Queen: On Their Last Legs Live

On August 9, 1986, Queen played their final live show at Knebworth. Just a few weeks earlier they played at Wembley Stadium. In 2002, Classic Rock reviewed the DVD of that show

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Already out on video for many years, Queen’s spectacular, potent Wembley shows in 1986 were, even by the band’s own admission, a pinnacle of their achievement.

The biggest stage, the biggest lighting rig, the biggest screen that Queen had performed with – and that video release will doubtless form part of most Queen fans’ (indeed many rock fans’) collection.

Now released as a two-disc package on DVD, you get the complete concert, including (obviously) all the favourites, all the biggies (if you need titles, it probably isn’t for you, darling),and all that was the definitive Queen in their element, in their pomp and in their prime.

Also included is ‘bonus’ material that includes new interviews with the remaining band members (yes, even John Deacon speaks!), backstage footage, tributes from the likes of Elton John and Rod Stewart, and tour manager Gerry Stickles’s offering his two-penn’orth (although how much of that lot will you ever watch more than

once?). You also get such DVD bells and whistles as 5.1 Surround Sound and multi-angle viewing.

As live rock videos/ DVDs go, this is probably as good as it gets. Essential.

Paul Henderson

Classic Rock’s production editor for the past 22 years, ‘resting’ bass player Paul has been writing for magazines and newspapers, mainly about music, since the mid-80s, contributing to titles including Q, The Times, Music Week, Prog, Billboard, Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and International Musician. He has also written questions for several BBC TV quiz shows. Of the many people he’s interviewed, his favourite interviewee is former Led Zep manager Peter Grant. If you ever want to talk the night away about Ginger Baker, in particular the sound of his drums (“That fourteen-inch Leedy snare, man!”, etc, etc), he’s your man.