Description
The world’s long-awaited footage of Oasis’ historic performance has been restored over the course of more than six months, resulting in the highest quality ever recorded! This flawless two-disc set is released just before the reunion tour kicks off! A must-see and must-have for all rock fans! The long-awaited Oasis reunion tour is just days away! With major collaborations with global apparel brands like Burberry, Adidas, and Levi’s, the launch of a dedicated Oasis radio channel, the release of various Oasis-related books, and various TV specials, the band has become a global fest, dominating the conversations of rock fans not just in the UK but around the world. The UK tour alone, bringing in fans from all over the world, is estimated to have an economic impact of ¥200 billion, easily surpassing the ¥150 billion (2023 alone) generated by Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour,” the highest-grossing tour of all time. Meanwhile, the long-awaited megaton Oasis title is finally being released this week! Yes! This is the latest and best remastered video title of the pro-shots of Oasis’ historic performance, alongside the Knebworth performance, and the 1996 peak of their hometown Manchester Main Road performance. Regarding the Main Road performance, there is the smash-hit title “DEFINITIVE MAINE ROAD 1996: 2 DAYS REMASTER & REMIX,” which has been called the best remaster ever, but that is the best title as a CD. As you know, during the production of the official “THERE AND THEN” album, pro-shot footage of both days of the Main Road performance was leaked in real time in the 1990s. While the basic pro-shots were easy to see, it’s true that each had its own issues with the leak process. Therefore, a thorough re-examination of the footage was required to achieve this release. While the leaked footage is familiar from the VHS era, there are actually different versions for each of the two days due to dubbing branching, so let’s start by introducing them. ☆Day 1 (April 27, 1996) ●Source 1: → While the generation is low and the image quality is good, the shot of Bonehead’s guitar immediately after Liam screams during “The Swamp Song” freezes. However, the image quality is generally excellent otherwise, making this the main source for this release. ●Source 2: → The lack of the above issues is an advantage, but the overall image quality itself is inferior to Source 1. The beginning of “Wonderwall” is missing from both sources. ☆Day 2 (April 28, 1996) ●Source 1: → Tracking errors occur, causing the occasional “Hi-Fi” message to appear on the screen, likely due to a VCR. However, the image quality itself is good, making this the main source for this release. ●Source 2: → While there is no tracking error, there is a constant trembling and shaking phenomenon reminiscent of triple-speed VHS dubbing. Due to dubbing degradation, the image quality itself is inferior to Source 1. The image is dark and the colors are unusually intense. Additionally, there’s a significant visual disturbance midway through “Supersonic.” However, the benefit is that the opening portion is longer. These were common video issues in the VHS dubbing era, and these were reflected directly in the audio on previous CD releases. Last year’s CD release of “DEFINITIVE MAINE ROAD 1996: 2 DAYS REMASTER & REMIX” thoroughly addressed these issues and brought the album to its best state yet. A video release of this must undergo even more rigorous changes than audio. While various labels have released DVDs of this historic performance, each one has significant flaws, and no single video title could be considered the definitive version. For example, even the DVD included with “MAINE ROAD 1996,” the most recent release, is in a terrible state, as shown below.・First day: “Only Source 1, introduced at the beginning, was used.” “The top and bottom have been cropped, and the image is distorted vertically.” “The original choppy image remains the same.” “Color bleeding has not been improved.” “Because only Source 1 is used, the image freezes for a moment during “The Swamp Song,” but the adjustment for that part is unnatural and the image and sound do not match. As a result, the rhythm of the audio is jerky and the rough audio changes are noticeable.” “An AUD shot with extremely poor image quality was forcibly inserted into the missing part of “Wonderwall.” “Muffled remastered audio. In addition, the left and right audio channels are reversed.” ・Second day: “Only Source 2, which had poor image quality as mentioned at the beginning, was used.” “Before the members appeared, the official “THERE AND “There’s fake editing, with a flash of an audience member seemingly pulled from the beginning of “Then.” “There’s the usual top and bottom cropping, and like the first day, the footage is distorted vertically.” “The original choppy footage remains the same.” “Only one source was used, and Source 2, with its poor color bleeding, was used as the main source.” “Excessive noise reduction has resulted in a flat, crushed color.” “An issue with Source 2, where the screen becomes severely distorted midway through the second verse of “Supersonic,” has been ignored. The audio also drops to mono, and like the first day, the audio is muffled and remastered.” So, while the loss of the opening part of “Wonderwall” on the first day is unavoidable, in order to make a statement in the history of these unfortunate releases, a thorough restoration process that took more than six months has resulted in this best-ever release of footage from the two days! Below are some of the specific work that was done. Day 1: ・The high-definition source (Source 1) from low-quality VHS with minimal dubbing degradation was primarily used. ・The original PAL 50fps source was carefully converted to 60fps for smoother video. ・The color bleeding characteristic of VHS was thoroughly corrected cut by cut. ・A momentary freeze in “The Swamp Song” was completely eliminated by patching with Source 2. ・The entire audio was replaced with the audio from the definitive CD title “DEFINITIVE MAINE ROAD 1996: 2 DAYS REMASTER & REMIX.” Uncompressed PCM audio, equivalent to CD quality. ・Recorded on a single-sided, dual-layer disc with a high bitrate. Day 2: ・The high-definition source (Source 1), which had rarely been used on previously released titles due to the occasional “Hi-Fi” display, was remastered and used. At this point, the source used differs from the Bayswater release. ・The original PAL 50fps source was carefully converted to 60fps for smoother video. – Color bleeding, a peculiar to VHS, has been thoroughly corrected cut by cut. – Source 2 instantly patched the “Hi-Fi” display, a chronic issue with Source 1. However, the patch is so smooth that you hardly even notice the source change. – The audio has been replaced with the audio from the definitive CD title “DEFINITIVE MAINE ROAD 1996: 2 DAYS REMASTER & REMIX.” Uncompressed PCM audio, equivalent to CD quality. – Recorded on a single-sided, dual-layer disc with a high bitrate. This finally brings us to the definitive version of the two-day Main Road footage, completely different from the many previous releases! Before this release, not only the previously released titles, but also the original leaked video audio, were practically obsolete. As mentioned above, the audio source for “DEFINITIVE MAINE ROAD 1996: 2 DAYS REMASTER & REMIX” was meticulously synchronized to ensure the highest quality audio and video quality possible. First of all, compared to the previously released titles, the first day’s image contours are clearly sharper and the resolution has increased. The color reproduction of the red hoodie Noel is wearing that day is a world apart from the previous releases. Furthermore, the clear, sharp image quality allows you to clearly see not only the members’ expressions but even the glossy finish on the guitar! In terms of visibility, it’s probably even easier to understand than the second day. Although the main road performance was dominated by the first day in terms of performance, it was somehow never used in the official “THERE AND THEN” release. Being able to see the legendary first day performance in this quality is truly groundbreaking. And on the second day, the poor image quality, with its intensely dark and dark screen, was overcome by using Source 1, which has better image quality than Source 2 of the previously released titles. Furthermore, the color bleeding typical of VHS has been thoroughly corrected one cut at a time, resulting in a significant improvement. Not only has the image contours been significantly improved, as on the first day, but the previously dark and blurred colors have been thoroughly improved, resulting in a naturally bright color reproduction without any blown-out highlights. And most significantly, the occasional “Hi-Fi” display, caused by tracking misalignment, was a fatal issue with Source 1. This issue, which ruined the otherwise easy-to-read image quality of Source 1, was instantly resolved by patching Source 2 frame by frame! And the restoration was astonishingly flawless, with no noticeable patching issues. While the content of the live show has already been thoroughly discussed, the first day of the Main Road performance, which was not featured at all in the official live video “THERE AND THEN,” is arguably full of highlights! It’s precisely because of the footage that we can see the incredibly high-energy atmosphere of the first day of a finally realized stadium gig in their hometown. Meanwhile, unlike the next day, the peaceful performance of “Whatever” was a perfect success. Another highlight of the Main Road performances on both days was Liam drumming alongside Whitey after the singing part of “I Am The Walrus.” On this day, however, he was so wild he even attempted to kancho (!) Bonehead and Giggsy with his drumsticks. And while live performances of “Cum On Feel The Noize” are already rare, this episode features Noel playing a Gibson SG, making it even more rare thanks to the video. The footage from the second day is well-known for being used on “THERE AND THEN,” but the infamous spat between Liam and Noel on “Whatever,” which isn’t shown there, is truly entertaining to watch. They end up redoing it with Noel on vocals, and Liam’s signature style explodes, sulking and smoking a cigarette and drinking beer. Then, Noel suddenly jumps into the chorus, nearly throwing the band into chaos. Furthermore, the scene where the brothers express their irritation at the noise emanating from the harmonica microphone at the beginning of “I Am The Walrus” is not seen on “THERE AND THEN.” Finally, this time, the cover art is also a special feature. The photo used on the cover of this title is a new, exquisite shot of the Main Road concert, photographed by Jill Furmanowski, which was shown for the first time in 28 years at an Oasis exhibition held in Tokyo last year! This is a masterpiece that has been meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail, and it will surely satisfy any desire to own it. This has become a long video, but it is not just one of Oasis’s pinnacle performances in 1996; Main Road, a masterpiece that showed different sides to the first and second days, is undoubtedly a masterpiece of their live footage that can only be enjoyed on video. That is why the release of the definitive footage that fans around the world have been waiting for is so valuable, finally happening just before the Oasis reunion concert! Main Road, Manchester, England 27th & 28thth April 1996 PRO-SHOT Upgrade! Maine Road, Manchester, England 27th April 1996 Disc 1(99:37) 1. Introduction 2. The Swamp Song 3. Acquiesce 4. Supersonic 5. Hello 6. Some Might Say 7. Roll With It 8. Morning Glory 9. Round Are Way / Up In The Sky 10. Cigarettes & Alcohol 11. Champagne Supernova 12. Whatever / All The Young Dudes 13. Cast No Shadow 14. Wonderwall 15. The Masterplan 16. Don’t Look Back In Anger 17. Live Forever 18. I Am The Walrus 19. Cum On Feel The Noize PRO-SHOT COLOR NTSC Approx.100min. Disc 2(100:18) Maine Road, Manchester, England 28th April 199 1. Introduction 2. The Swamp Song 3. Acquiesce 4. Supersonic 5. Hello 6. Some Might Say 7. Roll With It 8. Morning Glory 9. Round Are Way / Up In The Sky 10. Cigarettes & Alcohol 11. Champagne Supernova 12. Whatever (aborted) 13. Whatever / Octopus’s Garden 14. Cast No Shadow 15. Wonderwall 16. The Masterplan 17. Don’t Look Back In Anger 18. Live Forever 19. I Am The Walrus 20. Cum On Feel The Noize PRO-SHOT COLOR NTSC Approx.100min. PRO-SHOT COLOUR NTSC Approx.200min.(Total)
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