It may just be the concert that originated the phrase "Big in Japan," and it's coming to Surprise (as in: "Surprise! People live this far west!") Thursday.
Cheap Trick at Budokan, the movie, is showing at Ultrastar Surprise Pointe Cinema (as in: Surprise! We have movie theaters this far west!). The show starts at 8 p.m.
Budokan, recorded in 1978, was re-released last month as a 4-disc set that has the complete and unabridged album in it, as well as a DVD of the 60-minute concert.
"The history of rock and roll is fraught with more than its share of unforeseen circumstances. But none so unforeseen as those in the life of Cheap Trick... Circa 1978-79, they jumped from being the biggest band ever to emerge from Rockford, Illinois, to becoming platinum-selling headliners on the cover of Rolling Stone. Chalk it up to Japan, who held Cheap Trick so close to their hearts that the band's record company there decided to reward the fans with a live concert album, a souvenir of the band's incredible two-night stand at the country's most revered sports stadium in 1978."
