This disc is being sold by major retailers as a Japanese EMI import but is allegedly a Russian bootleg. Regardless, it is a beautiful package and the two live shows on this disc document what a powerful live act Queen was early in their career. Both shows are sourced from radio broadcasts and are bookended around the release of the band's under-appreciated Queen II album.

The first show captures the band a month after Queen II was recorded but six months prior to the album's release. During this show, the band premiers three songs from Queen II and goes out with a 50's rock medley that was dropped from the band's set by the following year. The recording is crisp and clear - my only complaint is that the mix is off and Freddie's voice isn't as loud as the instruments.

Queen in Concert From Golders Green Hippodrome,
London, September 13, 1973
01. Alan Black Introduction (00:20)
02. Procession (01:22)
03. Father To Son (05:21)
04. Son And Daughter (07:21)
05. See What A Fool I've Been (04:39)
06. Ogre Battle (04:50)
07. Band Introduction (00:28)
08. Liar (07:38)
09. Jailhouse Rock (02:07)
10. Stupid Cupid (00:15)
11. Be Pop A Lula (00:45)
12. Jailhouse Rock (Reprise) (00:42)
13. Big Spenser (01:10)
14. Bama Lama Bama Loo (02:11)



The second show was recorded a few weeks after Queen II was released and shows the band already switching up the set list. The 50's medley has been dropped and the band is playing a slightly different mix of songs from the first two Queen albums.

In Concert From Rainbow Theatre
London, March 31, 1974
15. Procession (01:10)
16. Father To Son (05:44)
17. Ogre Battle (05:04)
18. Son And Daughter (07:36)
19. Keep Yourself Alive (04:05)
20. Seven Seas Of Rhye (03:01)
21. Modern Times Rock'n'Roll (02:45)
22. Liar (07:44)

(Note: YouTube video cuts halfway through the song)


Sadly, this is the sort of recording that should have been used as the bonus disc for the 2011 reissue of Queen II rather than the cobbled-together five tracks (~20 min) that EMI did release.

Links:
Queen