Bob Dylan/Tokyo, Japan 1997

The performance in Japan in 1997, when Dylan carried out his fourth Japan tour, had a wonderful flow decided only in the first three days. Using the recently opened Tokyo International Forum (Bruce Springsteen performed there before Dylan), it became not only their first visit to Japan, but also their first performance in 1997. On the first day of the forum, February 9th, the first day of the forum, not only did fans rush to the front of the stage for the encore, but they even climbed onto the stage to shake hands with Dylan. However, this was not a sudden change, and had been gaining momentum since the US tour in the fall of the previous year, but it was still at a time just before the Internet became a part of everyday life. It was an unforgettable excitement for those who witnessed the concert, and it was even featured in the newspapers the next day. There was a statement from the organizers saying, “Security will be strengthened from the second concert onwards,” and it would be no exaggeration to say that this also gave the impression of “a riot-like excitement.” This title was chosen to reflect this situation. So, if you were to think that the next day’s live performance would have had a somber atmosphere due to the “strengthened security,” you would have been wrong; it ended up becoming even more exciting (lol). On the last day of Tokyo when this release was released, the heat got even hotter and fans flocked to the stage, resulting in the three-day Tokyo Forum in 1997 being the most exciting in the history of Dylan’s performances in Japan. On the first day of the Tokyo performance, which was the first time during those three days that explosive excitement became a reality, there were excellent titles released at that time, but even though there was such an enthusiastic excitement, the forum only lasted three days. All I can say is that it is an unfortunate situation that the sound sources from other days have never been released. Therefore, we will release the third day on February 11th from the 1997 Tokyo Three Days, which was a legendary excitement among fans! Of course, the recorded sound source is an audience master with a unique DAT recording that has never been distributed among traders. In this day and age, high-quality recording using DAT has become commonplace, but even so, this sound source is overwhelming with its exceptional quality. A superb recording that captures the performance with a clear sound image without picking up too much of the surrounding excitement. The high-quality sound with its amazing clarity never fades even when listened to with modern ears. It’s a shame that such a high-quality recording has been dormant for nearly twenty years. The quality of the performance at the forum on the third day, which was played back with such superb sound quality, was truly amazing! Since the beginning of the 1990s, Dylan’s lead guitarist style has been steadily escalating, and he has finally given up his trademark harmonica. The lead also sounds really clear. What was even more impressive was his singing on the third day of the tour, when he was at full throttle. The upper-class songs that don’t make you feel even the slightest bit tired after three days in a row are spectacular. You will be stunned by the shouts that are on a different level from the current slow-singing Dylan, such as “She Belongs To Me”, which is still sung on stage in recent years where a fixed set of songs has become commonplace. When it becomes the encore “Like A Rolling Stone”, it becomes even more spectacular including the surrounding excitement, but this is the excitement unique to that nostalgic 1997 Tokyo performance. I’m sure there are many people who remember this while listening to this sound source. It was truly a tremendous excitement and a lively Dylan. And the bonus also includes the rare number “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” from the forum performance on the second day of the previous day. Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan 11th February 1997 PERFECT/TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1(61:25) 1. Crash On The Levee (Down In The Flood) 2. Lay Lady Lay 3. All Along The Watchtower 4. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) 5. Watching The River Flow 6. Silvio 7. Oh Baby It Ain’t No Lie 8. Mr. Tambourine Man 9. Boots Of Spanish Leather Disc 2 (66:24) 1. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again 2. She Belongs To Me 3. Ballad Of A Thin Man 4. Like A Rolling Stone 5. One Too Many Mornings 6. Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35 Bonus Track Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan 10th February 1997 7. Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues Bob Dylan (vocal & guitar), Bucky Baxter (pedal steel guitar & electric slide guitar), John Jackson (guitar), Tony Garnier (bass) , David Kemper (drums & percussion)