Filmed at the famous Zepp Tokyo Music Hall on April 16, 2011, Live From Japan represents the first ever visit to Japan for legendary blues-rock guitarist Johnny Winter. With a hot band that includes guitarist Paul Nelson (ex-Liege Lord), drummer/vocalist Vito Liuzzi, and bassist Scott Spray, Winter tears through newer tunes as well as some old favorites in front of a very responsive crowd of Japanese blues-rock fanatics.
Visually, Live From Japan is pretty impressive. For a standard DVD, you get as close to high-definition here as possible without it being an actual Blu-ray, and the audio is just as solid, though Winter's guitar is way louder than Nelson's, who is often buried in the mix. Camera work is on point throughout, and the crew manages to also throw in some shots of the crowd from time to time so you can see and feel the enthusiasm. The real surprise here, or should I say disappointment, is the performance of Winter himself. At around 70 years old, the guitarist looks 10-15 years older, frail and feeble, and his guitar skills have eroded just as much as his body seems to have. Sure, he can still probably run circles around many players, but for those who grew up listening to his uncanny ability since the late '60s, you will be in for a shock watching him seated for the entire show, making mistakes left and right, bum notes and off-key vocals during the entire show. Yes, he's had some hip operations in recent years which limit his ability to stand for long periods of time, but those fleet fingered runs and savage rhythms of the past seem to be long gone. Thankfully his band drives him so the songs are still enjoyable to hear, especially "Bonie Maronie", "Johny B. Goode", "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", the intense "Hideway", and the searing blues of "Blackjack". Throw in the old Rolling Stones classic "It's All Over Now" and the slide mania on "Dust My Broom" and "Highway 61", where he breaks out the trusty Gibson Firebird, and you have an exciting, though quite flawed set, from the aging guitar master.
Track Listing
1) Intro
2) Hideway
3) She Likes to Boogie Real Low
4) Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
5) Got My Mojo Working
6) Johnny B. Goode
7) Blackjack
8) Tore Down
9) Lone Wolf
10) Don't Take Advantage of Me
11) Bonie Maronie
12) It's All Over Now
13) Dust My Broom
14) Highway 61
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