Please Tell Me The Beef With The 1992 Tokyo Show?

[Axl_morris]

The vegas crowd looks even worse from the youtube videos. Im sure they were sleeping during jungle.

[Facekicker]

The entire crowd deserved to be drenched with a fire hose.

[username]

To be fair username, the AC/DC one was filmed in South America where the fans are notoriously fuckin' nuts. I don't think I've ever seen a Japanese crowd go as wild as I have a South American crowd.

Granted, but even for a Japanese crowd this one is boring. Man, compare it to a British Queen DVD or US Stones DVD. Neither famous for being particularly rowdy, but they make the Tokyo DVD crowd look like a funeral.

When I rise to power and achieve global domination, all DVD releases will have to be South American shows.

[RussTCB]

I don't "hate" Tokyo but I think a lot of us are just irritated knowing there's a lot better pro-shot stuff out there. Chicago '92 alone is a much better overall show IMO than Tokyo for example.

[aranrod]

Maybe it's me, but the band seems bored out of their minds… and the fact that the audience is one of the worst I've ever seen, meaning boring too, doesn't help either. Granted, the setlist is great, but the video lacks excitement, fire… I don't know. The Paris show from that same tour was way…. way better.

There are some really great moments, but the editing isn't all that great and neither is the lighting. So yeah, it certainly seems to lacks fire.... Glad I've seen some of the other shows.

[username]

I don't "hate" Tokyo but I think a lot of us are just irritated knowing there's a lot better pro-shot stuff out there. Chicago '92 alone is a much better overall show IMO than Tokyo for example.

This too, definitely! So many great 90's shows were taped. I'd love something early '91 with Izzy or something from '93 with an acoustic set in the middle of the show. Both are there. And then there's stuff like Chicago '92, Paris '92. But also stuff like Ritz '88. And, ofcourse, Inglewood '91, the longest classic GnR show.

But in all those cases, they should do a proper release. Not a ripoff release like UYI where you pay over 20 euro's (at the time of release) for half a show and get NO extra material whatsoever. Include things or at the very least charge me 20+ euro's for a whole show instead of a half one. This always seemed like a total cashgrab to me.

[Bulldog]

I love the Tokyo DVDs. I've never understood the hate either

[WhazUp]

The drums are mixed very weird - part of it is Matt's drumming but even then compared to a lot of the proshot recordings of the 90's the Tokyo concert's mix just took the balls out of it.

And ironically compared to the complaints we hear nowadays I feel that Axl was TOO raspy.

[classicguns4life]

The problem is the mix is really band. The whole thing sounds really flat which is exactly how GNR DIDN'T sound in the 90s. In addition to that, they do seem a bit more low key than usual. Odd because you'd think they'd go nuts for filming, and its not that noticeable that they seem less into it, but everything else I've seen from the tour they seem a lot more energetic. Also, the audience really is lacking (either they weren't that good or the mix makes them sound almost nonexistent).

Otherwise, its not bad at all. Good setlist, good performance from them in general. Great energy from Axl. The show is untouched. The positives are very positives. Unfortunately the negatives outweigh that for me.

[D-GenerationX]

The problem is the mix is really band. The whole thing sounds really flat which is exactly how GNR DIDN'T sound in the 90s. In addition to that, they do seem a bit more low key than usual. Odd because you'd think they'd go nuts for filming, and its not that noticeable that they seem less into it, but everything else I've seen from the tour they seem a lot more energetic. Also, the audience really is lacking (either they weren't that good or the mix makes them sound almost nonexistent).

Otherwise, its not bad at all. Good setlist, good performance from them in general. Great energy from Axl. The show is untouched. The positives are very positives. Unfortunately the negatives outweigh that for me.

Well, that wasn't even supposed to be the night that got released. It was the second night of the three, where they did 'Locomotive'.

Of course, Axl stormed off the stage that night for no reason, so that got scrapped.

[GivenToFly]

I've been listening to a lot of GNR shows lately because I'm working on a project and the Tokyo show is definitely among the best. The setlist is about as good as you could expect, Axl voice is excellent, Slash is top shape and the performances for many of the songs are if not the best then among the best out there. The band and especially Axl were notoriously inconsistent - and not just between shows, but also between songs in the same show. This show (as well as the other two nights) has the entire band rocking hard from the beginning until the end. I agree about the crowd, but I don't think it's big enough of a deal to drag the show down significantly.

I think their (edit: or at least Axl's) absolute best show was Noblesville '91.

Edited November 12, 2013 by GivenToFly

[classicguns4life]

The problem is the mix is really band. The whole thing sounds really flat which is exactly how GNR DIDN'T sound in the 90s. In addition to that, they do seem a bit more low key than usual. Odd because you'd think they'd go nuts for filming, and its not that noticeable that they seem less into it, but everything else I've seen from the tour they seem a lot more energetic. Also, the audience really is lacking (either they weren't that good or the mix makes them sound almost nonexistent).

Otherwise, its not bad at all. Good setlist, good performance from them in general. Great energy from Axl. The show is untouched. The positives are very positives. Unfortunately the negatives outweigh that for me.

Well, that wasn't even supposed to be the night that got released. It was the second night of the three, where they did 'Locomotive'.

Of course, Axl stormed off the stage that night for no reason, so that got scrapped.

I'm aware, and that would have certainly been a more interesting show for us. Just mentioning the points that didn't work on the one that was released.

I've been listening to a lot of GNR shows lately because I'm working on a project and the Tokyo show is definitely among the best. The setlist is about as good as you could expect, Axl voice is excellent, Slash is top shape and the performances for many of the songs are if not the best then among the best out there. The band and especially Axl were notoriously inconsistent - and not just between shows, but also between songs in the same show. This show (as well as the other two nights) has the entire band rocking hard from the beginning until the end. I agree about the crowd, but I don't think it's big enough of a deal to drag the show down significantly.

I think their (edit: or at least Axl's) absolute best show was Noblesville '91.

IMO, you are wrong on many many accounts. Yes, they are VERY good at Tokyo, but way overstating it with these songs being the definitive performances. Thats just absolutely not true and is very much your opinion. Maybe they are the best professionally recorded live stuff YOU have heard, but most of the songs, aside from the ones that were rare that night, are absolutely nothing special.

Also, the fact that Noblesville is the show you think is best adds to that. Axl sounds BEYOND horrible at that show and while the band is good, its overall a rough recording. Another show where its fine, but there are so many better. I can give you the band is good at Noblesville, but Axl makes that night unlistenable.

[Lim666]

St. Louis'91, people

[hellobeatle]

If it was a different show released, then people would just bitch that Tokyo was never released. Think about it: if Tokyo was just a bootleg, it'd be considered a great gig compared to many other 1992 gigs.

It's a pretty good setlist and incident-free (i.e. Axl didn't give any long rants like in Oklahoma, Chicago and other pro-shot 1992 shows out there).

The filming, plus the crowd makes for a weird show though. It's almost as if they are playing in an empty arena. IMO, I really wish they dropped an Izzy show from 91' (the holy grail 3+ hour gig from Inglewood).

For 1992, it's one of the better ones.

[classicrawker]

Much like the Ritz 1988 MTV show people complain about the Japan show is not as bad as its reputation but there are definately better shows they could have released especially since it has been reported they filmed every UYI tour show........

As far as the audience is concerned, Japanese audiences are not "duds" but just generally very quiet and polite which is why some of the best sounding audience bootlegs for any band are from Japan shows IMHO...........

Edited November 12, 2013 by classicrawker

[GivenToFly]

I've been listening to a lot of GNR shows lately because I'm working on a project and the Tokyo show is definitely among the best. The setlist is about as good as you could expect, Axl voice is excellent, Slash is top shape and the performances for many of the songs are if not the best then among the best out there. The band and especially Axl were notoriously inconsistent - and not just between shows, but also between songs in the same show. This show (as well as the other two nights) has the entire band rocking hard from the beginning until the end. I agree about the crowd, but I don't think it's big enough of a deal to drag the show down significantly.

I think their (edit: or at least Axl's) absolute best show was Noblesville '91.

IMO, you are wrong on many many accounts. Yes, they are VERY good at Tokyo, but way overstating it with these songs being the definitive performances. Thats just absolutely not true and is very much your opinion. Maybe they are the best professionally recorded live stuff YOU have heard, but most of the songs, aside from the ones that were rare that night, are absolutely nothing special.

Also, the fact that Noblesville is the show you think is best adds to that. Axl sounds BEYOND horrible at that show and while the band is good, its overall a rough recording. Another show where its fine, but there are so many better. I can give you the band is good at Noblesville, but Axl makes that night unlistenable.

Axl's voice at the Noblesville is pure perfection to me. In fact I judge all his other vocal performances by how close they are to that one.

[bran]

it was bad.

[EvH]

Because it shows how even with Raspy Axl you can get the worst Nightrain ever.

[wfuckinga]

St. Louis'91, people

That actually was a great show, save for ending early. I enjoy what little bit of it we have. Had it been a full show, that would've been a GREAT DVD, even if Slash was drunk as hell

[wfuckinga]

St. Louis'91, people

That actually was a great show, save for ending early. I enjoy what little bit of it we have. Had it been a full show, that would've been a GREAT DVD, even if Slash was drunk as hell

[Axl_morris]

The riot show was 90 minutes long. A lot of bands tour on 90 minute sets. Fair play there is a guitar solo in there, but i doubt they were going to play any more than 30 minutes after Rocket Queen.

It is a good show except Axl was to raspy on the ballads like November Rain. He actually sings November Rain better now than he did in 91.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Axl_morris

[Gordon Comstock]

Also, the fact that Noblesville is the show you think is best adds to that. Axl sounds BEYOND horrible at that show and while the band is good, its overall a rough recording. Another show where its fine, but there are so many better. I can give you the band is good at Noblesville, but Axl makes that night unlistenable.

Axl sounds like shit for a lot of that show, yet somehow it's still my favorite of the UYI shows. I don't even really know why, it just is. The energy, attitude and general atmosphere make up for the screech of a thousand dying cats, I guess

[wfuckinga]

If it was a different show released, then people would just bitch that Tokyo was never released. Think about it: if Tokyo was just a bootleg, it'd be considered a great gig compared to many other 1992 gigs.

It's a pretty good setlist and incident-free (i.e. Axl didn't give any long rants like in Oklahoma, Chicago and other pro-shot 1992 shows out there).

The filming, plus the crowd makes for a weird show though. It's almost as if they are playing in an empty arena. IMO, I really wish they dropped an Izzy show from 91' (the holy grail 3+ hour gig from Inglewood).

For 1992, it's one of the better ones.

But some of Axl's rants, especially the Oklahoma one, are great.

[liers]

Too much rasp. There's too little, a happy medium, and too much. In this case, there's too much.

They should've released paris 1992 instead, or even Chicago or Oklahoma. Sure axl ranted, but he's famous for his rants.

Edited November 13, 2013 by liers

[EvH]

Needless to say, the way the concert is shot is bland at best, very boring shots. The production and mix are horrendous too, even on the lazerdisc which is still "the best" version out there. Matt sounds like he's hitting trees, Gilby is so laid back in the mix it's ridiculous.

Only a few tracks are worth a listen IMO :Rocket Queen, Move to the City for the great jam, Estranged for the backing track.

Edit : not to mention the low-bitrate dolby digital track on the ridiculous DVD release. Gimme a LPCM track, damn robbers.

Edited November 13, 2013 by EvH