Description
The long-awaited re-release of the Rolling Stones’ Babylon Tour Japan tour series has been very well received, and this time the first day of the tour at the Tokyo Dome, which kicked it off, will also be making a long-awaited comeback! The last time was the second day in Osaka and the Tokyo Dome, but this time it’s the first day! If you noticed that, you’re sharp. Yes, this time the re-release is following the order of the 2014 release. That’s why it’s inevitable that this time, the re-release of “TOKYO 1998 1ST NIGHT”, the masterpiece from the first day of the Tokyo Dome, will be realized. As I mentioned when re-releasing the previous two performances, the 1998 Japan tour was the last time that recording equipment was still prone to the echo peculiar to the Tokyo Dome. In particular, since this was the first day of the tour, it was difficult to secure a good position between the tapers, and the real-time releases were all ones that were clearly wrapped in the echo of the dome. “TOKYO 1998 1ST NIGHT” (hereinafter referred to as “pre-released version”), released 8 years ago, is the same as “TOKYO 1998 2ND NIGHT”, which was just re-released last time, and is based on the taper that was the basis of masterpieces such as Mick Jagger’s “2 NIGHTS IN DOME”, “FOXY NIGHTS”, the Stones’ “DOME ON WHEELS” and “FUKUOKA 1995 2ND NIGHT”. However, this sound source has a slightly more distant sound image than the second day of the dome. The dilemma of the first day of the 1998 Tokyo Dome was still alive and well here, but it was still clear that the sound quality was much easier to hear than the items released in real time. This worked, and when it was released in 2014, this was also a masterpiece that quickly sold out. The appeal of this sound source is that the surrounding noise, which was present in the real-time releases on this day, is hardly noticeable, but the biggest problem is the distance of the sound when moving to the B stage, and the low volume level. This is what Graf Zeppelin, who was in charge of brushing up the sound source this time, paid the most attention to. Such volume fluctuations were common among DAT audiences from the 1990s to the mid-2000s, and simply adjusting them makes it much easier to hear. This issue was the main focus of the detailed adjustments this time as well. Therefore, this time too, the original release from eight years ago was not lost, and yet the latest technology was used to upgrade the version. In the first place, the real-time releases from 1998 were difficult to obtain. Moreover, this re-release is not just a reissue, but will surely be a savior for enthusiasts who have never been able to hear the 1998 Japan tour. Above all, it reproduces the nostalgic Japan tour with an ease of listening that is incomparable to those real-time items. And above all, it is a memorable day when the Rolling Stones in Babylon mode descended on Japan. The members of the Stones, including Mick, are full of energy and the appearance of challenging the stage of the Tokyo Dome is transmitted more clearly than in past items. Among them, Mick’s enthusiasm is very typical of him, and the new song “Flip The Switch” etc. foreshadows the passionate performance on the second day of the Tokyo Dome. The scene where “Bitch” starts without any song introduction conveys the tension that is typical of the first day, and the performance is also full of speed. On the contrary, this momentum does not subside even in the next “Saint Of Me”, and the second half of the performance is not only exciting, but also ends with a more fast pace than usual, which is also typical of the first day. The number voted for online on this day was “Under My Thumb”, and I think that many people were moved to tears by the fact that this song was finally performed in Japan (as was I, who was present at the time). However, listening to it again now, it seems that it is not as cohesive or sharp as the “OSAKA 1998 2ND NIGHT” version, which was the second performance in Japan, and there are even moments when the performance becomes questionable halfway through, which seems to be the first day. In addition, Keith Corner’s song selection has changed significantly from the previous tours, and I was moved to tears when I thought that the day would come when I could hear “Wanna Hold You” live. The scene that the audience who were present that day watched with bated breath the most was the B stage, which became the first time they saw the Japanese show. It was an innovative stage set introduced to shorten the distance with the audience other than the front of the arena, and at the same time, they were knocked out by the minimum number of members and the continuous deployment of killer tunes such as “Little Queenie” and “The Last Time”. In this way, the good thing about this year was that it was exciting even though a “rare” repertoire was played, more so than the first and second visits to Japan, and it is all the more significant that the problem in this part was adjusted in this re-release. And the final song of the live, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” eloquently told us how exciting it was, incomparable to the two previous performances in Japan, and even in the actual recording, the surrounding chorus was captured in a balanced manner without any unpleasantness. I myself was able to feel the excitement of this moment, which made me think, “This is different from the previous visits to Japan!”, so it’s actually a pleasant sight to hear… Above all, these days are difficult to sing together like this, and it’s a truly dazzling sight. (Remastering Memo) REMASTERED BY GRAF ZEPPELIN Slightly adjusted low and high frequencies. Removed the mic crackling noise at the beginning (Track 1 1:05, 1:07-08 right ch) Slightly adjusted the volume of the low volume parts at a distance on the B stage. Live at Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan 12th March 1998 PERFECT SOUND *UPGRADE Disc 1 (58:25) 1. Introduction 2. Satisfaction 3. Let’s Spend The Night Together 4. Flip The Switch 5. Gimme Shelter 6. Angie 7. Bitch 8. Saint Of Me 9. Out Of Control 10. Under My Thumb 11. Miss You Disc 2 (76:23) 1. Band Introductions 2. You Don’t Have To Mean It 3. Wanna Hold You 4. Little Queenie 5. The Last Time 6. Like A Rolling Stone 7. Sympathy For The Devil 8. Tumbling Dice 9. Honky Tonk Women 10. Start Me Up 11. Jumping Jack Flash 12. You Can’t Always Get What You Want 13. Brown Sugar
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