Name: ERIC CLAPTON - BUDOKAN 2025 1ST NIGHT: ORIGINAL IEM RECORDING
SKU: K5172034
Availability: BackOrder

Description

Budokan, Tokyo, Japan 14th April 2025 IEM+AUD MATRIX(from Original Masters)

　This is the first time in the history of Eric Clapton’s solo Japan tour, and the strongest balanced matrix version using three different sound sources, the IEM (in-ear monitor) sound source and our two best-quality stereo audience recording masters, is released on a press CD! Our original master (drummer Sonny Emory only wore it on the first day) recorded the entire stereo in-ear monitor, and our original stereo audience recording master with the best sound quality is also used. The definitive press CD of the best IEM matrix sound source with a grade and quality different from competing products with a strong audience component is finally here!

　The benefit of the in-ear monitors this time is the clarity and delicacy of Clapton’s vocals. In a normal audience recording, the vocals are recorded through the PA among the musical sounds, so depending on the position, they may not sound very prominent. However, this in-ear monitor sound source was recorded with the highest clarity that allows you to feel Clapton’s breathing as he sings hard, and even his efforts to keep the pitch from going out of sync. This is because this album was not just combined with the audience recording, but the in-ear monitor sound source was separated into cheers + 4 drum parts (snare, tom, hi-hat, kick) + bass + vocals + 3 other types = 24 stems and carefully mixed down again. As a result, if you are an avid fan, just listening to the vocals will bring to mind the image of Clapton, who is 80 years old and has a weak throat, singing hard, and you will be moved to tears. The stereo audience recording master used for the matrix is the original superb sound source that our store adopted for the press board “Budokan 2025 1st Night” and the original sound source of the pre-release. The fusion of the three masters produced a miraculous sound. Since it was originally a master with a wide sound image, deep sound and crispness, it can be said that Clapton’s sincere vocals pass through the clear sound that sounds with great force. This is another strongest definitive version of the first day, so please look forward to it!

[A permanent collection that lets you experience Clapton’s vocals in a more realistic way!]

　If you look at the set list, you can see Clapton’s enthusiasm for this Japan tour. Moreover, the first day had 17 songs, the most of the eight performances. In order to get a glimpse of why Clapton, now 80 years old, put together this set list from his 62-year professional career, let’s take a look at the origins of each song (each song is based on the year it was first performed or recorded. ” ” indicates the album it was included on).

・Cream era・・・White Room, Cross Road Blues “WHEELS OF FIRE”

Sunshine of Your Love 「DISRAELI GEARS」Badge　「GOODBYE」

・Derek and the Dominos era: Key to the Highway, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTEDLOVE SONGS”

-Solo era: (1970s) Kind Hearted Woman Blues “CROSSROADS 2”, “ME AND MR. JOHNSON”,
                                               Golden Ring “BACKLESS”, Wonderful Tonight, Cocaine “SLOWHAND”,
                             (1980s) Old Love, Before You Accuse Me “JOURNEYMAN”,
                             (1990s) I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Motherless Child “FROM THE CRADLE”,
                                               Tears in Heaven “RUSH”, “UNPLUGGED”,
                             (2000s) Little Queen of Spades “ME AND MR. JOHNSON”,
                              (20s) The Call “MEANWHILE”

　Looking at it this way, we can see that there are no songs selected from the 2010s albums that were mainly cover songs, and on the contrary, there are three songs from the Cream era that exceed the number from the Derek and the Dominos era. That shows how proud Clapton himself is of his career with Cream. It is typical of Clapton to have eight blues songs in the set, three of which were Robert Johnson numbers. This also gives a glimpse of Clapton’s thoughts and commitment. Looking at the whole picture, we can see that the songs were selected almost evenly from his entire career, including new songs. It can be said that the set list he put together for his 80-year-old Japan performance, for his Japanese fans who have supported him for many years, was a summary of his career. In other words, these are the songs that Clapton, now 80 years old, wants to play. It was a set list that was typical of Clapton, who has a long career, satisfying both old fans and fans after “UNPLUGED”.

　Well, the first day’s concert, which excited the fans, started with a hard and energetic number called White Room from the Cream era. This was the first performance in Japan with these band members (with intro). Sonny Emory’s powerful drumming is clear, and the female chorus creates an overwhelming force in this number, and Clapton decided to play a solo with a wah pedal, just like the original version. He has a voice! The sharpness of the last song played in Japan in 2003 is not as strong as it was in the last performance, but you can still see the exquisite phrase structure that is characteristic of Clapton. The following blues is a dignified performance that has become a standard in concerts.

And while he should have played I Shot the Sheriff as a prelude to the acoustic set, he took everyone by surprise with Sunshine of Your Love, Cream’s biggest hit. Before the riff, the same intro was added as in last year’s Latin American tour. For Clapton, who performs live with such new arrangements, the word “rut” is not relevant.

Before the acoustic set, Clapton greeted the audience with a comment, “I’m happy to be back here again. I’ve been able to play here for so many years thanks to Mr. Udo.” His consideration for the late Mr. Udo of the Udo Music Agency, who had supported Clapton since his first visit to Japan, showed his humanity. It seems that Clapton’s strong desire to pay tribute to Mr. Udo was also behind this Japan tour.

　Then he started with Robert Johnson’s Kind Hearted Woman Blues. Considering that he had also played this song in his previous Japan tour, Clapton must really like this song. The falsetto part is tough, but Clapton’s singing is still moving. I recommend listening to this part in the in-ear monitor version of this work. Next, he performed a new song, The Call, from his new album “MEANWHILE”. As you can feel from the music video for this song, which is available online, it is a gem of a number that is full of Clapton’s kind feelings for his friend. It must be his own favorite on the new album. He then played two more blues songs, and then he played Golden Ring, from his 1978 album “BACKLESS”, which was a hot topic because it was played for the first time in 46 years on last year’s European tour. This was the first time that this song was heard at a Japan tour. The acoustic set ended with the great song Tears in Heaven. It was a number that fans after “UNPLUGED” would love.

　The second half of the set was a standing electric set, and he played a string of numbers that could be called Clapton’s classic. There was some awkward playing at the beginning of Old Love, but he suddenly got back into form in the second half of the solo, and the audience was excited. This was the highlight of the day. Tim Carmon’s synth solo in the jam-like part in the middle was reminiscent of the 1998 “Pilgrim Tour”. His solo, which was as passionate as Clapton’s, drew applause from the audience.

　Doyle Bramhall plays the main phrase of the following Wonderful Tonight, but the middle solo is by Clapton. Clapton was angry that Pattie Boyd, who was George Harrison’s wife in 1970, put up for auction last year, and did not include this song and Layla in the set-in on last year’s tour, but it was surprising that he revived this song for the Japan tour. What kind of change of heart did he have?

　The final song, from Cross Road Blues to Cocaine, is a grand finale. Clapton’s playing is particularly spirited, but the whole band is also amazing. Each member’s solo is also passionate. The ending of Cocaine doesn’t end with a chorus of the audience, but there is a stylish overlap afterwards. This kind of arrangement is also fresh and good. The encore was Before You Accuse Me, just like last year’s North American tour. Here too, they added some fun ideas, such as inserting a little bit of the development part of Freddie King’s Hideaway in the middle. I don’t think there was a single fan who was not satisfied with this stage.

[Our impressions on the first day of the performance]

　When listening to this album with its excellent sound quality, you can feel the vividness of the music, as if you can even see the eye contact between Clapton and the other members in each song, and you can feel Clapton’s voice and vocal technique, which you wouldn’t expect from an 80-year-old. Even if Clapton, who turned 80 this year, plays and sings the same songs as before, it is inevitable that his performance will be dry in a good sense and weak in a bad sense. As for guitar playing, in all the songs played electric, including the opening, Clapton makes some mistakes or shows some sluggishness. Thinking about it now, it seems that various things were putting a strain on him, such as the fact that this was his first stage of the year after a few months since last fall’s tour, and the effects of jet lag from the long flight from London to Tokyo. But we went to the Budokan knowing his age, and we like to listen to the recordings recorded there at that time. This is because, like Clapton who first came to Japan in 1974 at the age of 29, he also loves the 80-year-old Clapton who has been playing for Japan and its fans for the past 51 years. We always want to hear his super-fast killer solos, but we are also moved by the sight of him playing and singing hard, even though he is hesitant. This work also shows Clapton, who never plays the same solo twice. And the image of Clapton on the first day performing a song that you wouldn’t believe is 80 years old is captured in this work. Please enjoy.

★The first delivery will come with a limited edition insert.

★Everyone will be amazed by the miraculous level of super high quality sound. This is amazing. This is the best masterpiece of the year!!

Disc:1 (49:27)

1. Intro
2. White Room
3. Key to the Highway
4. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man
5. Sunshine of Your Love
6. Kind Hearted Woman Blues
7. The Call
8. Motherless Child
9. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
10. Golden Ring
11. Tears in Heaven

Disc:2 (56:26)
1. Badge
2. Old Love
3. Wonderful Tonight
4. Cross Road Blues
5. Little Queen of Spades
6. Cocaine
7. Before You Accuse Me
8. Closing Announcement