Live at Wembley '86

Queen released several worthy live albums, but what makes Live at Wembley '86 special is the thrill of hearing the band recapturing its powers and its huge audience simultaneously. In the early '80s Queen put out their weakest albums, but their performance in 1985's Live Aid concert reminded them of what they were capable of and of how much their public still loved them. This extended live disc has it all--a nice selection of hits ("Bohemian Rhapsody," "Under Pressure," "We Will Rock You," and "Radio Ga Ga," among others), quality album cuts ("Now I'm Here," "I Want to Break Free"), displays of instrumental wizardry (Brian May's "Brighton Rock" guitar solo), and even some goofing on '50s and '60s rock & roll classics ("Tutti Frutti," "Gimme Some Lovin'"). There's a chilly premonition in Freddie Mercury's declaration that "we're gonna stay together until we die" but some comfort in the fact that his statement was essentially true. Wembley '86 is a fitting last hurrah. --Daniel Durchholz