[From the archives – September 1973] Bee Gees Tokyo concert review
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"Bee Gees in Japan 1973" continues…
Although Bee Gees gave nine concerts throughout Japan that year, most or all of the press coverage was about their first date in Tokyo – Shinjuku Kosei Nenkin Kaikan, September 1, 1973. This two-page spread from a music magazine is no exception.
To sum up, the short concert review more or less reads:
The Bee Gees came back to serenade the capacity crowd, mainly consisting of teenage girls, with the pleasant sound they are known for.
Compared with their first Japanese tour from last March, there was more prancing around the stage, and the brothers were more casually dressed in jeans and stuff. All in all, there was a more relaxed, casual feel. The congenial audience laughed and applauded at the funny exchanges between Barry, Maurice, and Robin.
"The concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in February" seems to have influenced the group a great deal. They kept talking about it at the press conference. Also, the experience seems to have prepared them to harmonize brilliantly backed by a full orchestra. They kept the promise that they would "choose to sing our greatest hits" as they belted out songs like ‘Massachusetts’ and ‘First of May’ in perfect harmony. (September 1, Tokyo Kosei Nenkin Kaikan Hall – Photos: Katsuhisa Kubota)
The Bee Gees "kept talking about" the concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the press conference mostly because the Japanese press, who filled the conference room, kept asking them about it. In hindsight, the concert must have been featured prominently in the information provided to the press by Polydor Japan.
A typical Bee Gees concert included a full orchestra back then. So to say that the one concert in February "prepared" them to sing with an orchestra in Tokyo could be an overstatement.
This two-page spread carried some of the best photos from that year, but the review was slightly off. In our opinion, the best review of that year was the short one (probably) in "Stereo" magazine. So, we’d like to sum it up for you soon.
{Bee Gees Days}
