WHOLE PLACE ROCKIN'

Tape sources for Aerosmith's first trip to Japan have been circulating and been booted before.  The February 9th show was available as Spirit Of Boston (VM 2637) and the January 31st as Gigs In The Attic on Bang (010/011).  Both of these tapes are complete and in very good quality.  Whole Place Rockin' on Power Gate documents tapes made by an employee of the band's Japanese record distributor and have never circulated before.  He captured the February 9th show in its entirety and only half of the January 31st concert.  The bad news is the sound quality is pretty dire.  The six rating above applies to the first disc.  It is distant and very thin sounding.  The music can be enjoyed once your ears adjust to the sonic limitations.  The second disc rates a four at best.  The quality is similar to the other one but distortion is present by the middle of the tape and it becomes basically unlistenable. 

It's a shame the sound quality is bad because the concerts are really enjoyable.  They were really good and inventive back in the seventies.  (Now they are too slick with their stupid priaptic power ballads they are a parody of their former selves.)  These shows are great since they capture their swagger and groove.  Both begin with the John Williams score from the film Jaws followed by Toccata and Fuge in D minor by J.S. Bach before launching into "Mama Kin".  The first disc captures the February 9th show in its entirety.  After "Sweet Emotion" Steven Tyler asks for any requests.  After a "Dream On" tease they head into "Rats In The Cellar" only to play "Dream On" afterwards.  The "Train Kept A Rollin'" medley is great and "Toys In The Attic" is the encore.

I don't think this release adds anything to these shows.  The older tape sources look better than these.  these tapes are too poor sounding for the general collector to enjoy.  They might appeal to the most extreme Aerosmith completist.  It's a shame since these are really good concerts.