Description

Description

International Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL, USA 16th June 1979
★UPGRADE!! This is Cheap Trick’s greatest live album.

　CHEAP TRICK, who opened the door to their heyday in 1979 with the massive hit “AT BUDOKAN,” now have a soundboard album that will pour their fiery live performance into your brain.

　This release permanently preserves the “Chicago concert on June 16, 1979,” specifically a stereo soundboard recording. While this show has long been a staple, with recordings originating from FM broadcasts being commonplace, this release is different. It’s a newly released master, a leaked soundboard recording distinct from those obtained via broadcast.

　Before we get to the quality, let’s first look at Show’s position. Let’s review his activities at the time.

・January 2nd-13th: North America #1 (7 shows)
《February: ‘AT BUDOKAN’ released in the US》
・January 31st-March 9th: Europe #1 (17 shows) ←※ROCK GOES TO COLLEGE
・March 17th-30th: Japan (12 shows)
・April 7th-August 21st: North America #2 (77 shows) ←★HERE★
・August 25th-September 2nd: Europe #2 (5 shows) ←※READING FESTIVAL 1979
・September 9th: East Troy show
《September 21st: ‘DREAM POLICE’ released》
・September 20th-30th: North America #3 (7 shows)
・October 16th-November 2nd: Oceania (9 shows)
・November 27th: Honolulu show
・December 27th-31st: North America #4 (4 shows) ←※AULD LANG SYNE

[A new master that makes even FM broadcasts sound smooth, sharp and brilliant]
　This is Cheap Trick in 1979. The years before and after, 1978 and 1980, were also filled with almost continuous live performances. We have archived countless bands here, but it’s hard to think of any other band that has played as many shows as Cheap Trick. They made a return visit to Japan as early as spring, but this Chicago performance was three months later, the 42nd show of their “North America #2” tour. It was a triumphant return to their hometown of Illinois.

　This recording, capturing the show, boasts an intensely vivid stereo soundboard. While FM broadcast aircheck masters have long been considered official-quality, this new master surpasses them all in sharpness and clarity. Each note has a crisp edge, and the tone sparkles brilliantly. Even the FM broadcasts that seemed so wonderful now sound muffled and indistinct after experiencing this recording.

　Furthermore, even though it’s a soundboard recording, it’s not directly connected to the mixing console, and the balance is superb. Not only are each instrument perfectly in tune, but the crowd’s cheers are also subtly mixed in, giving it a truly official feel. The details haven’t been revealed, but it’s possible that it was leaked during the production stage of the broadcast master.

[A soundboard album that pours the energy of their heyday into your brain]
　This brilliant soundboard captures a truly fulfilling stage performance that lets you fully immerse yourself in the breakthrough. The setlist itself is the same as the FM broadcast, but here we’ll compare it with the recent masterpiece pro-shot “READING FESTIVAL 1979 (Shades 1889)” to organize the information.

●Pale Highway (5 songs)
– Hello There / Come On, Come On / Big Eyes / Clock Strikes Ten / I Want You To Want Me
●Heaven’s Trap (5 songs)
– Stiff Competition / On Top Of The World / California Man (★) / Surrender / Auf Wiedersehen (★)
●Others (3 songs + 4 songs)
– at Budokan: Ain’t That A Shame / Goodnight Now / Lookout (★)
– Others: Need Your Love / I Know What I Want / Day Tripper (★) / ELO Kiddies (★)
*Note: Songs marked with “★” were not included in the pro-shot ‘READING FESTIVAL 1979’.

…And that’s how it is. This release is a single CD, but it’s packed with approximately 80 minutes of music. It’s a volume that surpasses not only the approximately 40-minute “ROCK GOES TO COLLEGE,” but even the approximately 61-minute “READING FESTIVAL.” You can enjoy plenty of great songs that weren’t even on the classic pro-shot versions, such as “California Man,” “Auf Wiedersehen,” “Day Tripper,” “ELO Kiddies,” and “Lookout.” Of course, it’s a world of sound only, but that’s precisely why it has that unique soundboard immersion that makes it feel like Cheap Trick is running wild in your brain. Robin Zander’s vocals and Rick Nielsen’s guitar, along with the atmosphere of 1979, are poured into your skull.

　1979 was the year the world turned its attention to them with the massive hit “AT BUDOKAN.” This live album lets you experience that peak performance in their hometown in its entirety, with brilliant leaked soundboard quality that surpasses even FM broadcasts. Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★A stereo soundboard recording of the Chicago concert on June 16, 1979. This is a new leaked master, different from the FM broadcast, and boasts a sharp and brilliant sound that surpasses previous aircheck recordings. This approximately 80-minute soundboard album is a treat, featuring many great songs not found on the masterpiece pro-shot album ‘READING FESTIVAL’.

(79:58)
1. Intro
2. Hello There
3. Come On, Come On
4. Stiff Competition
5. On Top Of The World
6. Guitar Solo
7. Big Eyes
8. Ain’t That A Shame
9. Clock Strikes Ten
10. Need Your Love
11. I Know What I Want
12. California Man
13. I Want You To Want Me
14. Surrender
15. Goodnight
16. Day Tripper
17. ELO Kiddies
18. Lookout / Auf Wiedersehen