LIVE IN JAPAN

While you'll see many live 10 CC DVD (most likely a good deal of them bootlegs), be careful about not buying this one a few times. I have seen it with countless "artworks" (everyone uglier than the next one) and they have all the same track list. This concert was filmed in Japan in 92 for the tour promoting their new albums (this was the first in many years) and shows the group in their 80's incarnation (more or less) doing a rundown of their hits and adding two tracks from their latest.

Unfortunately, the least we can say is that their rundown is not really that convincing as they just seem to be going through the motions, forgetting to infuse the necessary energy to make an interesting concert. This is especially sad knowing how the Japanese audience are in general over-appreciative and greatly overreact over an average concert, therefore inducing the artistes to believe they are in the good, and not enticing them to overreach themselves. And this is exactly what happens in this concert footage: nuttin' exciting, not even the two (almost three) Beatles cover (as if they needed to use such songs to provide variety in their repertoire), and a general feeling of boredom, only slightly interrupted by short spasms of energy. They stick a little too close for comfort to the original tracks (in itself this is quite a feat since their studio versions were always ultra well produced) just producing a best of their repertoire without much soul. Early on are the Wall Street Shuffle and art For Art's sake which raise the average, and a bit later the back-to-back Dreadlock/Not In Love, but it is hardly enough to save the show. From the original line-up Gouldman is rather weak while Stewart does what he can, but simply cannot alone.

Having seen the group in the summer of 2005, I can tell you that they managed a much better (albeit shorter set) concert, sounding much fresher and vitalized. This DVD does confirm what I suspected though/ 10 CC was more of a studio group, even if they do have their share of live records.

In the Seventies I bought their singles Silly Love, Good Morning Judge and The Wall Street Shuffle and I was delighted about the epic composition One Night In Paris on the album The Original Soundtrack. The press categorized 10CC as a typical Art-rock band (like Queen, Roxy Music and Supertramp) but gradually 10CC delivered hit singles with a varied sound, from the dreamy I'm Not In Love (wonderful keyboard sound) to the reggae of Dreadlock Holiday (every proghead will remember the funny video-clip). On this live registration in Japan (1992) you can enjoy the pleasant, melodic and varied sound of 10CC, they are not really a band to impress on stage (quite static) but they are very professional and no doubt about their craftmanship: strong duo-keyboard work (organ/piano) and a lot of tension with the guitar in The Wall Street Shuffle, captivating duo-guitar by guest musician Rick Fenn (on a coloured Fender Stratocaster) and Eric Stewart (on a black Gibson Les Paul) in Good Morning Judge, fine guitar play by Rick Fenn in The Stars Didn't Show, excellent guitars and swinging piano in Art For Art's Sake and a great build up in the beautiful epic Feel The Benefit (propulsive bass solo and killer guitarwork, including a compelling solo by Eric Stewart). The hit songs Dreadlock Holiday and I'm Not In Love are performed very well and the final part of the concert contains a rock and roll drenched medley with strong duo- vocals, Eric Stewart and Rick Fenn as archetypical R&R solo guitarists and a swinging boogie woogie piano solo in Slow Down, 10CC rocks! Don't expect stage antics or interesting visuals, just enjoy a decent performance of great tunesmiths.