Queen on Fire: Live at the Bowl

Filmed live at England's Milton Keynes Bowl in June 1982, rock superstars Queen perform a 25-song set (although some tunes, like “Flash,” are severely truncated) while touring in support of their then-new release Hot Space, a funk-pop effort widely regarded as one of the band's worst (with the exception of the excellent closer, “Under Pressure,” recorded with David Bowie). Fronted by charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury (who would die of AIDS a decade later), with Brian May on guitar (and playing the de rigueur Queen stage show guitar solo), John Deacon on bass, and Roger Taylor on drums, the group mixes a thankfully small number of new tunes (forgettable songs such as “Back Chat” and “Staying Power”) with a solid selection of hits, including “Save Me,” “Somebody to Love,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” “Play the Game,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” as well as the signature closing trio of “We Will Rock You” (with Mercury sporting a huge black sombrero), “We Are the Champions,” and “God Save the Queen.” Overall, this is an impressive outing that captures Queen at the peak of their health and power, although it is marred somewhat by less than sterling technical qualities (shot on video in the standard 4:3 aspect ratio and featuring numerous light flare trails popping up in the image). Presented in DTS-5.1 and PCM stereo, extras include a bonus disc with band interviews, tour highlights from Japan and Austria, and a photo gallery. Although boasting fewer hit songs, Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen—Live in Budapest (VL-1/13) from 1986 is a better choice—audio-visually speaking—but this 1982 show will still be appreciated by fans. Recommended. (R. Pitman)