Queen St James Park Newcastle 9th July 1986
Support acts: Status Quo, Zeno
The Magic Tour was the biggest and final tour by Queen. Over a million people saw them, making it one of the largest tours ever. The Magic Tour took in 26 dates around Europe’s stadiums, in support of their latest album A Kind of Magic. The UK leg of the tour played at Wembley Stadium, Manchester Maine Road, and Newcastle St James Park (which I attended). The tour ended with a massive show at Knebworth Park. Support acts for the Newcastle gig were Status Quo and Zeno (featuring Zeno Roth, the brother of Uli Roth). Status Quo had just reformed with a new line-up of original front men Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt, and new members Rhino (bass) and Jeff Rich (drums). It was good to see the mighty Quo back out on the road again, although it must be said that it was only a couple of years since their 1984 farewell “End of the Road” tour. I’m a big fan of Quo and continue to go and see them today. Their set was a classic hits sing (and rock) along. One song I miss is Dirty Water which was a great crowd favourite in the ’80s. 
Status Quo setlist: Whatever You Want; Paper Plane; Roll Over Lay Down; Little Lady; Mystery Song / Railroad / Most of the Time / Wild Side of Life / Rollin’ Home / Again and Again / Slow Train; Hold You Back; Don’t Drive My Car; Dirty Water; Rockin’ All Over the World; Big Fat Mama; Don’t Waste My Time; Roadhouse Blues. Encore: Caroline; Rain.
By 1986 Queen were in the groove of delivering mega stadium concerts, and Freddie had grown into a spectacular front man. The set consists of Queen classics, a few album tracks (some of which were not so good in my view) and great rock n roll covers. The tour was captured on the album Live Magic.
Queen setlist: One Vision; Tie Your Mother Down; In the Lap of the Gods… Revisited; Seven Seas of Rhye; Tear It Up; A Kind of Magic; Under Pressure; Another One Bites the Dust; Who Wants to Live Forever; 
I Want to Break Free; Impromptu; Now I’m Here; Love of My Life; Is This the World We Created…?; (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care/Hello Mary Lou/Tutti Frutti; Bohemian Rhapsody; Hammer to Fall; Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Encore 1: Radio Ga Ga. Encore 2: We Will Rock You; Friends Will Be Friends; We Are the Champions; God Save the Queen.
Queen ceased touring in 1987, due to Freddie’s illness. They would not tour again until 19 years later, when the Queen + Paul Rodgers Tour began in 2005, after the tragic death of Freddie Mercury on 24 November 1991, and the retirement of John Deacon in 1997.
11 Mar
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by jeffollerton on March 11, 2014 at 8:21 am
Am I mis-remembering? I recall that INXS were due to play but a problem with their tour bus (perhaps a crash?) meant that they couldn’t get to the gig in time, so Quo played a second set. I’ve no recollection of Zeno at all.
Posted by vintagerock on March 11, 2014 at 8:29 am
Inxs did play at the Wembley gig, and were rumoured for the Newcastle gig. Not sure why they didn’t play. I don’t think Quo played a second set, but could be wrong. To be honest I don’t recall Zeno either; they would have played by the time I arrived. They are billed as having played. Can any one else remind us both ? 🙂 Cheers Peter
Posted by Andy on July 18, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Wow – I was searching my childhood memories of attending the Newcastle gig , and definitely INXS were due to play – but their bus did indeed crash.
Posted by Jon Spencer on August 14, 2014 at 10:15 am
I was at that gig and inxs never turned up due to helicopter problems if I remember rightly, Status Quo did a double length gig. I cannot remember Zeno but might have been in the working men’s club having a pint.
Posted by vintagerock on August 14, 2014 at 10:56 am
Thanks Jon Cheers Peter
Posted by Mel_Drew on January 2, 2015 at 1:45 pm
I was there in Newcastle. I’ve always thought that the second support was supposed to be Big Country, although you’re all right in saying that they didn’t arrive – bus problem we heard – and Quo did indeed do a longer stint. Just a shame that Queen couldn’t do the same. Dunno where all this crap about Zeno?? came from. They certainly weren’t there.
Posted by Neil Brown on July 10, 2016 at 10:12 am
Just to clear it up, Zeno did indeed open up the Queen show at St. James. INXS were due to be playing but from what I remember of the stage announcements on the day, the members of INXS were actually at the venue but their gear was stuck in traffic following a crash on the M1, so Zeno were drafted in at short notice as a replacement.
Posted by deancoulson on July 24, 2016 at 10:23 am
Just come across this site after finding my original ticket for the gig in a box.
Zeno were indeed there, a german rock band. I was only 14 at the time and was in from the start. INXS were due to play but were involved in some crash on the A1 (or a crash prevented them from attending) so Quo played an extended set to cover. an immense evening.
Posted by Dangerous Brian on August 8, 2017 at 5:48 pm
I was also there. If I remember correctly Harvey Goldsmith made an announcement explaining that all the gear belonging to INXS was stuck on the motorway and they could not play, but please be patient as Status Quo are backstage rehearsing more songs. Zeno opened up and I thought they were terrible; lots of screeching guitars. Quo were fantastic but Queen were MAGIC (see what I did there).
Posted by Blue Boy on April 24, 2018 at 8:01 pm
Zeno were most definitely there, although I don’t remember much as I fainted during the Quo set due to an illness, a virus apparently. I had just met my future wife before the gig, but never went on first date until weeks later was because of this virus!
Anyway, as bad as Zeno were in your view, I became a huge fan of their music from the end of 1986 as my brother bought me their first album on a one of those newfangled things then a CD! I have collected all of their music since. Check them out, great band, excellent singer Michael Flexig, and guitar maestro, Zeno Roth, yes, Uli Jon Roth’s brother. As I said great band, but a very German band!
Sadly, and the reason I have come across this blog and am writing in reply to this post is I have just read that Zeno died on 6 February this year 2018 after long illness. Wonderful guitar player and songwriter, will be sadly missed by those in the music world and his many fans.
Posted by geordie Hunter on August 6, 2020 at 7:58 am
we sneaked in for the second half of the set …..
Posted by vintagerock on August 6, 2020 at 8:52 am
Happy days Geordie cheers Peter
Posted by Kev Bell on October 23, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Just found this. I was there too, at the tender age of 11. My first gig and with my parents too 😀 . I remember all of the same. Bus issue for INXS and I seem to remember it was their gear, not them. Definitely remember the longer Quo set.
Posted by vintagerock on October 24, 2020 at 10:05 am
Thanks Kev happy days cheers Peter
Posted by Gavin on January 19, 2023 at 12:27 am
I was living in Hebburn and was 13 when this concert took place, I remember it vividly, because I was a huge fan and desperately wanted to go, my brother recalls trying to get tickets but the demand was overwhelming, long and short, we didn’t go. Remember our kid saying, ah we’ll see them next time, little did we know … looking at your previous posts and seeing them at the legendary Newcastle city hall, what can I say, I’m really quite jealous, which is a bit tragic given I’m coming up 50! But hey in rock n roll you never grow up eh.
Posted by vintagerock on January 19, 2023 at 11:08 am
Yes keep in that mindset Gavin. Rock ‘n’ roll can keep us all young! Happy days Peter