The flight over actually went pretty quickly. I guess I must be getting used to spending the best part of a day in an aluminum can. We took a day to get our heads together and then it was Showtime. We haven't played since July and here we were getting ready to do our warm-up show in front of thirty thousand people.

We have a completely new production that we designed just for this leg and when we got to the hall and saw it for the first time it was amazing. We had an all new backdrop made up of 3D manic dragons surrounding a huge video screen. There was a special animation of an Aerosmith logo transforming into a screaming evil looking monster that we used to begin the show. We also had four other video screens extending way out from the sides of the stage so that every seat in the massive Dome had a great view. During the show we had scenes from videos combined with real time show footage along with special effects designs. It was exciting and made me wish we had more than six shows in which to use all this stuff.

The first show was the next day on the 29th of December of the last century. Before going over to the Osaka Dome everybody went out exploring the city. We've been there many times before but there's always something new to check out and take pictures of. It was an early show that night. Most concerts start early in Japan and this one was scheduled for seven o'clock. There was no opening act and we hit the stage right on schedule. Everything was dialed in and working great so all we had to do was get up there and have a good time, which we did. There were a few sloppy moments but hopefully we were the only ones that noticed.

The following day was off so it was a day of more exploring and trying to dodge the big groups of fans waiting in the lobby. Actually, they were great and their enthusiasm was infectious so we spent a lot of time signing all kinds of different objects. No body parts however. We also got to see every different snapshot camera known to man as we posed for photo after photo. I have to say, the Japanese fans are the best organized of any. They always have their pens, paper, clothing and whatever else all ready for the big moment.

Our second show in Osaka was on the 31st. The big Millennium show. There's that word again. This time instead of going on early we went on at about 10:15 so the zero hour would come while we were onstage. We also had two opening acts, Buck Cherry and Mr. Big. We got to the hall too late to see Buck Cherry's set but we did hang out with them for a while and they were cool guys. I wish I could have seen them play. Everybody said they put on a great show as did Mr. Big, but we'll have to wait until some time in the future to see them.

Now it was our turn.

After anticipating this gig for months, it was time to actually get it done. At the beginning of the show, that animated dragon I told you about opens his mouth and rushes forward as if to gobble everything up in its path and Steven came up with a neat idea where he would have a special camera he could put in his mouth. Just as it appeared that the dragon's mouth was at its most open, the video guys switched over to the Steven Mouth-cam which he pulled backward revealing that it had transformed into his. Get it? I hope so. You kind of had to be there. It looked really cool though. Plus Steven got really good at making sounds similar to the screaming roar the cartoon dragon made. As soon as all this built to a climax we went into Eat The Rich for the opening song.

We cruised through the set and at about a minute before midnight, the disembodied voice of our monitor guy came through our ear monitors telling us to get ready for the countdown. We had special graphics done for the big moment and the audience and the band chanted the numbers down into the New Year. As soon as it came we let loose with confetti cannons and a massive balloon drop. Pretty soon the confetti-covered audience was holding these big long phallic balloons. It looked like every member of the audience had a giant pink or blue erection. Quite an effect. It also happened to be my birthday and there were fans out there with big Happy Birthday" signs. The next thing I knew Steven had the whole crowd singing Happy Birthday. It was a little embarrassing but a great emotional feeling at the same time and I thank everybody for it.

After the show some of us went over to a club called the Blue Note to see Nile Rogers and Chic play. A bunch of us had gone the night before but a few needed a second hit. They were amazing. Truly pro. They played so many songs I've heard and loved for years without actually knowing who did them. About three that morning I went down to the lobby to see if anybody was hanging out but it was dark and deserted except, of course, for a few fans with stacks of stuff to sign and photos to take. What the hell. I spent the next fifteen minutes signin' and smilin' for those little snapshot cameras and then called it a night.

We played in Nagoya two nights later and it was a rockin' show if I do say so myself. We added in "No More, No More" and "Remember". There was no time to properly go over those songs, which we haven't played in eons. We decided to just go for it and they came out a little weird. A little bit of jazz (as we call it when we screw up an arrangement). They both cooked though and the audience dug 'em. More than anybody else, the Japanese audience loves it when you go off the beaten track. We went off but managed to get it back on in the nick of time.

Next show: Fukuoka. Be very careful how you pronounce that!

By the way, I hope everyone has a great new Millenium and maybe it can be a new beginning for how the human race treats each other. Wouldn't it be great if...

TH