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Audience 8.3 - Always nice to find another decent sounding 1981 show as there’s not an abundance of them compared to other years. The recording is a little bit cluttered in the very middle of the sound spectrum but thankfully does not suffer from the aud killers such as muddiness or distortion. All the instruments fight for the center but are clearly heard notwithstanding. Occasionally you may notice a bit of phasing which helps the recording to my ears because it’s almost like a cool effect that they meant to do! A good one to add to the collection. -
Audience 8.8 - This is considered to be one of those recordings that every Rush collector should have, possibly because it is a great recording of arguably their peak performance year. I really do think 1979 was them at their best, and this recording shows clearly why that remains my opinion. -
Audience 8.4 - A great find here! So few Power Windows tour shows out there, and this one, while not a “great” recording, is pretty clear and has a lot of atmosphere. Does sound maybe midway in the venue, so you get a little of that “wash” or stadium “verb” effect but to my delight the bass notes are distinct and not just a boominess. It’s maybe the guitar that is slightly lost, with Geddy also being a touch behind the sound rather than in front. Overall, it is still a good listen and well worth having. -
Audience 8.5 - There are some shows where the ratings numbers cannot tell the story. This is certainly the best example of that. I overlooked this show in the past, I did not, could not, get past the “wall of sound” factor. Now, thanks to modern mastering techniques, this recording has morphed into a real gem. Is it better? Yes! Is it perfect? No. But, perhaps while some would still find it too much to handle, other will find it to be a ton of fun. The tapers were real close to the mains, but managed to keep levels just low enough to prevent the dreaded distortion, but in so doing got a tape without dynamics, or at least one dynamic which is SUPER loud intense power – which if you are a hard core Rush fan, will REALLY tickle your fancy when you pop this on the stereo. It’s almost like a heavy metal concert! Unbridled fury, simply an intense concert and intense recording, let yourself get into it, and your ears will adjust and you will find that the audio frequency range here is comfortable to the ears even though it’s off the charts in massiveness. -
Audience 7.4 - A scratchy, distant, and cluttered recording of an energetic show (band and audience). Is it worth getting? It’s on the ragged edge if you ask me, but as a completist you will find that it is not unlistenable muck, thankfully. It is interesting to hear a veteran touring band giving it 100% effort even if the city is other than New York, LA or Chicago. Just another tour stop, in the deep south no less, but there’s Rush giving their fans their all, night after night. God Bless Rush! -
Audience 8.5 - Solid punch but maybe some lack of clarity in the lower mid to low end, although for some reason the bass kick is clear. It’s nice to have something from this early on in pretty decent fidelity though, so I have to recommend this one. It’s nice! -
Audience 8.8 - A warm and inviting recording that spreads the audio spectrum out very evenly. May be from midway back in the hall, as it is not super sharp, but likewise it is also not too echoey or bassy either. It is a pretty atmospheric sound, with guitar leads swirling above and around adding to the liveness of the recording. -
Audience 8.9 - A great way to discover this band, with a realistic and well captured recording of a very professional performance. -
Audience 9.4 - Superior to a board tape in my opinion because it is recorded in the way that your ears would have picked up the sound in the venue, with the perfectly balanced stereo mixing and balancing of instruments to each side of the stage. Wonderful! -
SDBRD 9.9 - The only thing that gets this to a 10 is a better kick drum sound (extreme nitpicking here). -
Audience 8.4 - Somewhat one-dimensional and a touch thin but it’s pretty darn clear, with a pronounced emphasis on guitar (cool!). Historically I guess you place this high on the priority list as it is their last show, but as a collector you get it because it’s one of the better sounding recordings. -
Soundboard 9.8 - Do not right Billy Idol off as some curiosity of the 80’s .... I mean, listen to this and tell me this guy is not a bona fide singer-writer-performer in any decade. He’s a pro and he can work an audience. -
Audience 9.2 - Very clear and a good amount of atmosphere to give you a real sense of what it was like to be there. I also like how the bass and guitar sound, some tasty tonality to sink your ears into. -
Soundboard 9.6 - Very very clean and quiet, a pure board feed and not a lot of atmosphere but I don’t think anyone is going to mind. It’s a good time period for Elton, with major focus on ballads but still plenty of rock and roll to keep you satisfied. -
Soundboard 8.9 - A good one, if slightly below the expectations of perfection you might be anticipating with a mid 70’s board tape. Occasional phasing, and sometimes a little volume fading as the sound man adjusts things on the fly but it’s greatness is derived from the spectacularly cohesive performance by all the musicians and the sometimes disparagingly different styles they run through in the set. -
Audience 8.8 - A large hall with a lot of atmosphere but the recording thankfully was handled with care by the tapers. Not super close, but not nosebleed, levels are perfect, and the stereo effect is nice. Audio quality is decent, giving you a pretty solid idea of what you would have been hearing with your own ears if you were there.