Aerosmith: Rock for the Rising Sun

Aerosmith's first live release since 2004's You Gotta Move, this concert was filmed in Japan several months after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear reactor meltdown that devastated the Land of the Rising Sun. While other bands cancelled their dates, Aerosmith stuck to their itinerary, packing the Tokyo Dome for a two-night event. The costume changes of guitarist Joe Perry and singer Steven Tyler (who was on a break from his judging duties on American Idol) indicate that director Casey Patrick Tebo stitched together footage from both shows. The performances are good, if somewhat workmanlike, with the Boston band mostly sticking to classic tracks they've played thousands of times before, such as "Draw the Line" and "Sweet Emotion.” The approach is clearly designed to be energetic and propulsive (but occasionally comes across rushed), although there are exceptions, including the groove-oriented "Last Child" (which benefits from the speed), and the rare quasi-ballad, such as "Livin' on the Edge." During the 16-song set, drummer Joey Kramer enjoys a drum solo after "Toys in the Attic" (and Perry serves up plenty of solos). Rock for the Rising Sun plays like a concert film, with Tebo intercutting behind-the-scenes footage between selections in an unobtrusive, if also not especially revealing manner. Alternating between color and black-and-white, these scenes include an interview with two fans who traveled from Australia and another who has seen the group 150 times. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include two bonus tracks. Sure to be popular, this is recommended. (K. Fennessy)