Description

Description

The Paradise Theater, Boston, MA, USA 10th June 1978 STEREO SBD
★UPGRADE!!!

　CHEAP TRICK reached their peak in 1978, releasing a string of legendary albums that will go down in history. Now, the iconic soundboard master reel has been unexpectedly unearthed! It’s set to be released on pressed CD, preserving its brilliance forever!!

　This album captures the “Boston concert on June 10, 1978,” in a stereo soundboard recording. 1978 was the year of their legendary first visit to Japan, and the peak of their career when they released albums like “HEAVEN TONIGHT” and “AT BUDOKAN.” Let’s first take a look at their history to understand where this album fits in.

・January 2nd-21st: North America #1 (8 shows)
・March 7th-April 2nd: Europe (19 shows)
・April 20th: Pocatello show
・April 25th-May 1st: First visit to Japan (6 shows) ← *AT BUDOKAN
《May 24th ‘HEAVEN TONIGHT’ release》
・May 26th-October 1st: North America #2 (72 shows) ← ★HERE★
《October 8th ‘AT BUDOKAN’ release》
・December 7th-17th: North America #3 (10 shows)
・December 26th-31st: North America #4 (6 shows)

　This is Cheap Trick in 1978. Even in the vast world of rock, there are few bands as obsessed with live performances as them, but they were particularly out of control in the 70s. 1978 was no exception; shortly after their first visit to Japan, ‘Heaven Tonight’ was released, and without delay, a massive “North America #2” tour began. The Boston performance featured on this album was the 13th show of that tour, and took place about six weeks after the release of ‘At Budokan’.

　This show was broadcast on American radio station “WBCN” and has since spawned numerous reissues. This release is the latest and greatest version of that classic soundboard recording. It’s a new master released by the renowned unearthing company “Krw_co,” and it was digitized directly from the “WBCN” 10.5-inch reel.

　The sound is a truly remarkable upgrade. Partly because the previous master was quite harsh and piercing to the ear, this version is remarkably vibrant and natural. Of course, the edges haven’t been rounded off; the fine details remain, but the core density has increased, and the resonance has transformed into something much more lustrous.

　Moreover, this album has been given even greater heights through its unique mastering process. While the original online version still retained some of its original harshness, this version has been beautifully treated. Using “AT BUDOKAN” as a benchmark, the sound from that time has been reproduced as faithfully as possible, and the fast pitch has been adjusted to just right. It is even more raw than “AT BUDOKAN,” while also achieving a beauty and listenability that approaches that of a legendary live album.

　The stage performance, delivered with such top-notch sound, is similar to, yet distinct from, ‘AT BUDOKAN’. Let’s take a look at the setlist and compare them here.

●Heaven’s Trap (6 songs)
– Stiff Competition (★★) / On Top Of The World (★★) / High Roller (★) / Surrender / California Man (★) / Auf Wiedersehen (★)
●Others (8 songs)
– Pale Highway: Oh Caroline (★) / Hello There / Come On, Come On / Big Eyes / Clock Strikes Ten / Southern Girls (★)
– Others: Need Your Love / Goodnight Now
*Note: Songs marked with “★” were not available on the official ‘AT BUDOKAN’. Songs marked with “★★” were not even available on ‘AT BUDOKAN: THE COMPLETE CONCERT’.

…And that’s how it is. Six songs each have been selected from ‘IN COLOR’ and ‘HEAVEN TONIGHT’, with “Need Your Love” and “Goodnight Now” added in. A large number of songs from the recently released ‘HEAVEN TONIGHT’ have been included, and you can enjoy plenty of songs that you can’t hear on the official ‘AT BUDOKAN’ album.

　This soundboard album has undergone a significant upgrade, elevating it from a long-standing classic to something truly worthy of being called a “sequel to AT BUDOKAN.” It boasts the same band potential as that legendary live album in rock history, but with an even more raw sound and a delightful selection of tracks from the ‘HEAVEN TONIGHT’ repertoire. It’s truly an absolute must-have. Enjoy this pressed CD, preserving the reel-to-reel sound for future generations, anytime, anywhere.

★A stereo soundboard recording of the Boston concert on June 10, 1978. This is a top-of-the-line updated version, directly digitized from a 10.5-inch reel from radio station WBCN. The previously harsh sound has been significantly upgraded, and you can enjoy the concert from about six weeks later, including the “HEAVEN TONIGHT” number that wasn’t heard on “AT BUDOKAN”. This is truly a sequel to “AT BUDOKAN”.

(72:17)
1. WBCN Intro
2. Oh Claire
3. Hello There
4. Come On Come On
5. Stiff Competition
6. On Top Of The World
7. Rick’s Guitar Jam
8. Big Eyes
9. High Roller
10. Clock Strikes Ten
11. Need Your Love
12. Southern Girls
13. Surrender
14. California Man
15. Goodnight Now
16. WBCN Talk
17. Auf Wiedersehen
18. WBCN Outro

Robin Zander – lead vocals rhythm guitar
Rick Nielsen – lead guitar backing vocals
Tom Petersson – 12 String bass backing vocals
Bun E. Carlos – drums

STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING