Customer Reviews

Snakes & Arrows Live

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was at the St. Louis show, so this cd is a nice reminder of a very nice night for me and my son. Many have complained about Rush's frequency of live releases and song list, to them I would respond, check out live King Crimson. I love that band too, but they put out a ton of live stuff, many of the same tracks repeated over and over. I don't think Rush is guilty of milking the cash cow, I think they're doing a nice service to us fans.

The live recording itself is imaculate. The sound quality is first rate. The band is performing at a very high level, and consistently well, as Rush usually does. Perhaps they could mix things up a bit, but seeing a live Rush show is seeing a band that's been together as a unit for many years, a tight band that does what it's supposed to do, put on a consistently great show.

The new album Snakes & Arrows is emphasized in the set list, as this tour was to promote that album. I for one liked that album. Beyond that there are a few old gems such as Circumstances, Entres Nous, and Witch Hunt which are very nice to hear live. Mixed amongst all this are the classic tracks, such as Tom Sawyer, Freewill, etc.

I have looked forward to this album since I first heard about it, and was not disappointed. 5 stars.

I have to confess, even as a diehard Rush fan, I'm starting to wonder a bit about live album saturation. To be fair, Rush doesn't exactly inject a lot of variances in their performances over the years-- "Spirit of Radio" hasn't changed a whole lots since 1980. The band had a tendency to "bookend" their studio records with a live album-- All the World's a Stage, Exit...Stage Left and A Show of Hands each provided pretty much a live "best of" from the four studio records that came before (with the latter two each drawing a pair of songs from earlier material).

Starting with 1998's Different Stages: Live, Rush's live albums have had less to do with a period of time and more a pretty straight echo of a live performance. And for a band that released four live albums over the course of their first 28 years, when their last two live records came out in reasonably rapid succession (2003's Rush in Rio and the audio CD portion of 2005's Rush - R30 - 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), I have to confess to wondering, "do I really need these?". 2008's "Snakes & Arrows Live" evoked a similar response from me.

But hey, who am I kidding? I am a diehard, and this record is fantastic-- taken from the band's tour behind 2007's Snakes & Arrows, the material is a bit heavy from that record, but both the new and the old material gets great readings. The band is downright haunting on "Witch Hunt", bristling with intensity on "Mission", and primed to explode on "Dreamline" and "Far Cry" and just stunning on "Secret Touch"-- it gets just an unbelievable reading. I could go on and on about different pieces-- it's a nice mix of hits ("Spirit of Radio", "Subdivisions", "Tom Sawyer", et.al.), fan favorites ("Natural Science", "A Passage to Bangkok") and rarities ("Entre Nous", "Circumstances", "Between the Wheels") to pretty much satisfy anyone.

.... which leads me back to a more casual fan-- maybe not quite one of the "crazy Rush fans" (an expression Aimee Mann assured me was redundant when I bumped into her years ago, and not without cause-- we are kind of an obsessive bunch). If you're a bit more casual, do you need this? Maybe, I've enjoyed this one vastly more than Rush in Rio (which while it has its own charm, I suspect is an album only a diehard could love), but if you've invested in Rush - R30 - 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, you probably don't need this one. If you haven't, by all means, check this out, it's a good record.

As every fan knows, Rush excel at playing live. It is a distinct part of what makes them so great. And they have finally broken out of the limited pattern of 4 studio albums followed by a live recording. They have been giving fans an abundance of live works lately. And while it may appear to some as a ploy to make a few extra bucks for nothing, each and every release has been a high-quality package, offering the fans another chance at a road-trip to see the band. They always manage to throw in an old classic not previously captured to tape or played quite the same way before.

Rush have always been conscientious about giving their fans good value for the money. And the bar is always set high by them and by us. Snakes & Arrows Live is another hurdle over that bar. It's fun, it rocks, and it's a great addition to your Rush collection.

Ok, ok - so Rush has finally figured out we are all gullible to buy live album after live album. Us old school fans used to have wait every 4 albums for a live one.

But the problem for Rush and their live albums - is they liked to play the songs almost verbatium from the studio recordings (seriously, Show of Hands - was that all the studio songs mixed with the crowd?).

Over the last few tours and live albums they have tended to experiment more, play looser, and really make you want to hear the live version of songs. Snakes and Arrows Live seems to be the culmination of that effort. The older stuff (Limelight, Spirit of the Radio, etc.) still sounds the same. But the newer stuff, they really play freer and it sounds awesome - particularly Alex. It's also nice that they continue to add some stuff we haven't heard in awhile - Passage, Between the Wheels, Entre Nous. Geddy's voice is hurting a little, but the instruments sound incredible. It also seems to be an uncut version of the whole concert - Rush has been going that way, finally they did it!

My only complaint on this album, same as the last couple of live albums, is they add way too much bass for me personally. Oh, and the Drum Solo - it's by far the most exciting one in a long time from Neil. It's worth the price of admission for that solo.

So, should you buy it? If you are a hard core rush Fan - absolutely... you won't be disappointed. If you are a occassional listener and already own Live in Rio or the previous live album, don't..not enough classics for the occassional fan.

As noted in other reviews, the recent proliferation of live albums from Rush made me hesitate to pick up this most recent incarnation, but I bought it anyway and it is a little gem.

Unlike past concert recordings, these discs strike the perfect balance between vocals, guitars, and drums. Alex's chords rip through, Geddy's bass is deep and solid, and Neil's drums (and cymbals!) are pristine. And unlike Rush in Rio or R30, Geddy's matured voice is prominent in the mix. The "audiophiles" will always find something to complain about, but to normal humans this mix is what a live album should sound like.

Highlights: Digital Man (the new arrangement is fantastic), Witch Hunt (haunting and powerful), Subdivisions (heavy, but in a good way), De Slagwerker (Neil has been practicing), and the entire encore (the double bass and snare in One Little Victory were captured perfectly)

Not to forget the material from Snakes and Arrows. Everything comes across well live, and certain songs may even rival the studio recordings for energy and excitement.

Snakes and Arrows Live is a solid four-star effort.

In the event Alex, Geddy, and Neil should take stock into these reviews, please note...Thank you for a job well done.

~ ~ ~ & >>>------|> >>>------|> (((^^^))) No one gets to the Heaven without a fight. Rush's seventh Live album release is big, bold, and a worthy addition to any rock fan's collection. A DVD version of this show is also planned and expected in late Q3 to Q4. This has been confirmed on the bands official website, and will feature video from the Rotterdam show.

As with any RUSH release, it takes time to appreciate all the intricate nuances of each offering. I for one think this 2-disc set will go done in history as the best live RUSH recording second only to the 1978 Hammersmith. Highlights include Witch Hunt (which may be the definitive version), Subdivisions, Hope, One Little Victory, and The Larger Bowl to name a few.

Honorable mention goes out to Circumstances, Entre Nous and Natural Science, each of which transports the listener back in time to a very special place so dear to a lot of devoted fans, which can best be described as the peak period of creative artisitic talents that were honed to a razor sharp edge during the second phase of RUSH's illustrious career.

Workin' Them Angels, Spindrift, and Malignant Narcissism - De Slagwerker are instant modern classics and are sure to become Gold standards.

Limelight, Tom Sawyer, and Yyz, is what Exit Stage Left might have been, or at the very least thier equal.

As far me, I will never grow tired of listening to RUSH...and welcome each and every opportunity to indulge in the sheer pleasure and enjoyment of hearing them play live, if only just to marvel at the subtle nuances and musical finess of such gems as only these masterful craftsman of rock athems can do.

I could almost hear the moaning before this one was even released. "Another live CD from Rush! This is their third in five years! They are milking it!" And perhaps they are. But that still doesn't make this a bad offering. As a matter of fact this live release is quite refreshing. Sure it contains standards such as "Limelight", "Tom Sawyer", and "The Spirit of Radio". However Rush has brought back a number of songs not played for years. It is a treat to hear "Circumstances", "Entre Nous", and "Digital Man" (with a really cool jam at the end) presented live for the first time. Also, songs such as "Mission", "One Little Victory", "Secret Touch" and especially "A Passage To Bangkok" sound much better there than on previous live albums.

As for the new material, I think "Snakes & Arrows" is the best product Rush has released since switching record labels almost twenty years ago. The new songs, especially "Far Cry", "Armor and Sword", and "The Way The Wind Blows" really shine along side the older classics. As a person who has gone to see Rush on every tour for well over twenty years a live album as a souvenir sure beats a t shirt or ball cap any day. Highly recommended for fans who enjoyed the tour and for those unfortunate enough to miss it

No sooner has my CD player cooled off from the countless plays it recieved from Rush's last studio effort, Snakes and Arrows, that they release a live follow up recorded during their supporting tour of the aforementioned album.
The set list is thorough and eclectic, spanning the better part of their catalog. I attended the San Diego show of this tour and it was nice to see that every song performed at that show is represented (plus a couple which weren't).
The big question that comes to mind when speaking of live albums (aside from the performance) is the quality of the recording. Thankfully S&AL shines through loud and clear. The mix is solid, if not a bit saturated at times, but everything is crystal clear for the most part.
When comparing this recording with previous Rush live recordings it is simply a matter of preference. For example, on "The Mission" on the very under rated A Show of Hands, Lifesons guitar tones were very consistant with the album version while here, on S&AL he chooses to keep a consistant, non-varying tone through out the song. Some may argue this takes away from the musical "texturing" of his playing on this song but one cannot blame him for opting for a consistant tone for the sake of change. The song sounds a bit different as a result but it's the same song. I personally welcome decisions such as these for it allows a different mood and ambience to the song however some purists may find this as a tonal setback.
That aside, many instances such as that are prevelant on S&AL, but Rush is a band that enjoys variance and evolution and it is nice to hear these small changes resonate through this solid set list of classics and newer material alike.
Some may complain that this live recording is SNAKES & ARROWS heavy. This is true but in my opinion this is a good thing. Many people forget that bands tour for the sake of promoting their new album. I can admit that when I saw Rush on this tour I had not yet even purchased S&A, however after seeing this show last summer I went and bought the album the next day. The point being, S&A was a good album and the live performances on this recording to support it are well worthy of this collection.
As for the rest of the set list, I was personally thrilled to see Digital Man, Natural Science, and Entre Nous- and Secret Touch sounds better on this live recrding than it did on Vapor Trails. I was also glad to see the return of a live version of Witch Hunt which I had not seen since A Show of Hands.
This live recoridng stands leaps and bounds over their previous dedicated live CD release (Different Stages) which I felt was a very bland and uninspired recording. For those who may question as to whether this release is worth their extra cash due to the fact that "it's just another live album" quell those thoughts. This is a well worth it addition to your assumingly already dense Rush collection. And for Rush Newcomers, I honestly cannot think of a better way to sink your teeth into some of Rush's best current and past hits all in one package.
Stay Classy Rush!

I've been buying albums and attending concerts ever since Hemispheres. I appreciate this band and all of their talents as well as relentless drive to express their creativity. As for this compilation, it is good to hear the song arrangements, especially since many of them have not been played live since their initial release. Having attending the S & A Tour, both events, I can easily recommend this release to anyone who wants to hear a few of the old standards, some archival vault stuff, and excellent live renditions of the newest material.

As a long-time HUGE Rush fan, I'm not bothered that they seem to be producing live product for every tour and also flooding us with DVDs and box sets. It's always great to enjoy new Rush material.

SNAKES AND ARROWS LIVE is in many ways their best live material in their recent era (I'm thinking of the time from VAPOR TRAILS on...after the band reformed following the tragedies in drummer Neil Peart's life). RUSH IN RIO was a blast because we've never heard (or seen) Rush playing in front of such a gigantic, enthusiastic crowd. But listening to the material was not as rewarding as watching it...the production was spotty, at best. The live Rush material that followed their 30th Anniversary Tour sounded better...but it wasn't the complete show. Also, I have to say, the Frankfurt crowd was not the best. On the latest, we get a more solid effort.

PROS: Many great older songs that have never been officially released live. "Circumstances" (one of my all-time favorites), "Entre Nous," "Digital Man" and even "Passage to Bangkok" (yes, I know you can hear it on ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE) are all very welcome. The sound mix is overall pretty good...Geddy's vocals are more present than they have been lately. The playing is super tight, and the close adherence to the SNAKES AND ARROWS studio material will please those who complain that of late, Rush's live stuff hasn't been quite the perfect recreation of their studio work. Also, oddly, their version of "Freewill" on this album is particularly super tight...well-produced and well-played.

CONS: Too much SNAKES AND ARROWS. I really like that album, but I'd trade "Armor & Sword" and "Spindrift" for something older in a heartbeat. I'm going to see them live on the 29th of April, and they've changed up their set list a little...but the heavy representation of SNAKES AND ARROWS material is still there. Also, more minor, the version of "Secret Touch" is surprisingly sloppy. In addition, the tempo on a couple of pieces (including, sadly, the much-anticipated "Bangkok") is slow.

But I've had a really fun time listening to it. Any serious Rush fan will thoroughly enjoy themselves. Predictably, this is not the way you'd want to introduce a novice to the band...but at this in their careers, Rush is mostly playing for their devotees. Of which I'm proud to call myself a member!