I've already said that winning this box set is what made me a Rush fan. Nowadays, I wish the remastered original mix of VT had also been included. Clockwork Angels Tour could've been a good release (especially after the bad sound of the studio album), but sadly it's a disaster - apart from "Middletown Dreams" (or was it "Manhattan Project"? - I know it was one of the bonus tracks), literally everything sounds like it's been recorded in the toilet. What a shame. Also, the visual editing can drive you nuts... Given that a soundboard was posted from 1997 that (to my ears) sounded much more listenable than Different Stages, I'd assume there are lots of fan-made recordings from 2012 that eclipse the official live album?
R40 is an improvement on all counts, although Geddy's voice is really now just a pale shadow of its former self. Apparently, he sounded pretty good at the start of the tour, but this is what happens when you don't do your vocal training every day in between tours - you lose the strength to carry a whole tour like that. I'm also looking at you, David Gilmour. Do your vocal exercises! The voice is like a muscle and it becomes more important with age to keep it fit... But at least the editing and mixing is actually good. Plus, I like the concept of the tour, starting with the most recent material and then working their way backwards - including the constant rejigging of the stage! (The backwards idea was also done once by Marillion on a live album called "Tumbling Down the Years", but the two live releases aren't comparable at all...) Since the filmed bonus tracks were only played on June 17, I assume that the film and live album stem from the June 19 gig. Set One: The World Is... The World Is...: Nice quick run through almost all Rush albums up to S&A. Basically what we've been doing in this thread - compressed to two minutes! The Anarchist: What a joy to hear this song with a good mix! But then Geddy comes in with that really shaky vocal and it's a bit of a bringdown. Still, the rest of the music is good, and you can actually hear the component parts that make up the song much better. Headlong Flight: Yeah, I wasn't so happy about this one being chosen until I heard the recording... and what do you know! Suddenly it sounds like a good rock song instead of an unrelenting, maddening wall of noise. Goes to show what a bad mix can destroy (and a good one can bring out). Even the vocal by Geddy doesn't sound that annoying here, maybe because he wasn't great sounding on the studio version to begin with. The mini drum solo with sampled bits triggered by Neil's drums... well I can take it or leave it. But even the guitar solo sounds better here! Far Cry: Gah, Lerxst starts this one off in the wrong key... he's in F# when it actually should be in E, but he quickly corrects himself. I guess that's what live albums are for... otherwise this isn't bad at all. Yeah, a lot of "stage tapes" but that's unavoidable, I guess. The Main Monkey Business: It's odd that this follows so quickly after "Headlong Flight" given the similarities, but this is probably my favourite track from CD 1. Not just because it's an instrumental and therefore saves us from Ged's vocal issues, but also because the track stands out for its inventiveness. I think they even vary it a bit near the end... I don't remember the breakdown sounding like that in the studio version! How It Is: Hm. Now I don't mind that Vapor Trails gets an outing after being ignored on the previous two tours. But there are other songs I would've chosen, why not "Nocturne" or "Freeze"? It's not a bad performance at all, but I just generally don't care for the song that much. Animate: We've jumped over Test for Echo and end up at what I still think is my favourite Rush albums post-Signals... and the only reason it loses out to the studio version is Geddy's vocal (which isn't as bad as on some other songs on here, given that the song is generall in a lower range). Otherwise, impressive performance with a few variations and a WICKED guitar sound in the middle. Roll the Bones: Odd how this song, just like the original studio version, has a thinner sound with less mids and bass... I quite like this version too... Geddy has less to play and can therefore concentrate more on the vocal, which additionally is in a key more suitable to his aged voice. Alex's voice is spot on, the rap is sonically better integrated than on Different Stages. Great fun. Between the Wheels: We've jumped over a lot of albums now... Presto (boo hoo), Hold Your Fire (boo hoo too) and Power Windows (less dramatic, given how strongly it featured on the CA tour). That intro always gives me goosebumps. And the band do the song justice... even Geddy's odd vocal seems to fit with the desperate tone of the song, although at times he really overdoes it by jumping into a register that he simply can't handle anymore. The ending is pretty immense too with Alex' guitar cascades and Geddy playing those tritones on the keys... Losing It: Bringing this song out on the final tour (after all the complaints that they didn't play it with the strings on the CA tour) was an inspired choice, and so was inviting Ben Mink to play it as per the original. Just hear how the audience reacts to the announcement...! However, I find the solo a bit messy. It's good they did it with Jonathan Dinklage (from the CA string ensemble) too, I prefer that version from the bonus tracks. For once, Geddy's voice sounds pristine and brings out all the inherent sadness in the song. Although I'm still a bit saddened that us Europeans never got the chance to say our farewells too, one must admit they went out with grace (under not much pressure, I guess - excuse the pun). Subdivisions: They've nailed that synth sound at the beginning... not a given. And given how low the vocal is and how much keys Geddy has to play here (bass playing seems to interfere with his breathing more), this is a pretty good version. In conjunction with "Losing It", the first set really ends on a high note. Set Two: Tom Sawyer: That goofy intro... "ena-one-ena-two-ena-onetothree, a onetothree!" Elsewise, this is as expected. The trademark drum rolls are all still in place. YYZ: Instrumental, and what else can we expect except greatness? Alex flubs the end of his solo, but otherwise this band is on fire! The Spirit of Radio: And this one never fails to get the audience moving. (Sorry if I don't have as much to say but 1) I've had my computer turned off while listening to these tracks and 2) there are so many live versions of these songs it's hard to find something unique to say about them.) Natural Science: They're on a roll now. A lot of the words are hard to understand, but instrumentally this is superb again. Jacob's Ladder: Epic. Stunning. Mesmerizing. Magical. I'm running out of words... from memory, this was also amazing visually. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres (Prelude): Is this the first official release of this track? Actually not, I forgot about the instrumental R30 excerpt. Things always sound odd to me when they're tuned down - and even then Geddy can't really sing this. Still, great that Rush realized the importance of those long suites and managed to squeeze them into this set. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage (Prologue) / The Story So Far / (Part 3): And we continue mining the Cygnus X-1 territory. This time there are no vocals at all, and most of the song's "meat" is replaced with the drum solo. But to repeat myself - what we get is great. Just to hear them romp through the prologue again, and finishing up the thing with THAT piece of furious instrumental madness that probably started all thoughts of "progressive metal" is a treat. Just a shame about the inferior synth sounds. Oh, and just as if to prove that Rush wanted to go out with a bang, the drum solo once again shows Neil as the superlative drummer that he was. It might be a bit more laid back than previous ones... but just a bit! Closer to the Heart: Hey Geddy, you've already moved to that album called Farewell to something or other! The vocal sounds quite OK when Geddy concentrates on the singing... and I think the concert is at a point where it literally doesn't matter anymore. Xanadu: And when you're bringing out the doublenecks, it's masterpiece time... Geddy really tries hard to sing like he used to, and in parts he's even almost successful, but what really matters with "Xanadu" is the instrumental parts, and they're all here in full glory. 2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Presentation/Grand Finale: Wowowowow... does this sound like a band ready to pack it in? I don't think so... again, Geddy really tries to belt it out in the "Presentation" part (which was usually not played), and the whole band sounds as frantic and hard-hitting as ever. You get the feeling they're improving even as they go along. What a kick! (As an aside, I still think the key change would be less jarring if the opening tape were shifted down too... maybe I'll try editing it myself at some point.) Encores: Mel's Rockpile: Okay, here's the obligatory goofiness. Do I like the tongue-in-cheek humour here? I do. Do I think this whole "They've opened for Kiss" business is a bit silly, especially upon each repeated listen? I do. Oh well. Lakeside Park/Anthem: Odd how the encores are strung together as quasi-medleys like this. They picked a rather obscure track to open the encore (although it was on "All the World's a Stage"), and Geddy struggles a lot singing it, although I don't necessarily mind this - then we go into "Anthem", sadly the lyrics still haven't improved, and there is no way Geddy could recreate his roaring from the original. I really would've liked to hear "Fly by Night" again. I know Geddy said it's very high, but I think it could be transposed to interesting effect. What You're Doing/Working Man/Garden Road: A good riff is a good riff. And this is one that had fallen by the wayside for far too long... this is such a fantabulous hard rock song, I really think Rush had forgotten how great it is! And finally they let their hair down in "Working Man", with no reggae enhancements, but Geddy and Alex really letting loose. It's hard to imagine how it must've felt to leave the show after such an amazing finale. CD and Blu-Ray bonus tracks: One Little Victory: If the vocal were a bit better, this would easily outshine the studio recording. Although this live album was mixed by David Bottril, it still sounds a lot more pleasing to my ears than his remix of VT. I suppose this also has to do with the choice of instruments and recording techniques. I've always liked this song but here I'm finally able to enjoy it without getting that feeling of somebody trying to whack me in the head. Additional plus: The guitar solo is here too, and it's better than the one on the remix. Distant Early Warning: Needs no introduction, yet gets one! This is a very infectious version. I don't remember the ASOH recording being as lively as this, vocal issues notwithstanding. Red Barchetta: This never fails to get the blood pumping. Instrumentally, these guys were anything but worn out. I mean, I know both Neil and Alex were having health problems, but you hear zilch of it. CD only bonus tracks: Clockwork Angels: Fantastic. All the epicness, depth and grandeur that was buried underneath the awful mixing and mastering of the studio version is finally laid bare for all to see. This recording really made me reconsider my opinion on CA the album, folks. Other plus: Geddy's vocal is pretty much the equal of the studio recording (actually less annoying, because he's better seated in the mix here). Additional bonus - you get to hear the backwards stuff much clearer. What is it? Simply bits of the main vocal reversed ("Higher still against the night, clockwork angels bathed in light.... to those angels high above...")! The Wreckers: Magnificent. Another song that shows how much more I'd like Clockwork Angels with proper production. This has a couple more things going for it: Aside from sounding considerably less clustered than the studio clustermess, Alex' beautiful solo gets to run its course instead of being faded out. Essential. The Camera Eye: Le sigh. Oh how I wish I could've witnessed this tour, the only one that took place after I had become a Rush fan... I remember somebody saying (Geddy?) that the main reason Rush didn't perform Moving Pictures in full until 2011 was that they didn't want to tackle this song - and on that 2011 tour they ended up enjoying it more than all the other songs! This is a superb version, Geddy's vocal sounds a bit stronger than on the filmed gig, but the vocal is not the main focus of the song anyway. Losing It (with Jonathan Dinklage): Bit of an emotional comedown after such an optimistic piece... but as I said above, it's a nice gesture to include an alternate version, especially given that Jonathan Dinklage IMO plays a better solo here than Ben Mink did at the filmed gig. I mean, Ben Mink did alright, but Jonathan Dinklage really digs into the track... Look, I think this is essential for any Rush fan. Sure, I wish Geddy had been in better voice (and judging from the bonus tracks, he did have better nights on the tour). But the setlist is a great cross-section of the Rush career, arranged in an intelligent manner, and the energy is simply astounding given the band's age and health issues that forced them to retire. Although the first set is pretty good, it's the second one where the real gold lies... and it underlines the critical viewpoint that this (2112 - Moving Pictures) was Rush's most important era, the albums that produced the most innovative, influential and long-lasting music these guys could ever come up with. There simply is no track on CD 2 that you can argue with. It's heavy, it's fearless, it's sometimes jaw-dropping, and somehow sums up almost everything that's great about Rush. Sure, their 80s and 90s work is really cool too... but with more focus on the vocal melodies, and far less instrumental excursions, it does seem like a safer and less distinctive Rush as opposed to the fierce, uncompromising machine of the 70s. Yes, this is a very hard rock focused album. Rush could've upped the amount of ballads and mid-tempo tracks, but they did the opposite. It's like they wanted to prove something. If it weren't for the vocal issues, this might just be the ultimate Rush live experience.
Many of the bootlegs have cuts in Hemispheres because of tape-flips, but the Frankfurt show, especially, sounds good to me. I know the song was hard for Geddy to sing even then, so he might not have been happy with the recordings.
I assume the blu-ray authoring is the same. The multiangle tracks from Rio disappeared, they're only on the DVD. For me it was nice since I only had the Clockwork Angels Tour 2DVD.
The live material sounds really good. I don't really have the right software to do this, but I'm hoping that someone will blend together a full show in the correct running order from the various live sources available.
What annoys me a bit about this is that there is also some piano backing playing along... he's clearly not playing everything. The usage of samples and backing enhancements has not been discussed much during this thread, I've noticed.
You're right. I know the band said their objective (and what they believed their fans wanted) was as close a reproduction of the studio recording as possible. Here's one fan (me) who would have rather had a more "authentic" live sound with fewer samples, etc. I mean, sure, you can put in the "Attention All Planets..." bit, but the "Chorus of Geddys" was unnecessary. Alex always sung, or pretended to sing, backup with his mike turned way down. Just let him sing backup. If Alex was unreliable as a backup singer, they could at least have recorded ALEX singing (getting that good take on his voice in the studio), so that when we saw his lips moving by the microphone we would also have heard his voice. They should have added a fourth player live who could sing harmony, play keyboards, and occasional rhythm guitar.
This seems a good place to share a memory. When Rush was out on the Clockwork Angels tour, I convinced my seven-year-old son to go to the concert with me. It was actually easy to do so because he loved BU2B. He'd go, "Oh, yeah!" every time my iPod would shuffle around to play it. So, my third Rush concert, his first. Dad and son bonding moment. We're at the show at whatever the World Music Theater in Tinley Park, IL was called that year. The seats are crappy far right of the stage. Can't even see the band because of some obstruction. Geddy's voice isn't that great, as noted throughout this thread. I'm not one to bop around and scream and holler at a show. I'm sitting in my chair nodding and internalizing my joy. Then they play Headlong Flight. By the time they finished that song, my jaw was on the ground. They blew the roof off that outdoor arena. I looked at my son and said, "Holy ****!" So, that's what I remember from our last Rush concert. Oh, and the Stanley Cup made an appearance because the Blackhawks won the NHL championship a few days earlier.
That would be very cool.... Even better the band find a fully filmed concert from the era Hey, I can dream
I have to agree for the most part... I'm not sure about the extra touring member, sometimes it can spoil band dynamics, but I think there is nothing lost, in a live situation, by just playing the raw versions of songs. They were certainly capable of it.
I did just that recently and painstakingly put together a nice live album of all of the officially released tracks from the 40th anniversary edition combined with the St. Louis show and Exit Stage Left, to create a complete 1980 setlist. Made the cover art for it here, too (designed to imagine what a live album from 1980 might have looked like)! Shoot me a message if you're interested in more info and hearing it
Complete 6 CD compilation: All the Rush You Really Need: CD1 (1974-1976) Finding My Way In the Mood Working Man Anthem By-Tor and the Snow Dog Fly by Night Beneath, Between, and Behind In the End Bastille Day Lakeside Park Something for Nothing A Passage to Bangkok 2112 CD2 (1977-1980) Circumstances The Trees Xanadu Closer to the Heart Cygnus X-1 La Villa Strangiato The Spirit of Radio Freewill Jacob's Ladder Entre Nous Different Strings Natural Science CD3 (1981-1983) Tom Sawyer Red Barchetta YYZ Limelight The Camera Eye Witch Hunt Vital Signs Subdivisions The Analog Kid New World Man Losing It Distant Early Warning Red Lenses Red Sector A The Enemy Within CD4 (1985-1989) The Big Money Grand Designs Marathon Middletown Dreams Mystic Rhythms Force Ten Time Stand Still Mission Prime Mover High Water Show Don't Tell The Pass Scars Presto Available Light CD5 (1991 - 1996) Dreamline Roll the Bones Where's My Thing? Ghost of a Chance Bravado Animate Stick It Out Cut to the Chase Nobody's Hero Alien Shore Test for Echo Driven Half the World Totem Time and Motion Resist CD6 (2002 - 2012) One Little Victory Ghost Rider Peaceable Kingdom Vapor Trail Secret Touch Earthshine Sweet Miracle Nocturne Far Cry Workin' Them Angels Hope Malignant Narcissism Headlong Flight Seven Cities of Gold The Garden
Permanent Waves Bonus Tracks On this box, we get a smattering of live cuts taken from shows in Manchester and London, UK from 1980, with one song from a show in St. Louis. None of these were previously released, except for the Manchester live version of "A Passage To Bangkok" on the LP that had previously been released on the first 2112 Deluxe Edition. Beneath, Between & Behind - from Manchester and a solid version in pretty good sound quality By-Tor & The Snow Dog - from London and a good version that isn't shortened quite as much as some of the others (although it's still missing the back part of the song); this segues into... Xanadu - from London and an excellent version that tops the ones included on the previous bonus discs The Spirit Of Radio - from Manchester and a much better version than most of the latter year ones; of course, the song was new when this version was recorded! Natural Science - from Manchester; very good The Trees - from Manchester, and an excellent version with the acoustic intro part added but it fades out before it goes into whatever the next song they played at that show was Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - from London; good to hear this one but it's nothing special as a live performance Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres (Parts I and IV-VI only) - from London; we get most of this song (did they ever perform it in its entirety?) and it's a good version Closer To The Heart - from Manchester and a fine but unexceptional version that also fades out before it flows into whatever was played next Jacob's Ladder - from St. Louis and a solid version Freewill - from London and an excellent version to finish the bonus disc
So for now at least, we have arrived at the end of the thread. I want to sincerely thank everyone for their participation. For me it has been a very revealing look at the band, and I have a much better understanding of the band and a much closer relationship with the music they made. For me it was really nice to get familiar with the earlier music I didn't know, and the later music that I didn't know. I was certainly not disappointed with anything. Although A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres remain my two favourite albums by the band, I certainly have an awful lot more material that will get into the album rotation now. I really hope everyone enjoyed the thread, and it is always pleasing to read that folks had some albums that had been distant become closer, for me that's the whole idea of these threads. So sincerely again. Cheers guys!
De-lurking to say thanks, Mark! Though I didn’t post, I did enjoy reading and following along. I took the opportunity to listen to Presto and Roll the Bones for the second time ever, and everything after those for the first time. (Nothing in there compares to the great run they had from 2112 through to Hold Your Fire, but it was still worthwhile.)
Yes, thanks Mark for doing this. Even though I barely got in on this thread by the last album, I'm still going through the discussion and seeing every ones thoughts and opinions. Lots of fun! I'm only 75 pages in so far and y'all have just started 2112. I will say that one of the first songs I remember hearing on the radio and thinking, oh, I need to ride my bike down to the store that sells cassette tapes and get this song so I can hear it again over and over was "New World Man". I see it was released in August of 1982, which means I had just turned 12. I ended up just recording it (poorly) from the radio. It's funny now to read that they put that song together as a quick on just to add length to album. But it will always be my #1 favorite Rush song, just because of the circumstances of when I heard it. I can remember sitting in my room and hearing it on the radio like it was yesterday. That drum beat so infectious to a young kid and trying to air drum along. My next introduction, roughly 1985 was probably like a lot of people, Moving Pictures, I was just a few years behind. The funny thing is, the cassette tape I bought was actually put into the case incorrectly. So, Side 2 was on Side 1 and Side 1 on Side 2. For several minutes I though, why have I never heard this opening sequence to Tom Sawyer? Only to later realize I was listening to Camera Eye. My older brother was more into Kiss, but he went to the Moving Pictures Tour and got a concert shirt. I remember stealing it and wearing it to high school in 1985 thinking I was so cool. I didn't fool anyone. Then sitting in a friends basement and him putting 2112 on and handing me the album cover to see if I could follow along. So awesome. I guess what I'm trying to write, is that Rush is not just a band to me, but an actual part of my life and childhood. I could go on and on about first concerts (Hold Your Fire) and other such things but won't bore y'all any more than I already have. Here's my attempt at my best to least favorite album. Honestly 3-19 change all the time. Feedback will probably always be at the bottom. Moving Pictures will probably always be at the top, but everything else is very fluid. Roll the Bones and Presto will always be near the top because again, I bought them when they came out. 1. Moving Pictures 2. 2112 3. Permanent Waves 4. Presto 5. Roll The Bones 6. Fly By Night 7. A Farewell To Kings 8. Hemispheres 9. Vapor Trails 10. Power Windows 11. Grace Under Pressure 12. Rush 13. Signals 14. Caress of Steel 15. Snakes and Arrows 16. Test For Echo 17. Hold Your Fire 18. Counterparts 19. Clockwork Angels 20. Feedback
Well put. And to all, again, it was thoroughly a pleasure. The nostalgia was thick but smooth. Thanks! And to Geddy, Alex, and Neil......
