Queen - Live in San Diego, CA - 5th July 1980 (2025 QLR Remaster)

Original upload:    • Queen - Live in San Diego (July 5th, 1980)...  

The pictures was taken by Neal Preston.

Tour:    • The Game Tour (1980 - 1981)   | Leg 1: North America
Date: 5th July 1980
Venue: San Diego Sports Arena
City: San Diego, California, USA
Attendance: ca. 11,500

Used recording(s):
• Audience recording by John Purlia (A): 2x SuperScope stereo mics ► Marantz SuperScope CD320 cassette recorder ► 2x Maxell XL-II cassettes ► Audacity ► AIFF ► WAV ► San Diego 1980 - Wardour 479 2CD ► fre:ac Rip ► FLAC Level 8 ► foobar2000 (tracks merged into one) ► Audacity (Speed-corrected, both discs merged together) ► iZotope RX 10 (Azimuth alignment, EQ, Spectral De-noise) ► Audacity (Further edits) ► CUE Tools (tracks re-split) ► FLAC level 8
2025 Remaster by ‪@queenliverarities‬

This concert marks the fourth show of Queen’s first tour of the 1980s, The Game Tour. Thanks to the massive success of both the album and its singles in the US, the record and tour are widely regarded as Queen’s triumph over North America. For about a year, they would stand among the biggest bands in the world. Fittingly, this became their longest North American trek, spanning 44 shows across three legs.

Not every stop sold out, particularly in the US heartland, but the tour captured Queen at the height of their powers, having finally conquered the largest music market. The performances are electrifying, with Freddie managing to maintain superb vocal form for most of the run. American audiences were equally passionate, often verging on wild behaviour. This night was no exception: with Independence Day having been celebrated the day before, many fans brought leftover firecrackers, which can be heard going off throughout the show - consider yourself warned. The crowd’s reactions to certain songs are nothing short of explosive.

The setlist for this historic run was essentially a streamlined version of the Crazy Tour repertoire, with a few fresh additions. On the first leg (June - July 1980), these included “Play the Game” as well as “Rock It” and “Need Your Loving Tonight”, usually performed in rotation althought tonight both are played. “Somebody to Love” occasionally appeared in the medley but was mostly dropped in 1980. Additional Game tracks, most notably the hit single “Another One Bites the Dust”, wouldn’t join the set until the August leg, though the song gets referenced tonight and at the Inglewood show during “Now I’m Here.”

Freddie is in a particularly playful mood at the piano, sprinkling unique flourishes throughout the medley and even slipping in a snippet of “Ming’s Theme” from Flash Gordon before “You’re My Best Friend.” Later, he and the band launch into a short, one-off jam ahead of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” making this show a standout snapshot of Queen at their most inventive. As we're very early into the tour, there are a few blemishes - Brian has some trouble during "Play the Game" and Freddie completely butchers "Need Your Loving Tonight" due to forgotten lyrics.

00:00:00 - Cheering
00:00:24 - 01. Intro (tape)
00:02:19 - 02. Jailhouse Rock
00:03:59 - 03. We Will Rock You (fast)
00:06:48 - 04. Let Me Entertain You
00:09:51 - 05. Play the Game
00:14:30 - 06. Mustapha
00:17:17 - 07. Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...)
00:20:17 - 08. Killer Queen
00:22:22 - 09. I'm in Love with My Car
00:24:24 - 10. Get Down, Make Love
00:30:27 - 11. Ming's Theme / You're My Best Friend
00:34:08 - 12. Save Me
00:38:23 - 13. Now I'm Here / Another One Bites the Dust
00:46:35 - 14. Need Your Loving Tonight
00:50:09 - 15. Rock It (Prime Jive)
00:55:45 - 16. Love of My Life
00:59:29 - 17. Keep Yourself Alive
01:03:19 - 18. Timpani Solo
01:05:20 - 19. Guitar Solo
01:11:36 - 20. Brighton Rock (ending)
01:12:41 - 21. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
01:18:50 - 22. Bohemian Rhapsody
01:24:10 - 23. Tie Your Mother Down
e n c o r e
01:30:14 - 24. Sheer Heart Attack
e n c o r e
01:35:09 - 25. We Will Rock You
01:37:31 - 26. We Are the Champions
01:41:04 - 27. God Save the Queen (tape)

You can download every show I've uploaded either on queenboots.live or the Queen Forum (queenchat.boards.net)!