Bob Dylan Readies The Complete Budokan 1978

Bob Dylan played his first shows in Japan in 1978, which included eight shows at the revered Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo.

Two of the Budokan shows–February 28 and March 1, 1978–were recorded on 24-channel multi-track analog tape with 22 performances appearing on Bob Dylan At Budokan, a 2LP set initially issued on Columbia Records as a Japan-only release in November 1978, but was followed by a global release in April 1979 in response to widespread demand from fans. 

In honor of its 45th anniversary, a new deluxe box set celebrating Dylan’s Japan visit has been prepared, featuring both the February 28 and March 1, 1978 concerts in full, offering 36 previously unreleased performances. The Complete Budokan 1978 will be available in 4CD, 8LP (Japan only) and digital configurations. Also available will be Bob Dylan – Another Budokan 1978, a 2LP highlight edition featuring 16 specially selected unreleased tracks from the box set.

The Complete Budokan 1978 marks the first time any of Dylan’s complete performances from his 1978 world tour have been officially available.

The Bob Dylan World Tour 1978 served as the first time the folk icon played overseas since 1966, and his first set of live shows since the Rolling Thunder Revue. The year-long tour found Dylan performing 114 shows in Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe, to a combined audience of two million fans. But it was in Japan where he kicked off the exhausting trek with 11 shows not only at Budokan in Tokyo but playing three dates in Osaka as well.  

For his 1978 performances, Dylan (rhythm guitar, harmonica, vocals) led an ensemble featuring Billy Cross (lead guitar), Ian Wallace (drums), Alan Pasqua (keyboards), Rob Stoner (bass, vocals), Steven Soles (acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals), David Mansfield (pedal steel, violin, mandolin, guitar, dobro), Steve Douglas (saxophone, flute, recorder), Bobbye Hall (percussion), Helena Springs (vocals), Jo Ann Harris (vocals), and Debi Dye (vocals). 

The original Bob Dylan At Budokan album was produced by Don DeVito, who also helmed Dylan’s classic 1978 studio LP Street-Legal, recorded and released during the 1978 world tour, featuring the same musicians.

According to Tetsuya Shiroki, co-producer of The Complete Budokan 1978, the newly restored, remixed and remastered recordings “…capture(s) two days of this history-making tour. Nothing has been removed or altered in any way.”

“We mixed the record with the keyword ‘passion’ in mind,” adds the project’s chief engineer Tom Suzuki. “The result is a mix that surpasses the original 1978 release, providing a crisper and clearer sound where each instrument and Bob Dylan’s voice are distinctly audible.”

Presented in a lavish deluxe box, The Complete Budokan 1978 also contains a trove of historic memorabilia such as concert tickets, pamphlets, posters and flyers; a 60-page full-color photo book of previously unpublished photos of Dylan onstage and behind-the-scenes and exclusive liner notes written by acclaimed music journalist Edna Gundersen.

“Captured at Budokan, Dylan is in good spirits and fully engaged,” she writes in her essay. “He sings with brio and urgency, his voice clear and melodic and his phrasing impeccable as ever….The band crackles with careening energy…. (Dylan) saw the stage as a proving ground that brought his tunes to life.”

Listen to the previously unreleased rendition of the New Morning gem “The Man in Me” from March 1, 1978 below.

The Complete Budokan 1978 will be released on November 17th via the Columbia Records catalog division Legacy Recordings.

The Complete Budokan 1978

4-CD Deluxe Box      

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – February 28, 1978         

CD1    

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*　
2. Repossession Blues*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man*
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Shelter From The Storm
6. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man*
9. Maggie’s Farm*
10. To Ramona*
11. Like A Rolling Stone*
12. I Shall Be Released*
13. Is Your Love In Vain? *
14. Going, Going, Gone*

CD2    

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind*
3. Just Like A Woman*
4. Oh, Sister*
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. You’re A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower*
8. I Want You*
9. All I Really Want To Do*
10. Tomorrow Is A Long Time*
11. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
12. Band introductions*
13. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
14. Forever Young
15. The Times They Are A-Changin’

 

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978   

CD3    

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall*
2. Love Her With A Feeling*
3. Mr. Tambourine Man
4. I Threw It All Away*
5. Love Minus Zero/No Limit*
6. Shelter From The Storm*
7. Girl From The North Country*
8. Ballad Of A Thin Man
9. Maggie’s Farm
10. One More Cup Of Coffee (Valley Below)
11. Like A Rolling Stone
12. I Shall Be Released
13. Is Your Love In Vain?
14. Going, Going, Gone

CD4    

1. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) *
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
3. Just Like A Woman
4. Oh, Sister
5. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) *
6. You’re A Big Girl Now*
7. All Along The Watchtower
8. I Want You
9. All I Really Want To Do
10. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
11. The Man In Me*
12. Band introductions*
13. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)*
14. Forever Young*
15. The Times They Are A-Changin’*

*Previously Unreleased

 

Another Budokan 1978

2-LP with Gatefold Sleeve    

All Tracks Previously Unreleased

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – February 28, 1978         

LP1 – Side A  

1. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall　
2. Repossession Blues
3. Ballad Of A Thin Man
4. To Ramona

LP1 – Side B  

1. Like A Rolling Stone
2. Blowin’ In The Wind
3. All Along The Watchtower
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan – March 1, 1978   

LP2 – Side A  

1. Love Her With A Feeling
2. I Threw It All Away
3. Girl From The North Country
4. One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)

LP2 – Side B  

1. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)
2. You’re A Big Girl Now
3. The Man In Me
4. Forever Young

 

AUDIO: Bob Dylan “The Man In Me” (3/1/78)