Bob Dylan At Budokan: Opinions?

It's unfairly bashed however it is by NO MEANS a good document or an accurate one of his 1978 tour, of which many of the performances were OUTSTANDING.
Esp. as the year went on. If you haven't heard the shows, picture the intensity of Dylan's 1979 first Born-Again tour but to his old music.
It was an INCREDIBLE tour.
The album Bob Dylan at Budokan came out far too soon, before the band gelled at all, before his confidence grew and the performances became incredible.

 

havent listened to it in years. not quite a "novelty" ..more like a bizarre little footnote in his vast career.

 

You're using capital letters, it must be true.

Whether it's a good document of the 78 tour is beside the point, imo. Budokan is best appreciated for what it is, not what it could have been. Take for example the recent Rolling Thunder box, the rehearsals have gotten great praise for what they are. Sure they lack the performance of the gigs proper, but again, that's beside the point - they have something else.

Let's not forget - Budokan was originally intended for only a Japanese release, to mark Dylan's concert in that country. As such, it's a perfect testament.

Whether other dates are better/worse is something else entirely. They've not seen fit to release those officially. Even if they are "better", whatever that means, that doesn't lessen Budokan's music, imo.