Montreal '81 attendance figures

As someone has posted a topic regarding the attendance at Madrid '86 it reminded me that I've always doubted the attendance figures for the Montreal shows in '81.

The official attendance we have is 18000 per night, however, watching the bluray it looks nearer 8000 to 18000. I'm sorry but no way is there 18000 in that crowd.

Now I know people are going to say that it's clearly sold out and 18000 was the capacity of the forum but..... Queen only appear to be playing to half the arena! Instead of the stage being at one end it seems to be towards the centre of the arena.

Anyone agree, or have some official figures?

haven't seen official stats

things to consider:


1: of all the available Queen dvds - this is the one where you hardly see any crowd shots. during the first song though, there is a shot of the arena taken from the front, facing the end of the arena. looks alot more than 8000 to me. also, the seats all the way in the back seem to be filled

2: Queen was at THE PEAK of their american popularity. The Game went 5x platinum in Canada, and the record was only a year old at the time of the concerts. this would most likely be reflected in ticket sales

on a slightly different subject but still on Montreal- what were the crowd really like that night? I know obviously that Freddie wanted to end it during jailhouse rock and I've heard a lot about how unenthusiastic the crowd were, but during songs like love of my life they sang it brilliantly- and loudly!

Interesting that the "crappy Montreal audience" has worked its way into Queen mythology.

Freddie often wanted to end Jailhouse Rock. I can name at least a dozen shows where this happened. Here's one example from Osaka 82, where it originally started as Another One Bites The Dust, and Roger is clearly trying to segue back into Dust. Freddie wanted no part of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb1ik6sa_J8

The reason why people think the Montreal audience sucked is because the crowd were brought down in the mix for the original We Will Rock You VHS/DVD releases (there are almost always separate channels on the board for mics on the audience for a live album).

The crowd were brought up in the mix (accurately) for the Queen Rock Montreal release, and people said they thought the crowd noise was artificially pumped up ... despite the fact that whoever originally mixed the audio had no idea how to mix and EQ a rock band. The drums on the original releases sounded like tin cans.

The audience was just fine, like any other show. The audience tape reveals they were happy and enthusiastic. Queen were still one of the biggest bands around in 1981.

Here is a newspaper article, from the Montreal Gazette, that might enlighten some ...

Enjoy.

Great contribution Hugo. Thanks! I'm not sure what was more charming: the ticket price of $10.50 or the story at left about J.D. Salinger claiming to play goal for the Habs. :)

My mom was there.

:)

[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]

despite the fact that whoever originally mixed the audio had no idea how to mix and EQ a rock band.
.[/QUOTE]

Whilst the original mix now sounds dated to the superb mix on the reissue, I think to say that is a bit harsh - it was mixed by Mack who did have some history and was respected in this field. Saying that, he mixed too The Works and that's awful!

Ironically the new mix is the best live audio of Queen, and was done in the main by Justin Shirley Smith, who has royally fucked up Roger's drum sound on everything else he's touched.

Oh well turns out I'm wrong. Was comparing it to Rush, Exit Stage Left and there it appears a much larger arena?

Quite an interesting review, especially the part about queen not playing to the crowd until Bo Rap and the encores, I sort of agree.

I think the Queen Rock Montreal release is quite poor as well. I don't like how the drums sound. Same goes for Milton Keynes. What were they thinking? The original broadcast had a great snare sound, for example.

Honestly, I think that the Budapest release has the best audio of all Queen live releases. Everything is balanced. And Brian has that heavy sound which lacks on the Wembley release.

[QUOTE] [b]Rick wrote:[/b]

I think the Queen Rock Montreal release is quite poor as well. I don't like how the drums sound. Same goes for Milton Keynes. What were they thinking? The original broadcast had a great snare sound, for example.

Honestly, I think that the Budapest release has the best audio of all Queen live releases. Everything is balanced. And Brian has that heavy sound which lacks on the Wembley release.[/QUOTE]


I agree with you on MK - the snare on the re-release of that is atrocious, and there's not much kick drum either.

Budapest does sound really good - Wembley is ok, but as you point out, the guitar is really 'thin' on that for some reason and not like Brian's usual body and depth.

I'll beg to differ in that Montreal has my favourite drum sound of any of their live releases - just so much 'oomph' power and crack to the kick and toms, and the cymbals and hi hat are really alive too. (helped by the bass, the guitar and the vocals also sounding great at the same time for once.

I was at the first show and sat at the back of the Montreal forum . I can assure you that there were over 16,000 fans there going nuts ..the game was a #1 lp at the time
and the reason Montreal was chosen was because their previous shows in Montreal, the crowed was loader then the monitors..... this quote is from Rolling Stone Mag around 1980/81

I was at the first show and sat at the back of the Montreal forum . I can assure you that there were over 16,000 fans there going nuts ..the game was a #1 lp at the time
and the reason Montreal was chosen was because their previous shows in Montreal, the crowed was louder then the monitors..... this quote is from Rolling Stone Mag around 1980/81

Cool, thanks for the insight !

The audience tape speaks for itself. Freddie had them in the palm of his hand all night.

99% of newspaper reviews are statements about the reviewer, not the music. But who should let actual facts get in the way of a good story?

It's wise to believe first hand accounts. Unaltered tapes and people who were there should get first priority.

Yeah, if you hear the audience tape on the first Montreal show--they're going nuts! On Another One Bites The Dust, the crowd erupts!