(REVISED REVIEW - MAY 08)

When this first came out - I felt it was hard to rate given the particular concert, but I would re-rate this 4 stars. With the recently released QUEEN ROCK MONTREAL - this is probably one of the two best vocal performances from Queen at their peak, which is as consistent as they come. One reason I would re-rate this is the sound quality. QUEEN ON FIRE is crystal clear and well recorded. The only issue is as some have pointed out - and would influence your purchase decision is the similar set list between the Hot Space Tour that this covers, and The Game tour which which Rock Montreal covers. I really can't recommend one over the other, so for the rabid fans - get both.

For Queen fans, any new product is welcome, but at the same time the Hot Space album was arguably one of their weakest. Fortunately, the Hot Space numbers sound better here than they did on the album thanks to Freddie's persistence in making them funky. And if you don't like those tracks - you just skip around with the CD button.

Freddie's voice is in great shape here and the band is enjoyably tight as it always is. Reasons to get this are rousing live versions of "Hero" "Play the Game"; "Now I'm Here/Dragon Attack" and "Save Me." There really isn't a bad track here, and compared to "Live Killers" and even "Live at Wembley" - "On Fire" will sound fresher in terms of the recording. His passion and dramatic highs are more in evidence here in vintage '82 rather than in later shows (save for Live Aid). Now all we need is a recording from the "Works" tour.

Long live Queen!

I could write an entire essay on how the majesty of Queen will live on, but reviewing this wonderful double live album, which will soon be followed on Nov. 16th on double DVD, which captures the band at the height of their touring power, will suffice. In 1982, Queen had just released " Hot Space," an album that was not accepted well from traditonal Queen fans due to the band's dramtic change in sound. The album did have some rockers in " Put out the fire," but it leaned heavily toward a black/funk sound that I personnally enjoyed very much; " Cool Cat" in particular showcased the incomprable Freddie Mercury's stunning falsetto, while " Under Pressure " was the albums' only bonafide hit...and a damn good one. " Queen on Fire live at Milton Keynes bowl," was recorded during the latter half of the band's European tour in support of the aforementioned " Hot Space " album, and in my opinion, captures the essance of why Queen was one of the finest live bands in the history of music.
While I won't review every song here, I will highlight the standouts....and there are many. " Somebody to love " features a great a cappella opening, showcasing Freddie's magnificent voice in all it's glory, and although " the wall of sound " harmonies are missing and strictly a studio creation, Roger Taylor and Brian May provide very good support, as the song gains a very hard and raw edge that is not evident on the studio recording. " Play the Game," also show's greater power, and has Freddie hitting even higher notes than the ones recorded on the album; Brian May's voice sounds quite sublime in the harmonies and his guitar playing is smoldering. I should make a point to mention that the " Hot space" material, which is represented here by " Back Chat," " Staying Power," and " Action this day," sound much stronger and melodic than their studio counterparts, and demostrate how good and underappreciated this album is, and how unfairly criticized it was. " Staying Power" in particular sounds amazing, showcasing John Deacon playing rythym guitar, and strong Roger Taylor vocals, while touring keyboardist Morgan Fisher playing the brass section and bass notes on synthesiser...awesome! A nice surprise and welcome addition to the recorded Queen live cannon is " Fat Bottom Girls," which was criminally left off " Live Killers " which was Queen's first Live album in 1979. This song on album featured multi-tracked harmonies, which was of course a Queen trademark, and here in this live version it doesn't dissapoint...very well done. Every song is a winner, and the band was playing with precision and power during this tour, and on this night, Freddie was in particularly strong form...and very animated; his in-between-song patter is side-splitting, and he is constantly ad-libbing vocals...what a performer. The sound is excellent, but of course the DVD release will feature a DTS surround sound 5.1 mix that will far surpass this two-channel linear pcm mix of this double cd set. Packaging is top-notch, as Hollywood records has always done a lovingly dedicated job on all their Queen releases, dating back to the 1991 remasters, which are in need of upgrading; It includes a fourteen page booklet, which includes many previously unseen photos of the 1982 tour, as well as production notes and track information; As with the sound, The DVD of the same show will feature a forty page book as well as loads of extras. If you are a Queen fan, or just simply a lover of great live music...this is an essential purchase....THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE...QUEEN!

I wish I was in the auidience the night or nights this live album was recorded. Since Queen first formed they have released a number of live albums all of which were good, well except for one and I wont bother mentioning its name. The point is that this one, Queen On Fire:Live At The Bowl is a excelent live album.

First lets talk about the band. Well as usuall Freddie Murcury doesnt dissapoint. When you go to see a man like Murcury you cant expect him to sound the same live as he does on record, but amazingly everytime i ever heard the man live he did, and this is no exception. Freddie's voice sounds phenonmenol here and it comes across nice and clear with great tone, as always. The rythm section of Queen isnt one that rock and roll fans have ever marvaled over but they do a good job keeping the band in time. Thats not to say that just because people dont talk about them that they are not good, the bass player, John Decan as we all know is one of the all time best (Under Pressure, Another One Bites The Dust). I guess Roger is pretty good too. Then there is Brian May, one of the all time greatest guitarists ever, here is no exception, you get all the great stuff he wrote and recorded in the studio as well as some amazing freestyle guitar solos that are absolutly mind blowing. If anyone ever doubted the power of this band this cd needs one good listen to prove the power.

Now on to the music. Before I say anything else I must say the the live version here of 'Somebody To Love' is the all time best version of the song ever. The vocals are out of this world!! Freddie was a bad a**! The rest of the album is filled with Queen classics like 'We Are The Champions' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 'Tie Your Mother Down' 'Love Of My Life' 'Fat Bottomed Girls' and lots and lots more. Aside from the classics this was recorded on the tour for the Hot Space album, which while not that good of an album the songs that are performed live here are just killer all out rockers! I dont know why anyone wouldnt like this, it's just damn amazing!

As far as live albums go this is one of the best I have ever owned, and I own a lot. This is by far the best live Queen album you can get, so if your a Queen fan this has your name on it!

I have been a huge QUEEN fan since seeing them back in 1974...and another 7 times from 1974-77....I was lucky enough to grab a bootleg album on vinyl of Hammersmith Odeon Christmastime 1975....which was obviously a soundboard copy made for FM radio broadcast...I have since remastered the album and burned it to CD...as I exhausted my patience waiting for the record industry to release it in an official capacity....I have listened to LIVE BOOTLEG....WEMBLY. (both these official releases were lame and made a joke of the band) .and a couple of live shows I have viewed online....the funny thing is....QUEEN was never as good as they were back in Christmas 1975....I caught them in Feb 1976...at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre....which was the perfect setting for this particular tour....This was QUEEN at their peak...in their prime..surging with power and class. I would hope their management would want their legacy to live in a product that would show them in their element...back when they were riding the huge tidal wave of success...where everything they did had the audience and medias attention. The LIVE KILLERS and WEMBLEY shows came during a time when the bands fame had fallen off...and their albums would be more miss than hit.

The record company needs to get off its lazy ass and release that show....if they want to pay homage to a band who really shined in live performance...and did it at their peak...not years later...

They could come up with many excuses for not releasing it....they should have considered those excuses before releasing the trash they did with KILLERS and WEMBLEY

Queen was one of the all time best live bands in the history of music! They had the lights and the show. BUT they had the talent (unlike say KISS for example)

Queen is now releasing concerts on DVD and CD. One every other year or so. They had several HUGE GREAT shows over the course of their career. This is one of them (the others would include Rainbow 74, Hammersmith Odeon 75, Earls Court 77 & Montreal 79)

Now, alot of the other reviewers who are not big queen fans poo poo the Hot Space album and say this is bad because of it. The truth though is that while alot of the songs on Hot Space were Disco/funk/dance songs, the live versions ROCK! Action This Day, Staying Power & Back Chat may not be real great on the album, but here they are fantastic and energetic!

This also houses what most queen fans consider the definitive live version of Somebody To Love.

PLUS: You get alot of songs not available commercially on a live album until now: Play The Game, Dragon Attack, Somebody To Love, Fat Bottomed Girls, & Save Me.

PLUS: One of the best openings of any of their shows: The Hero and We Will Rock You (Speed). Quite energetic!

PLUS: The Guitar solo is one of the better ones, save for some guitar problems during it. Nice drum solo intro to Under Pressure as well!

PLUS: Alot of hits are played: in addition to what i have already mentioned, Bohemian Rhapsody, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Another One Bites the Dust, We Will Rock You, We Are The Champions & Tie Your Mother Down

They did not do much overdubbing like they have done in the past. . I have had this show for years on a bootleg CD. Only a misstep in a vocal by freddie was fixed (in Fat Bottomed Girls) This is a far cry from all the cut and paste jobs on Live Killers and the overdubbing on Live at Wembley. Hell some songs on Live Killers are from multiple shows. SOME SONGS!!! They were better than that live, I expect even queen to miss a note or forget a lyric so god knows why they had to fool with it.

This is an AWESOME live album and is perfect for any rock fan.