Mr. Big / Tokyo, Japan 2014 Complete

MR.BIG’s Japan tour in 2014. Here is an album that contains the best sound from the Budokan performance on November 10th! The taper was recorded from the front of the stage at the front of the arena, with an excellent direct feeling and ideal stereo balance. Even those who saw it on the day will be surprised at how good the sound was from the best seats. It is a live album with a super audience sound that has no flaws at all! MR.BIG is a genuine live band with more live albums than studio works. Moreover, MR.BIG’s popularity is still so great that they have realized a tour across the Japanese archipelago, which has become rare in recent years. The heat of the audience, who get excited while being familiar with the band’s music and the fulfilling performance, is exceptional. To be honest, it was such a fulfilling show and recording that I wanted to end it with the 10 letters “great as always”. However, this time I can’t help but mention this. Yes, it’s Pat Torpey, who is fighting illness. This time, it is Matt Starr, not Pat, who is suffering from the incurable disease “Parkinson’s disease”, who sits on the drum stool. He is not a famous big star, but he is a veteran of American HR who played in the ACE FREHLEY BAND. His skills are of interest, but as you can see from listening to this album, he demonstrates a sense of stability and reproduction that makes you say “Wow!” It is unclear how MR.BIG will be active in the future, but with his drumming, the band may be able to overcome its biggest crisis. MR.BIG’s show with Matt is “great as usual”. However, it is Pat who is not “as usual”. After the bass solo at the beginning, as soon as his name is called, warm cheers fill the venue and the crowd rushes into “Alive And Kickin'”. After that, he shows his energetic side with chorus and percussion, but the real highlight is from CD2. As if led by “East/West”, in which Pat writes about his feelings for his Japanese fans, he goes to the drum stool! He will be playing the drums for “Just Take My Heart”, “Fragile”, and the encore “Mr. Big”! It seems that he chose songs that do not require intense technique, but the simple but sure beats seem to go beyond the ears and resonate in the heart. He also sings the main part of “Living After Midnight”, where everyone changes instruments, and performs a duet with Eric Martin in “The Light Of Day”. When I first heard that “Pat will accompany me”, I thought, “Why? I want him to focus on his recovery”. I’ll confess honestly. I even thought, “Are they planning to do a tear-jerking show!?” However, now that I see Pat looking healthy and hear his sound, I realize that I was wrong. He is fighting an incurable disease, but he is not spending his days in despair. Even though he is sick, his life continues, facing music as sincerely as he can, and enjoying rock as much as ever. That positive passion has supported MR. BIG up until now, and it will continue to do so in the future. Above all, the music we hear makes us believe this. This positive vibe permeates the entire band, and they showed us the image of “MR. BIG living in the present” by performing six new songs. The fast numbers roared boldly, and the ballads were not just sweet, but also refreshingly moving. Finally, Billy Sheehan stood up to greet us at the end of the show, expressing his gratitude and how wonderful it is that Pat was here. His voice was full of humor and joy, without a trace of sadness. It is certainly a tragedy that Pat was eaten up by illness. But that is not the end. MR. BIG is rocking to the fullest, not with indomitable fighting spirit or a sense of tragedy. Why does their music rock our hearts so much? This show teaches us once again. We don’t know what will happen to MR. BIG in the future. We don’t even know if we’ll be able to meet Pat on his next visit to Japan. But the only thing that will remain unchanged is that we will continue to rock with MR. BIG. This upcoming Japan tour will undoubtedly be the biggest turning point for the band. Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 10th November 2014 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Origial Masters) Disc 1 (62:27) 1. Intro 2. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song) 3. Gotta Love The Ride 4. American Beauty 5. Undertow 6. Alive And Kickin’ 7. I Forget The Breath 8. Take Cover 9. Green-Tinted Sixties Mind 10. Out Of The Underground 11. Guitar Solo 12. The Monster In Me 13. Rock & Roll Over 14. As Far As I Can See Disc 2 (72:27) 1. MC 2. Wild World 3. East/West 4. Just Take My Heart 5. Fragile 6. Around The World 7. Bass Solo 8. Addicted To That Rush 9. Band Introduction 10. To Be With You 11. Colorado Bulldog 12. Living After Midnight 13. The Light Of Day 14. Mr. Big 15. MC by Billy Sheehan Eric Martin – Vocal Billy Sheehan – Bass, Vocal Paul Gilbert – Guitar, Vocal Matt Starr – Drums, Percussion, Vocal Pat Torpey – Drums, Percussion, Vocal