GiGinJapan Artwork of Japanese CDs (mostly) Dream Theater / Osaka 2023 / 2CDR / Shades
Grand Cube, Osaka, Japan 2nd May 2023
Play sample :
DREAM THEATER has completed their second visit to Japan for the first time in eight months. The original recording series to experience all the performances is finally complete. Following the Tokyo edition the other day, two West Japan editions will be released at the same time.
The performance of “May 2, 2023: Grand Cube Osaka” is imbued in this work. It is the best audience recording. The two works in Tokyo the other day and the two works in West Japan this week are complete for all performances in Japan this time, but if you stick to the recording artist, not all works are necessarily the same person’s work. In order to organize the situation around that, first of all, let’s check the schedule of all the collections of the “TOP OF THE WORLD Tour” coming to Japan.
● 2022
*August 14 “DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022”
● 2023
・ April 28 “LINE CUBE SHIBUYA 2023”
・ April 30 “BUDOKAN 2023”
* May 1 “NAGOYA 2023”
* May 2: Grand Cube Osaka ← This work
* Note; “*” marks are from the same recording artist collection.
A total of 5 performances were realized during their two visits to Japan. Among them, last year’s “DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022 (Shades 1593)” and the two performances in West Japan released at the same time this week are works by the same recording artist. And the recording artist is Mr. “West Japan’s Strongest Taper”, who is familiar with our shop. This work is not only the West Japan representative who came to Japan for the “TOP OF THE WORLD Tour”, but it is also the best one to listen to and compare the changed show contents together with last year’s “DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022”.
Such a work is a super direct recording that is violently on. All four series of this time are excellent in direct feeling, but there are of course superiority and inferiority in high dimension. It’s hard to say which one is the best depending on the elements you pay attention to, such as the beauty of the sound and the separate feeling, but if you stick to the “direct feeling”, this work is the top. If you are looking for a “more sound board-like live album”, this work is the best recommendation.
The reason for this is, of course, the recording technology of “Mr. Actually, the recording position is not normal, but “the third row in front of the PA”. In other words, it is not “feeling close” but “really close” and directly captures the sound output of the PA. What further enhances the soundboard feeling is the low audience noise. Of course, there will be applause between songs, but it will not come in between the stage because of the three-dimensional effect that is carried from behind. More to say, there is no hustle and bustle in the surroundings despite being super forward in the third row. Especially when the song starts, there is no sound that comes into my ears other than the very thick performance sound and vocals, and I fall into the illusion that the brain and the mix desk are really connected directly to the line.
The full show, which is said to be a masterpiece even in this visit to Japan, is depicted with such a super direct and tight sound. The set is common for all days, but let’s repost it here just in case.
A view from the top of the world
・The Alien／Sleeping Giant（★）／Answering The Call（★）／A View From The Top Of The World
●Others
・Six Degrees: Solitary Shell (★) / About To Crash (Reprise) (★) / Losing Time/Grand Finale (★)
・Other: Pull Me Under/6:00/Caught In A Web (★)/The Count Of Tuscany/Bridges In The Sky
* Note: “★” marks are songs that could not be heard in the masterpiece “DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022” that came to Japan last time.
… and it looks like this. The rough technique of repeating two 20-minute class large songs at the end is truly impressive. And the performance that spells out such a set is a masterpiece. DREAM THEATER always has a perfect instrumental team, and James Labrier’s good and bad determines the completeness of the show. Osaka has a good reputation for that. Of course, 30 years ago is not suddenly revived, but rather than worrying about tomorrow and saving because it is the last day of coming to Japan, the goodness of decisiveness is refreshing. Depending on the song, the tension and growth can be felt higher than other performances.
All four works in this series are masterpieces of the highest quality but with different personalities. Among them, this work on the final day is noteworthy for its intense directness and the strong performance of Lovelier. Along with “LINE CUBE SHIBUYA 2023 (Shades 1748)”, which has super high sound quality and has pulled out the liver, it is a hard-to-find western champion recording. Please enjoy it to your heart’s content.
★ The best audience recording of “May 2, 2023: Grand Cube Osaka” performance. The latest work by the well-known “West Japan’s Strongest Taper”, the sound directly picked up from the third row in front of the PA has a fierce direct feeling. Original recordings are available for all performances in this visit to Japan, but this work is the best if it is a “more sound board-like sound”. Lovelier is also doing well, and you can experience the best full show with delicious singing that seems to be the final day.
８ヶ月ぶりの再来日も完遂されたDREAM THEATER。その全公演を体験するオリジナル録音シリーズも遂に完結。先日の東京篇に続く西日本編が２本同時リリース決定です。
そんな本作に吹き込まれているのは「2023年５月２日：グランキューブ大阪」公演。その極上オーディエンス録音です。先日の東京編２作品と今週の西日本２作品で、今回の来日全公演がコンプリートなのですが、録音家にまでこだわると必ずしも全作が同じ人物の作品というわけではない。その辺の状況を整理する意味でも、まずは“TOP OF THE WORLD Tour”来日の全コレクションを日程でチェックしてみましょう。
●2022年
＊８月14日『DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022』
●2023年
・４月28日『LINE CUBE SHIBUYA 2023』
・４月30日『BUDOKAN 2023』
＊５月１日『NAGOYA 2023』
＊５月２日：グランキューブ大阪 ←★本作★
※注；「＊」印は同一録音家コレクション。
以上が二度の来日で実現した全５公演。そのうち、昨年の『DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022（Shades 1593）』と今週同時リリースの西日本２公演が同一録音家による作品です。そして、その録音家こそが当店ではお馴染みの名手“西日本最強テーパー”氏。本作は“TOP OF THE WORLD Tour”来日の西日本代表というだけでなく、昨年の『DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022』と併せ、様変わりしたショウ内容を聴き比べるのにも最適の１本なのです。
そんな本作は、猛烈にオンな超ダイレクト録音。今回の４連作はすべてダイレクト感に優れていますが、高い次元の中で優劣は当然ある。鳴りの美しさやセパレート感など、注目する要素によってどれがベストか断言し難いものの、「ダイレクト感」にこだわるなら本作こそが頂点。「よりサウンドボード的なライヴアルバム」をお求めでしたら、本作こそが一番のオススメなのです。
その要因はもちろん”最強氏”の録音技術にあるわけですが、本作に限ってはそれだけではない。実は録音ポジションも普通ではなく「ＰＡ真ん前の３列目」。つまり「間近に感じる」ではなく「本当に間近」でＰＡの出音を直接捉えているのです。さらにサウンドボード感を高めているのがオーディエンス・ノイズの少なさ。もちろん曲間になれば喝采も沸きますが、それも背後から背負い込む立体感でステージとの間に入ってこない。もっと言えば、３列目という超前方にも関わらず周囲に喧騒がない。特に曲が始まると極太の演奏音やヴォーカル以外に耳に入ってくる音がなく、本当に脳とミックス卓をライン直結しているような錯覚に陥るのです。
そんな超ダイレクト＆タイト・サウンドで画かれるのは、今回来日でも名演と囁かれているフルショウ。セットは全日共通ではありますが、念のためここでも再掲しておきましょう。
●ア・ヴュー・フロム・ザ・トップ・オブ・ザ・ワールド
・The Alien／Sleeping Giant（★）／Answering The Call（★）／A View From The Top Of The World
●その他
・シックス・ディグリーズ：Solitary Shell（★）／About To Crash (Reprise)（★）／Losing Time/Grand Finale（★）
・その他：Pull Me Under／6:00／Caught In A Web（★）／The Count Of Tuscany／Bridges In The Sky
※注：「★」印は前回来日の名作『DOWNLOAD JAPAN 2022』で聴けなかった曲。
……と、このようになっています。ラストに20分クラスの大曲を２つも連発する荒技はさすが。そして、そんなセットを綴るパフォーマンスこそが圧巻。DREAM THEATERは常に楽器隊が完璧で、ジェイムズ・ラブリエの好不調でショウの完成度が決まる。その点で大阪は評判が良い。もちろん、突然30年前が甦っているわけではありませんが、来日最終日とあってか明日を心配してセーブするのではなく、思い切りの良さが清々しい。曲にもよりますが、他公演よりも張りも伸びもワンランク上に感じられるのです。
今回の４連作はいずれも極上級ながら個性の異なる傑作ばかり。その中でも最終日の本作は、猛烈なダイレクト感とラブリエの好調ぶりが特筆モノ。超高音質でド肝を抜いた『LINE CUBE SHIBUYA 2023（Shades 1748）』と並んで甲乙付けがたい西の王者録音。どうぞ、心ゆくまで存分にお楽しみください。
★「2023年５月２日：グランキューブ大阪」公演の極上オーディエンス録音。お馴染み“西日本最強テーパー”氏の最新作で、PAの目の前３列目から出音を直接拾ったサウンドは、猛烈なダイレクト感。今回の来日は全公演でオリジナル録音が揃っていますが、「よりサウンドボード的なサウンド」なら本作こそが一番です。ラブリエも好調で、最終日らしい思い切りの良い歌いっぷりも美味しいフルショウを極上体験できます。
Disc 1 (69:09)
1. Intro
2. The Alien
3. 6:00
4. Sleeping Giant
5. Bridges in the Sky
6. Caught in a Web
7. Answering the Call
8. Solitary Shell
9. About to Crash (Reprise)
10. Losing Time/Grand Finale
Disc 2 (54:01)
1. Pull Me Under
2. A View From the Top of the World
3. The Count of Tuscany
James LaBrie – Vocals
John Petrucci – Guitar
John Myung – Bass
Jordan Rudess – Keyboards
Mike Mangini – Drums
Shades 1752
