Interesting pic from the Autumn 1984 fan club mag here.
Is this Brussels, or a rehearsal studio?
Brian is seen with a watchful eye over things, so certainly it's early in the tour, if not before...
I would say it is Brussels because :
1 : the 2 grey stairs lead right into the audience pit , this would be quite unuasual. Same stairs leading strait to the standing stalls places can be seen on this picture : http://queenlive.ca/queen/live%20pics/84-08-25_Brussels_01.jpg
2 : The PA system is up hanging on the ceiling : many gigs e.g. Leiden the venues were not able to carry the weight of the system so it is (partly) build up on stage
3: Mrs Stickels is seen on the left of the picture : this is merly speculation , but would she travel along ? Though it was the end of the summer holiday (date of Brussels) but when they had any young childeren they should go to school and she , if there were any childeren, could not travel all over Europe to follow Queen. This is just a speculation.
Let me explain Frankfurt had the hanging PA system as well : this show was played at september 26th. when they had kids they should go to school I gues. This would narrowed the possiblity down that mrs. Stickels traveled along...
Still my biggest point the grey staris on the left and right leading into the audience pit....
The photo was taken in Brussels. It was either taken the day before the show, they had a spare day to iron out set up complications, or the day after. The main give away is the position of the FOH lighting desk. It's very close to the stage and not on it's usual platform next to the sound desk. The steps on both sides of the stage leading from the Atena floor are only there to make getting to and from the stage easier.
The post about Leiden isn't accurate. The Arena ceiling has had both PA and lighting flown from it. However it is a Relitivly low wide ceiling for an Arena. On The Works tour given those facts Trip thought to get the best of the acoustics he'd stack most of the system rather than fly it. Remember that the PA isn't flown in the same place as the lighting so loads are spread over different girders. The full Works Tour lighting rig weighed about 12 tons, there was an option to cut that weight down by only using half the centre section. Had it been down to weight restrictions they would have used this option over not having the PA in the best possible location for sound.
Jings!
I had forgotten how impressive that rig was
their best by miles!
It's such a pity that the audio from that tour was as it was (on video at least) and Freddie's voice was so tired
Should have been their best ever tour
Where those steps are on the right hand side is exactly where I was stood for the 2nd Brussels show.
So close to Brian it felt like I could touch him. (Though patently I couldn't)
(It was a fabulous venue in the 80's, I wonder if it has changed much since then)
What a fabulous photo. Definitely my favourite staging of any Queen tour.
Wow. With simply a natural camera the beauty of the spectacle there really shows. It's a shame the video recordings from this era seem so grainy and washed out
mooghead wrote:
"Brian is seen with a watchful eye over things,"
Is that not Brian on the right of the stage going up the step?
I don't think so, the guy in the "audience" looks more like Brian. And the guy next to him, scratching his ass, might be Freddie?
Perhaps they're discussing the Hammer to Fall promo video in some capacity?
Ghostwithasmile is BACK! wrote:
I would say it is Brussels because :
1 : the 2 grey stairs lead right into the audience pit , this would be quite unuasual. Same stairs leading strait to the standing stalls places can be seen on this picture : http://queenlive.ca/queen/live%20pics/84-08-25_Brussels_01.jpg
..
The steps on the stage lead up to a raised platform, there was one each side of the stage, usually hidden by four Clair Brothers s4 PA cabs.
Great pic, if you look on the opposite side of the stage there is a video camera set up in front of the piano