Filmed and Recorded in Tokyo over 3 nights in March 2020 just before the covid lockdown this here double CD/DVD package is Tyla hitting all the right notes (ok most of em) on some Dogs classics.

It’s fair to say these iconic tunes still manage to send a chill down the spine of fans even when it’s one man and his guitar.  Its an armoury of tunes most performers would be proud to have in the locker and be it in a large hall or small intimate back room of a club its often a spine-tingling walk through some mighty fine songs we grew up loving especially when they’re stripped back to one man and his guitar and when Tyla is on form you can be taken right back to a time when we were obviously much younger and these songs were fresh and packed a powerful punch that has managed to stand the test of time and for many of these more than 30 years have passed.

‘Errol Flynn’ kicks off proceedings and already you can see that this is a live in the raw affair there are no overdubs no bells and whistles added in the studio is straight from the board and into your ears.  Whilst the CD deals with classic period Dogs tunes from ‘Last Bandit’ through ‘Heroine’ the majestic ‘Johnny Silvers’, ‘Drunk Like Me’, ‘I Don’t Want You To Go’ and ‘How Come It Never Rains’ with added harmonica. I drifted off thinking of the many times I saw Tyla stumble into town wherever it is deepest darkest West Wales of Capital Cities it was always a night out enjoying some of my favourite songs and this sounds intimate and emotional albeit thousands of miles away ‘How Come It Never Rains’ slowed down is an emotional tune and the memories come flooding back and Tyla sounds in fine voice.

Oh, hang on ‘I Don’t Love Anyone’ is thrust forward and centre and what a beautiful tune it is too.  It’s classic Tyla and could easily fit into the late 80s period of productivity and slots in nicely here.  Ending the CD with ‘Satellite Kid’ is just about spot-on as a waft of Thunderbird wine and hazy tropical cigarette smoke passes my mind’s eye and I think back to hazy days consigned to time.  Dancing in HMV Oxford Street as the band played and we helped ourselves to T-shirts handed out by the band and half-remembered shows in the Astoria, Hammersmith Odeon and Town and Country as well as cardiff square Club and the Railway Inn all blur into one.  Music is the best thing in my life and Tyla J Pallas has curated the soundtrack on many occasions and this is a nice reminder even if it is from Tokyo.

As for the DVD section ‘The State I’m In’ plays whilst we watch grainy footage before the multi angle footage shot in Tokyo kicks in and what you get here is fresh material ranging from ‘Comfort Of The Devil’ and ‘Billy Two Rivers’ before we get some home made quality footage shot in soundcheck which is the order of the rest of the film.  live interspersed with soundcheck footage.

‘Scared Of Dying’ peppers the Dogs set along with the excellent ‘All You Had’ and as the credits roll ‘Mad Bad Jack’ wraps up what is an impressive CV by anyones standard.  I used to love collecting all the Tyla solo bootlegs back in the times of Dial up and whilst this is not exactly Blockbuster quality is has charm and more than enough top tunes to lure in fans far and wide and its great to see Tyla and Dave Kusworth sitting next to each other sharing a good time in the credits.

It’s been a funny old year and it began with this trip to Japan and will end with the footage and audio.  Hopefully 2021 will be a much better year and Tyla will get out there and tour round an acoustic set with all these classics untilthen this will be alright innit.

*This edition is different from the KO/Cargo edition (release date 12 Feb 2021)by way of packaging which will be in a jewel case and not numbered or Signed.*

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Author: Dom Daley