CASIOPEA - World Live '88 (Original 1988 Pressing) CD

CASIOPEA – World Live ’88 (1988, Aura/Polydor Japan)

Recorded across multiple stops of Casiopea’s 1988 international tour, this live set documents the band during their peak “second golden era,” following Akira Jimbo and Tetsuo Sakurai’s return from the Platinum and Casiopea Live ’85 years. It’s a tight and high energy snapshot of the quartet performing their signature late 1980s material in full stadium form.

The mix leans clean and direct, showcasing each player’s precision: Issei Noro’s guitar stays up front, Minoru Mukaiya’s synth patches retain their bright, digital textures, and the rhythm section locks in with the kind of interplay that only comes from years of touring together. The setlist pulls from Euphony, Sun Sun, and Halle, alongside older staples like “Bayside Express.”

World Live ’88 captures Casiopea transitioning from Japan’s jazz fusion stage to a fully international presence. No studio polish, just the band’s exacting musicianship captured live and loud.

Notable tracks: “Bayside Express,” “Red Zone,” “Eyes of the Mind,” “Super Sonic Movement.”
Original 1988 pressing (H33P-20285) on Aura Records/Polydor Japan.