Queen – Budapest (3xLP, 40th Anniversary Edition)

Queen's Budapest captures a genuinely unusual moment in rock history: the band's July 27, 1986 show at Budapest's Népstadion, staged during a period of political change as Queen became the first Western rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain. The scale was extraordinary, with 80,000 tickets sold and an estimated 45,000 more listening outside the stadium, including fans who had travelled from Russia and Poland. Issued here for the first time on vinyl, the album marks the concert's 40th anniversary with newly remixed audio from the original multitrack recordings.

It also carries extra weight in Queen's story. This was the last filmed live performance by the band with Freddie Mercury, and it came just weeks before their final tour date together at Knebworth on August 9, 1986. The set shows how broad Queen's live show had become by the Magic Tour era, moving easily between arena-sized anthems, theatrical set-pieces and playful detours.

That range is part of the appeal here. Alongside staples such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure and We Are the Champions, the performance is remembered for Freddie Mercury and Brian May's rendition of the Hungarian folk song Tavaszi Szél Vizet Áraszt, a moment that underlines how much this concert meant to the crowd. For Queen fans, Budapest is more than another live souvenir: it documents a night when the band's stagecraft, timing and historical setting all lined up.

Features

• 3xLP, 33RPM, 180g, Black Vinyl, 40th Anniversary Edition
• First time on vinyl
• Remixed from the original multitrack recordings
• Gatefold sleeve
• Recorded July 27, 1986 at Budapest's Népstadion

Reviews

• the performance is a ripping one - AllMusic.com
• This spectacular concert-movie shows the band at the height of their powers - The Guardian