Customer Reviews

Rush in Rio

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(23)
1 star:		(29)

 

 

Most live CD's are so polished that they sound like studio albums with crowd noise piped in between tracks. The only reason to buy them is to see how the guitarist voices the songs with one guitar instead of studio overdubs (and many live albums have overdubs that ruin even that); however, 'Rush in Rio' captures a true live sound like no live CD (or album) I have ever heard since Kiss Alive. To get a live recording through the mixing board the band can jam with or without a crowd, and apart from possibly a bit more energy in the performances, what is the point. The liner notes claim a primitive Brazilian mobile recording truck captured the performance, but it also captured the ambiance of the massive soccer stadium full of 40,000 fans, the energy and excitement of a live show. I have been to over 100 live concerts (6 of them Rush) and if you close your eyes listening to this CD your ears hear what a live show delivers. Better yet, buy the Rush in Rio DVD and keep your eyes open!
I did read one review below that complained of the sound quality. If you want a great sound quality recording, but the studio CD's. This CD gives live sound that was never meant to be clear as a bell. One very interest note is that at every concert I have ever been to, the mix is always a bit off on the first two or three songs as the sound people adjust for the arena and the given night. True to that, the first few tracks of this are the worst of the mixes, but again that is all part of the live experience. Rush rocks, makes us think, and amazes us that three men deliver such rich and dynamic sounds. My favorite band is great again. Thank you Geddy, Alex and Neal.
PS If you read 'Ghost Rider' by Neal Peart you will have a much greater appreciation of his performance and presence on this tour.

Let me state first and foremost that I rarely, if ever, complain about the overall sound quality of an album. Usually a little tinkering of the EQ fixes whatever perceived deficencies exist in the album, or it sounds better through a different pair of speakers. Let me also state that I was very much looking forward to the release of this album. I thought Rush sounded as good as they ever did on the VT tour, and the setlist included some songs I never thought I'd get to hear live.

However, I cannot state how disappointing the sound quality is on this disc. Simply put, it is terrible...possibly the worst-sounding live disc I have ever heard (officially released, that is). And contrary to what you may read on others opinions here, this complaint ISN'T exaggerated and it CAN'T be overlooked. The poor audio EQing and the atrocious mixing ruin what could have been a fantastic live album.

Musically, tunes such as YYZ, Secret Touch, Between Sun and Moon, Limelight, etc. sound fantastic and full of life...and let's not forget Neil's revamped drum solo, which is equally jaw-dropping on disc as it was live. Unfortunately, all of that is wasted on a disc that has too much crowd, not enough vocals, drums that sound like tin cans, and a jumbled mix of instruments that sound, oftentimes, like one great big mess. This is especially hard to take from a band like Rush, who pride themselves on their perfection in the studio and in the live setting. I don't care of this *was* viewed by the band as an afterthought official bootleg. It wasn't priced like an afterthought, and surely it wouldn't have hurt to spend a few extra days at the mixing desk tweaking things. This is a hack job, pure and simple.

So, take this as a warning--those of you looking for Different Stages 2 will be sorely disappointed. I didn't buy into the other reviews here who said the same things, and now I am planning on selling the album back to a used CD store. Throw me some 'not helpful' votes if you wish, but those will by no means negate the fact that Rush in Rio is a disappointing, frustrating affair.

A lot of people have complained about the mixing of this CD, and since Rush has always had high quality control standards, I can offer only this thought.

I've never - never - heard a crowd this energized for anyone. I'm not sure they made this much noise for the Beatles at Shea in 1965. Listening to this is almost like looking down on the band from the lawn seats, in terms of what I hear, and the crowd noise excites me as much as anything the band does here. Maybe that influenced the band's decision not to emphasize their parts unnaturally in the mix, and anyway, I have had no problem making out the instrumentalists or what they're doing - particularly Lee, who gets the most clarity and warmth he's ever had on a live album without the benefit of a soundcheck. Sometimes Geddy's voice and the crowd's tie for volume, but he's effortless and in pitch throughout.

Download Real if you don't have it, and listen to the samples here for a good idea of whether or not their mixing will bother you. To me, several songs are given what sound like definitive renditions ["Big Money," "Dreamline," "Red Sector A"...and even if it's not the clearest recording ever, it's fun to hear Rio drown out Geddy on "Tom Sawyer"] and it would be a mistake to ignore the obvious exchange of energy and emotion between the band and the audience just because the audience hasn't been muted through the song and jacked artificially for the segues. Casual fans of Rush might do without, but anyone who enjoys hearing Rush live will love this.

In 2003, the legendary Progressive Rock band Rush released a 3 Disc Set on CD and a 2 Disc Set on DVD covering their 2002 concert in Rio de Janeiro. This review will chronicle the CD release. The background for this concert was that this was the concert recorded on the final night of the "Vapor Trails" tour. Rush had been on about a 5 year hiatus following the tragic death's of drummer Neil Peart's wife and daughter. The album "Vapor Trails" marked a reunion for the Canadian rock trio following what would be their longest hiatus as a band. This was the first time Rush had ever played Rio.

The serious Rush fan will probably want to get both the 3 Disc CD Set and the 2 Disc DVD set. The Rio Concert that is on the first DVD is contained on the CD set in its entirety, There are two differences between the CD and DVD: 1) On the DVD set, in addition to the actual Rio concert there is a documentary about the Brazilian shows and Rush called "The Boys in Brazil". There are also multi angle views of three of the concerts instrumentals as well as some hidden "Easter Eggs"; 2) The CD Set contains two "Bootleg" songs that you won't get on this DVD set - "Betweeen the Sun & Moon" and "Vital Signs".

When you have 28 years of material to perform as well as promoting a new album, it can be very difficult to pick what songs to select. Rush does a pretty good job at covering their material. I personally view Rush has having three distinct eras. Some Rush fans may disagree, but this is how I categorize the music: 1) The Epic Works Era (1974-1980: "Rush to "Hemispheres") - this is a focus on longer more epic songs with a SciFi and Fantasy Influence; 2) The Synth Era (1980-1989: "Permanent Waves" to "Presto") - Rush moves to shorter songs covering a wide range of topics from History, Sociology, Psychology, and even touches of SciFi and of course Rush makes use of technology and synthesizers to get the sound; 3) The 'Modern' Era (1990 - Present: "Roll the Bones" through "Vapor Trails") - Rush moves away from Synthesizers and now incorporates a more hard rock sound. The Rush in Rio collection covers 29 songs (27 from Rio and two bonus tracks from other shows). There are 6 songs from the Epic Works Era, 13 songs from the Synth Era, and 10 songs (including 4 from "Vapor Trails") from the Modern Era - some might argue what songs were picked from what era ( I would have liked to see some other songs from "Power Windows" , "Grace Under Pressure" and "Hold You Fire"), but they did spread the table pretty well.

The big complaint many make about the CD abd DVD sets is the sound quality. If you read the liner notes, you might think the bad weather caused the bad sound. This may be true to some extent, but I personally think this recording has an element of realism. Without watching the performance, you can almost hear how Rush will connect with crowd and do it well. If there is any argument with the complaint on the sound quality - it could be directed at the first two tracks "Tom Sawyer" and "Distant Early Warning", but these aren't that bad. After these songs, the quality picks up and you will truly hear the realistic element I mention.

The nice thing about this concert is that it is presented in its entirety. The CD recording flows just like the DVD recording that flows as close as anything short of being at the concert. The first disc contains the 1st half of the concert before the intermission. The second half following the intermission starts on disc two and finishes on disc three. The extra "bootleg" tracks are on disc 3. While Rush performs many favorite songs ("Tom Sawyer", "The Big Money", "Closer to the Heart", "Red Sector A", "2112", "Limelight", and many more) - it is some of the lesser known or older songs that fans might not have heard (recently) in concert that really stand out. In particular, listen to songs such as "The Pass" ,"YYZ", "Natural Science", and "Dreamline" and you will see what I mean.

The band gets to showcase with the individual talents. Neil Peart does an incredible drum solo that pays tribute to the history of percussion called "O Baterista". Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee do a "Rush Unplugged" acoustic number of "Resist". Rush also performs an older song "La Villa Stangiato" that features Alex Lifeson 'rambling' and showing his sense of humor.

The big drawback of this set is the packaging. The three disc set was not packaged in a jewel case, but using a cardboard box. The box for such a "special collection" opens up and can start to wear and tear rather quickly. It also is a bit difficult to pull the CDs out of the package, thus the risk for scratching can get higher. They did this to keep the price down, but I think its a real negative. Of the CDs, two are close shades grey and one is red. I think it would have been easier to pick another color besides a shade of gray to make it easier to identify.

The terrific liner notes included in the set called "Flying Down to Rio - Leaving Vapor Trails Behind". This was written by drummer Neil Peart (a great writer) was originally included in the DVD set, but are also included in the CD set with a preamble on why they also made the CD set. One final note, listening to this CD will give you as good a feel for the concert as the DVD set. All in all, this is a solid release by Rush and it should keep the fans happy.

Rush In Rio(2003). Rush's fourth live recording.

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.

So, I have been a Rush fan for over 15 years now and endured all the hazing and crap from my friends for listening to "Geekbanger music" because I was just so blown away by their talent, style, intelligence and completely unique sound. I own all their albums and of course rushed (no pun intended) out to get this one the day it was released.

I am so disappointed in my boys. I think I know why they wanted to release this album, and that is, they wanted to relay some of the incredible energy that they encountered in Brazil playing before their biggest crowd ever. We are talking about a frenzied stadium-full mob of people just screaming and having the time of their life. That energy is very palpable, and it is abundantly clear that it helped the boys really throw out their best to the crowd. The little booklet that comes with the discs has Neal Peart writing about the whole experience that just blew them away in the sense they had never encountered such energy before, and we're talking about guys who've been doing this for quite a while now. For God's sake, the crowd sings along with YYZ, and that's an instrumental number!

OK, that's what gets them the two stars...unfortunately, the sound really is as bad as many people here state it is. I am no audiophile but I have a decent system and I have to admit - it sucks! The quality is comparable to a mildly enhanced digital mini-disc recording. In the liner notes, Peart states that the recording was made by some local mobile van crew and that despite heavy remixing and re-working by Alex Lifeson and them, that there are "limitations." I would have hated to hear what it sounded like before they tried to do something with it.

The reason for the poor recording is simply this - they never intended to release this as an album, so they didn't have a full set-up to do the recording. Most bands have some sort of recording of their bigger concerts, but not for general release.

The truth is that "Different Stages" has virtually all of these songs - also live, and infinitely better recorded - although, granted, they are not from a single venue but rather from several tour stops in time. The songs are pretty much identical except for a few minor changes here and there...and even the drum solo that everyone raves about, is exactly the same solo performed by Peart in "Stages" except there it is called "The Rhythm Method" and is far crisper, sharper and more discernable than this version in Rio. And one of the greatest things about Rush, Geddy's shrill vocals, are drowned out, almost completely at times.

If you are a die-hard fan that has to buy all of the albums for posterity's sake (sort of like mylame ass) then buy it, but otherwise, skip it, buy "Stages" instead, far better sound, mixing and overall production.

Sorry guys, I really tried to like it...

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.

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!

In combination with the release of their double-DVD Rush in Rio, which documents the final concert of their 2002 Vapor Trails tour, Rush also released a Rush in Rio triple CD as an audio supplement to the DVD visuals. Or, as percussionist Neil Peart so eloquently stated, "...for some people (that) might prefer to listen to us without having to look at us..."

Well, after witnessing the DVD video on the big screen and having seen Rush live twice on their latest, and hopefully not final tour, I was really anxious to take in all the nuances of the triple-live CD.

Now I, like many other Rush fans, were a little surprised that the boys from the great white north were putting out another live album so soon after the last one. In fact, in their 30 year career, Rush followed the pattern of releasing four studio albums, then one live album. That pattern held true up until Rush in Rio which followed after only one studio album since their last live effort, 'Different Stages'. Regardless of this blip in their pattern, Rush in Rio is a very welcomed addition to an ever-growing and magnificent collection of work by these often misunderstood, grossly unappreciated and underrated masterful musicians. Man, say that fast five times! :-)

Another distinction between this live CD and others released by Rush in the past is the fact that all of the performances, save for two 'bonus' tracks, were all recorded from the single show held in Rio de Janeiro at a stadium packed with 40,000 amazing Brazilian fans. Previous live CDs understandably took the best performances from a variety of venues and dates, all combined to treat the listener to the very best of Rush live.

However the fact that the entire CD was recorded from a single show makes little difference as the Gods were clearly looking down on Rush that one magical evening in Brazil. Rush, without question, produced arguably one of their finest concerts ever. And what a treat it had to have been for the 40,000 fans to witness, especially since this was the first visit to South America for Rush in their 30+ year history.

The electricity of that evening translated well into the CD recording. At times, the deafening crowd is so powerful, so vibrant, that they wash over some of the music and vocals. Others complain about this type of 'distraction', but to me, this is a phenomenal way to truly feel like you're there, and not listening to a recording. If anything, I thought that the crowd energy wasn't fully represented on the CD as it was on the DVD. Part of that is certainly due to the visuals of the DVD focusing a lot of its attention on the crowd, where as the CD obviously would not have to live up to that aspect of the presentation. Still, the crowd interaction is quite vibrant and apparent throughout this triple CD, as they should be. After all, this is a LIVE CD. If you didn't want to hear the crowd, then go listen to the studio version :) That being said, I should point out that some songs suffer from washed out vocals more than others. Some adjustments to your system should improve the audio quality and separation, but at first listen, it may be difficult to pick up Geddy's vocals at a few select times.

As mentioned above, this final show of the 2002 Vapor Trails tour was unquestionably one of the finest performances Rush had ever put forth, but as with all shows, there are always highlights, always particular songs that rise even farther above the bar. There's no shortage of those 'special' songs on this triple CD, but I thought it proper to discuss a few of the very best out of the collection of 30 available tracks.

First, comes Tom Sawyer; the quintessential Rush song, and the one the boys chose to open up the concert on this tour. The anticipation of the crowd had piqued, so when Rush began playing the opening chords of this 20th century classic, the crowd absolutely erupted. Goose bumps? You bet. Turn this one up loud and become enveloped in the essence of the moment. Absolutely intense.

Another amazing track comes in the form of YYZ, the superb instrumental that came from the same studio album (Moving Pictures - 1981) as Tom Sawyer. Once again, the crowd exploded with cheers as soon as the first instantly recognizable series of notes echoed out from Neil Peart's drum set. What became even more amazing was the fact that the crowd actually began to sing along to the song. Singing...to an instrumental...! We all hum to songs, but imagine 40,000 fans humming in unison. Simply amazing!

One of Rush's staples at concerts throughout the years was the fan favorite Closer to the Heart. However for the Vapor Trails tour, Rush decided to retire this little ditty, that is until they went south of the border. They had heard that this was among the all-time favorite songs down south, so they decided to revive it for this special collection of fans. And upon Geddy Lee announcing this to the concert goers, they reacted with extreme appreciation. Having heard this song many times myself (live) and having had it appear on a couple of earlier live compilations, I wasn't expecting anything earth-shattering. But once again, Rush and the 40,000 other stars that night brought the song to new heights, instantly reaffirming what makes it such a popular song 25 years after it was first performed.

Driven, from Rush's 'Test for Echo' album is just a solid jam, with Geddy at the helm. His spiritual and spontaneous bass rifts drive the scores of people wild. The vocals are spot-on, Alex's powerful guitars are electric (well, duh!) and Neil's heart-pounding punishment of his skins all work perfectly together. What a treat to behold. Perhaps a true candidate for a song that's better in its live format on its studio counterpart.

O Baterista. Neil Peart. The Drum Solo. Words are completely inadequate in expressing the performance put forth here. Watching the impossible performance on the DVD was surreal. Hearing it again confirms my utter shock that one human being can have such a command over his percussion set up. Have you heard that Neil is regarded as one of the finest drummers of all time? Listen to this solo and hear exactly why.

All of Disc 3 - every track, including the two 'soundboard' bootlegs are just incredible. A non-stop jam of incredible hits that Rush launches into. The fans go wild, never given a chance to rest after one song before the next is hurled at them at warp speed. Non-stop Rush elation best describes it. And, if you'll pardon the pun (or even if you don't), it's quite a Rush.

Without question, Rush in Rio in both CD and DVD form should not be missed by any fan of this Canadian trio. And for those of you on the fence, have a listen. You'll be transported to a musical world unlike any other you've ever experienced.

I usually don't write reviews, but I felt like I had to on this one. I didn't give a damn about Rush until I heard this 3 years ago, and I became an instant fan. There are so many incredible songs on here, and the band's performance is in that realm-beyond-description - think of every superlative you know and throw 'em in right here.
I recently listened to the R30 DVD+CD release at a friend's house, and came away pretty underwhelmed. Then I went back and listened to the Rio discs, and was all the more stunned (again)- I finally understood why they had to release this concert, even though they'd already put out "Different Stages" a few years before. It's just one of those all time great, never-again-to-be-duplicated moments. (By the way, different stages sucks by comparison!)
Don't listen to all the dorks whining about the sound quality. Get this and prepare to be floored.