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Audience 8.7 - So it’s kind of in the middle of the venue and so you sacrifice a little clarity in the low mid but man, somebody did know what they were doing here. It’s very clear in the upper end, there’s no real boominess or echo either. It’s the best middle of the floor aud tape I think I have ever heard, and the best part is the band is really cooking. I think you will be happy with this. -
Audience 8.8 - Man, why do we have to wait over 35 years for a new Rush tape to surface? Come on guys! Let’s get them out before we’re all dead! Ha ha! So, this is just fantastic! For one thing, it’s early Rush, just prior to the start of 2112, and there’s just not a lot out there that is listenable. This is listenable, and it ain’t perfect but it is perfect at the same time – how to explain that seemingly contradictory statement? Collectors will understand me…it lacks some of the niceties we’ve grown accustomed to nowadays but it also delivers things we do not frequently hear on Rush audience tapes and that is a very defined, well rounded and clearly heard bass sound. Geddy is in fine form, the band means business! Get this if you know what is good for you. Rush Randhurst Arena Mount Prospect, Illinois March 5, 1976 01 -Intro 02 -Bastille Day 03 -Anthem 04 -Lakeside Park 05 -I Think I'm Going Bald 06 -By-Tor & The Snow Dog 07 -Fly by Night 08 -Working Man - Drum Solo 09 -Finding My Way -
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 very thin recording, now it does come from a master source so it is as clean as it will ever be. I mean, I suppose you do hear it all, just do not expect much bottom end. -
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. -
Soundboard 9.6 - A most welcome addition to the amazing live Rush catalog, this recently discovered board tape is the upgrade to the pre-existing release of long ago, and THAT was also killer...just missing 6 songs. Now, we have this amazing document in its complete glory. Rush Madison Square Garden New York City, NY December 7, 1991 Disc One 1. Intro/Force Ten 5:02 2. Limelight 4:21 3. Freewill 4:02 4. Distant Early Warning 4:29 5. Time Stand Still 6:00 6. Dreamline 5:10 7. Bravado 7:01 8. Roll The Bones 6:03 9. Show Don’t Tell 6:17 10. The Big Money 6:16 11. Ghost Of A Chance 5:33 Disc Two 1. Subdivisions 4:07 2. The Pass 4:59 3. Where’s My Thing? 5:12 4. The Rhythm Method 7:28 5. Closer To The Heart 4:45 6. Xanadu 6:34 7. Superconductor 5:09 8. Tom Sawyer 6:06 9. The Spirit Of Radio 4:56 10. 2112: Overture 3:22 11. Finding My Way 2:08 12. La Villa Strangiato 3:17 13. Anthem 1:42 14. Red Barchetta 1:35 15. The Spirit Of Radio (Reprise) 0:41 -
Audience 6.7 - 6.9 - Fluctuates, can hear everything but there's a slight rumbling underneath. Quieter passages 7.5 -
Audience 7.5 - What saves this is a rich bottom end that is surprisingly warm without overt boominess. Guitar is present but sometimes hides behind the noise. Sound tends to come in and go slightly out in a wave like fashion but it’s subtle. Sometimes this gets clear and decent and then sometimes it seems to be brittle and cluttered in the lower end of the midrange. The rating is pretty accurate. It’s not atrocious – it’s for collectors though. -
Soundboard 9.0 - Wow what a find this one is! Early Rush show in soundboard quality, oh man! Yeah, you gotta get this, I mean, what more can one say about it? Fantastic find, what a nice surprise for the loyal Rush fans! -
Audience 8.5 -
Audience 9.1 - Coming from the original master tape, this show circulated online claiming 1st generation source and let me tell you, just toss that one out because ladies and gentlemen prepare to ENTER THE PALLADIUM and be blown away! After adjusting position during first song, the rest of the show (with just one or two minor dropouts) really soars to great heights both sonically and performance-wise. A crisp, airy but tight sound very close up front and no distortion, tape noise, or artifacts. Simply put, if you are a Rush fan, you need this. -
Audience 8.8 - Clear and bright, and wide open enough to be able to get a realistic sense of what it was like at the venue. Maybe a little light on the bottom, but it’s hard to knock it as it’s so crisp and clear. Rush - Oakland 81 June 6, 1981 Oakland-Alameda Couty Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California, USA DISC 1: 01 - 2112: Overture / The Temples of Syrinx 6:18 02 - Freewill 6:10 03 - Limelight 4:49 04 - Hemispheres: Prelude 4:26 05 - Beneath, Between & Behind 2:49 06 - The Camera Eye 11:17 07 - YYZ 2:24 08 - Drum Solo / YYZ (cont.) 5:45 09 - Broon's Bane 0:53 10 - The Trees 2:46 11 - Xanadu 11:45 DISC 2: 01 - The Spirit of Radio 4:35 02 - Red Barchetta 7:03 03 - Closer to the Heart 3:20 04 - Tom Sawyer 5:00 05 - Vital Signs 5:12 06 - Natural Science 8:37 07 - Working Man / Armageddon / By-Tor & the Snow Dog / In the End / In the Mood / 2112: Grand Finale 12:08 -
Soundboard 9.3 - Very nice mix right in the sweet spot. -
Soundboard 9.4 - Powerful, living room clarity in your face and just as good a mix as you can do. -
London 1978 Audience 8.5 - This is a show that has seen limited release as a bootleg CD but I have to assume one that only hardcore fans ever purchased. Now, many years later and thanks to the revolution in collecting shows, many of these sub-par recordings have re-emerged with the layers of muck and grime removed, and previously unheard frequencies and sounds uncovered. This is one such tape, and might I say it is really not that bad! I specifically highlight this tour because of the amazing set lists, so when “new” tapes surface, I think it is just great for the collectors as they rediscover this excellent period of Rush. Note: The filler on disc 2 is St. Paul 1978 which is only a fragment of the show as that is all that exists. Milwaukee 1978 Audience 8.3 - Another rare recording that would not have been given a second thought, due to the extremely poor dynamics and recording quality, has surfaced. This tape source has been thoroughly re-mastered and revealed itself to be listenable. Careful re-mastering is taking otherwise dismal recordings and making them to where you really have to stop and give pause, because it is yet further proof that we are living during an amazing time for collectors. The set lists during this time period are simply awesome, and the band is just firing on all cylinders, as they also were carrying over into 1979. Rush On Tour 1978 DISC 1 Hammersmith Odeon, London, England February 19, 1978 01 - Bastille Day 02 - Lakeside Park 03 - Bytor And The Snowdog 04 - Xanadu 05 - A Farewell To Kings 06 - Something For Nothing 07 - Cygnus X-1 08 - Closer To The Heart 09 - Anthem DISC 2: 01 - 2112 02 - Working Man - Fly By Night - In The Mood 03 - Drum Solo - Cinderella Man Civic Center, St. Paul, Minnesota December 9, 1978 04 - Anthem 05 - A Passage To Bangkok 06 - Bytor And The Snowdog Disc 3 Milwaukee Arena. Milwaukee, Wisconsin December 7, 1978 01 - Introduction - Anthem 02 - A Passage To Bangko 03 - Bytor And The Snow Dog 04 - Xanadu 05 - Something For Nothing 06 - The Trees 07 - Cygnus X-1 08 - Hemispheres 09 - Closer To The Heart DISC 4 01 - Circumstances 02 - A Farewell To Kings 03 - La Villa Strangiato 04 - 2112 05 - Working Man 06 - Bastille Day 07 - In The Mood 08 - Drum Solo -
Audience 9.7 - Almost as good as you can stand for an amateur capture. It won't even be apparent to you at first, it will be three or four songs in when you find you are completely captivated by this show. I mean, literally it sounds like you are right there. One of the best of the best for this tour without a doubt. Crisp clean and refreshing!