The British rock band Queen were well known for their diverse music style in contemporary rock. Their large sound systems, lighting rigs, innovative pyrotechnics and extravagant costumes often gave shows a theatrical nature. Artists such as Bob Geldof, George Michael, David Bowie, Michael Jackson and Robbie Williams have expressed admiration for lead singer Freddie Mercury's stage presence.
Queen wrote certain songs, such as "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions", with the goal of audience participation. "Radio Ga Ga" came to inspire synchronized hand-clapping (this routine, originating from the song's video, was the invention of the video's director, David Mallet). This influenced Queen's appearance at Live Aid, where the 72,000-person crowd at Wembley Stadium would sing loudly and clap their hands in unison. Queen's performance at Live Aid was later voted the greatest live show of all time by a group of over 60 musicians, critics, and executives in a poll conducted by Channel 4.
1970s Queen played approximately 700 live performances during their career with roughly two-thirds during the 1970s. Their early performances were generally hard rock, but the band developed a noticeably more pop-oriented sound in later years. Many of their future trademarks first appeared in these early shows, although some could be traced back to the members' previous bands and artistic outlets (e.g., Smile, Ibex later renamed as Wreckage, and Sour Milk Sea).
Freddie Mercury often dressed in a flamboyant manner and acted with camp, while dry ice and multi-coloured lights were used. During the concerts, it was typical for both Brian May and Roger Taylor to have impromptu, instrumental interludes and for Mercury to engage in a crowd 'shout-along' whereas it was traditional for Taylor to sing one song. Brian May and John Deacon sang backup vocals. Other distinguishable trademarks were Mercury's microphone, which featured only the upper part of the stand with no base (which allegedly came about while Mercury was with "Wreckage" during which the bottom of his stand accidentally broke off), a grand piano, and May's hand-built electric guitar, the Red Special. The lengthy guitar solo by May showcased his use of a multiple-delay effect, helping create a layered atmosphere. Rarely, Queen would host a non-member on stage with them, the most notable being keyboardist Spike Edney who performed with the band during the 1980s. A semi-informal medley of 1950s rock 'n' roll songs (especially "Big Spender" and "Jailhouse Rock") was also a staple and usually formed the backbone of an encore. The band's logo, designed by Mercury shortly before the release of the first album, is made up of the band's star signs and was usually displayed on the front of Taylor's bass drum during their early tours. Some stage costumes worn by Mercury and May on their earliest tours and a few subsequent tours were created by fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.
The concert duration and set-list for each Queen show progressed significantly during its career, eventually leading to shows exceeding two hours. Queen performed most of the songs released on their studio albums during concerts. So far, two shows have been officially released as concert videos from this era, which are the November 1974 show at the Rainbow and the Christmas Eve 1975 show at the Hammersmith Odeon.
Lisa Marie Presley stated that the first rock concert she attended was by Queen in Los Angeles in the late 70s. After the show, she gave Mercury a scarf that belonged to her late father.
With the release of their first two albums Queen & Queen II, the band began live performing in earnest, essentially following the traditional 'album-tour' cycle throughout the 70s. The embryonic Queen played numerous gigs in and around London in the early seventies, but evidence suggests that its first performance was on 27 June 1970 at Truro in England. The year 1974 had started with their first trip outside of Europe and an appearance at the Sunbury Music Festival in Australia on 27 January. Documented Gigs Between 1970 and 1973 DateTown/ CityCountryVenueEurope27 June 1970TruroEnglandTruro City Hall18 July 1970LondonImperial College25 July 1970TruroPJ’s Club23 August 1970LondonImperial College4 September 1970Swiss Cottage Private School16 October 1970The College of Estate Management22 October 1970DerbyClouds Club23 October 1970LondonPotter's Bar Youth Club30 October 1970St HelensCollege of Technology14 November 1970HertfordBalls Park College27 November 1970LiverpoolThe Cavern Club28 November 19705 December 1970EghamShoreditch College10 December 1970LondonByam Shaw School of Art18 December 1970St HelensCollege of Technology19 December 1970Congregational Church Hall8 January 1971LondonMarquee Club9 January 1971EwellTechnical College19 February 1971LondonHornsey Town Hall20 February 1971Kingston Polytechnic College2 July 1971RedhillSurrey College11 July 1971LondonImperial College17 July 1971PenzanceThe Garden19 July 1971HayleRugby Club24 July 1971WadebridgeWadebridge Town Hall29 July 1971PenzanceThe Garden31 July 1971TruroTruro City Hall2 August 1971HayleRugby Club9 August 1971St AgnesDriftwood Spars12 August 1971TruroTregye Hotel14 August 1971RNAS CuldroseWarrant Officer and Senior Rates Mess17 August 1971TruroTruro City Hall21 August 1971Tregye Country Club6 October 1971LondonImperial College2 December 1971EpsomSwimming Baths31 December 1971TwickenhamRugby Club28 January 1972BedfordBedford College10 March 1972LondonKing's College Medical School24 March 1972Forest Hill Hospital6 November 1972Pheasantry Club20 December 1972Marquee Club9 April 197313 July 1973BasingstokeQueen Mary College23 July 1973LondonMarquee Club3 August 1973NewcastleThe Mayfair17 August 1973PeterboroughPeterborough Town Hall13 September 1973LondonGolders Green Hippodrome13 October 1973BonnWest GermanyUnderground14 October 1973LuxembourgLuxembourgLe Blow Up2 November 1973LondonEnglandImperial College6 December 1973CheltenhamCheltenham College7 December 1973Shaftesbury Hall8 December 1973LiverpoolUniversity of Liverpool15 December 1973LeicesterUniversity of Leicester21 December 1973TauntonCounty Ballroom28 December 1973LiverpoolTop Rank Club
Supporting Tour Queen Tour +TitleDatesAlbumContinentsShowsBandSupportingQueen Tour12 November - 14 December 1973QueenEurope21QueenMott The Hoople The band's first major step toward becoming a recognized live act came when Queen was a support act to Mott the Hoople on its 1973 UK tour. Queen's performances consistently received an enthusiastic reception from audiences.
Tour dates DateCityCountryVenueEurope12 November 1973LeedsEnglandLeeds Town Hall13 November 1973BlackburnKing George's Hall15 November 1973WorcesterGaumont16 November 1973LancasterLancaster University17 November 1973LiverpoolStadium18 November 1973HanleyVictoria Hall19 November 1973WolverhamptonWolverhampton Civic Hall20 November 1973OxfordNew Theatre21 November 1973PrestonPreston Guild Hall22 November 1973NewcastleNewcastle City Hall23 November 1973GlasgowScotlandThe Apollo25 November 1973EdinburghCaley Picture House26 November 1973ManchesterEnglandOpera House27 November 1973BirminghamBirmingham Town Hall28 November 1973SwanseaWalesBrangwyn Hall29 November 1973BristolEnglandColston Hall30 November 1973BournemouthWinter Gardens1 December 1973Southend-on-SeaThe Kursaal2 December 1973ChathamChatham Central Hall14 December 1973LondonHammersmith Odeon
Queen II (US) Tour +TitleDatesAlbumContinentsShowsBandSupportingQueen II (US) Tour16 April - 11 May 1974Queen IINorth America18QueenMott The Hoople Mott the Hoople decided to invite Queen to be its support act for Hoople's US tour as well. Here, the band was able to hone its on-stage presentations in front of large crowds, try out different songs and arrangements, and gain experience with state-of-the-art light and sound systems. The Queen song "Now I'm Here" was written by Brian May as a tribute to Mott The Hoople. They embarked on their first trip to the USA. Once again, beginning a four-week tour starting from April. The band paid more attention to their look on stage and employed the services of Zandra Rhodes to design some of their costumes, such as Freddie Mercury and Brian May's white and black wingsuits. Queen's supporting stint came to an abrupt halt, however, when May collapsed from hepatitis after the New York show on 11 May, and they all had to fly home so that he could recover.
Tour dates DateCityCountryVenueNorth America16 April 1974DenverUnited StatesRegis College Fieldhouse17 April 1974Kansas CityMemorial Hall18 April 1974St. LouisKiel Auditorium19 April 1974Oklahoma CityState Fair Arena20 April 1974MemphisMid-South Coliseum21 April 1974ChalmetteSt. Bernard Civic Auditorium27 April 1974ProvidencePalace Concert Theatre28 April 1974PortlandExposition Hall1 May 1974HarrisburgState Farm Show Arena2 May 1974AllentownAgricultural Hall3 May 1974Wilkes-BarreKing's College4 May 1974WaterburyPalace Theatre7 May 1974New York CityUris Theatre8 May 19749 May 197410 May 197411 May 1974
Headlining Tours Queen II (UK) Tour +TitleDatesAlbumContinentsShowsBandQueen II (UK) Tour1 March - 2 April 1974Queen IIEurope19Queen
In March, the band commenced on their first headlining tour of the United Kingdom to promote their new album Queen II. It was the second major tour by the group and started only a month and a half after the end of the Queen I Tour.
Tour dates DateCityCountryVenueOpening ActEurope1 March 1974BlackpoolEnglandEmpress BallroomNutz2 March 1974AylesburyFriars Aylesbury3 March 1974PlymouthPlymouth Guildhall4 March 1974PaigntonPaignton Festival Hall8 March 1974SunderlandLocarno Ballroom9 March 1974CambridgeCambridge Corn Exchange10 March 1974CroydonThe Greyhound12 March 1974LondonDagenham Roundhouse14 March 1974CheltenhamCheltenham Town Hall15 March 1974GlasgowScotlandQueen Margaret Union16 March 1974StirlingPathfoot Refectory19 March 1974CleethorpesEnglandWinter Gardens20 March 1974ManchesterMain Debating Hall22 March 1974Canvey IslandThe Paddocks23 March 1974CromerRoyal Links Pavilion24 March 1974ColchesterWoods Leisure Centre26 March 1974DouglasIsle of ManPalace Lido28 March 1974AberystwythWalesThe Great Hall29 March 1974PenzanceEnglandPenzance Gardens30 March 1974TauntonCounty Ballroom31 March 1974LondonRainbow Theatre2 April 1974BirminghamBarbarella's
Sheer Heart Attack Tour +TitleDatesAlbumContinentsShowsBandSheer Heart Attack Tour30 October 1974 – 1 May 1975Sheer Heart AttackEurope North America Asia76Queen The Sheer Heart Attack Tour was the second headlining concert tour, and first world tour by the band in support of their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack.
Background The band were soon back on the road and commenced their second tour as the headlining act, with nineteen concerts at eighteen different venues around the UK. The band rotated supporting acts, and the setlist contained much of the material from the new album Sheer Heart Attack. With more money to invest in a new stage show, the band wore new costumes for this tour and added an additional lighting rig, complete with state of the art stage effects. To conclude Queen's touring for the year, they extended the leg with mainland European shows, consisting of ten shows in six countries, performing over a two-and-a-half-week period. The year 1975 started with the American leg of the tour, before transferring to Japan. The tour would have been longer, but an accident involving the truck that transported their equipment meant it was not able to reach the remaining scheduled venues, which would have been a second American leg for the tour. In late February, on the North American tour, a handful of shows were cancelled due to Freddie Mercury's voice failing on him. After several doctor's visits, he was diagnosed with vocal fold nodules, which would impact him for the rest of his life. With this, several more shows were cancelled to allow for a more lenient touring schedule for his voice.