David Bowie/Tokyo,Japan 2004 2 Days

“A REALITY JAPAN TOUR 2004” was Bowie’s last visit to Japan. A masterpiece video that lets you experience the scene has been decided to be released. This work includes two performances “March 8th + 9th, 2004: Nippon Budokan”. It is a 2-disc set with each disc containing the best audience shots from each performance. First of all, let’s check the position of the show on the schedule at that time. ・March 8: Nippon Budokan [Disc 1 of this work] ・March 9: Nippon Budokan [Disc 2 of this work] ・March 11: Osaka Castle Hall [Disc 1: March 8] The scene is, The beauty that touches your heart. This is an audience shot taken from the front of the stage, but perhaps because they were in the front row of the second floor seats (or should I call them the first floor since it’s a Budokan), there was no obstruction between the stage and the camera. This is an angle where you can look directly at Bowie without being obstructed by anything. What’s even more amazing is the camera work. I boldly zoom in on Bowie, but even when I zoom in so far that the waist up fills the screen, there is almost no camera shake. It seems that he was a very skilled photographer, and was able to capture Bowie as he walked around the stage while keeping his eyes on the camera with a great sense of stability. To be honest, there are so many zooms that it is difficult to understand the entire show, but that can be left to the official video “A REALITY TOUR”. Considering the significance of the live performance, there is no way that the video that follows Bowie endlessly is bad. What’s more, the sound is wonderful, befitting the scene with no obstructions, and the singing voice that reaches you straight into your heart seems to pierce your heart. There were very few cheers, and all I could remember was Bowie’s singing voice and facial expressions. Coupled with the zoom-heavy screen, you can almost feel like Bowie is singing for you. And the show drawn with that quality is just wonderful. The biggest highlight is “China Girl.” At the beginning of the performance, when inviting the audience to sing along, he gave the sign, “Yes, please,” and even though he cursed, “It’s terrible, it’s the worst!”, his face was all smiles. Of course, you can also witness Japan’s last “Life On Mars?”. Bowie’s figure emerges from the darkness. It looks like you’ll be drawn in by the earnest singing voice. This is the on-site feeling that can only be achieved through video. [Disc 2: March 9th] Disc 2 is the second day of the Japanese martial arts plan. It is an audience shot taken from the second floor seat slightly to the right of the stage, but this is also amazing. Even on the second floor, there was no shadow of the arms or heads of the front row, probably because he was in the front row, and the video uses a lot of intense zoom to focus on Bowie. If you pull back as hard as you can, you can feel a sense of distance, but the zoom scene, which takes up 90% of the whole picture, is so close that Bowie is kept in the center of the screen, so you can’t feel the distance at all. Moreover, it continues to follow Bowie’s appearance with that super zoom. Normally, if you shake the camera while zoomed, the slightest angle shift will cause your aim to be out of frame, and camera shake will become more severe. Therefore, the theory behind shooting is to pull back, wait until the movement has stopped, and then re-zoom. However, this work continues to follow Bowie neatly with a bold zoom. Does that sense of stability come from using a tripod? It makes you think, but the movement is smooth, not the jerky scrolling that is typical of tripods. You can clearly tell from the screen quality that he is a master photographer who is used to recording rock shows and has established his own unique techniques. Combined with the positioning where there is no shadow in the front row, it is a “Bowie specialty shot” that can be said to be “only the main character” during the full show. The sound suitable for the scene up to that point is also exquisite, and the clarity that even Bowie’s breathing jumps in is wonderful. Originally, the “sense of the scene” and “realism” are the lifeblood of audience recording, but when you concentrate on Bowie so far and can hear it clearly, you are even attacked by a different dimension that is different from watching a live performance. The last two Tokyo performances of his life depicted in the highest quality. That fact alone makes me feel heavy, but the actual scene is not so heavy. Neither Bowie nor the audience had any sense of “this being the last”, just enjoying the good songs and good performances to their heart’s content. A masterpiece video set that allows you to be present in that space and share time. Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 8th & 9th March 2004 AMAZING SHOT! Disc 1(123:44) Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 8th March 2004 1. Rebel Rebel 2. New Killer Star 3. Fame 4. Cactus 5. All The Young Dudes 6. China Girl 7. Never Get Old 8. The Loneliest Guy 9. The Man Who Sold The World 10. Hallo Spaceboy 11. Sunday 12. Heathen (The Rays) 13. Band Introduction 14. Under Pressure 15. Life On Mars? 16. Looking For Water 17. Days 18. Sound And Vision 19. Be My Wife 20. A New Career In A New Town 21. Ashes To Ashes 22. I’m Afraid Of Americans 23. Heroes 24. Five Years 25. Suffragette City 26. Ziggy Stardust COLOR NTSC Approx.124min. Disc 2(139:34) Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 9th March 2004 1. Rebel Rebel 2. Hang On To Yourself 3. New Killer Star 4. Fashion 5. Cactus 6. All The Young Dudes 7. China Girl 8. Reality 9. 5:15 The Angels Have Gone 10. The Man Who Sold The World 11. Hallo Spaceboy 12. Sunday 13. Heathen (The Rays) 14. Band Introduction 15. Under Pressure 16. Slip Away (uncle floyd) 17. Looking For Water 18. Quicksand 19. The Loneliest Guy 20. Afraid 21. Be My Wife 22. A New Career In A New Town 23. Ashes To Ashes 24. I’m Afraid of Americans 25. “Heroes” 26. Bring Me The Disco King 27. Five Years 28. Fall Dog Bombs The Moon 29. Suffragette City 30 . Ziggy Stardust COLOR NTSC Approx.140min. COLOUR NTSC Approx.264min.(TOTAL)