Is Houston 1977 really that good ?

I know everybody is always making topics about the "great wonderfull" houston 1977 concert, so I apologize for making another topic about this. But I've to say someting and I'm very interested in your reactions. Everybody is always saying that this is a very good concert. Some even say that it's Queen's best concert. I absolutely don't agree with this. I have the audio files of this concert. So I can only give an opinion about how they played. I don't think they played that good. Let's have a look at how the bandmembers played :

Freddie : he was in great shape. Great vocals and great guitar playing.
Brian : he plays a lot of mistakes. He plays very nervously I think.
John : he was in great shape. He plays a lot of extra things in the songs. Listen to Get down make love, Tie your mother down, we are the champions, etc.
Roger : he is playing bad. He doesn't play fixed. You can count with his playing if you're not sure. It's very disorderly. Although I like his solo in KYA. he also sings false sometimes.

Conclusion : 2 bandmembers were really good.
I don't want to be too complaining (because there is also a lot of great stuff) but I don't think this is Queen's best show. I think people overrate this concert because of the myth around it.

What is your opinion about this "Houston 1977 concert" ???

It was a myth. Great gig, because not so many heard it...
BUT- it's still good IMO. Far from being greatest, but... AND ALSO- it's one of the best sounding ones, isn't it? Many ppl claim taht Earls Court or Hammy'75 are that awesome simply because they sound so perfect. But was the performance that good...?
Houston's the same. hammy'79 is muuuch better performance. Houston IS good, I love Fred's voice on this one. Brian did some mistakes but I like guitar sound on this boot- very crounchy. I lkie it- it's enjoyable, it's actually great, BUT it's nowhere near being the greatest performances they ever gave...
PS
Well it's much better than the bloody Wembley'86...

Freddie plays guitar? Are you sure???

Rick "The King" wrote:

Freddie plays guitar? Are you sure???

gheghe. srry. My mistake. It has to be "great piano playing".

"Sings false" ? I keep reading this fucking expression on unofficial Queen sites and forums. Explain how he is singing "false" would you!??! It sounds like youre talking in broken English.

the_hero wrote:

there are better shows

Yes, but Houston is top notch of 1977, together with the two New York 1977 nights. It's really a good show, but indeed not THE best.

Negative Creep wrote:

It sounds like youre talking in broken English.

He probably is. Your punctuation isn't up to much. Is English your first language?

It's my favorite show

BTW Wembley ain't bloody, it's quit good.
Apart from that quality is a very important piont.

I would easily place it in the top ten of Queen boots.

Based on Houston's great sound, it is the best News of the World era boot to have. Add to this Love of my Life with a studio feel minus the football chants, a different slow version of We Will Rock You (with more of Brian Guitar's in the beginning and Roger's sycopated rythm), Keep Yourself Alive done with occasional electric drums in the solo, a different guitar solo, and a great version of Liar.

I think this is a great show; however, I did notice that Brian wasn't at his best. The solo in Somebody To Love for instance, he absolutely butchered it. I guess even the greatest guitar player in the world sucks sometimes.

I think the show buries Earls Court IMHO! Brian made mistakes on Milton Keynes yet that was released.

Yeah, Houston is way better then Earls Court, if you talk about the performance. The atmosphere is better at Earls Court.

Great sound, Great performance... but the audience wasn't participative. That's why the show wasn't so good to me.

To me every concert is great as long as the sound/bootleg quality is good. I know there were ups and downs and some my say that Freddie had a great voice that night or bad the other, that Brian did this and Roger did that and John did whatever. But the bottom line is that it is a live performance and nobody's perfect. In fact, I enjoy variety of sound and band's live interpretation of songs; and would rather listen to any concert rather than a studio recording. Queen had a great energy on stage and they played fantastic any day any night. So enjoy the show.
I would also like to thank all seeders for sharing all these great performances. Cheers!

Yes it is that good, so what if Brian played badly, whats new ?.

I had a bit of a play around with my version and added some effects, used some compression to balance the sound a bit it really pushes that audience volume up, added some EQ to boost the top end to brighten the sound a little and added some delay and reverb to stop it sounding so dry, it now has a very similar overall sound to Live Killers and sounds 100 x better than before.