GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Rolling Stones / Portland 1998 / 4CD / Non Label
Translated text:
Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon, USA 30th & 31st January 1998
The second year of Babylon Tour 1998 was the beginning of the turbulence for Stones. Despite Mick having caught early in the early years, he decided to perform the Quebec performance which is the first gig this year, and his physical condition worsens. As a result, several performances became a melancholy of cancellation, and the gig at Madison Square Garden, which is the centerpiece of the year, became the real start of the Stones. I also felt nostalgic that what was talked about in Japan at that time, such as the continuing Hawaiian performance.
Finishing the January special gigs, the Stones tour returned to the usual US tour, Portland performance at the end of January. A two – day performance was held in the same place. These two performances were the audience recording items released at the time of 1998. However, the release is realized at this time press CD set is a new audience recording which appeared recently. It is a taper that participated in both performances recorded with a Hiposi cassette. Both performances are very high quality sound sources, and I can not forbid the surprise of what appeared now.
Regarding the first day of Portland, although it is in a state to learn a sense of distance in Mick’s vocals, listening to the sound image of the performance itself is enough. Besides, because it is a cassette recording, in 1998 it is attractive totally different analog tick quality than the audience recording by DAT which had already become mainstream among tapers. Also on this day there is a topic called “Already Over Me” live show, which will be on MSG second day on the set list. It is a song that has given us a presence as the first ballad in the album “BRIDGES TO BABYLON”, and more than anything Mick told us singing enthusiastic singing.
Although it is “Already Over Me” which could not be promoted to the regular repertoire eventually, I thought that I could manage somehow as a mick, three times of live performances have been realized for convenience. However, MSG and Las Vegas in February, which was the last show in the third time, are both heard only by one (especially Vegas) sound source, so this sound source that can be enjoyed with this stable sound quality can be enjoyed all over the world It will make attention to manias of.
However, the audience’s indifference during playing was quite a bit (bitter smile) I felt the feeling that the tune which was originally slow and can not be said to be for live was in the back stroke of Moro. Since this scene was felt to be real even in the past sound source, it can not be said only that it was “bad reception.” At least you can do it in Japan.
In addition, the sound source of this time is captured by the B-stage at a powerful sound pressure, and the power of “Little Queenie” which will be the beginning of the event, it is already spectacular. The slow arrangement of “I Just Want To Make Love To You” that was played subsequently became regular since 1990 and it was regular, but as I listened to it The atmosphere is suitable for calling the blues cover collection “BLUE & LONESOME” released last year. However, I saw an incident that Mick seemed to lose track of the timing towards the deployment part.
Meanwhile, on the second day there is no rare repertoire like the previous day, and on the whole the superb performance with a sense of stability is raised while raising the tension. However, as was pointed out in the special edition on this day, after the end of the SE seems to end with the opening, Keith always should start playing the introduction of “Satisfaction” without putting a break between himself It is funny that Bimmy’s opening to start playing. Furthermore, at the end of the show “Jumping Jack Flash” reaches the second place, Mick and the band are not engaged, and there are scenes where the performance seems to be nearly perplexed. As a whole, it was a surprising happening just as a suddenly stable performance was heard.
And it is an audience recording where the upper feeling of sound quality stands out even compared with the previous episode, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the eyeball in this release. Although the sound quality of past items was also quite good sound quality, this time it is superb sound quality surpassing it lightly. Among them, the degree of sound image that is on stands out. As for the first American tour in 1998, the name sound source and the title “= SWEET HOME NEW YORK CITY” existed on the third day of MSG, but as the sound source boasting more natural and warmy sound quality, the second day of Portland It can not be an overstatement to say that you can reign. From the first American tour in 1998 which was no longer completely overlooked New master of Portland performances, listening to both sound quality and performances on both days!
バビロン・ツアー二年目となる1998年はストーンズにとって波乱の幕開けとなりました。年明け早々にミックが風邪をひいてしまったにもかかわらず、この年最初のギグであるケベック公演を決行した結果、彼の体調が悪化してしまいます。これによって数公演がキャンセルの憂き目となり、年頭の目玉であるマディソン・スクエア・ガーデンでのギグがストーンズの本格始動となりました。さらに続いたハワイ公演など、当時日本でも話題となったことが何とも懐かしく感じます。
そうした1月のスペシャル・ギグの数々を終え、ストーンズのツアーが通常のアメリカ・ツアーに戻ったのが1月末のポートランド公演。同地では都合二日間の公演が行われました。これら二公演は1998年当時にオーディエンス録音アイテムがリリースされていたものです。しかし今回限定のプレスCDセットにてリリースが実現するのは最近になって登場した新たなオーディエンス録音。それは両方の公演に参戦したテーパーがハイポジ・カセットを使って録音したもの。どちらの公演も非常に高音質な音源であり、今になって現れたことに驚きを禁じ得ません。
まずポートランド初日に関してはミックのボーカルに距離感を覚える状態ではあるものの、演奏自体のオンな音像は聴き応え十分。おまけにカセット録音ということから1998年当時には既にテーパー間で主流となっていたDATによるオーディエンス録音とはまったく違うアナログチックな音質が魅力でしょう。それにこの日はセットリスト上にMSG二日目以来となる「Already Over Me」のライブ披露というトピックがあります。アルバム「BRIDGES TO BABYLON」の中において最初のバラードとして存在感を放ち、何よりもミックが感情のこもった熱唱を聞かせた曲でもあります。
結局レギュラー・レパートリーに昇格できなかった「Already Over Me」ではありますが、ミックとしては何とかモノにできないかと考えていたのでしょう、都合三回のライブ披露が実現しています。しかしMSGや三回目にして最後の披露となった2月のラス・ベガスがどちらも今一つ（特にベガス）な音源でしか聞かれないことから、これだけの安定した音質で楽しめる今回の音源は世界中のマニアに注目させることでしょう。
ただし演奏中における観客の無関心ぶりはかなりのもので（苦笑）元々スローでライブ向けとは言えない曲調がモロ裏目にでてしまった感が捉えられてしまっています。過去の音源でもこの場面はリアルに感じられましたので、やはり「受けが悪かった」としか言いようがありません。せめて日本公演でやってもらえれば…。
また今回の音源はBステージがド迫力な音圧にて捉えられており、幕開けとなる「Little Queenie」の迫力など、それはもう壮絶なもの。続いて演奏された「I Just Want To Make Love To You」のスロー・アレンジは1990年から時折披露されていたものがここにきてレギュラー化したものですが、今になって聞いてみればその雰囲気は昨年リリースされたブルース・カバー集「BLUE & LONESOME」の先駆けと呼ぶにふさわしいもの。ただしミックが展開部に向かうタイミングを見失いそうになるというハプニングも見受けられました。
一方、二日目の方は前日のようなレア・レパートリーの披露もなく、全体的にはテンション高めながらも安定感のある見事な演奏が聞かれます。ところがこの日は専門書でも指摘されていたように、オープニングで鳴り響くSEが終わった後、いつもなら間髪入れずにキースが「Satisfaction」のイントロを弾き始めるはずが妙な間が空いてから彼が弾き始めるという、ビミョーなオープニングが面白い。さらにショー終盤では「Jumping Jack Flash」が二番に到達するとミックとバンドが噛み合わなくなってしまい、危うく演奏が迷走しそうな場面もみられます。全体的には俄然安定した演奏が聞かれただけに、これは意外なハプニングでしょう。
そして既発と比べても音質のアッパー感が際立つオーディエンス録音であり、今回のリリースにおける目玉と言っても過言ではありません。過去のアイテムの音質もかなり良好な音質であったものの、今回はそれをも軽く凌ぐ極上音質。中でもオンな音像の度合いが際立っています。98年最初のアメリカ・ツアーに関してはMSG三日目に名音源かつ名タイトル「＝SWEET HOME NEW YORK CITY」が存在しましたが、よりナチュラルでウォーミーな音質を誇る音源として、ポートランド二日目が君臨できると言っても過言ではありません。もはや完全に見過ごされていたであろう1998年最初のアメリカ・ツアーからポートランド公演のニューマスター、両日ともに音質も演奏も聴き応えたっぷり！
Live at Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon, USA 30th January 1998
Disc 1 (57:54)
1. Intro. 2. Satisfaction 3. Let’s Spend The Night Together 4. Flip The Switch
5. Gimme Shelter 6. You Got Me Rocking 7. Already Over Me 8. Bitch 9. Saint Of Me
10. Out Of Control 11. Miss You
Disc 2 (67:27)
1. Band introductions 2. Thief In The Night 3. Wanna Hold You 4. Little Queenie
5. I Just Want To Make Love To You 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. Brown Sugar
Live at Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon, USA 31st January 1998
Disc 3 (59:59)
1. Intro. 2. Satisfaction 3. Let’s Spend The Night Together 4. Flip The Switch
5. Gimme Shelter 6. It’s Only Rock’n Roll 7. Sister Morphine 8. Bitch
9. Saint Of Me 10. Out Of Control 11. Miss You
Disc 4 (65:07)
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. Brown Sugar
