Night Ranger / Tokyo, Japan 1983 Upgrade

From the 1983 “MIDNIGHT MADNESS” Japan tour, when NIGHT RANGER first came to Japan, the performance at NHK Hall in Tokyo on December 10th will be released as a 2-CD set using the super high quality audience master recorded by Miracle Man directly! The top-class sound, which surpasses even the excellent sound sources from the same day, is sure to amaze any fan. This is a must-listen must-have for American rock fans! Jack Blades, Brad Gillis, and Kelly Keagy, who had been active as RUBICON in the San Francisco area since the late 1970s, joined Alan Fitzgerald, who had worked in Sammy Hagar’s band and MONTROSE, and his friend Jeff Watson to form RANGER around 1980. They changed their name to NIGHT RANGER because there was a country music band with the same name, and after acquiring a record contract in 1982, they made their album debut with “DAWN PATROL”. In addition to the popularity of heavy metal on the west coast of the United States, the name value of Brad’s work with Ozzie Osbourne (as Randy Rhoads’s replacement) at the same time helped the band’s debut, selling 1 million copies. They released their second album “MIDNIGHT MADNESS” the following October 1983. “Sister Christian” was also a smash hit, selling 2 million copies and earning a platinum disc at number 14 on the Billboard charts, and the band was on a roll. Their first tour of Japan was realized right after the release of “MIDNIGHT MADNESS”. Since Brad had participated in Ozzie Osbourne’s first visit to Japan in 1982, NIGHT RANGER had been attracting attention in Japan, and the decision to visit Japan greatly pleased their fans. The Japan tour had a total of six performances in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya (four of which were in Tokyo), and the final day, the 13th (Tokyo Welfare Pension Hall performance), was released as an official video. This work completely records the NHK Hall performance on December 10th, which is the fifth performance, with the best audience source, which can be said to be the best of the tour. This NHK Hall performance was a standard for its excellent sound, released by the Shades label, “ROUGH AND READY”. However, the reason why Miracle Man is a “miracle” is that it surpasses even this superb sound source. The taper on this day was recorded from the third floor seats (strictly speaking, 3rd floor C7 row 37. A ticket replica provided by the taper is included), but the moment you hear the opening intro and “Play Rough”, everyone will be surprised and say, “Is it possible to record such a great sound even from the third floor seats!” Not to mention the clarity and visibility backed by outstanding freshness, the realism that firmly captures the performance on stage, the highest sense of realism that beautifully encompasses the excitement of the entire venue, and the listeners’ response as if they were one of the audience will be overwhelmed. The ideal set consisting of two works, “DAWN PATROL” and “MIDNIGHT MADNESS”, which are full of pop and familiar melodies, is full of listening points unique to the band’s early days. In particular, the “DAWN PATROL” numbers, which have 9 out of 10 songs in the set, have greatly excited the fans at the venue from the early “Play Rough”, “Penny”, and “Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight”. The unique band ensemble woven by Brad Gillis and Jeff Watson in exquisite combination also has a series of wonderful listening points everywhere. The performance and songs that incorporate the different personalities and advanced play of both of them on a meticulous calculation are so wonderful that there is no room for complaint! With technical playing, flowing melodies, and sharp edges, you will be numb and say “So cool!” Of course, the songs selected from the new album are also must-listen parts. “Rumours In The Air” with its slight melancholy and melody, “Passion Play” with its moderate catchiness, and “Touch Of Madness” with its vivid contrast between the nursery rhyme-inspired intro and the heavy, dynamic performance, show off the band’s abilities. Disc 2 opens with the famous ballad “Sister Christian.” As soon as the performance started, there was an accident where a strong noise came out of the PA, causing the fans to roar (this scene can also be confirmed in the real recording), but the band bounced back from this accident with their excellent performance, allowing the listeners to fully enjoy this lyrical number. The second half of the live performance, which starts with Jeff’s solo, continues with “Night Ranger” including Kelly’s drum solo, and Brad’s guitar solo (the clear tone in the first half and the heavy sound that follows are very different!), and is the best part of this work! After the main part of the set is powerfully concluded with “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”, all the members reappear and say “We are honored to be able to come to beautiful Japan” in Japanese. This gets the audience very excited, and the encore “At Night She Sleeps” and “(You Can Still) Rock In America” ​​are played in a frenzy of excitement. The incandescence of “(You Can Still) Rock In America”, where the audience and the stage become one, is truly wonderful, and the listeners will be able to burn it out! This work is a real documentary that lasts for about 87 minutes, where excitement and emotion intersect without a break! Needless to say, the performance is wonderful, and the audience, who stays in top gear from the opening to the ending, creates a memorable moment for the listeners. The quality will make everyone say, “This is what audience recording should be like!” A completely different album that all hard rock/heavy metal fans should listen to! Live at NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan 10th December 1983 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (38:45) 1. Introduction 2. Play Rough 3. Penny 4. Rumours In The Air 5. Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight 6. Call My Name 7. Passion Play 8. Touch Of Madness Disc 2 (48:49) 1. Sister Christian 2. Sing Me Away 3. Jeff Watson Solo 4. Night Ranger incl. Drum Solo 5. Brad Gillis Solo 6. Can’t Find Me A Thrill 7. Don’t Tell Me You Love Me 8. Member Introduction 9. At Night She Sleeps 10. (You Can Still) Rock In America Jack Blades – Bass, Vocal Brad Gillis – Guitar Jeff Watson – Guitar Kelly Keagy – Drums, Vocal Alan “Fitz” Gerald – Keyboards