Queen Live Magic CD

Queen: Freddie Mercury (vocals); Brian May (guitar); John Deacon (bass); Roger Taylor (percussion).
Additional personnel: Spike "The Duke" Edney (guitar, keyboards, background vocals).
Recorded live in Nepstadion, Budapest, Hungary; Knebworth Park and Wembley Stadium, England between July and August 1986.
Personnel: Spike Edney (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Freddie Mercury (vocals); Brian May (electric guitar); Roger Taylor (drums).
Recording information: Knebworth Park, England (01/1986-11/1986); Nepstadion, Budapest, Hungary (01/1986-11/1986); Wembley Stadium (01/1986-11/1986); Wembley Stadium And Knebworth Park, England And Nepstad (01/1986-11/1986).
Photographers: Denis "Scoop" ORegan; Neal Preston; Torleif Svensson.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Charlie "High Steel Drifter" Boxhall; John Deacon.
Arranger: Brian May.
As Queen's second live album, Live Magic might appear to be a bit unnecessary, but a closer look reveals that it's a better record than the previous Live Killers. Culled from a variety of dates from the 1986 Kind of Magic tour but concentrating on the final show at Knebworth, Live Magic captures Queen, and Freddie Mercury in particular, at the height of their powers. While the set list might rely a bit too heavily on mediocre mid-'80s material for some tastes, the band is tight and professional, and Mercury has an undeniable hold over the crowd. It's to Queen's credit that the energy rarely dips over the course of the record. Live Magic may be designed for hardcore fans, but for those listeners, it will provide a number of highlights, proving that the band's remarkable performance at Live Aid was no fluke. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
If you're searching for a concise and compact sample of Queen in concert, the single disc LIVE MAGIC is the only logical choice. Originally issued as a European-only release in late 1986, it was finally released stateside 10 years later. Recorded at stops in Budapest, Knebworth Park, and Wembley Stadium during Queen's A KIND OF MAGIC tour, LIVE MAGIC compiles live renditions of Queen's greatest hits from 1974 up to 1986. And although it's not an actual full-length set from the tour (the double-disc LIVE AT WEMBLEY '86 is a complete show), LIVE MAGIC is highly recommended to newcomers curious about the unique Queen concert experience.
The lead-off track from 1986's A KIND OF MAGIC, "One Vision," turns out to be a superb concert opener, as you can actually hear the audience's cheers grow louder while the song's introduction leads to the band's grand entrance. Queen soon follows it up with an onslaught of hits--"Seven Seas Of Rhye," "Radio GaGa," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Hammer To Fall," "Under Pressure" and many others. The track "Friends Will Be Friends" is inserted in the expected closing medley "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions," adding a pleasant surprise for old-time fans.