THE MIRACLE GAME

 2 CD 

Label: Tarantura TCDQ-2-1,2
Country: Japan
Released: June 2009
Recorded: Bodokan Hall, Tokyo,  Japan  February 16th. 1981.
Sound: Audience recording.
Comments:  Ltd . fold-out cardboard sleeve. Nice bootleg from Japanese Tarantura label.. A new tape source of a previously released show, but thisone has a bit better sound. The ultimate bootleg of this concert..
The second Queen bootleg title from this great Japanese Tarantura label, which is well known for their nice Led Zeppelin bootlegs.
Roots: From a new tape source. Best quality of this concert so far.
Time:  61:39/ 51:03


Front &
Back cover


Inside fold out cover

 Disc 1
 01. Opening
 02. 'Thunder & Lighting'
 03. Jailhouse Rock
 04. We Will Rock You
 05. Let Me Entertain You
 06. Play The Game
 07. Medley: Mustapha
 08.              Death On Two Legs
 09.              Killer Queen
 10.              I'm In Love With My Car
 11. Get Down Make Love
 12. Rock It (Prime Jive)
 13. Save Me
 14. Now I'm Here
 15. Everybody All Right  (Freddie's vocal communication)
 16. Dragon Attack
 17. Now I'm Here (reprise)
 18. Love Of My Life 
 Disc 2
 01. Keep Yourself Alive
 02. Drum Solo
 03. In The Death Cell
 04. Execution Of Flash
 05. Guitar Solo
 06. Vultan's Theme
 07. Battle Theme
 08. Flash's Theme
 09. The Hero
 10. Crazy Little Thing Called Love
 11. Bohemian Rhapsody
 12. Tie Your Mother Down
 13. Another One Bites The Dust
 14. Sheer Heart Attack
 15. We Will Rock You
 16. We Are The Champions
 17. God Save The Queen  (tape)
 18. Announcement 

  

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Review by Bootleg Encyclopedia

The Miracle Game is the second Queen release on the Tarantura label and like many of their releases in the past three years utilizes a previously uncirculated Mr. Peach recording.  Like a majority of the other tapes, this is a phenomenal sounding, three dimensional stereo audience tape with capturing the entire performance.  This is the second new tape from the February 16th show to surface in the past five years and follows the release of Prime Jive (Wardour-030) in 2005.  The Mr. Peach recording is significantly better then the other two and is the best sounding tape from all five shows in Tokyo on this short tour.

The setlist follows closely that utilized on the Game tour the previous year with the cover tune “Jailhouse Rock” starting the show.  It was a surprising yet effective opener followed by the fast “We Will Rock You” and “Let Me Entertain You.”    

“Mustapha” opens the medley and after the initial four “Ibrahim” Freddie jokes with the audience leading them to sing “Arrah” instead of “Allah.”  It is followed by “Death On Two Legs,” “Killer Queen” and “I’m In Love With My Car,” all pretty much standard inclusions in these tours.  The rendition of “Get Down, Make Love” is especially notable in performance this night with the contrasting guitar themes setting the teeth on edge.  Afterwards Freddie says, “We’re gonna do a new song tonight, one we haven’t done before.  This is a song written by Roger Taylor.”  Playing “Rock It” seems to be a chore for Freddie and although he gives a great vocal performance, he quips during the song “I gotta get that high note” after the first verse and, after hitting it, jokes “I really didn’t think I could do that.”

The long “Now I’m Here” impromptu includes Freddie trying to get a beat going before “we’re gonna swing to some ‘Dragon Attack’ and you’re gonna get us stared, honey” to Taylor.  ”Love Of My Life” is introduced by Brian as usual and is the only acoustic number in the set.  This simple arrangement with only Freddie and Brian is such a contrast with the studio version with the piano and stringed instruments to provide the emotional undertow.   It is a credit to Freddie as songwriter that the same emotional force is conveyed in both versions. 

“Keep Yourself Alive” begins the centerpiece of the set list, a twenty minute musical extravaganza.  Taylor has a three minute drum solo before May begins his guitar solo which, surprisingly, isn’t dominated by the expected ”Brighton Rock” and “Son & Daughter” motifs.  A bit of “In The Death Cell” from the Flash Gordonsoundtrack is present.  Tarantura track a section as “Execution Of Flash” which is not really played although the guitar riffs there bear a passing resemblance.  “Vultan’s Theme” sounds very powerful in this clear recording and are segued with the the battle theme before they play the only single from the album, “Flash” (with Freddie playing discordant notes on the piano) and “The Hero.”

“Another One Bites The Dust” starts the lengthy encore set which includes the first three songs on News Of The World, “Sheer Heart Attack,” “We Will Rock You” and a triumphant “We Are The Champions.”  Seventeen seconds of the post concert announcements closes the recording.  The Miracle Gameis packaged in a gatefold sleeve with several photos from the event.  It is again surprising that Tarantura are able to produce such an amazing sounding recording almost thirty years after the event and just as they released the definitive recording from Queen’s 1975 visit to Japan they have likewise the definitive recording of the 1981 tour.