This DVD release presents the gig of the most thriving JOURNEY lineup ever in Japan circa 1981. Early embarking on their Escape Tour, the multiplatinum American rockers performed at the Koseinenken hall, Tokyo in July 31th of that year. Bearing in mind it's 28 whole years we're talkin' about, it's essential to accept this DVD shoot only if the word 'vintage' sends shivers down your spine. JOURNEY - mistakenly considered by many as solely an AOR band - prove onstage what it took (back then) to sweat onstage providing crowds with triumphant Rock boasting mid-pace melodies, power ballads and party rock-n-roll sounds.
The footage is professionally filmed by - so it seems - the Japanese TV. The various camera angles, some traditional but up-to-the-standards sound and the non-stop energy of JOURNEY (class A musicians!) is the deal here and fans of the band surely have to add this historic piece in their collection. With 100 minutes of live action and more than 20 cuts, the gang of Neal Schon and Steve Perry takes no prisoners and from the first notes of Where Were You and Line Of Fire to the encore duo of Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin and Anyway You Want It we can witness a series of glorious tracks providing something more than a good time for the Japanese spectators...and now you, the 'digital' watcher. Really, not much to comment on the music/performance.
Some drawbacks sum it up to the complete absence of something else than the concert itself; no bonus anything, not even a 2-page info inner sheet. Plus: have witnessed it in some other 70s/80s Japanese concerts too, transferred to DVD, and is rather awkward to see nearly no single moment of the crowd/venue captured throughout the whole show (not even some band-crowd interaction in between the songs). Only three or four 'snap' takes are featured in the encore part. Really weird...
Being pretty sure this release is not officially approved by the band's management, let's quote Live In Tokyo DVD is a needed addition if you consider yourself to be a JOURNEY core fan. Just repeating/reminding 28 years have passed since that evening, and not forgetting the clan is back in action nearly 35 whole years after its initial formation by the ex-SANTANA guitar extraordinaire, let's say Live In Tokyo DVD will deliver some nostalgia lessons.