-
Soundboard 8.8 - A good and clear tape. -
Soundboard 9.4 -
Audience 7.7 - While the ratings may show this to be an average sounding tape, let me reveal my own bias for a moment. This is Rush’s best tour. You may argue with that, I mean, the previous two tours were pretty amazing too. I find the set list and performances of the Permanent Waves tour to be exceptional, and this show, while maybe not the best of the lot, does reveal yet more of the Rush mystique. A recording that requires 10 minutes to adjust to but eventually begins to sound pretty decent apart from a guitar that sits behind the action a little (except during solos). A little boomy but not a deal breaker. A good, not great, tape. -
Audience 8.6 - Sometimes, a rating cannot reflect the magnitude of a recording. I can specifically say that this one is only an 8.6 in a sonic sense, which means it is very good and worthwhile, but man, let me tell you what this show REALLY is – it’s an 11. Why? Because this is, quite simply, Rush in an unbelievable fine form playing their (arguably) best stuff, and the recording has captured that and a very palpable atmosphere at the same time. A little clarity is lost in the bass/guitar separation as they seem to sound as one unit which is not such a bad thing as it creates a sonic roar, a lion’s roar it is too, but it does get a little crowded in that frequency range. But, it captures an amazing power those two had on stage, the sound is ferocious and menacing. -
Audience 8.4 - This is a case of a show, actually let me re-phrase that, this WAS a show that many collectors lamented as being a superb performance marred by very marginal sound quality. Not anymore! Friends, this new direct from master source and re-mastered version of this totally excellent gig is simply a joy to get to listen to in this improved quality. Not that it is astounding, in fact it still has issues, but the jump from what it was (about a 7.3) to what it is now is too great an improvement to not shower heaps of praise upon it. Note: It doesn’t get good until about halfway through the first song, then there is a little cut in the tape, and then it gets noticeably better and better. -
Audience 7.6 - I have it in my mind to collect every single performance the band did in Toronto. That means I am gonna get some good, some bad, some in between. This is probably some in-between. Not horrible but not great either. Now, I will say this, let your ears adjust and you get a reasonably clear but phasing sound. Recorded from somewhere pretty well back of the auditorium, sounds like. -
Audience? Hard to tell if this is an audience or soundboard, it is really good. If it is audience, then it was done very close to the mains but no distortion at all, but I doubt that because there is very precise stereo panning on some of the effects (such as intro to 2112). If it is a soundboard, it is a good one because it allows some bleeding in of the crowd and atmosphere. -
Audience 7.3 - Noisy, but a pretty huge bass crunch which will appeal to the those who like it heavier sounding. The size of the hall does confuse the frequencies and so you get too much mess in the middle and what not but you can hear this and get used to it and it will pull you in. A good performance! -
Audience 7.5 - Some depth for a one dimensional middle of the stadium recording. Bass is in a good place, relatively clear but somewhat distant. -
Audience 8.7 - A little lack of definition in the bottom, but at least it has bottom end. There is also some atmosphere, so you feel the arena somewhat. A strong recording! -
Audience 7.6 - What really saves this tape is the fact that it sounds like a master source – very clean virtually no noise, but you are sitting with the crowd and the band is…hmmm…not distant but not in your face, somewhere in between, and it sounds like a small venue. It’s fascinating to be honest, I really like it. -
Audience 7.8–8.3 - Stick with this one all the way through. Taper finds the sweet spot eventually. I rather enjoyed this one! -
Audience 8.4 - Captures the PA sound in reasonable quality, as if you are midway back on floor, so you do get the special aspect, you get some hall verb for sure but I have heard worse. -
Audience 7.2 - Oh how I wish these mid 70’s Toronto shows were well recorded, because the band was always fired up about playing there. This one suffers from a lack of sonic clarity and separation of instruments, has background noise, and occasionally drifts over to one channel and back again. A flawed jewel for collectors only. -
Audience 7.3 - Raucous show, loud but does not distort. Not too bad. -
Audience 8.9 - A beautifully warm, tight sound. Great capture here! -
Audience 8.4 - There’s some tape noise on this that should have been removed but I find this thin but pleasant, it’s not an annoying thin it’s just a limitation of the gear. Can EQ to taste, it will respond well I think. -
Audience 8.2 -
Audience 7.2 - A rare show, but sadly no Necromancer. -
Audience 7.3 - Probably once sounded atrocious but someone did a great remaster here. The sound occupies one thin frequency band but they got a lot out of it. I can hear everything, even though at full volume the sound breaks up a bit. -
Audience 7.2 - Respectable audience capture if a little thin. You can enjoy this, add some bass though. -
Audience 6.7 - 6.9 - Fluctuates, can hear everything but there's a slight rumbling underneath. Quieter passages 7.5 -
Audience 8.7 - At times the quality is better but even so, it’s not that bad with my only knock being the stage mix itself, where sometimes the guitars blend too much with everything so the separation of instruments is not the best it could be. I think the energy of the show is through the roof, with a good crowd and the band responding in kind. A fun listen. -
Audience 9.3 - I find this to be one of the best of the tour recording-wise. Once you get past the first song, it opens up dramatically and completely thrills. No need for Equalizer or boost on this one, it's quite great the way it is. -
Audience 8.2 - Not the very best capture of the tour so far but at least it has plenty of room to add your own flavoring. It's a recording that does need a masters touch to bring out the detail but that being said I did enjoy the show and found I adjusted to the recording. A good audience with room for improvement but worth picking up, complete the collection, and love the artwork! -
Audience 9.3 -
Pro Radio Broadcast 9.5 -
Soundboard 9.0 - Great guitar tone, but when did Rory ever not have that? But, it just leaps outta the speakers here. A really tight gig, the band is HOT HOT HOT! -
Soundboard 9.3 - Clear and bright, a solid recording with the only real fault that I find in the mix is a little “sloppiness” with the cymbals but other than that…sit back and enjoy! -
Soundboard 9.2 with Audience 7.8 patches - A red hot show that thankfully is available in great quality with previously missing parts filled in with the long traveled audience tape. -
Pro 9.7 - Studio recordings of impeccable quality. -
Audience 8.6 - Tape clears up a little bit after the first couple songs, and, it has kind of low volume but you can turn it up and it’s fine. Actually, this is very good because the crowd is very respectful here, so the quieter numbers are very, very warm and nice. -
Audience 8.6 - What is great about this tape is that again you have a situation where the highs are completely intact, in some parts maybe too much, but it lends itself perfectly to EQ’ing since you have no worry about losing highs. Great live energy, a great performance (when does he not?) also. -
Audience 7.8 - Thankful to have this one, so the less than perfect sound does not faze me, besides it’s actually decent. I get every instrument, especially Rory’s guitar and the bass, which actually has some definition to it. The only caveat is the lack of a dynamic quality, but the dynamics are provided by the playing, which is off the chain good. A memorable gig (joined by fellow Irish luminary Phil Lynott)! This is Blues Rock as performed by absolute masters. -
Volume 2: CD 1 - Soundboard 9.5 CD 2 - Soundboard 9.5 CD 3 - Soundboard 9.2 CD 4 - Audience 9.2 CD 5 - Audience 9.2Disc 1BBC 1-7-721. Tore Down 2. Used To Be 3. Hoodoo Man 4. Pistol Slapper Blues 5. The Cuckoo 6. Going To My Hometown 7. In Your Town 8. Bullfrog Blues7-10-72 Bob Harris Show9. I Could've Had Religion 10. Messin' With The Kid 11. The CuckooDisc 22-5-73 Tommy Vance Show1. Walk On Hot Coals 2. Banker's Blues2-21-73 Saturday Rock Show3. Unmilitary Two Step 4. If I Had A Reason5-12-73 Saturday Rock Show5. Tattoo'd Lady 6. Cradle Rock 7. A Million Miles Away1974-10-21 Ancienne Belgique, Belgium8.Garbage Man 9.A Million Miles Away 10.Cradle Rock 11.Tattoo'd Lady 12.Pistol Slapper Blues 13.Too Much AlcoholDisc 3Rory Gallagher My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY, Sept 3, 197401 Tattoo'd Lady 02 Early In the Morning 03 Cradle Rock 04 Just A Little Bit 05 Walk On Hot Coals 06 A Million Miles Away 07 Hands Off 08 Bullfrog BluesDisc 46-20-74 Bob Harris Show1. Tatoo'd Lady 2. Messin' With The KidThe Bottom Line, New York City, New York, USA, 08th February 197603) I Take What I Want 04) Messin´ With The Kid 05) Too Much Alcohol 06) Out on the Western Plain 07) Ain´t Too Good 08) Walk On Hot Coals 09) Tattoo´d Lady 10) Bullfrog Blues (fades out) -
Volume 1: CD 1 - Pro Radio Broadcast 9.5 CD 2 - Belgium 1974 - Pro Radio Broadcast 9.4 & Soundboard 9.1 CD 3 - Roslyn, NY 1974 - Soundboard 9.1 CD 4 - Bob Harris 1974 - Soundboard 9.1 and The Bottom Line, NY 1976 - Soundboard 8.7Disc 1BBC 1-7-721. Tore Down 2. Used To Be 3. Hoodoo Man 4. Pistol Slapper Blues 5. The Cuckoo 6. Going To My Hometown 7. In Your Town 8. Bullfrog Blues7-10-72 Bob Harris SHow9. I Could've Had Religion 10. Messin' With The Kid 11. The CuckooDisc 22-5-73 Tommy Vance Show1. Walk On Hot Coals 2. Banker's Blues2-21-73 Saturday Rock Show3. Unmilitary Two Step 4. If I Had A Reason5-12-73 Saturday Rock Show5. Tattoo'd Lady 6. Cradle Rock 7. A Million Miles Away1974-10-21 Ancienne Belgique, Belgium8.Garbage Man 9.A Million Miles Away 10.Cradle Rock 11.Tattoo'd Lady 12.Pistol Slapper Blues 13.Too Much AlcoholDisc 3Rory Gallagher My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY, Sept 3, 197401 Tattoo'd Lady 02 Early In the Morning 03 Cradle Rock 04 Just A Little Bit 05 Walk On Hot Coals 06 A Million Miles Away 07 Hands Off 08 Bullfrog BluesDisc 46-20-74 Bob Harris Show1. Tatoo'd Lady 2. Messin' With The KidThe Bottom Line, New York City, New York, USA, 08th February 197603) I Take What I Want 04) Messin´ With The Kid 05) Too Much Alcohol 06) Out on the Western Plain 07) Ain´t Too Good 08) Walk On Hot Coals 09) Tattoo´d Lady 10) Bullfrog Blues (fades out) -
Soundboard 8.8 -
Audience 8.5 - Should be a higher rating but for the mastering where the mids are so hot. Put this through your Equalizer and bring the mid band down a little bit and you have a very strong recording. The highs are insane, not screechy just detailed, and the low is present, so just fiddle with the mids because it’s just too hot there. -
Audience 9.7 - This is the result of VERY diligent and committed tapers. First: get there early. Second: don’t leave until the last bit of sound comes out the P.A. Then, do a damn fine job! That sums up this experience, because that is what it is: An Experience. Well done sir! -
Audience 9.3 - Another spectacular capture that presents a detailed soundfield and plenty of atmosphere to sink yourself into the show as if you were there. Excellent! -
Soundboard 9.2 -
Soundboard 9.4 - I love the live mix on this one, it’s not a cookie cutter board mix. One of the best I have heard! -
Audience 9.0 - Right in the pocket! Solid, devastating, loving it! -
Soundboard 8.8 - Not without its share of problems, this is a good tape to have. I can’t explain the strange phasing issue, with what sounds like a funky stereo to mono and back again drop out every so often. Needs a good remastering with some multi band compression. Still, it’s a soundboard. -
Audience 9.2 - Supremely LIVE and vibrant with maybe the slightest touch of tape noise that effects this absolutely zero because it simply DESTROYS everything, it is so good. -
This entire set is meant to fill in a collector’s gaps. CD 1 - Audience 8.0 - Thin and distant but you do get to hear everything happening, not muddy, and not echoey, so this has bright spots CD 2 - Audience 7.6 / CD 3 -Soundboard 9.5 / CD 4 - Audience 7.5 / CD 5 - Soundboard 8.8 -
Audience 8.6 - The number score doesn’t tell the story on this show. The “flaws” here work to the advantage of the listener depending on what you like about live recordings. In this case, it’s too loud, a touch distorted (not distracting at all), and maybe slightly compressed but man, what a show and the recording delivers max energy and excitement. I LOVE this tape! It is absolutely brimming with power and energy. -
Audience 9.5 - Pro recording that will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing. Only one flaw, the vocals are a little buried in this mix until about a quarter of the way into the first song but then they fix the mic problem and its smooth sailing.