These days, all an American outfit has to do to get famous is name itself after an animal and get blogged about for 24 hours. But back in 1978, you had to win over Japan first.
Cheap Trick, then only a modest success at home, went worldwide with their Tokyo close-up, and suddenly "I want you to want me" was more than just another two-cent come-on. The 30th anniversary of the Budokan concert goes under the microscope in this three-CD/one-DVD box, which collects video and audio of the April 28 show along with the more comprehensive "Complete Concert" edition that was first issued in the '90s.
The best part of this stylish (if occasionally redundant) set is the original Japanese TV broadcast, available here for the first time. You get a glimpse of the archetypal power-pop band in all their conflicted-personality glory: Bun E. Carlos, the office drone, manning his drum kit as if it were an adding machine; Rick Nielsen, the crazy-eyed manchild bouncing off the walls; and Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, the prettier-than-thou poster boys with the long, billowing locks of Greek gods.
"Surrender," "Downed," and "Oh Caroline" still drop like bombs dipped in sweet things, and they still promise to "go to the end of the world for your love." Or at least to Tokyo.
