Rush in Rio

Throughout Rush's career, there have previously been four live recordings, capturing the magic of the mighty rock trio in different time periods. First there was All The World's A Stage(1976), then Exit...Stage Left(1981), followed by A Show Of Hands(1988), and finally Different Stages(1998). The one thing all these mentioned live albums have in common is that they were all released at the end of the band's different phases, taking place roughly 4 albums apart each. Now, already only one studio album after Different Stages is another 3 disc live set taken from the last show of the Vapor Trails tour, known as Rush In Rio. At first I was a bit worried that another live album would sound forced and stagnant, especially right after Different Stages was released. Plus, the band is nearly 30 years old with Geddy, Alex, and Neil all in their 50s, so I was afraid that the band might not sound as good as they used to be.

Thankfully, my worries were all put to rest, and honestly Rush In Rio actually sounds pretty good! Age hasn't slowed these guys down one bit, and thanks to their largest audience, the band plays with more passion and energy than they have in years, and as a result the performance is greatly inspired. Geddy can still rip on the bass and hit most of the high notes. Alex still impresses in his ability to shred on the guitar. And Neil hasn't lost any of his drumming abilities! One listen to the drum solo 'O Baterista' is enough to convince you that he is indeed one of the greatest drummers in existence.

Two major complaints I always hear by people is that the production is too muddy and that the crowd overpowers the music. First of all, the band specifically stated in the booklet that Rush In Rio was an "official bootleg concert". To anyone who knows anything at all about bootlegs, it means that the sound isn't clear and polished, so the live recording will seem more like a real live performance. This applies to the complaint on the crowd as well. Yes, the crowd can be heard very clearly, but at the same time the performance thrives on the crowd, and as a result, this sounds like a true live show. The band still tweaked the sound just enough so that you can hear the recording well, and considering this is supposed to be a bootleg concert, Rush In Rio is the BEST bootleg I've ever heard. If you still hate the raw sound quality, keep in mind that Rio is their greatest audience in their entire career. Imagine that you're in a rock band who has already passed your prime and would seemingly never achieve fame again, only to discover that you are welcomed by hundreds of thousands of fans that you never knew existed in a region you never toured, and are regarded as big as the Beatles. Wouldn't that be absolutely amazing? Rush saw it fit to release this live performance (also available to watch on DVD) because it was one of their best shows, and I will not argue with them. If you really hate the crowd noise and sound mix, then just listen to the studio versions. The only complaint I had with the sound was that there were a few times where Geddy's voice got lost in the mix, but other than that I have no qualms with the sound.

All the sound quality issues aside, Rio easily has the best song setlist of all the live albums, bar none. Though Different Stages was good, I thought that the tracklist was lacking because it mostly focused on their 90s and 70s material, but left out anything from the 80s. Likewise, A Show Of Hands only featured the 80s albums and disregarded anything else. Rio's setlist gets rid of these flaws and covers EVERY phase of the band. With the exception of Caress Of Steel(1975) and Hold Your Fire(1987), every album shows for at least one song somewhere in the performance. The songs were well picked too. Of course you've got the band's big hits like 'Tom Sawyer', 'The Spirit Of Radio', 'Closer To The Heart', and others, but I'm glad to see other songs too like 'New World Man', 'The Pass', 'Big Money', 'Dreamline', and especially the FULL VERSION of 'Natural Science'. Then there's also plenty of songs from Vapor Trails(2002), many of which have added guitar solos and sound MUCH better live. The aformentioned 'O Baterista' is a real treat on the ears, comprising of parts of 'The Rhythm Method', and the drumming parts of 'Driven' and 'Scars'. '2112' isn't the full version like on Different Stages, but it has enough of the song, so I'm not complaining. I love the 'By Tor/Cygnus/Working Man' medley, as it ends the concert on a great note.

So is Rush In Rio worth investing your time? You bet it is! It's by no means a mandatory release, considering that there are already so many live albums, but if you don't have any of them, then Rio is a good "best of" overview of the band's history. 5 Stars. The sound may not be perfect, but if you can get past it, then you'll enjoy one of Rush's greatest live performances in their entire career. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.


To those whining about the sound quality, grow up   August 10, 2005
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

I've always been a die-hard Rush fan, and I was very excited when I heard that they had released another live album. However, after reading so many negative reviews of Rush in Rio, I was really beginning to question whether or not to buy this. Thank god I didn't listen to those reviews! I trusted my gut instinct, knowing that Rush would pull through with another great live album, and they sure as hell did! Seriously, this is without a doubt the greatest live album the band has ever released. Unfortunately, many don't agree.

I often hear people complain about the sound quality of this album. I found absolutely nothing wrong with it whatsoever. The sound echoes throughout the stadium, giving you the exact feeling that you're at the show watching Rush on stage. Another complaint I often hear is that there is too much of the crowd. IT'S A LIVE ALBUM PEOPLE! If you don't want to hear the crowd, then liten to the studio versions and stop trying to deter other Rush fans from buying this mindblowing CD. Anyway, in regards to the crowd, again, I found nothing wrong with the amount of sound the audience provided. Hell, I actually LOVED it! The sound of the crowd gets me just as excited as the band, and listening to the audience sing along to certain songs makes me want to be there.

Another reason I thought this was a fantastic live album, is that it's a whole single show! This isn't like the band's previous albums, where the took clips from different shows and cut the audience out in between songs. The band plays the whole show straight through, with the audience still roaring in between tunes.

Now onto the actual content of the album. To begin, Geddy Lee really sound great. As I've heard many poeple say, his voice really does get better with age. I also REALLY loved the sound of his bass guitar in this show as opposed to the other live albums I've heard from the band. You can clearly hear this in songs like Working Man, La Villa Strangiato, and YYZ.

Alex's guitar takes a bit of a different approach as well. Now his guitar, when fused with Lee's bass, creates a "wall of sound" so to speak. This new sound is great and it really breathes some new life into many of the bands older songs, making them even better than they were to begin with! I particularly liked this sound on Limelight. This has always been my favorite Rush song ever since I heard the studio version on Moving Pictures. But after hearing the new version on Rush in Rio, I nearly cried. Seriously, the new sound is unbelievable!

And of course, Neil Peart is still the spectacular percussionist we've always known him to be throughout his career. I liked his brief solos throughout Snow Dog, and he also did a truly brilliant job on Working Man.

Overall, this is spectacular live album, the best I've ever heard from this band, that no fan should pass up on. However, because I know some people are picky with the sound quality, I'd recommend sampling the songs on Amazon first, then decided for youself whether the crowd noise will bother you or not. But if you don't at least sample the songs, you're dead inside.


The Best Live CD By These Canadian Icons   October 28, 2003
K. Palmer (Illinois)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

When I saw "Rush in Rio" at my local music store, my first reaction was "Geez, another live album again?" My second reaction, of course, was to pick up a copy. The second reaction was correct as this is a fantastic live performance.

The crowd in Rio was amazing. It's been said in other reviews and by Neil Peart on his notes included in the CD, but hearing a crowd SING the guitar licks of "YYZ", an INSTRUMENTAL, is innnnnncredible! I have all of Rush's live CD's (this is the fifth one they've done if I am not mistaken) and this one blows them all away. Great energy is exhibited by the trio of Lee, Lifeson and Peart and the audience was as pumped up for a concert as any I've heard on CD or live in concert, for that matter. The sound is pretty good despite the problems encountered by the stage crew prior to the show (documented again in Peart's notes). My only complaint about sound is that Lifeson's electric guitar sounds muddy on some of the the other instrumental cuts. But it's a minor gripe.

The songs range from the early years of Rush ("Working Man"), through their years of achieving recognition ("Spirit of Radio", "Tom Sawyer"), their techno phase ("Red Sector A") through the present (four cuts from their latest studio CD). A great mix for all Rush fans.

I also purchased the DVD that presents the visual concert in Rio. I haven't viewed it yet, but it will be interesting to see the crowd in action. You should get both the CD for the car and the DVD for home!