Cheap Trick / Tokyo, Japan – May 6, 1992 (Complete Soundboard Edition)

Following the sensational *SHIZUOKA 1978 SOUNDBOARD*, here comes the next installment of soundboard recordings released by Bun E. Carlos! This new masterpiece—packed with rare tracks—captures a live performance in Japan from the *Greatest Hits* era and delivers an electrifying listening experience. The show documented here took place on May 6, 1992, at Nakano Sunplaza, and the recording is a stereo soundboard source. But this isn’t just any soundboard recording; it comes directly from the personal archives of drummer Bun E. Carlos himself. Bun E. is not only a performer but has also spent years collecting and preserving photos, posters, audio, and video related to Cheap Trick. This is a truly authentic “official” soundboard release, unearthed from his prized private collection. As you know, the early 90s marked a major comeback era for Cheap Trick, fueled by Tom Petersson’s return and the success of the album *Lap of Luxury*. 1992 saw them touring in support of their *Greatest Hits* compilation. To set the scene, let’s take a quick look at their tour schedule for that year: Feb 20–Mar 9: US #1 (14 shows); May 5–11: Japan (5 shows) ← ★Here★; Jun 13–Jul 5: US #2 (7 shows); Aug 5–30: US #3 (10 shows); Sep 28–Nov 20: US #4 (13 shows); Dec 26–31: US #5 (5 shows). That was Cheap Trick in 1992. After spending all of 1991 on the “Busted Tour,” they shifted gears in 1992 to tour in support of their greatest hits album. Having previously visited Japan for the “LAP OF LUXURY” and “BUSTED” tours, the band returned once more, driven by their enduring popularity in the country. While the *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* pro-shot TV broadcast is a well-known record of this era, this new soundboard recording captures a completely different performance. Let’s take a closer look at the schedule: May 5 – Kanagawa Kenmin Hall; May 6 – Nakano Sunplaza (this release); May 9 – *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* (Shibuya); May 10 – Osaka Festival Hall; May 11 – Shibuya Kokaido. This release features a soundboard recording of the Nakano Sunplaza show—the second date of the tour—captured with quality rivaling an official release. It documents the performance held just three days prior to the famous *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* pro-shot show. The audio quality here surpasses even that pro-shot footage, offering a pristine, official-grade soundboard mix. While the overall balance and mix characteristics echo the classic *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* broadcast, the instruments and vocals are more prominent and defined, revealing intricate details with striking clarity. Robin’s soaring vocals, Rick’s versatile guitar work, Tom’s driving basslines, and Bun E.’s crisp, nimble drumming all leap out at the listener, creating the sensation of being right there in the room. With the roar of the crowd receding into the distance like the sound of waves, the band’s performance surges powerfully to the forefront. It also includes a complete setlist featuring the ultra-rare track “In This Country.” Beyond its superb sound quality, the release is fantastic for capturing the full, uninterrupted concert. Unlike the *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* pro-shot—which included interviews and off-stage footage due to its nature as a TV broadcast—this release serves as a complete live album spanning approximately 83 minutes. Naturally, it includes songs that were not featured in the *LIVE IN JAPAN 1992* broadcast. Let’s compare the tracklists. 1970s (10 tracks) – *In Color*: Hello There / I Want You To Want Me / Clock Strikes Ten; *Heaven Tonight*: Oh Claire / On Top Of The World / Heaven Tonight (★) / Surrender (★); Others: Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace / Voices (★) / Dream Police. 1980s and beyond (9 tracks) – *Lap of Luxury*: Never Had A Lot To Lose / Don’t Be Cruel / The Flame; Others: I Can’t Take It / Standing on the Edge (★) / Walk Away / Magical Mystery Tour (★) / If You Want My Love / In This Country (★★). *Note: Tracks marked “★” were not included in the classic pro-shot video “LIVE IN JAPAN 1992.” Tracks marked “★★” are ultra-rare, with a recorded performance existing only for this specific date.* The lineup includes a host of tracks marked “★” that did not appear in the TV broadcast—such as “Heaven Tonight,” “Surrender,” “Voices,” “Standing on the Edge,” and “Magical Mystery Tour.” The biggest highlight, however, is “In This Country.” This is a solo track by Robin Zander that was contributed to the Sylvester Stallone arm-wrestling movie *Over the Top*. In fact, whether under the Cheap Trick name or as a solo effort, there is no record of this song being performed at any other time—before or since—making it an incredibly rare gem. A legendary performance once thought lost to time has been resurrected from the band’s own archives via a superb soundboard recording; this is nothing short of a monumental release. It is a two-disc set that allows you to fully savor everything: authentic master-quality sound released by the band members themselves, a fresh live performance distinct from the classic pro-shot video, a solid set of greatest hits from their comeback era, and a miraculous, one-off performance of an ultra-rare song. It is truly an essential new classic with official-grade provenance. Stereo soundboard recording of the concert at Nakano Sunplaza on May 6, 1992. This is a definitive new classic release featuring a genuine soundboard master sourced directly from Bun E. Carlos’s own archives; it captures a performance distinct from the well-known *Live in Japan 1992* (Shibuya) pro-shot video. Listeners can enjoy a full show—boasting sound quality that rivals an official release—packed with great songs not heard on the *Live in Japan 1992* recording, including the ultra-rare track “In This Country,” which was performed only on this single occasion. Nakano Sunplaza, Tokyo, Japan – May 6, 1992. Disc 1 (66:00): 1. Intro 2. Oh Claire 3. Hello There 4. I Can’t Take It 5. Speak Now 6. Standing on the Edge 7. Walk Away 8. On Top of the World 9. I Want You to Want Me 10. Heaven Tonight 11. Magical Mystery Tour 12. Voices 13. Never Had a Lot to Lose 14. Don’t Be Cruel 15. The Flame 16. Dream Police. Disc 2 (17:09): 1. If You Want My Love 2. Clock Strikes Ten 3. In This Country 4. Surrender. Robin Zander – Vocals, Guitar; Rick Nielsen – Guitar, Vocals; Tom Petersson – Bass, Vocals; Bun E. Carlos – Drums. Stereo Soundboard Recording.