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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Live at the Budokan - Chic, 28 Aug 2002
In April 1996, Chic played a gig at the Budokan stadium in Tokyo. It would be the last ever performance by the group's legendary bassist, Bernard Edwards; hours after the gig, he was found dead in his hotel room.The concert itself was an hour-long trawl through the group's history, plus a few special guests. Most of their most memorable hits are here: 'Le Freak', 'Dance, Dance, Dance' and 'Good Times' among them. Sister Sledge join the band for 'He's the Greatest Dancer', and 'We Are Family' becomes a 10-minute funky jam session. Their rendition of Jimi Hendrix's 'Stone Free' - with guests Steve Winwood and Slash from Guns n' Roses - proves that Chic were more than just a disco band. The only unfamiliar track is 'Do That Dance' - but it stands up just as well as any of the old favourites. On the downside, the album sounds really rough - but, as Nile Rodgers explains in the liner notes, he could have cleaned it up in the studio, but deliberately didn't, leaving the recording in its natural state as a tribute to his late friend and musical partner. When Sister Sledge introduce New York's 'Greatest Dancer' to the audience, you do start thinking a video might have been a better idea (how about it, Nile?). If you're looking for Chic's usual slick, polished sound, this probably isn't the album for you. But if you're a diehard fan wanting to share in one of the band's most precious moments, this is a must-have.
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