Live at the Budokan 1996

In April 1996, Chic played a gig at the Budokan stadium in Tokyo. It would be the last ever performance by the group's legendary bassist, Bernard Edwards; hours after the gig, he was found dead in his hotel room.
The concert itself was an hour-long trawl through the group's history, plus a few special guests. Most of their most memorable hits are here: 'Le Freak', 'Dance, Dance, Dance' and 'Good Times' among them. Sister Sledge join the band for 'He's the Greatest Dancer', and 'We Are Family' becomes a 10-minute funky jam session. Their rendition of Jimi Hendrix's 'Stone Free' - with guests Steve Winwood and Slash from Guns n' Roses - proves that Chic were more than just a disco band. The only unfamiliar track is 'Do That Dance' - but it stands up just as well as any of the old favourites.
On the downside, the album sounds really rough - but, as Nile Rodgers explains in the liner notes, he could have cleaned it up in the studio, but deliberately didn't, leaving the recording in its natural state as a tribute to his late friend and musical partner.
If you're looking for Chic's usual slick, polished sound, this probably isn't the album for you. But if you're a diehard fan wanting to share in one of the band's most precious moments, this is a must-have.

Live at the Budokan is a live album by American band Chic, released on Nile Rodgers' label Sumthing Else in 1999.

The album contains the concert at Tokyo's Budokan on April 17, 1996 that was to be the last performance by fellow Chic member Bernard Edwards who died the following day. The concert was a celebration of the Chic legacy and featured an all-star line-up with guest appearances by Sister Sledge, Slash from Guns N' Roses and Steve Winwood and was released three years after its recording, in unedited form including the spoken introductions by both Edwards and Rodgers.

The concert was released on DVD in 2006.

Personnel
Sylver Logan Sharp – lead vocals
Sister Sledge (Debbie, Joni & Kim Sledge) – lead vocals (tracks 3 to 7)
Steve Winwood – lead vocals, organ (track 9)
Christopher Max – backing vocals
Jill Jones – backing vocals
Slash – lead guitar (tracks 7 & 9)
Nile Rodgers – guitar, vocals
Philippe Saisse – piano
Richard Hilton – keyboards
Bernard Edwards – bass guitar, vocals
Omar Hakim – drums
Gerardo Velez – percussion
Bill Holloman – saxophone
Mac Gollehon – trumpet