Queen at St James’s Park
Freddie used the full width and all levels of the huge stage as he pouted, cavorted and twirled Chronicle, 1986
THE critically acclaimed box-office smash, Bohemian Rhapsody, is released on DVD and Blu-ray today.
Showing to cinema audiences since October last year, the film charts the rise and rise of rock superstar Freddie Mercury and his band Queen.
Actor Rami Malek, who plays the flamboyant singer in the movie, has scooped a host of awards including a BAFTA and - only last week - an Oscar for his convincing portrayal.
Bohemian Rhapsody begins back in 1970 when the unknown would-be star Freddie Bulsara teams up with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor to form the band, Smile.
The hairy threesome are soon joined by bass player John Deacon and Queen are born. The rest is history.
The film culminates at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985 when the band steal the show at Live Aid with their devastating performance.
If Freddie and the boys were on stage for a mere 17 minutes on that blazing summer’s day, they made an impression that 34 years on remains strong and vivid for the 70,000 in the audience at Wembley, and the one billion people watching on TV around the globe. They were champions of the world, the biggest band on the planet.
Just under a year later on July 9, 1986, Queen rolled into St James’ Park, Newcastle, for the first date of the British leg of their 26-date European ‘Magic’ tour.
It would prove to be one of the greatest rock shows ever witnessed in the city. The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen had all graced the home of Newcastle United during the early 1980s, but this would arguably top the lot.
Queen had made their North East debut at Newcastle Mayfair in August 1973, after which they headed North quite regularly, playing on one occasion at Sunderland Locarno, but more often than not at Newcastle City Hall where they’d last appeared in 1979.
The Chronicle saw fit to publish a special souvenir edition that day, priced 20p, for the 38,000 sell-out show. The ever-discerning Mercury was spotted, feet-up before the performance, reading the Chronicle. Roger Taylor and Brian May, meanwhile, happily signed autographs and jackets for fans hanging around the crowded back-stage area.
With the St James’ Park gates opening at 3pm on a pleasant Tyneside Wednesday afternoon, £13 tickets were being briskly re-sold by touts for £25.
It was Status Quo who warmed up the crowd nicely, with the other support act - Aussie rockers INXS getting caught up in traffic on the A1 and failing to make the show.
That was all forgotten when Queen took to the stage, stunning the audience with an opening triple salvo of One Vision, Tie Your Mother Down, and In The Lap Of The Gods.
The Chronicle’s long-time rock and pop writer Peter Kinghorn declared: “Freddie used the full width and all levels of the huge stage (it was only half the size of the Wembley stage awaiting them the following weekend) as he pouted, cavorted, twirled and paraded peacock-fashion as he sang.
“His magnetism seemed to fill the arena, matched only by the musical talents of his cohorts – flailing drummer Roger Taylor, nimblefingered guitarist Brian May, and quiet but steady bass player John Deacon. “Queen’s secret is marrying their visual art and music skills with instantly appealing anthemlike tunes which linger in the mind, whether it is the very early Seven Seas Of Rhye to set off everyone pogoing in rhythm, or the latest Friends Will Be Friends to spark a sea of waving arms and bodies.”
Thirty-nine-year-old Mercury, meanwhile, categorically denied rumours of a group split. “We’re not bad for four tired, old queens,” he quipped to a delirious crowd.
Our reviewer continued: “Along the way there was romance and drama aplenty, from the opening number, through to the likes of Under Pressure, I Want To Break Free, Love Of My Life, Radio Ga Ga and We Will Rock You, to the inevitable We Are The Champions.
“They even took time out for a series of renditions of old rock’n’roll favourites – like Ricky Nelson’s Hello Mary Lou and Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti – before taking up the almost operatic strains of Bohemian Rhapsody.”
And with that, three and a half decades ago, Freddie Mercury and Queen disappeared into the Tyneside night for the last time. Those who were there will never forget it.