City: Manchester, UK
Venue: Free Trade Hall
Date: November 26, 1975 - early show

Presumed setlist:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Brighton Rock, Son And Daughter, The Prophet's Song, Stone Cold Crazy, Doing All Right, Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


Queen play two shows today (at 6pm and 9pm), and this listing highlights the earlier show.

After Sweet Lady, Freddie says, "By the way, I forgot to say how nice it is to be here in Manchester. And it's really nice to do two shows, so see you in the second half."

This show is the first known instance of Brighton Rock being played live, and it contains a superb Brian May guitar solo. Son And Daughter is now reduced to a single verse after the solo. People attending their shows during this period who knew the albums well would be wondering how the band would end the song, taking note of how they already had ended Flick Of The Wrist with the Brighton Rock coda (it had been performed this way since November '74, and would remain as such through 1976).

In a 1976 radio interview, Roger reveals that Brighton Rock was actually a leftover from the Queen II sessions, as they thought they'd had enough material. About its life on stage, Brian added: "We didn't think we could do the main part of the song on stage, because it's got quite a lot on it on the album, a lot of overdubs and stuff. But strangely enough, it's just one of those things, if you try hard enough it comes, and the excitement makes up for the things which aren't there."

"It's now time to do another number from this little album here." He's holding a copy of the newly released A Night At The Opera in his hand. "Let me see, let me see. I think we'll do a number called The Prophet's Song."

They decide to skip out on Big Spender, and instead launch directly into Jailhouse Rock after Now I'm Here.

There are some great moments in this show, like John's great bass work in White Queen, and the guitar-drum interplay during the Liar solo. Overall, the band's ultimate tightness (and often daring nature) in the early days shines through. This facet of Queen is one of many that would define them as a live band in the 70s.

Journalist David Wigg shared this story about one of the two Manchester shows today video podcast in 2020: "I went to the concert and I went backstage and Mary [Austin] was there. And they were roaring, calling him back for more, and he came out of the side platform of the stage into the dressing room, picked up an iron and threw it through a full length mirror that he dressed in front of earlier. And I said, 'Freddie, Gosh! You're obviously not superstitious. That's seven years bad luck in my family.' And he said, 'Well that means I've got another seven years to live, haven't I, David?'"


Recording length: 60 minutes (2 acetate discs, incomplete)
Quality: B-
Source: Audience
Lineage: "Invite You To A Night At The Opera" acetates

 
Track listing:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


This is from a bootleg acetate released in 1980, of which only 40 copies were pressed. A few songs from the middle of the show are missing.

Acetates are only one-sided, so the discs are labelled as volumes 1 and 2 respectively.

There is a "good night" announcement tagged onto the end, which is probably not even from a Queen show. The actual Queen recording cuts out during the final tympani roll of God Save The Queen, and at this spot there is a clear edit into the unrelated audio.


Recording length: 60 minutes (2 acetate discs, incomplete)
Quality: B-
Source: Audience
Lineage: "British Tour '75" acetates

 
Track listing:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


This title is musically identical to "Invite You To A Night At The Opera" listed above.


Recording length: 88 minutes (2 CD, incomplete)
Quality: B-
Source: Audience
Lineage: "Sweet Rhapsody" (Gypsy Eye) silvers

     
Track listing:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Brighton Rock, Son And Daughter, The Prophet's Song, Stone Cold Crazy, Doing All Right, Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


This bootleg from the late 90s uses a high generation tape. Still, a very warm atmosphere is evident.

In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited is missing from the audience recording, but it definitely was played at the concert. The song was a staple of Queen's early shows, before they could close with We Are The Champions by late 1977 (with only one exception, in Stockholm '77). There is a clear cut after Liar, making it hard to tell if the song was actually recorded or not.

Here's a link to the always-reliable GS review: http://www.collectorsmusicreviews.com


Recording length: 88 minutes (2 CD, incomplete)
Quality: B+
Source: Audience
Lineage: Master Cassette > 1st Gen Cassette > ? > WAV > CDR (x) > WAV > GoldWave pitch/speed correction
Track listing:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Brighton Rock, Son And Daughter, The Prophet's Song, Stone Cold Crazy, Doing All Right, Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


This is a great copy of the same audience source, reportedly from a first generation tape.


Recording length: 88 minutes (2 CDR, incomplete)
Quality: B+
Source: Audience
Lineage: "Rhapsody In White" (Uxbridge)

   
Track listing:
Bohemian Rhapsody (tape & rock part), Ogre Battle, Sweet Lady, White Queen, Flick Of The Wrist, Bohemian Rhapsody (verses), Killer Queen, The March Of The Black Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody (reprise), Bring Back That Leroy Brown, Brighton Rock, Son And Daughter, The Prophet's Song, Stone Cold Crazy, Doing All Right, Keep Yourself Alive, Seven Seas Of Rhye, Liar, Now I'm Here, Jailhouse Rock, God Save The Queen


Uxbridge bootlegged the upgraded copy, and EQ'd it to bring out a bit more of the top end and less of the bottom.




Previous Concert

Next Concert

Back to 1975 Concerts

Home