After getting some time on my hands, medication, drinks, and my head screwed on right - I present to you this two-source merge from Queen's final night at the Forum!
Thanks to Mr. Peter Wiley, I was able to transfer a new copy of this show. Before this new copy was available, the only copies of this show circulating were a rough-sounding version that is almost complete and a decent copy that is 51 minutes long. There was also a terrible copy of the original source that I attempted to remaster many years ago, but it sounds ghastly.
Peter's copy of the show has more tape hiss compared with the almost complete source (I'll call it source 1) but it has a better mix and no issues with hiss-reduction/filters on the sound. His copy misses a good chunk of "Now I'm Here," but has bits that are not on the other available copies (banter before "Save Me," slight bit of banter before "Fat Bottomed Girls," and more tape at the beginning of the show).
After going through the three sources, I have chosen to use the 51-minute "good" version with Peter's copy filling in the gaps and the missing songs. While the overall quality isn't great overall, it's the best I can do with the materials at hand. I wish there was a complete source with great quality out there - but you can't win them all.
Besides the missing songs on the 51-minute version, the other problem was the panning issues. Almost all of the songs were right channel dominant and there was hardly any information coming through the left channel. After several trial-and-error sessions, I finally got those issues under control without hampering the overall sound too much. Some of the songs on Peter's copy ("Fat Bottomed Girls through "Crazy") also had a similar problem. After careful work with the EQ and channel balancing I got the sound relatively stabilized.
On Peter's copy, the sound quality deteriorates somewhat after the last tape flip (between "Crazy" and "Bo Rhap") but it is still listenable. I debated whether to use the original audience copy on the last songs - but despite the slight distortion on the low end, Peter's copy still sounded slightly better in general.
Hope you enjoy this show!
Setlist:
1. Introduction *
2. Jailhouse Rock **
3. We Will Rock You (Fast) **
4. Let Me Entertain You **
5. Need Your Loving Tonight **
6. Play The Game **
7. Mustapha **
8. Death On Two Legs **
9. Killer Queen **
10. I'm In Love With My Car **
11. Somebody To Love **
12. Get Down Make Love **
13. You're My Best Friend */**
14. Save Me */**
15. Now I'm Here/Improv/Reprise **
16. Fat Bottomed Girls *
17. Love Of My Life *
18. Keep Yourself Alive/Tympani Solo *
19. Guitar Solo/Brighton Rock (Reprise) *
20. Crazy Little Thing Called Love *
21. Bohemian Rhapsody *
22. Tie Your Mother Down *
23. Sheer Heart Attack *
24. We Will Rock You *
25. We Are The Champions *
26. God Save The Queen *
* Peter Wiley tape
** 51-minute upgrade
Thanks to Peter for the one copy and Bob for the 51-minute copy!
ENJOY!!!
https://mega.nz/#F!6UEXzKwY!vsxEUt6_f813iR3DHK3e2Q
Gregsynth