On Fire: Live at the Bowl (2004)
Disc One
1. Flash
2. The Hero
3. We Will Rock You (Fast)
4. Action this Day
5. Play the Game
6. Staying Power
7. Somebody to Love
8. Now I'm Here
9. Dragon Attack
10.Now I'm Here (Reprise)
11.Love of My Life
12.Save Me
13.Black Chat
Disc Two
1. Get Down, Make Love
2. Guitar Solo
3. Under Pressure
4. Fat Bottomed Girls
5. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
6. Bohemian Rhapsody
7. Tie Your Mother Down
8. Another One Bites the Dust
9. Sheer Heart Attack
10.We Will Rock You
11.We Are the Champions
12.God Save the Queen
This is one of those albums that sneaks out long after the band has essentially hung it up — the kind of release that feels more like a nod to nostalgia (and a nudge to the wallet) than anything resembling a necessary addition. By this point, of course, there was no more "new" Queen. Freddie Mercury had passed away more than a decade earlier, but that didn’t stop the releases from coming. Compilations, rarities, box sets, remixes — you name it. If it had Queen’s name on it, chances are it still had a market.
Now, to be fair, there had already been three live albums in the official catalog by this point: the late-'70s document Live Killers, and two records from their 1986 Magic Tour — the sprawling Live at Wembley and the more compact Live Magic. So this one, taken from a 1982 performance at the Milton Keynes Bowl, sort of slides in between — chronologically and stylistically.
What makes it interesting, though, is that it doesn’t feel like a retread. There’s a different energy here — a bit more grit, a little less spectacle. The band still sounds sharp, the setlist is strong, and there’s a noticeable tightness to the performance. It feels like a proper arena show without being overblown. And compared to the sheer scale of Wembley, this one comes off a bit more personal, which is a welcome change of pace.
Of course, being 1982, the band was touring in support of Hot Space — not exactly their career highlight. So, yes, some of the material from that record shows up here, and no, it doesn’t help the cause much. Even with a crowd that seems genuinely thrilled to be there, it’s hard to pretend those tracks aren’t dragging things down just a touch.
Still, taken as a whole, this is a solid entry in Queen’s live arsenal. It may not have been strictly necessary, but it earns its place by offering a slightly different slice of the band’s history. And for those who want to complete the live trilogy, this is a worthy chapter — even if it came a few decades later than expected.
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