Queen Rock Montreal, recorded at Montreal's 18,000 seater Forum in 1981, was scheduled specifically on November 24 and 25 to make a full length film of their live show. Always a great live band, with arguably the greatest frontman of all time in Freddie Mercury.
“Hello Montreal… long time no see. You wanna get crazy?”
Queen Rock Montreal, recorded live at Montreal's 18,000 seater Forum over
two nights in November 1981, is a celebration of Queen at the very height of
their 80's record breaking achievements. It is also a historic recording of the
very last concerts of Queen ‘raw’.
This was the time when Queen had topped both the US singles and album charts for
the first time, had become the first band ever to top the UK singles, albums and
video charts simultaneously and on their historic invasion of Latin America had
broken the world attendance record for a single paying concert when
131,000 Brazilians saw the band play Sao Paulo's Morumbi stadium. 1981 was,
says John Deacon, “a year for discovering new audiences we didn't know
existed.”
Queen ended that year of extraordinary events at Montreal's Forum. The
dates – November 24 and 25,1981 – were scheduled specifically to make a
full length film of their live show. As would be expected of Queen, they took
the form of the concert film to a new level, becoming the first group to shoot
an entire show in full cinema format 35mm.
Having spent almost two years non-stop touring, and invigorated by their
triumphant Latin America experience, Queen hit Montreal in top form.
This is pre the Hot Space album, before keyboards would find a place in the band's touring line up; just four God-gifted musicians in total rapport, delivering live the energy and innovation of their studio recordings.
Originally titled We Will Rock You, this film was released in North America in 1984 becoming the first commercially available film of Queen in concert. In this special edition, the 35mm negative was scanned to ensure the highest possible resolution, this was then examined frame by frame where any splices, dirt or damage were removed to enhance the sharpness and quality of the picture. 25 tracks and 96 minutes of Queen in peak form.
Audio format: PCM Stereo