Queen live at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK [24.11.1979]
Basic information
Artist
Queen
Date
24.11.1979
Venue
National Exhibition Centre
City
Birmingham
Country
UK
Support band
none or unknown
Video - information
doesn't exist - if you have any footage, please contact me
Line-up
Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano, tambourine, acoustic guitar),
Brian May (electric guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano),
Roger Taylor (drums, lead vocals, backing vocals, timpani, tambourine),
John Deacon (bass guitar)
Memorabilia
ticket stub (from my own collection)
concert program (from my own collection)
concert poster (from my own collection)
backstage pass
backstage pass
Fan stories
Written by Mark
I am now age 39, and the number "39 means so much to me after all of these years.
Age 15, my aunty bought me a Queen ticket for my Birthday for the Novemeber '79 concert at the NEC. This concert was in Hall 1 of the National Exhibition Centre, in the days before they built the arena. It was my first big concert, I was a mad Queen fan, and new nearly every word of every song up to and including "Jazz" at that time... every guitar riff, and wished I had a pair of leopard skins like Roger. Finally, I would get to see them live.
Somehow, after seeing many bands over the years, and Queen again in 1980 and 1986 at Wembley, I will always remember this night, for me, it serves as a yardstick for every other gig since.
The day started with me travelling to a friends house, where the three of us would set off by train to the NEC at about 12 noon. The conversation was mainly discussing Freddies change to the Leather Biker jacket image of "Crazy" from the Leotard days. Would we see the Live Killers show? What numbers would they do etc etc.
We arrived to merge in to an already formidable queue inside one of the adjoining halls, we stayed their squatted on the floor, the atmosphere grew - the queue became larger and larger, winding around inside the hall like a huge snake. I remember the only entrance to the Hall being a double door arangement that was quickly bursting at the hinges, bouncers were struggling to control the hoardes, you could see the sweat dripping off these guys. Finally at about 6PM, they opened the doors. Thousands of fans converged on the doors... eventually I made it through and ran along with hundreds of others to approximately midway down Hall 1, where I sat down and eyed the stage. A huge covered roof affair obscured the view of any instruments... no lights... no instruments. Looking up I could see huge plywood boards... baffles coloured red and blue.
For the next two hours we were subject to some classical music tracks - I have no idea what it was... who it was by... it seemed endless. Whenever the music faded a roar grew... deafening whistles... only to be subject to more of the classical music... the crowd boo'ed and jeered with impatience.
During this period I had decided to make my way toward the stage... pushing my way through... using the old "My Girlfriends over there" excuse... I was hot, squashed... confined... the crowd grew restless... more classical music... more jeering... more fading... more classical etc etc. This was the ultimate "whip 'em up" approach... not a support band playing similar music, but an old vinyl of some classical concerto.
I remember looking at my watch... it was 8PM... they were due on at 8 PM... more classical... more Jeers... then BANG!!... no lights.
The crowd were moving... I was swaying... cheers... whistles... A lightning bolt flash that scared me witless. The stage roof lifted slowly... dry ice everywhere... and right in front of me about 6 feet away stood Brian with a huge rhinstone encrusted cape, Freddie was prancing and we were into "Let Me Entertain You" (no, it wasn't the fast beat We Will Rock You - that came next). The stage roof had lifted to reveal what I had seen before as the front cover of "Live Killers". I looked back to the crowd and all I could see were banners and scarves: "We Are the Champions", "are you Ready Freddie".
I cannot remember the whole set list, although I do remember Mustapha, Bicycle race, Fat Bottomed Girls, Champions, Bohemian as well as Now I'm here / Brighton Rock, Spread Your Wings, Love Of My Life, and the little skiffle type show they put on at the front of the stage for '39.
'39 is memorable because Freddie threw his maracas out into the crowd and they landed just behind me, where there was the most raging battle for ownership, unfortunately I lost the battle, and picked up a nice "gash on the right cheek bone from someones wristwatch.
Although the '86 Wembley gig was superb and their swansong tour, Queen's career in '79 was in my opinion their peak, the smaller venues, indoors, all standing, the atmosphere for a 15 year old fan on the 24th November 1979 in hall 1 of the NEC can never be matched.
Written by Jonathan Hanley
To add to Mark's memories of that day (mine are identical, I could have written it!), the classical music that went on and on and on was The Planets by Holst. I've still got my Crazy Tour scarf from that day. It's a fantastic memory and was the best concert I have ever been to!
Written by Andrew Watson
My first ever gig... a few track in... all lights off... spotlight of Freddie sitting on the shoulders of Darth Vader (David Prowse who is best known in the UK for being the 'green cross code' man). Prowse was dressed as superman with red cloak, Freddie has the white satin body suit with hanging material from the cuffs to the knee... he then started singing Bohemian Rhapsody... what a night!
Written by Antony Hunt
I was at Birmingham concert 24th November 1979, L4 ticket. It was my first rock concert of many but still the best. I remember the 2 hours of classical music & standing only a few feet from the stage with my school friends all of us aged 16. I remember thinking that there was some wood obstructing my view of the drums, then shortly after 8pm, the wood started to lift because it was actually their lighting set, the lights went out, the classical music stopped, there was an explosion of lights & my Rock Gods were there right in front of me. It was a magical experience.
Nearly 40 years later I was running a cafe in London when Brian May came in with his son Jimmy. I said to Brian: "I saw you live in Birmingham on 24th November 1979". He said "how do you remember that date?" And I replied "I've got the ticket framed & 24th November is the same date that Freddie died". "So it is", he replied. We had a photo & he ordered a well done, Brie & Cranberry toasted Sandwich. Photos on this link, https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/iHQNmz1vThvXc3wAwmwb8287XlDfvTYQ9fKO4L3m13D