The long-awaited DVD release of what was formerly known as the We Will Rock You concert video, now titled Queen Rock Montreal by Queen does justice to the classic hard rock band’s image as ambitious, super-talented songwriters and stadium-conquering performers. In other words, it was totally worth the wait (and released late last year).

The DVD captures the best of the quartet’s two-night stand in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on November 24 and 25, 1981, which, as fate would have it was ten years to the date before singer Freddie Mercury died of AIDS. It’s a historic release too, as the shows that were filmed were the first ever by any group to be recorded on full cinema format 35mm. They were also the only shows Queen ever filmed in their entirety, and the sound and video has been remastered; you can watch the DVD in PCM Stereo or DTS Surround Sound.

It’s true that you could get a 2-DVD version of this release that also includes Queen’s famous Live Aid performance. But if you’re worried about getting your dollar’s worth with this single DVD, have no such fear, as 26 tracks will keep you busy and entertained for a long time. Also, Queen setlists during this tour didn’t change much from night to night, so even though two short versions of “Flash” and “The Hero” are not shown on this DVD (because they were never filmed), it feels like a full show at just under 100 minutes. [You can, however find those two tracks on the CD version of this release]

From the start of the show and throughout the film, it was clear the fearless foursome came to play and play hard and tight. A hyper-fast, semi-punk rock version of “We Will Rock You” got much of the 18,000-strong Canadians into it immediately, which was followed by a string of pure hard rock tracks and sophisticated, epic rock mixed with symphonic/Broadway-ish guitar and piano interplay. Songs like “Killer Queen” and much later, the explosive mega hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” exemplify that latter side of their sound.

Queen may have had hits that defined “stadium rock” — think “We Are The Champions” and “WWRY” — but as they show on the DVD, they could be as heavy as Black Sabbath (”Let Me Entertain You,” “Dragon Attack”) or just plain rock your socks off like Boston (”Tie Your Mother Down”). And the red hot riffs to those songs and more are executed to perfection by Brian May on his “Red Special” guitar and John Deacon on bass guitar.

There’s something in the water in England that has apparently produced so many memorable rock and roll frontmen since the original “British Invasion” in the mid-1960s. Roger Daltrey, Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, Ozzy Osbourne and David Bowie are just some of the legendary English lads who have and continue to influence rock and rollers the world over.

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