit loose. 7/10.

Doing All Right - As Brian goes into the middle section of the song he hit's a slight bum note, but it's mostly negligible. This middle bit would eventually expand to give Fred more time to play with the audience, but tonight it's still pretty short. The coda features great drumming from Roger (this is almost always the case for this song). 8/10. 

Son and Daughter - Brian does an great lick connecting the first chorus to the second verse. Freddie is really giving his all here too and this is certainly one of his best vocals for this song. During Brian's solo bit he's doing some really flashy things and in combination with the delay it makes for a glorious wall of sound. This is also seemingly the only time they don't go into the reprise and instead use Brian's solo to transition right into Keep Yourself Alive. 9/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - The band gets a bit out of sync as they all start to join in. Roger seems to take a bit longer than normal to queue Brian in near the beginning. His drum solo tonight is quick but full of lots of good bits. The song cuts out just before the end. The bulk of this one is performed pretty well. 7/10.

Liar - A very confident band is in full swing here. Fred sings with great power and Roger's drumming is off the charts. 9/10.

In the Lap of the Gods Revisited - Besides Fred forgetting the lyrics, this is a pretty standard version of this song. 7/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie gives lots of encouragement to the audience leading into the first verse. Lots of energy in this performance, but I was expecting a bit more from the band. 7/10.

Big Spender - This song doesn't usually change much, so consider this one solid. 7/10.

Jailhouse Rock - Brian and Roger lead into Jailhouse Rock with a bit of a jam at first. Brian starts off doing a bit of chording and then Roger comes in with a beat that is different to what he would normally play. Fred then comes in and they play their parts as normal. After the regular jam, Roger then uses a drum fill to lead into a laid back bit where Brian and Fred are doing their thing. Then, what is extremely surprising is Brian beings playing the riff that would become Khashoggi's Ship in 1988, albeit in a different key. Very unique performance here. 9/10.

Summary
For their first show in over 6 months, it's not surprising that there are some sloppy moments here and there through the show, but the highlights of tonight are insane and there are plenty of things worth listening to here. Freddie sounds very fresh and displays full control over his voice at this show, although its worth noting that he sounds very different here than he would later in the tour, probably because he was still warming up for the tour. Roger has some shoddy moments throughout but again, when he's on, he's on. The unique bits of the show like the one-time Son and Daughter arrangement, as well as the debut performances of three new tracks makes this show stand out as a essential listen from this period.

Highlights - Flick of the Wrist, Doing All Right, Son and Daughter, Liar, Jailhouse Rock.

Liverpool, November 15th 1975


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - The early Opera tour shows have Fred trying to figure out new melodies for certain songs as he isn't quite comfortable with all the high notes in the songs yet. Here they sound a bit strange and not well practiced, although nothing too offensive happens here. 6/10.

Ogre Battle - Similarly, Fred can't sing the choruses of Ogre Battle as easily as he used to, and he struggles with them here, often dropping to a lower melody half way through after realizing he's missed the notes. They actually skip the second verse and chorus here for some reason making this a rather short version of the song. Overall a pretty good performance. 7/10.

Sweet Lady - This is a much better rendition than the previous night. Freddie sounds great and the band don't crash and burn either, although its not without its flaws, as Roger goes into the bridge a bit late. 7/10.

White Queen - A strong performance in every aspect. Brian May shines here with a stunning guitar solo. 8/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Brian plays the wrong notes right off the top of the song, and later flubs the guitar line that connects the bridge and the third verse. There is a lot of good here but with these awkward moments it comes off a little sour. 6/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Again, Fred is essentially figuring out how to sing the song in real-time. With that being said this is one his better ones from this leg of the tour. Brian has a bit of trouble in his solo however. 6/10.

Killer Queen - This is a great rendition of Killer Queen. Just as Brian begins his solo, the crowd explodes. Were they cheering him on or did something happen on stage that we can't see? 8/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Another solid performance with no real issues, besides Fred's typical lyric issues. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Short but sweet, and no hiccups. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - Early on Brian hits a couple wrong notes (just before Fred sings "My cutie pie"). Freddie then sing "Bring that big bad Leroy back" super off key. 5/10.

Son and Daughter - Roger is in fine form on this track as can be heard in his numerous fills throughout. Tonight they play their full live arrangement in contrast to last night where the song segued into Keep Yourself Alive. Brian plays some things in his solo that sound a bit like those traditional Japanese songs he would play on occasion. 8/10.

The Prophet's Song - Freddie has some trouble with the lyrics in a few spots. The band sound great here and Freddie is in excellent voice. The acapella section is much more subdued than the previous night but is equally as effective. 7/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - John is totally lost in the beginning as he thinks they are playing Modern Times Rock n Roll. With the recording not being in great shape, this creates a total cacophony. The rest of the song is performed well but the first verse is a disaster. 5/10.

Doing All Right - A great performance from everyone here, just like last night. 8/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - The second verse is mostly cut here but the song is performed about how you'd expect for this time period. 7/10.

Modern Times Rock N Roll - After John's mistake earlier, they actually play Modern Times Rock N Roll now, one of the few times on this tour. It's a superb version with Freddie in particular delivering a great vocal. 7/10.

Liar - Freddie is straining his voice a bit early on in the song and is a bit pitchy on certain notes. Brian plays a fantastic solo here, even throwing in a bit of Great King Rat in the middle of it. Brian then does some fantastic guitar work during the breakdown. A really standout performance from Brian. 8/10.

In the Lap of the Gods Revisited - Freddie has trouble with lyrics in this song too. He completely bungles the first verse of the song. Otherwise a good rendition for this period. 6/10. 

The encores are cut from the recording

Summary

While a bit tighter and more consistent than the previously night, there are still some things that need to be iron out in the bands performance. It's only the second night of a tour that didn't get much rehearsal, so this isn't too surprising, and when they are on, they are in great shape and play without issue. Brian is definitely the star tonight though as he's playing brilliantly all over the set. 

Highlights - White Queen, Son and Daughter, Liar

Alright, so it's been a while since I've done one of these. I am going to be going out of order here and reviewing a pretty notorious gig since I have a couple days off. This is one I've wanted to write about for a while, so here it goes:

Tokyo, March 22nd, 1976


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Fred sounds strong and overall the band sounds great. Lots of girls screaming around Mr Peach which makes the listening experience of this show a bit painful at times. 8/10.

Ogre Battle - Brian hits an awkward note during the rest between the first chorus and second verse. Incredible harmonies from the band on this version. Fred's vocals in particular are very strong, but Brian comes through on the choruses nicely too. Fred nearly aces the final "Ogre Battle lives forevermore," but his vocal chords have other plans, foreshadowing the days to come. Overall still a fantastic rendition. 8/10.

Sweet Lady - Again, Freddie is starting off this leg of the tour very strong, nailing most of the highs on this version. However, Roger misses his cue going into the second chorus. Brian is soaring during the outro solo, but the band nearly train wreck while closing out the song, as John plays a few wrong notes and Roger goes out of time. 6/10.

White Queen - Brian's guitar is out of tune immediately. He fixes that quickly but he then breaks a string during the first chorus, throwing off the whole song. He is desperately trying to keep his strings in tune during the second verse while his roadie gets his spare ready, but it doesn't come until it's time for the solo. Fred then improvises on the piano while Brian switches out, but his following solo isn't very convincing either, as he hits a few sour notes and kinda meanders on cliche licks. This is probably the worst version of this song I have ever heard. 2/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Brian plays what is seemingly bum chord during the second pre-chorus ("Sacrifice your leisure days..."), but his guitar actually way out of tune again. He is presumably still on the John Birch, which never held tuning great anyway, but this is a noticeable issue for the rest of the song. The rest of the band sound great, but it's hard to listen to when Brian's guitars aren't functioning properly for half the song. 5/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie is starting to strain his voice a bit. He sounds ok for the most part but you can tell he is playing it careful in some spots and he sounds shaky in areas. Brian's guitar is still out of tune, which is immediately heard as soon as he comes in for the second verse. How this has not been resolved by this point is ridiculous. Brian's solo is about as bad as you'd expect. It starts off strange with a few odd lower notes, then tries to find his way back into the flow but hits about 3 sour notes on the way, and as he closes it out he is not even close to being in the right key. 4/10.

Killer Queen - Brian is heard trying to tune his guitar right as they transition into this song. He is still a bit out of tune off the bat. In fact, one of his strings is now sharp, which can be heard during the solo. Despite this, he actually turns in a pretty unique solo with some great licks, but this also comes with a few sour notes again. Rest of the band sounds great on this version. 6/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Fred sings the right lyrics on this version, which was not a common thing. Roger also throws in some great fills. But yet again, Brian's guitar is out of tune which can be heard as he plays a rough-sounding C chord. The solo he then plays sounds noticeably sharp on a few notes. 6/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Freddie's voice cracks as soon as they come into this section, but overall this one has no band issues. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - After a slew of questionable performances, this rendition of Leroy Brown is actually pretty tight and together. 8/10.

Brighton Rock / Son and Daughter - Just before his showpiece, Brian can be heard tuning yet again. The stress he must have been feeling at the time is palpable. On this one, they all sound pretty good from the start. Rog in particular has great power behind his drums and Brian seems to be quite precise with his playing. During his solo section, Brian is mostly playing standard stuff but occasionally throws in some nice stuff, including Frere Jacques. However, this is a rather short Brighton Rock, not even lasting 8 minutes, so there really isn't much to conclude besides calling his solo a bit bland. As they exit into Son and Daughter, Freddie's voice still sounds a bit strained and unstable, but Brian throws in a cool lick on "to buckle down..." Overall not horrible, but just not very interesting. 6/10.

The Prophet's Song - Brian starts this off with some great noodling that echoes what he did during the acoustic bit on the studio version. The band sound very powerful on this song and Freddie is in good voice. His vocal solo bit is interesting but there are a couple moments where he sings an odd note and just kinda goes with it. As they exit the vocal solo, Roger provides thunderous drumming, which makes this song sound so much more heavy than it already is. Overall a very solid rendition of this song. 7/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - This is an insanely fast performance, and they do well up until after the second verse, where Brian again begins to play in a different key, and this time it's not down to the tuning, he's just off the mark and it doesn't sound great. 6/10.

Doing All Right - Overall this is a great performance. Freddie sounds a tad strained on the verses, but the harmonies in the choruses are gorgeous and the band sound incredibly heavy during the jam sections. Brian goes totally incendiary on the first jam section, but they also don't go without issue. Roger goes out of time a touch as they exit back into the last verse, and then he has the same issue during the coda while Brian is playing around with his delay. Still a rather strong performance even with a few issues. This song always sounded monstrous live. 7/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie hits a dud note on the piano intro (rarely did he ever get it right). Freddie sounds ok on this version, but Brian falters his way through the solo pretty badly. There isn't much to get wrong in this song, but they somehow still manage it. 5/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - Brian actually does some crazy riffing as they are introducing this song. He follows this up after the first chorus too. Roger's drum solo is effective as it has some great highlights but he keeps it short and to the point. His drumming through the rest of the song is also great as ever. Fred sounds a tad strained again but generally holds up well. 8/10.

Liar - This is a song that is always a showpiece for the band, so lets see how they do tonight. The band do some great stuff during the intro jam, and Brian's playing connecting the first couple verses to the "Liar, I have sailed the seas..." part is crazy good. Roger's drumming through this whole part is also fantastic. Going into Brian's solo, Roger is throwing a lot bass and crash hits on off beats which creates a nice groove for Brian to work around. Brian's solo starts off a bit mundane but then he goes wild and starts shredding some insane licks. As they go into the "Mama I'm gonna be your slave" section, Brian, tosses in a couple cool bends. Brian then gets a bit ahead of John, so they take an extra measure to sync up during his bass solo, which is hardly a sin. Overall, this is certainly a standout performance from this concert. 9/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - This is about what you'd expect from this song. Freddie sounds great on the verses, but on the repeating chorus, his voice shows signs of wear. 7/10.

Now I'm Here - Again, Freddie's voice is beginning to fail him, particularly on some of the more challenging lines. The band sound great here though with no issues. Roger's drum roll out of the song sounds huge. 7/10.

Big Spender - Great drumming from Rog again, and Fred sounds good after letting his voice rest for a couple minutes between encores. 8/10.

Jailhouse Rock - Brian has a few bum chords here or there in this one too but ultimately they aren't that noticeable. The call and response between Fred and the audience is great and you can really feel the energy in the room when its happening, but overall I feel the actual playing during this version is fairly average. 7/10.

SUMMARY
Oh boy, where to start with this one. I'll be honest, once things pick up by the time Keep Yourself Alive comes around, the show is pretty solid from then on. But Sweet Lady all the way through the medley is some of the sloppiest and messiest playing you'll ever hear from Queen. Brian is usually the culprit on this show, as his guitar is out of tune on like 5 or 6 different songs, but even when his guitar is in tune, he's still not playing consistently well through the show. Even Roger has a few spots where he's a bit thrown off, and John even messes up at the end of Sweet Lady. People often talk about Dallas 1978 being the sloppiest Queen show of all time, but this is honestly worse, and by a considerable margin. There are some fantastic highlights during this concert, such as Keep Yourself Alive and Liar, but the lows are terrible, and White Queen is borderline unlistenable. Freddie generally sounds pretty good, especially on the first few songs, but he's showing a bit of strain in his voice every now and then, which is a sign of things to come during this tour. I don't think it's a stretch to call this one of their worst concerts, even with the few great highlights.

HIGHLIGHTS - Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Keep Yourself Alive, Liar

Himeji, March 24th 1976


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Freddie's voice continues it's decline tonight. He sounds very hoarse on this opening number. 5/10.

Ogre Battle - Freddie, while sounding rough on the higher notes, actually sounds pretty powerful on some of the lines within his allowable range here. The band are very solid here too. 6/10.

Sweet Lady - A very hoarse Freddie struggles to sing this song well tonight. Even with his alternate melodies he sounds strained and out of breath in spot. John plays a dud note in the outro as well. 5/10.

White Queen - Freddie sounds mostly ok on this one. Clearly not in top shape but he stays within his lower register and sounds ok for the most part. Brian's solo is pretty incredible tonight and Roger compliments it with some great drumming to boot. 7/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Brian hits a sour note as the song gets started. Freddie holds up decently on this song but has a couple off moments. Brian hits a couple bad notes during his solo too. 6/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie tries to come up with alternate melodies to suit his condition again but they don't come off very well. The rest of the song goes about as you'd expect. 5/10.

Killer Queen - Freddie generally sounds decent here. Rog misses his cue after the first chours and keeps drumming through it which doesn't sound terrible. The harmonies on this one sound huge no doubt owing to the great recording. As per usual, Brian turns in a fantastic solo. 7/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Freddie continues to fight his condition while also not singing the right lyrics again. Nothing really stands out on this one. 6/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Freddie sounds decent here again but this is about as much as I can say about it since everything else is rather standard. 6/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - Brian's playing isn't as tight as it normally is here, and he even plays a few wrong chords on his uke solo. 6/10.

Brighton Rock / Son and Daughter - Brian's playing here is excellent as usual. Freddie's vocals are ok but they really don't matter for this song anyway. As Brian kicks into his solo spot, the way he utilizes the feedback coming off his guitar is fascinating, especially when combined with the delay as it echoes across the venue. He goes through his standard set of riffs and licks and then takes his solo into Sakura, which is something he would usually do in Japan, although the audience doesn't react to it as they did in Nagoya. Brian then seamlessly goes from clean back to high gain with incredible self harmonization in what is one of the most beautiful passages I've heard from him. He then carries on into Frere Jacques, and then comes back out to transition into Son and Daughter. Overall a stellar performance from Brian and the rest of the band. 9/10.

The Prophet's Song - This is another great performance. Even with Freddie's strained voice he sounds mighty here. His vocal solo has some great dynamics and he even references Death on Two Legs. The band sound very heavy in the venue in part thanks to the great recording but also due to the pounding drums of Roger. Surely this is one of the best performances of this song. 8/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - Freddie's voice sounds a bit warmed up by this point in the show so he holds up well on this song a bit better than the previous night. The band are pretty on point here as well making for a fine performance. 7/10.

Doing All Right - This is a song where Freddie's alternate melodies actually work pretty well and sound very nice most of the time, so he's able to put in a good performance here. The first jam section has some solid riffing from Bri accompanied by excellent drums from Roger. Even John's bass work stands out, especially during the last verse of the song. The final heavy section drags on for a bit as I think the band gets a bit lost with each other. 7/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie actually gets the piano intro correct for once, but the harmonies on the falsetto bit are super off. Brian's solo is pretty good. 6/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - The intermediate jam between the first chorus and second verse features great riffing from Brian and some enthusiastic call outs from Freddie, who sounds fairly good on this song. Rog turns in a great drum solo again as per usual. Brian's guitar solo just after the drum solo has a bit of sticky fingers but it's not the worst thing I've heard. This is a fairly good version. 7/10.

Liar - Brian plays a few sour chords as they begin to exit the intro into the first verse. Freddie is really straining his voice on this one and it sounds painful in spots, but Roger again uses this song to show off. Brian's solo tonight isn't very good as he is pretty consistently in the wrong key, and there just isn't as much going on as there usually is. 6/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Freddie struggles to sing this one, and he also goes out of sync with the rest of the band as he sings the wrong lyrics after the second verse. 5/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie sounds rough on this one too but the performance is otherwise pretty solid with some great drumming from Roger. 6/10.

Big Spender - Freddie tries to reach the high notes on the "hey big spender" line but falls short. Otherwise this is a typical version of Big Spender. 6/10.

Jailhouse Rock - They waste no time trying to play with the audience tonight and instead shoot into Stupid Cupid pretty quickly. There is a lot of energy in their playing here, and even in Fred's exhausted voice. This is a pretty short version of Jailhouse Rock, barely reaching 4 minutes, but they don't meander and still make it a good version. 7/10.

SUMMARY:
This is another hit-or-miss show. Freddie's voice has continued to deteriorate over the course of three days and would only get worse going forward, but the other three are much tighter and have greatly improved from the start of the Japanese tour. Like Nagoya, there are some fantastic highlights in this show but also some performances that are subpar. This is generally the story for most of these early Japan 76 gigs, a trend which we will continue to see in Fukuoka and Osaka.

HIGHLIGHTS - Brighton Rock, The Prophet's Song

Fukuoka, March 26th 1976 (Second Show)


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Freddie is cracking very badly and has horrible intonation, but the band are still sounding solid. 5/10.

Ogre Battle - Freddie's vocal chords are hanging on for dear life and it's only the second song. They play the screams from the studio again but they come in fairly late. The band sound very tight on this one and the jam section especially sounds heavy. 5/10.

Sweet Lady - Goes without saying, but Freddie does not sound good here either. Brian's playing during the double-time section is pretty insane though and the band don't screw up the outro tonight. 6/10.

White Queen - Freddie sounds decent up until the chorus, and then his vocal troubles become even more apparent. Brian seems to take an extra couple measures to get into his solo, but he delivers one of his finest solos for the song. Shortly after, Fred hits a few bum chords on the piano. 5/10.

Flick of the Wrist - This song usually serves as an outlet for Fred to show off the incredible textures of his voice, but tonight it comes off totally flat as he sounds like he's hardly trying, and even when he does, his voice doesn't cooperate. May's solo is a little messy near the end too. 5/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie just sounds miserable even as he's introducing this song. His performance here, while an admirable attempt, is just as bad as the last few performances. Brian's solo is decent at least. 5/10.

Killer Queen - This is the first time on this tour where I can say Fred sounds bad on this one too. His voice is at rock bottom. Band sound great again and as always Brian turns in a good solo for this song. 5/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Brian plays some creative licks here and there throughout this one which is a nice touch. Roger's drumming as always is fantastic, and honestly Fred doesn't sound too bad, albeit he does have some awkward note choices. He sings the correct lyrics too. 6/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Freddie comes up with some nice amended phrasings to accommodate for his voice tonight. 6/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - A performance that doesn't really rely on vocals, this performance is a strong showing from the band. They are locked in and in the zone. 7/10.

Brighton Rock/Son and Daughter - As they are about to exit the first section of the song and into Brian's solo, Roger throws in a great fill on the toms. Near the beginning of his solo, Brian does this repeated major pentatonic lick that the audience seems to like a lot. After going through his standard heavy Brighton Rock-esque riffing, go goes clean for a bit, then goes back to the heavy stuff. At one point near the end he tries to do the delay harmonies but they go a bit sour so he goes into Frere Jacques instead. I think there was some interesting things in this solo but I've heard better. Freddie comes back for Son and Daughter and just ends up singing out of tune. 7/10.

The Prophet's Song - Freddie sounds rough, but turns in a nice vocal solo which sounds almost haunting tonight. Brian is also doing some extra licks as they exit back into the last chorus which is a nice touch. 6/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - Freddie sounds mostly good here and the band turn in a precise yet exciting performance. Brian plays with his feedback a little towards the end. 8/10.

Doing All Right - The front man gives a delicate vocal performance, taking it easy on the vocals but creating some nice amended phrases. Brian hits a flat chord towards the end of the first heavy section, but shortly after Fred plays a cool little piano scale that blends nicely with the rest of the music. Then, during the coda, Brian and Roger both go absolutely ballistic. The guitarist is playing some super fast scales and Roger is accenting his off beats which gives the rhythm a bounce. It's not a perfect version but it has some exciting moments and the final part really bumps it up. 7/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie nails the piano intro again which he rarely got. Brian then botches his solo. 6/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - They don't leave much room for improvising on this performance and instead go right into the second verse. Roger's drum solo is epic as usual with excellent dynamics, but Fred's tired vocals and a rather straight forward performance makes me think this one was a bit bland. 6/10.

Liar - While the band sound excellent on this version with great improvisation everywhere, this is probably Freddie's worst vocal performance of Liar. The band are bouncing off the walls here. Roger's fills are gigantic and sound massive amidst Brian's solo, which is a very fluent and well-phrased solo too. Musically this version is fantastic, but the vocals are lacking. 7/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Freddie sounds terrible again, and even stops singing at one point. 5/10.

Now I'm Here - They forget to put delay on Freddie's voice at the start of the song. Brian's guitar sounds like it starts to go out of tune later on in the song as a few chords sound dissonant. Unfortunately nothing else really stands out as interesting in this performance. 5/10.

Big Spender - This one sounds like a standard version of Big Spender. Freddie doesn't even sound too bad on it. 7/10.

Jailhouse Rock - Brian shows off his virtuosity during the encore tonight, playing some fast and spicy licks near the start. They continue a pretty energetic 12-bar blues jam through to the end. As always, Roger sounds great here, and Freddie actually sounds decent on this one too. 7/10.

SUMMARY:
Up to this point in their career, this is probably the worst Freddie ever sounded. He sounds sick all night and it doesn't help that this was their second performance today. Musically this is a pretty rock solid performance. There is the occasional blunder but it's fairly forgivable when you have the level of musicianship that is displayed in songs like Doing All Right or Liar. Despite this, it's still hard to give a good rating to any of these songs because of how bad Freddie is tonight. After a few days off, he would sound better in Osaka.

Highlights - Stone Cold Crazy, Doing All Right, Liar.

Osaka, March 29th 1976 (Early Show)


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - After a couple days off, Freddie sounds much better on this show. He gives a good vocal performance and the band sound strong. 7/10.

Ogre Battle - Brian's playing during the "battle" section is excellent and Freddie puts in a decent vocal performance. 7/10.

Sweet Lady - Freddie puts in a good vocal performance for this song tonight. During the double-time section, Brian throws a bit of the solo from Great King Rat and generally plays with excellence. This is definitely one of the best versions of Sweet Lady. 8/10.

White Queen - As the song starts, Brian branches out from simple G, D and Em chords and adds some extra flourishes that sound very pretty underneath Fred's vocals. Brian's solo tonight is also stellar. 8/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Freddie sounds quite good on this one. Brian's lick leading into the second verse combined with Roger's drum fill allows the band to spring in while Fred's vocals come in. Later on Brian puts in a great solo but the end of it is a bit messy. Brian then again adds a couple extra notes as they go into the final chorus. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian's guitar is giving off some feedback at the start which clearly isn't supposed to happen. While Freddie sounds better than the last few shows, he still has a few off moments. Brian's guitar solo is incredible however, playing with fiery precision. 7/10.

Killer Queen - During the first verse, Brian seems to be doing this cool chromatic hammer-on pattern which isn't a big change but it's something to point out. As always, Brian turns in a unique and intriguing solo with great blues lines. 8/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Freddie sounds strong again and the band turn in a good version, although Brian does play one bum chord just before the vocals come in. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Yet another solid performance. Fred sounds good, although Brian hits an awkward note just before the vocals come in. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - Again, very solid all around. The band are very together here. 7/10.

Brighton Rock/Son and Daughter - A great improvement from the last performance, this one starts off great. Freddie's powerful vocals have returned, the harmonies sound great, and the three instrumentalists are locked in going mach speed. Brian solo bit starts off with some excellent minor pentatonic stuff in which he also uses the delay to great effect, making some excellent harmonies. Shortly after he plays Sakura, but he doesn't waste too much time and takes his solo back to the high gain stuff quickly. This is a great solo where Brian really knows how to use it time effectively and creates some great passages. There really aren't any dull moments here. Son and Daughter closes out nicely too. Excellent stuff. 9/10.

The Prophet's Song - A strong performance from Freddie through and through. He sounds powerful in the verses and choruses while sounding anywhere from sinister to gentle in his vocal solo. The other three are excellent as usual, but the harmonies between Rog and Fred are nearly perfect. Even Brian is heard clearly during the last chorus giving his all on vocals. This is another top tier rendition of the Prophet's Song. 9/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - Brian's guitar goes out of tune on this one between the first and second chorus, perhaps due to a broken string as he isn't heard for a few seconds afterwards. Outside of the technical issues this is a good version. 6/10.

Doing All Right - Brian's guitar still sounds out of tune for a bit on this song (it sounds like the G string is the culprit). The heavy section is super fast here and Brian seems to have fixed the bad string by this point. The coda is just as good as the first heavy section with Roger going totally insane. If it were not for the bad string initially and some weird feedback near the end, this would be a near perfect performance. 7/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie hits a few clunker notes on the piano intro but it's pretty close to being right. Brian's solo is nearly perfect too but he hits a flat note right at the end. 7/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - After the first chorus, Brian goes into the wrong key, but quickly adjusts and compensates with some great licks, something which is always nice. Roger's ensuing drum solo is excellent as always, and Fred's voice remains strong late into the show. 7/10.

Liar - Brian's is playing incredibly throughout this version. His phrasings are brilliant and the patterns he's going through are inspired and unique (he even does the Great King Rat lick again). Freddie sounds great mostly although his voice shows strain every now and then. After the solo, John plays a couple slap notes. They then go into a chaotic outro section to close the song. Overall an epic performance with great band chemistry. 9/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Freddie sounds good on this song which is a good change compared to the last few nights. Not much else to add. 7/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie's note choices here are questionable as some of them aren't on pitch. Brian gives a ripping solo and the rest of the band are on point as well. Roger's drum roll at the end is devastating and makes one appreciate how good he was on this tour. This tour was surely his peak on stage as a drummer. 7/10.

Jailhouse Rock - They manage to get some audience participation on this performance in contrast to the last few gigs. Otherwise this is a fairly straightforward Jailhouse Rock. 7/10.

SUMMARY:
There is a clear improvement in Freddie's condition tonight, and with the band now into their stride, I can say that this is the first performance of the Japan tour without any glaring issues that hinder the performance. They deliver consistently well on every song with only the occasional minor missteps. There is some fabulous stuff coming from the band tonight in part thanks to Freddie now being able to sing well, but also in part to the incredible instrumental prowess from the band. This is definitely a great concert from all four members. 

HIGHLIGHTS - Sweet Lady, White Queen, Killer Queen, Brighton Rock, The Prophets Song, Liar

Tokyo, March 31st 1976


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Queen are back in Tokyo after more than a week. Freddie comes out sounding as strong as ever, very close to how in sounded on the record. He sounded pretty good in Osaka, and the day off has between then and now has pretty much brought him to near 100% again. The band are in full force too. 8/10.

Ogre Battle - A strong vocal from Freddie yet again, and the battle section contains some incredible runs from Brian. Freddie even nails the final "ogre battle lives forevermore," which is a first on this tour, showing renewed confidence in his voice. 8/10.

Sweet Lady - Brian hits a slight bum chord at the beginning of the song, but this is a pretty minor thing. Freddie again sings very well and Brian plays some great things during the fast section. 7/10.

White Queen - Freddie is a little hesitant on some his his vocal lines at the beginning, perhaps still being careful given how the past week has been for him, but he still turns in a nice performance nonetheless. The way Brian lets his solo build up is fascinating too, as he initially plays muted and then lets it rip. It's shame that the ending to his solo has a few awkward notes as this is otherwise an excellently crafted performance. 7/10.

Flick of the Wrist - A great showpiece for Freddie to display the various qualities of his voice, from the gritty and angry to quiet and soft; he is in great voice tonight so this is something he can take advantage of. Brian's solo is fantastic and flows better than any other solo I've heard for this song. Definitely the best version on the tour thus far. 8/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie gives this one a good shot tonight now that he's in good enough voice to sing without changing all the melodies on the spot. Brian also puts in a good solo. 7/10.

Killer Queen - Freddie sounds good on this song as per usual and Brian delivers a nice solo with some good blues licks towards the end. 7/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Freddie changes up the piano chords in the beginning (intentionally or not I think it sounds cool). Freddie sings the correct lyrics tonight and sounds wonderful throughout. The guitar is a bit standard though and I wish there was a bit more here. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - A standard affair, which is expected. There isn't much to show off in this short piece so it's enough to just be simple and straightforward. They sound good. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - This is a great version. As per usual they are playing fast, precise, and Fred even gets the high note at the end of the song, and this is the last known time he'd do so. 8/10.

Brighton Rock/Son and Daughter - Freddie screws up the lyrics right off the bat, singing "I'll say farewell" twice. Brian's solo section starts off with his usual fast stuff and it flows especially well tonight. The delay then comes on and he eventually moves into a more clean section. This is when he plays Sakura which had become a regular thing on this tour and it sounds great, especially when he lets the notes ring out in the venue which he does a couple times. He moves into more distorted playing and also plays a bit of Frere Jacques before exiting into Son and Daughter. This is another Brighton Rock with no dull moments as Brian has worked out a good pattern for his solo by this point while still keeping it fresh with new improvised ideas. 9/10.

The Prophet's Song - This is probably Freddie's greatest vocal performance of The Prophet's Song. During the verses he has a certain attack to his voice that brings power to the song, but his vocal solo section is perfectly structured with some beautiful motions. He uses his range to the fullest, going down low and quiet and then loud and high. He throws in a Death on Two Legs reference for fun as well. Add together Roger's powerful drumming and harmonies coupled with Brian's heavy guitar and you have a recipe for greatness. 9/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - During the first verse Brian adds in a couple textural chords and licks to interject some spice between Fred's vocal lines. Later on during his solo section he plays a couple soaring notes but it doesn't really lead anywhere. Still a good performance. 7/10.

Doing All Right - Freddie gives a great vocal performance and the band are soaring here. Brian's solo during the first heavy section is pretty wild and even though John is ahead of the band by a full measure it's not really noticeable. The coda has great stuff from Rog and Brian as well, and Roger's accented crash hits are perfectly timed along to Brian's guitar, showing great chemistry between the two. 8/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - No surprise that Freddie botches the piano intro. Brian's solo is ok but isn't as locked down as other versions; his timing isn't as tight and some of the bends are a bit pitchy. 6/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - This is a pretty solid version overall. Freddie sounds strong and Brian adds a bit of extra riffing during his interlude (although there could have been more). As always, Roger puts in a great drum solo. 7/10.

Seven Seas of Rhye - This is not only the only performance of Seven Seas of Rhye on the Japan Tour, but also the last known performance of the song until 1984. Freddie gives a strong vocal performance although falls a bit flat on some of the high notes. However, instrumentally this is a strong rendition with great guitar work from Brian. 7/10.

Liar - Brian does some unique chording just before the lyrics kick in similar to Osaka (late show) but it doesn't flow as well here. Good idea though. Brian's solo has a lot of interesting stuff, most notably the jumps he does around the scales near the beginning. The "Mama I'm gonna be your slave" section is also pretty cool as Freddie extends it for quite a bit. You can tell he's got a lot of energy left in him late in the show. There are a lot of great ideas in this version, and whether they come out well or not, the fact that this band can come up with new stuff on the spot night after night is something to marvel at. 8/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Freddie sounds great tonight which means the overall vocals and the harmonies sound excellent. The even encourage the audience heavily as Freddie shouts at them to join along, but there is a bit of a mistake near the end, as Roger is signaling to end the song but Freddie keeps singing, so they go along for another one last chorus before they end it. 7/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie gets the high note on "made me live again" tonight as well which is nice since he seemed to shy away from it a lot by this point. Brian lays down a mean solo as well, and Roger's drumming throughout is great as always. 8/10.

Big Spender - Freddie sounds great here and the band are tight. This is pretty much as good as Big Spender gets. 8/10.

Jailhouse Rock - This is a highly enjoyable performance and much different from what we've heard at other shows on this tour. They jump to and from different sections like usual but with a bit of extra spontaneity. They start doing the normal Jailhouse Rock stuff, then they give Brian some space to play some blues riffs while Freddie presumably plays with the audience. Freddie then jumps into a call-and-response thing, referencing Shake Rattle and Roll, then they shift tempo and go back into their 12-bar-blues stuff. Eventually they get into this subdued bit where Freddie and Brian get into a bit of a back and forth with each other right before they close it out. 8/10.

See What a Fool I've Been - The photo attached to this thread was presumably taken at this gig during this song. It is assumed that the inclusion of this song tonight was a last-minute decision by the band, hence why Freddie and Brian are still in their dressing room robes when they come out. To start, Brian kicks off the song a little differently than usual, hammering on the major 6th note instead of playing E to F#maj7, for the musicians keeping score. Freddie gives a strong vocal performance to end the night and Brian shreds some pretty tasty licks between the verses, although admittedly some of his phrasings are a bit awkward. 8/10.

SUMMARY:
After the train wreck of a show at the Budokan last week, Queen return with a vengeance, putting in a fantastic show tonight. This is definitely Freddie's best night on this tour, and the band are a well-oiled machine by now. Early on in the show, there are some clear indicators that they are warmed up and ready to go, and by mid-show they are red hot. Admittedly there are a few songs that were a bit more reserved from the band tonight compared to previous nights on the tour, but they are few among a sea of great performances. Furthermore, they add a couple extra songs to the setlist tonight to celebrate their return to Tokyo. Seven Seas of Rhye sees its final performance of the decade (unless the Australian tour reveals anything), and See What a Fool I've Been makes it's return as a third encore for this special night. If there were a Hall of Fame of Queen gigs, this would surely be in it.

HIGHLIGHTS - Ogre Battle, Flick of the Wrist, Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Brighton Rock, The Prophet's Song, Doing All Right, Liar, Jailhouse Rock, See What a Fool I've Been.

Tokyo, April 1st 1976


Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Like last night, Freddie sounds strong and nearly like the record. This is their third and final night at the Budokan and they still sound fresh. 8/10.

Ogre Battle - Freddie puts in another great performance and musically they are sharp. The battle section has some good playing from Dr May. 8/10.

Sweet Lady - In contrast to last night, Freddie is straining his voice a little more, but he still sounds pretty good in general. Band are playing well like usual. 7/10.

White Queen - I really love Brian's little changes to his playing during the verses tonight. His solo is also a little cleaner than last night with a similarly great structure. Freddie sounds good albeit a little pitchy. 8/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Brian has a bit of sticky fingers at the start, but he's playing well here otherwise. Freddie sounds good here too although not nearly as good as last night. Still a good version. 7/10.

Hangman - The rare non-album track is brought out for their third and final night at the Budokan. The harmonies during the chorus sound nearly perfect, but Freddie has a bit of trouble on the higher notes through the song, with his range sounding a bit more capped than he did in Milwaukee a month prior. Brian's solo has some great lines in it but it ends on a couple sour notes. The novelty of this track being in the setlist gets a 10 on its own, but the performance has a couple rough edges, especially when compared to the Milwaukee version. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Freddie's voice has a bit of disintegration in the first verse and just sounds a bit strained here. The rest of the band put in a good performance however. 6/10.

Killer Queen - This is a very tight version of Killer Queen. Brian's note choices during his solo are perfect, and Freddie sounds great. Also funny how the crowd goes wild for John when he hits the triangle. 8/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Freddie does a lot of cool piano stuff while the song begins to pick up steam. Unfortunately Freddie doesn't sing the right lyrics here but he still sings with great power. Roger and Brian also put in typically strong performances. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Brian adds a couple trills and ties which creates a very gentle guitar accompaniment. Freddie sounds great too. 8/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - As per usual, the band sound great here. 7/10.

Brighton Rock/Son and Daughter - As Brian comes in to do his second isolated bit, his guitar cuts out, but Roger quickly improvises a fill to cover and as Brian comes back in he uses his whammy bar as if it was planned. Smart decision and it ends up sounding pretty cool. Brian later uses feedback to great effect, almost sounding like an airraid siren in the distance. One thing great about Brian is he knows when to rest and let the notes really ring out which is on full display here. He plays Sakura again tonight. The clean playing he does is really beautiful and some of the chords he's playing are these wacky extended chords with 9ths and 13ths and while in writing it might not sound like a big deal, in practice it sounds incredible. Later on he goes into the distorted stuff again but does this little bending pattern that sounds magestic with the delay. The dynamics he's using here make this not only one of his most expressive solos ever but also one of the most atmospheric. Surely this is one of the best Brighton Rocks ever. 10/10.

The Prophet's Song - Another fantastic Prophets Song. The harmonies sound wonderful between Freddie and Rog, and Freddie gives another good vocal solo. There are a few bum chords from Brian just before the final chorus. As always Roger's drumming is fantastic. 8/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - Another solid performance. Brian's soloing between the second and third verse is a little out of key though. 7/10.

Father to Son - Another surprise in the set, this is Father to Son's first performance in 11 months. Freddie starts off the intro on the piano tonight since they don't have it on tape, and he goes a little too fast so they gradually slow down. Freddie sings great and the jamming between Rog and Brian in the heavy section is chaotic but in a good way. While this is a welcome addition to the set, it would only stay for one more night. 8/10.

Doing All Right - Freddie sounds quite unstable on the verses, cracking quite a bit, but this is mostly minor. There is some great instrumental stuff happening as is usually the case. 7/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie nearly gets the piano intro but has a few sloppy notes. Brian's solo is pretty much perfect however. 7/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - Great drumming on this one even moreso than usual. Unfortunately Freddie's voice cracks badly towards the end of the song. 7/10.

Liar - Liar always managed to sound good in some capacity. Freddie's vocals are a little strained tonight but the instrumentals are super clean and locked in. Brian is totally in the zone during his solo and Roger is all over the map. 8/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... Revisited - Freddie hits a bum chord on the piano as the song is getting started, but otherwise this is a fairly standard version. 7/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie dodges both "Made Me Live Again" lines and sings lower on a bunch of other lines here as he is a little more worn out tonight, especially late into this long show (this is the longest concert of the whole tour). Band is still strong into the show. 6/10.

Big Spender - Typically strong big spender. 7/10.

Jailhouse Rock - Brian plays a bit of I Feel Fine by The Beatles again tonight, but he's also ripping some mean lines through this medley tonight. Roger is also still on a high. They also do the Stupid Cupid bit. The only error is that Brian seems to go missing right at the end as Freddie cues the end of the song, leaving only John and Roger during the finale. 7/10.

See What a Fool I've Been - They bring out See What a Fool I've Been again tonight. Brian starts off the song a bit more familiarly with the E to F#m7 (not F#maj7 as I incorrectly stated in the 3/31 post). Brian's soloing tonight is brilliant with some incredibly spicy and fluid phrasings. Freddie is giving his all even if his range is a bit limited by this point, but he still sounds great. 8/10.

SUMMARY:
This is another epic night. This is the most packed setlist on the whole tour, clocking at just short of 2 hours. Not only do they have See What a Fool I've Been as a third encore, but they also bring back Hangman and Father to Son into the set. Hangman was played a few times towards the end of the US leg, but Father to Son hadn't been performed in front of an audience since the last Japan tour, and besides the fast start it goes over incredibly well. Freddie is in good voice, although its worth noting that he's not in quite as good of shape as the March 31st performance. The band are just as strong and play their asses off, especially early in the set. Brighton Rock from this show is one of the greatest versions of all time, but there are plenty of other great performances tonight as well. As always there is the occasional hiccup but that's to be expected from every performance. This show is noteworthy for it's setlist alone but the fact that it's such a great show makes it an all-time classic.

Also worth noting that the picture attached to this thread was presumably taken at this show just as they finished See What a Fool I've Been (i.e just as God Save the Queen comes on). It's definitely at the end of the gig, but it's from a different night than the photo attached to the 3/31 post as Brian's outfit is different.

HIGHLIGHTS - Ogre Battle, White Queen, Hangman, Brighton Rock, Father to Son, Liar, See What a Fool I've Been

Tokyo, April 4th 1976

(This photo may actually be from Osaka, but it is usually labelled as being from this night)

Bohemian Rhapsody (Rock/Opera) - Ok, so to start off, Freddie singing is a little off here. on "leave me to die" he is totally off the mark, and then he does the lower phrasing on "can't do this to me baby," which doesn't sound too good. Band is playing good, but something weird is up with Freddie. 6/10.

Ogre Battle - Freddie sounds a bit rough here too. He's not really cracking but he is pitchy again, particularly on the bridge. Later, Brian has some issues with this guitar; as they exit the battle section, Brian his heard hitting several bum notes. 6/10.

Sweet Lady - Freddie is having issues with his voice again tonight as he has trouble hitting some of the higher notes in this song again and just sounds tired. Brian lets it rip during the outro. 6/10.

White Queen - Brian is an expert at using feedback to create atmosphere. He starts this one off with feedback that fades out, only to quietly come back in and slay his guitar solo. Roger's fills during his solo add to the epic nature of the song. Only thing that could really improve is Freddie as the vocals are sounding bit tired again. 8/10.

Flick of the Wrist - Brian does another incredible solo here, and Freddie is singing with confidence, even getting a bit creative in the last verse. Roger sounds great as always too. 8/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody - And here we have Freddie really struggling again. He is cracking his way through the first verse and doesn't sound very strong elsewhere. Brian's solo is decent. 6/10.

Killer Queen - Brian has a bit of issues starting his solo tonight but finds his way back on track eventually. 6/10.

The March of the Black Queen - Freddie sings the wrong lyrics but sounds strong and Brian has a couple cool extra notes thrown in. 7/10.

Bohemian Rhapsody (Reprise) - Typically good performance. 7/10.

Bring Back That Leroy Brown - John's solo bit is a tad messy. 6/10.

Brighton Rock/Son and Daughter - Freddie sings "I'll say farewell" twice again like he did on March 31st. Unfortunately Brian's solo isn't as well structured as it had been the past few shows. He doesn't play Sakura in his solo which makes this and 3/22 the only ones on the Japan tour without it, and he just seems to be going through cliché licks and riffs. There are some good moments, but this is merely an average version. 7/10.

The Prophet's Song - Brian's guitar sounds a bit out of tune at the beginning (since he had to detune his guitar for this song I am not surprised). The harmonies on the choruses sound gorgeous tonight, and Freddie's vocal solo is great, which includes bits of Frere Jacques and Death on Two Legs. As the exit into the final chorus, Roger's drumming is off the charts. Overall a fantastic version despite the out of tune guitar at the beginning. 8/10.

Stone Cold Crazy - A fast and precise performance from everyone. Freddie also sings with confidence. 8/10.

Doing All Right - Brian's guitar is a bit out of tune at the beginning again, and he is heard playing through some chords with Freddie to get it right. The little middle section where Freddie adlibs and Brian arpeggiates on that D chord is quite extended tonight, then when they launch into the fast section, Brian plays some screeching bends that just takes the song into the stratosphere. The coda is quite long tonight as well and yet again features some of Brian and Roger's best playing on the song. 9/10.

Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Freddie nearly gets the piano intro, although he hits one sour note. Roger also throws in a nice fill right as the vocals come in. However Freddie sings rather conservatively and Brian's solo is a tad sloppy. 7/10.

Keep Yourself Alive - Brian plays a few nice chords in the beginning that differ a bit from the norm. During the second jam between the verses, Brian does these really cool licks that kind of bear resemblance to Dead On Time. Roger's drum solo is also very long but has many distinct parts and sounds great. Later, Brian's guitar solo has this great scale to end it which differs from any other version I've heard. Fantastic. 8/10.

Liar - Some muted strumming is heard accompanying Roger's drum intro. Roger later does this really cool fill just before Freddie sings "please will you direct me in the right way." The guitar solo has some nice bits but doesn't have as good of a flow as some other nights (although Roger is certainly going the extra mile). During the last part of the song (as they exit the "Mama I'm gonna be your slave" bit), Brian plays a couple bad chords too. 7/10.

In the Lap of the Gods... - Freddie's piano playing on this song has a couple extra bells and whistles. He also takes some liberties with the vocals. Brian hits a couple off notes during the final choruses. Later on, the delay is accidentally turned on which creates quite the cacophony. 6/10.

Now I'm Here - Freddie nails that first "made me live again" tonight which is great. Brian also plays a great solo again too, and Roger is energetic through the song. 8/10.

Big Spender - Roger usually does his scream at the beginning of the song, and tonight it sounds even more epic as it reverberates through the hall. Otherwise a typical Big Spender. 7/10.

Jailhouse Rock - Roger stops drumming at one point, allowing room for the audience to come in as Freddie encourages the audience to participate while Brian continues to lightly lay down some chords. As they eventually begin to pick up the tempo, Brian lays down this incredibly fast lick that just makes the song explode, and then they perfectly transition into Stupid Cupid and Be Bop a Lula where Brian continues to just give everything he's got for the final performance of the Japan tour. 9/10.

SUMMARY:
For the final night of the tour leg, it's a bit disappointing that they don't add anything extra into the set as they had done for the past couple of nights. There are quite a few off performances near the start of the show too, whether it be Freddie having issues with his voice or guitar issues from Brian, but towards the end of the night they kind of find their footing and really put in some of the best performances of the tour. An inconsistent show, but still one worth checking out.

HIGHLIGHTS - White Queen, Flick of the Wrist, The Prophet's Song, Doing All Right, Keep Yourself Alive, Jailhouse Rock

Thanks for putting these together Ryan.

I have no musical knowledge or ear whatsoever and it's always fascinating to go back over recordings and listen to the wee bits you may point out that I would naturally miss, as I tend to listen to everything as a whole rather than with an analytic ear.

Obviously, I can hear a bum note or dodgy harmony as much as anyone else but I don't have the musical knowledge to understand why it might have happened.

Great stuff, thanks!!