Great, if somewhat predictible, live sets

Four studio records then a live one is the pattern Rush has followed, and "Different Stages - Live" is no exception to that rule, but what is different is that while the previous live albums were trimmed to highlight material from the last few albums, this one is a full setlist. And add to that a third show from 1978, and there's quite a bit of music on this one.



Dealing first with the "main" set, the majority of it was recorded on the 1997 tour, with two songs from 1994. The set is pretty well mixed, four from "Counterparts", three each from "Test For Echo" and "Roll the Bones", and one from "Presto" are from the last batch of albums, then a bunch of tracks from previous albums, three each from "Moving Pictures" and "Permanent Waves", and one each from "2112", "A Farewell to Kings", "Hemispheres", and "Signals".



In many ways, this tour was special because a lot of material that had been dropped over the years saw a resurgence-- the readdition of the whole "2112" and "Natural Science" to the set was quite stunning. Its actually quite interesting hearing the band, now with such better commmand over themselves and their instruments, tackle this material, it really is in many ways improved-- the intensity drops a bit, but the performance is much more interesting. Actually, the set as a whole is quite a good mix of old and new, there's a lot of great material being played, of course everything is really well done, but the entire first set is like a dream for me-- its just great material, start to finish, culminating with "2112". The second set is also very strong, loaded again with great material, "Resist" and the instrumental "Leave That Thing Alone" are particularly strong performances.



Overall, a very satisfying listen, oddly enough moreso than the show I saw.



The bonus set from 1978 is interesting in contrast-- the band is much looser, there's a lot more tension there. Very little material is repeated between the two sets, so there's not much room for comparison. This show is four from "A Farewell to Kings" (including the two lengthy compositions on there), three from "Fly By Night", two from "Rush", and one each from "Caress of Steel" and "2112". I think this set compares favorably to the live album from around the same time ("All the World's a Stage", recorded the previous tour), but I really enjoyed the first two sets on here. Still, geting "Xanadu" live was great.



My only complaint is that there's not much in the way of chances with the set-- few obscure gems from recent albums, and the synth period of the band is almost entirely ignored. "Rush in Rio" may be better for a more balanced set.



But in the end, this is a great release-- the whole thing is really quite good, and its highly recommended

Rush Unleashed and Live

If you're a Rush fan, or used to be but forgot about them for awhile, this would be the CD to buy to restore or refresh the relationship. These live songs move with their full energy, and with the technical brilliance that has made Rush so special among fans. This band has always played as tight in concert as humanly possible, and this collection will demonstrate what some Rush fans have known for this, their fourth decade together, that is, that they can still rip through their complex song structures like steel through hot butter.



I'd also recommend Vapor Trails. Some of their most powerful music ever has returned in their latest compositions. The finely sharpened "Secret Touch" and "Ghost Rider" will leave you screaming for more.

Top notch set

This is quite possibly my favorite Rush concert album. The fact that it mixes so much Old Rush with new Rush was well done. Plus who can resist a complete version of 2112? A+ effort!