Queen: Queen’s Rock Show Feature (1976)

Queen’s "Queen’s Rock Show", a two-page feature in Bravo Magazine, October 18, 1976. Translation

That was one of the most thrilling rock shows of the year:

Queen conjure with sound and smoke!

Roger Raylor

It began like a Thousand and One Nights: Mysterious oriental sounds quietly penetrate the Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre, still shrouded in complete darkness, where fans are packed together waiting for the first Queen show of the year. The music slowly transitions into "Bohemian Rhapsody." And while everyone listens breathlessly, suddenly there's a bang, an explosion, smoke, lots of bright light, and Freddy Mercury is standing on the stage with his back to the audience

"Too bad..." a girl behind me whispers disappointedly. But immediately afterwards she screams with delight: Freddy turns around abruptly and stands before us like in the ballet "Swan Lake": in a skin-tight white suit with narrow straps that leaves his chest bare and shows off his figure to full effect. With sophisticated jumps and cat-like movements, he begins the show with "Sweet Lady". Then he grabs a glass of champagne, walks stretched out, on tiptoes, and upright to the edge of the stage and toasts his fans. The response is roaring enthusiasm...

Queen's lighting effects have become even more fantastic since their last English show.

They often envelop fans and stage in smoke and fumes accompanied by music for minutes. Roger Taylor's song "I'm in Love with my Car" and the popular "Killer Queen" are enthusiastically received

Suddenly, all-rounder Freddy disappears backstage and reappears in a breathtakingly sexy, skin-tight black suit, also with narrow straps covered in small rhinestone stars at certain points.

After the last songs of the evening, "Keep Your Self Alice" and "Stone Cold Crazy," the band says goodbye. The fans drum their feet for almost 20 minutes, clap, and scream even more, until the stage lights up and Freddy, once again in his comfortable overalls, begins the encore with the song "Now I'm Here." This is followed by "Big Spender," in which he lets the overalls slide off his shoulders in a skillful striptease and finally stands on stage wearing only short, white-and-red striped panties. Despite the roaring enthusiasm, "Jailhouse Rock" is the last number of the evening. A double-meaning "God Save the Queen" accompanies the fans from the theater... Margit Rietti

Photos: W. Heinemann