This album was from a tour supporting Back for the Attack and has songs from all of Dokken's first four albums, which most agree are their true prime. Labels and bands love to put out live albums, of course, because they serve as de facto Greatest Hits albums, cost relatively little to make, and don't require new songwriting. On that level, this live album works really well and shows that Dokken can deliver these songs live. It's fun to hear them singing "In My Dreams" and other songs without benefit of studio overdubs. Many live albums contain a lot of dubs. I can't be sure they didn't tamper with this album, but if they did you can't tell.

The production is merely ok, though. There is too much reverb even for a live album and it comes off a bit muddy. It's better than bootleg quality by far, but it's not a crystal clear live album like some of the best I've heard.

Moreover, as a live album it doesn't really transcend the studio albums...Dokken's performance is good, but mostly pretty straight ahead. George Lynch's guitar solo is a special treat, but mostly you hear the songs played much like the albums. This isn't a harsh criticism, but still the album doesn't belong in the very top tier of classic live albums.

The All Music Guide has rated this album to be Dokken's best album, but don't forget "Tooth And Nail"(1984) and "Under Lock And Key"(1985) too. Dokken gives one hell of a proformence on their 1988 live album. It tells you that how good Dokken was as a live act, this album shows what the 80's hairbands had to offer, beside's their big hair and spandex pants. These guys (Dokken) had talent big time. But there is still one thing that they should have done on this album? They should have added the 3 songs they took out of this album when it came to CD. The 3 songs they took out were "Standing In The Shadows", "Turn On The Action" and "Sleepless Night". To me, if they ever re-package and re-master this album, they should add those songs as well. This is a fun album to listen too. This was one of my favorite albums for the summer of '88 and it still is. Note to the headbangers of the world: "Be true, bang your head and play it loud! The 80's still rock...........

This is one of the best live albums of the Metal Genre. Don Dokken holds court in Japan, and the fans absolutley love Dokken. He holds the audience in the palm of his hand, and the audience interaction is incredible. This was at the height of their popularity, about 1987-88, as it was shortly after the film "Nightmare on Elm Street, 3" was on the big screen, and Dokken was a big part of that film, as they sang the movie's theme, "Dream Warriors", and even starred in their own video with Freddy Krueger, and Christen! All the Dokken classics are there, and "Its Not Love", Unchain the Night, and Tooth and Nail, have never sounded better live. I loved the artwork on the album cover so much, that I am having it done on my own back! Its about 40 % done, the centerpiece is nearly complete, but the tough part is going to be the ocean in the background. I actually got to show Don Dokken the work in progress as I won backstage passes from a local radio show to a Dokken Concert here in New Mexico. They still sound great, and I recommend this album to any Dokken fan, or metal fan out there.

This album is an excellent compilation and performance of the Dokken material from the early/mid eighties. The live performance adds life and evergy to songs that usually don't stand out on the studio albums. Lynch's playing and soloing is superb, not to mention the amazing orchestration on his Mr. Scary. He throws spontaneity and fire into the now overused tremelo and tapping techniques of the eighties. Dokken's voice comes out much more melodic. The band's lyrics at times can be childish, but the songs themselves come forth with a enormous amount of energy and power. Musically, one of the best live albums I've heard.

Released in 1988, I seem to recall seeing the band twice that year, once opening for Aerosmith and later in the summer on tour with the 'Monsters Of Rock' trek with Van Halen, Scorpions, Metallica and Kingdom Come. Anyone else remember that? Wish they'd have shindigs like that these days. I've always liked hearing Dokken, even in the more recent times here. 'Beast In The East' is a good live 2-CD effort. Total of seventeen tracks with a duration of 88 minutes. Tunes I loved experiencing time and time again were "Unchain The Night", "Dream Warriors", "Kiss Of Death", "Breaking The Chains" and "In My Dreams" (great harmony vocals). Recommended if you like '80's metal.