Live at the Rainbow '74 is a live album by the British rock band Queen released on 8 September 2014.
Contents
Release and content
The album was released in single CD, double CD, DVD, SD Blu-ray and quadruple vinyl formats, as well as a deluxe box set including reproduction tour memorabilia. The single disc and video editions contain a concert from the band's Sheer Heart Attack Tour, recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre in London on 19 & 20 November 1974, while the double CD and vinyl releases include this material plus a concert recorded at the Rainbow earlier in the year, on 31 March, as part of the Queen II Tour. That concert was originally recorded with the intention of being released as a live album after the band's third album, "Sheer Heart Attack", but was later shelved after being mixed and produced, although it was later bootlegged over the coming decades. The DVD and Blu-ray also include four bonus tracks from the earlier Queen II concert.
The video footage was previously released as Live at the Rainbow, a half-hour film containing footage from both November shows. It was shown in cinemas in the 1970s and 1980s as an opener to films, including longer concert films by Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, as well as the release of Jaws 2 in British cinemas. More footage from the November shows was later released on VHS as part of the Box of Tricks box set on 26 May 1992, though this footage was heavily overdubbed. The 2014 release removes most of the overdubs, however it employs the use of manual pitch correction in some areas. This extends to the March concert as well, which had its' original overdubs removed and replaced with pitch correction.
One song from the album was previously available as audio. "Stone Cold Crazy" was released as a b-side to "The Miracle" single in 1989. Two tracks, "Big Spender" and "Bama Lama Lama Loo", both covers, were recorded at the March concert but are omitted from all releases.
Track listing
2-LP Vinyl Edition
LP 1 (Queen II tour)
LP 2 (Sheer Heart Attack tour)
Personnel
Freddie Mercury – lead vocals, piano, tambourine on "Liar" and "Keep Yourself Alive"
Brian May – guitar, backing vocals, ukulele on "Bring Back That Leroy Brown"
Roger Taylor – drums, percussion, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on 9
John Deacon – bass guitar, backing vocals on 8, 12, 14, 19, 20, triangle on "Killer Queen"