Earlier this month D&E Entertainment presented the U.S. theatrical premiere of a newly restored concert film from Cheap Trick that previously has only aired once on Japanese television in 1978. With a running time of just over 60 minutes Live at Budokan captures the concert that catapulted Cheap Trick to stardom. The premieres were held in New York City Los Angeles Chicago Philadelphia Seattle and other markets. The history of rock and roll is fraught with more than its share of unforeseen circumstances. But none so unforeseen as those in the life of Cheap Trick – Rick Nielsen (guitar) Robin Zander (vocals and guitar) Bun E. Carlos (drums) and Tom Petersson (bass). Circa 1978-79 they jumped from being the biggest band ever to emerge from Rockford Illinois to becoming platinum-selling headliners on the cover of Rolling Stone. Chalk it up to Japan who held Cheap Trick so close to their hearts that the band’s record company there decided to reward the fans with a live concert album a souvenir of the band’s incredible two-night stand at the country’s most revered sports stadium in 1978. The album turned into a tsunami whose impact catalyzed America then engulfed the world – and now is celebrated three decades later with a four-disc (DVD + 3 CD) package Budokan!: 30th Anniversary Edition that brings the sight and sound together for the first time. The set arrived at both physical and digital retail outlets on November 11th through Epic/Legacy a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Separately on December 9th a new 12-inch vinyl LP of the Live at Budokan original 10-song album will be issued on 180-gram audiophile pressing. The deluxe box set is highlighted by the premiere commercial DVD release of a film of the concert a 15-song one-hour program shot at the Budokan in 1978. This film features a new stereo mix and 5.1 Surround Sound by original producer Jack Douglas and engineer Jay Messina. At last Cheap Trick fans can actually see and feel the moment come to life when – for the first time in history – lead singer Robin Zander exhorts the Japanese audience “I Want YOU… to Want…ME!” The bonus documentary feature Looking Back a new conversation with the band about their original Budokan experience is included in the DVD. In addition there is video of one more song from 1978 (Come On Come On) and two songs from Cheap Trick’s 30th anniversary return concert at Budokan in April 2008 (Voices and If You Want My Love). The four-disc package goes on to include (on disc two) a CD that replicates the audio of the DVD in its full 19-song length also produced by Jack Douglas and Jay Messina. Discs three and four represent the previous 20th anniversary (1998) double-CD Live at Budokan (culled from multiple night’s concerts as was the original 1978 LP) newly remastered to sound better than ever produced by Cheap Trick and Bruce Dickinson. Three decades later Live at Budokan!: 30th Anniversary Edition proves how immortal some albums can be. The LP is ranked on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time and Surrender appears on the magazine’s 500 Greatest Singles Of All Time list. “Owning a copy of Cheap Trick At Budokan is a pop culture rite of passage for generations of music fans ” Ken Sharp writes in the package’s essay. As drummer Bun E. Carlos told him “Budokan captured everything about Cheap Trick that no studio album could capture.” D&E Entertainment www.dandeentertainment.com
