Rating: 
Summary: Enough from bogus-audiophiles and psuedo-fans!!!!
Review: I reviewed this DVD back in November after pre-ordering it the day it became available at Amazon. And I know we're not "supposed" to mention other reviews, but how can I not after reading calumnies, errors and downright silliness (not mention the guy from La Libertad, El Salvador who decides to dis 325 million people by telling Americans they aren't Americans!) I have to respond. Rush--despite the almost total news blackout imposed by the self-proclaimed music "press", an adjunct to our gawdawful elite media--is one of the most successful touring groups in history. Like Pink Floyd--unlike the Stones or my Mighty Zep--Rush has always refused to play the media circus, preferring the privacy and pleasures of home life--tho' Alex should be old enough to stay out fights with cops. Gee, why? Crappy sound quality? Incompetent board engineers, morons at Masterdisk? Sound likely to you? Didn't think so. As for all of you people claiming, "I have a $20K stereo system." Nonsense. Ten+ years back friends of mine built an ENTIRE digital studio for a good deal less than $20K (including several high end Roland synths and digital reel-to-reel than was less than $2500 bucks sticker price) and it was set up to record studio quality tracks and live performances as these friend were pioneers of the rave scene. I know what $20K worth of audio equipment looks like: it won't fit in your living room, unless your name is William H. Gates III. So enough from these phonies about their five figure stereos and enouhg of the none-too-implicit condescension from their alleged owners toward we hoi polloi who've gote more sense than moeny. I spent less than $500 and get better sound that people who think price tag guarantees quality (obviously never heard of Jaguar or BMV?). And these irritating gits who start their reviews by saying, "I'm a huge Rush fan, the biggest one in the world and I KNOW so MUCH MORE than YOU that YOU should just bow in awe before me." The odds are, most of you were not yet itches when much of Rush's greatest oeuvre was being produced. If I can get clear, cranking sound from $300 bookshelf speakers and a 27" Sanyo TV connected to an APEX DVD player then all of you self-proclaimed audiophonies with your imaginary $7K, $10K and $20K systems just prove your ignorant braggadocio. While you're spending all of that wishful cash, I get full surround sound from two speakers that completely fills the room. If the sound quality from RIR was bad, believe me I would have noticed it. I also ran it thru butt-kicking Panasonic headphones on my new Vaio. The headphone experience was almost overwhelming. I literally felt as tho' I was in the middle of 44K fans--10,000 stunning Brazilian beauties (who here is going to tell me they've seen that many beautiful women at ANY Rush concert in N. America?!?!?!). The simple fact is 99% of you claiming to have audio problems have a.) sub-par equipment, b.) good equipment you don't have a clue how to properly configure ("I HAVE TO change my EQ?! But it's so pretty in THIS pattern!!!!" or c.) You are really Rush HATERS doing all you can to dis them. I've seen this before in politics. You hear it all the time on the call-in shows (especially the American Rush). "You know Rush, I'm a diehard conservative Republican but this new Republican party has totally moved away from core GOP values..." BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I don't believe a word of it. Nor do I believe 90% of these so-called "Rush" fans who do nothing but complain. You've either never been to a stadium show or you're faking it. Probably both. And as for the nitwit that admonished us "not to argue with him" because he's the self-proclaimed Pope of Rush fandom, I'm still trying to still the giggles from that one. If this guy new a SINGLE fact about Rush (as opposed to the stereo system he's imagined in great detail) he would know that they do not now and have never cared how anyone felt about their music but themselves. They abandoned the experimental forms and concept albums because there was no more ground to cover. And any comparison to the incomprehensible, drug-babble of Yes concept albums is a laugh. Both the 2 Ch and the 5.1 sound excellent. To get the true value of a DTS mix you really do need a high end receiver and very good speakers (like mine) with a surround-set up. And that is an expensive proposition. Otherwise, 5.1, in fact, sounds better if you don't have the costly receiver needed. The cost factor is the primary reason so few disks have DTS sound tracks. Finally, JUST LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, ENJOY THE CROWD'S ENERGY and remember this is a concert video, not a "Making of" docu where everything sounds like the old Sprint commercials (V.O. Candice Bergen, "You can hear a pin drop.") But many of you are too young to remember that as well. Concerts are noisy, imprecise, nerve-racking for act and crew; more like a battle than the sterile precision of a studio. For me RIR, made the VT songs actually sound better than the album CD... As for "Exit Stage Left" being the pinnacle of the Rush achievement. Say what? "Exit" is simply awful; The guitar is so low in the mix, the bass so fuzzy, the vocals so trebly that entire thing is a mess. And the videos cut from the VHS concert were MTV's first "mass saturation" videos--again, something many of you are too young to remember.
Rating:
Summary: Rush in Rio = Awesome
Review: Ok, the sound is not quite what some of the other albums where you could hear Geddy pronounce every sylable with prestine clarity. But I saw them on the VT tour at Irvine, CA and was sitting pretty darn close. All I can say is when I cranked the surround and subwoofer in my apartment it sounded almost identical to the show I had just seen the year before. Rumble, atmosphere etc. The thing about some Rush fans is they're just plain perfectionists. For them every note played live has to sound exactly like it's just off the studio album. Stop it already you geeks. This isn't 1981. This DVD has the sound and more importantly, the ENERGY that non-of their other live albums, videos have ever had. To see teenagers (not to mention some good looking girls for a change) rocking out in unison to YYZ was incredible. Then there's the documentary. Absolutely awesome. Worth the price of the dvd right there. But if you're the type who's like, "oww, I can hardly make out his voice," and , "This sucks! Alex just missed a note there" then you should just get a life. I think I'll go watch it now. Guess I got to get a life too!
Rating: 
Summary: Inconsistent mix distracts, but solid performance by Rush
Review: Before pointing out the technical issues I have with the audio, the most important thing that I have to say is this: even in their 50's, Rush still "blows away" nearly every group more than have their age. I'm 23, but I'll still say, "This is how it's done kids." The attention to solid writing with an emphasis on instrumental performance makes for a truly great live act, and Rush is no exception. This is a lost art in many of the younger groups of today as mainstream radio formats and MTV have not permitted sophisticated arrangements and playing along with the required "hooks." And, sorry: groups like Phish, Dave Matthews Band, etc. are great, but not at this level. After getting so much from the "Show of Hands" video from the late-80's, this DVD came as a bit of a dissapointment for one primary reason: the mix. The last band that should suffer from a poor mix is Rush! I don't know how this "slipped through the cracks," but it is not acceptable; it sounds "blurry" and "unclear." First and foremost, the foundation for any show (rock or otherwise) should be a strong vocal and drum mix, with guitar (excluding solos; they should obviously be "on top" of the mix) and bass providing accompaniment. However, this tried-and-true method is quite backwards and I found it distracting for a good hour into the set. In conclusion, the performance itself was 4 stars (this isn't quite a "Show of Hands" though mind you), but the poor mix keeps the set at 3. I simply will not have of not hearing Neil Peart's tom fills buried in the mix; it's just not "rock" and it's most definitely not "Rush."
Rating:
Summary: The DVD rabid Rush fans have ALWAYS wanted!
Review: Rush's first real DVD shows, for the first time, one of their concerts from beginning to end without interruption, as well as a Neil Peart drum solo from beginning to end without interruption.
Also the sound on this DVD is just absolutely phenomenal! On just my 27" stereo TV's speakers, the sound is loud and full! Imagine if you have one of those surround sound packages on yours?
Plus to help the wondering Rush fan how to unlock the "easter eggs" on the DVD, do the following: "'By-Tor' cartoon" - In "The Boys in Brazil", when Alex starts talking about By-Tor (after showing them start the Porto Allegre concert), press Play or Enter or Return (whatever you have on your player) and it'll start right up.
"Anthem 1975" - Hit Play on "O Baterista" (Neil's drum solo) and when it starts hit Menu, then hit Play on "YYZ" then hit Menu, then hit Play on "YYZ" again and hit Menu, then hit Play on "O Baterista" again and hit menu. The option should pop up.
Buy it, sit back, and enjoy, fellow Rushians!
Rating:
Summary: They did it Right this time
Review: ANY Rush fan will appreciate this DVD.
Rush is a musician's band, and the greatest thing about this DVD is that they apparently recognized that when they planned the whole package. Unfortunately, I do have to agree with some comments that the sound could have been better, but it doesn't mean it's still not "good", the average listener probably won't even notice aside from being a little over-compressed. However, my first listen in 5.1 yielded less-than-desirable results. There's a little too much "thump" in the bass, at times the sound is "distant", and occassionally, you hear things going on in the background that you KNOW aren't part of the song.
I DO have to give credit where it is due. When you watch the documentary on the 2nd DVD (WHICH IS OUTSTANDING! more on that later), you learn about all the mis-haps, and it's a wonder it was all put together to begin with!
Treat the performance as a souvenir of when you saw them on the VT tour. If you didn't see them, your loss!
Regarding the documentary: This DVD is worth buying SOLELY for this, since you get a good look behind the scenes in a place that the band likes to keep private, and you really grow even more appreciative of the band for this. FOR THE NEXT STUDIO CD: We'd like to see a "making of" bonus DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Anyone who complains about RIR should be stunned w/ a taser
Review: The title says it all. Oh plus, whiners- shut up. How can the average review for this DVD be 4/5??? What more could you want? What else could you want? What's your problem? Rush aren't perfect now, but they NEVER HAVE BEEN. People complaining about the amount of crowd noise- you've never ben to as REAL Rush show where the crowd does sing along & jump up & down. You wanna stand there & be polite- go ahead. You're nothing but a Rush "prole" if you do. But this DVD *is* a 5/5. You don't agree or don't like what i'm saying- go f*ck yourself, & i'll sit back & enjoy Rush as good as they've ever been.
Rating:
Summary: Masterful musicians at their professional best
Review: I am actually a little intimidated to write a review here because this thread seems to have been usurped by audiophiles and videophiles and I am neither. But I am a long time fan of this amazing band and found this 2 disc set well worth my money. It looks and sounds fantastic on my average TV , average DVD player and average mini-stereo system. There are 29 songs on this concert night and they are not all 3 minute ditties! What precision and what musical "chops" these guys have! This is a historical document of 3 mighty musicians at their peak after nearly 30 years working at it. I particularly enjoyed the second DVD that features the film "The Boys in Brazil" which followed behind the scenes for the three concert dates in Brazil. Like a lot of fans of Rush, I have never gotten a chance to really hear them speak and see them move and talk in their everyday way. This is not a band that VHI has considered important enough to do a "Behind the Music" on. Either that or Rush just has too much integrity and self respect to cooperate with that kind of tabloid television. Whatever the reason, this was a great opportunity to try to get to know the guys a bit and see that they have the same everyday kind of concerns that we all have. I particularly liked seeing Geddy trying to find his "stage" shoes, Alex limbering up fingers afflicted with psoriatic arthritis, and Neil lounging on backstage couches reading books. Anyone who is even a marginal fan of this band will find the DVD a treat and those who are big fans will be talking about it and watching it for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: Enough Already!!!
Review: There have been too many reviews regarding the weird sound mix and the crazy camera angles for this DVD. When I first saw this DVD I had the same complaints. However, after watching this disc again I realized something very important: With everything that has happened to the band, especially to Neil, we are very fortuate that they have reunited in the first place. Furthermore, we are also fortuate that they are playing with incredible passion and not taking their performances for granted, as Alex said in the documentary. Unfortuately, I missed Rush on the Vapor Trails 2 years ago. This DVD serves a document of a band reborn and playing with a new sense of purpose. Tomorrow Rush will be playing here in Pittsburgh and I will not see them due to a prior commitment :(. However, I did see Geddy Lee at PNC Park this afternoon taking in the Pirates Cubs game. Seeing Ged pursue his love of baseball and touring again is a sign that Rush is alive and well, as long as Alex doesn't fight any cops on New Year's Eve. :). The point is that we shouldn't worry about the technical aspects of the DVD (e.g. sound mix and video editing). We should celebrate that this band has overcome various obstacles to return to recording and playing live again. If you see them on tour this summer, think about that and if you haven't purchased this DVD yet I recommend you do so. As Ged said, "Celebrate the Moment", they might not be around much longer.
Rating:
Summary: Rush to buy this one
Review: OK, OK, we've heard everyone moan and complain about the mix on this DVD -the simple fact is that this live show sounds better than RUSH's previous live video <>A Show of Hands<>. This is the best live RUSH DVD available and it's pretty darn good.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Listen To the Anti-Hype
Review: First off, I would have to say that if you are a real Rush fan and are considering NOT buying this DVD based upon some of the reviews posted here, you're crazy. Period. While the audio on this DVD is not perfect, it's far from being as bad as some here would lead you to believe, and giving up on this DVD because the mix is not "studio quality" is like throwing out the baby with the proverbial bath water. This is a great DVD. Although I did not care for it as much as their last two concert releases, no Rush fan is going to be disappointed with their purchase. The DVD is crammed with classic Rush tunes, along with some of their most recent studio tracks. The crowd is absolutely incredible. At times they actually seem louder than the band, and that is NOT because of bad mixing! I thought that hearing the crowd sing along to YYZ was especially hilarious, considering that the song has no lyrics! The highlights of the DVD for me were the Neil Pert drum solo (amazing, even for Neil) and Alex Lifeson's "Tribute To Jazz". You'll have to watch the DVD to get the joke though. I put off buying this DVD for several months, and regret not having bought it sooner. It's worth every dime I paid for it, and I'm guessing that most people will probably wind-up playing this DVD over and over, hundreds of times. It's certainly more enjoyable to watch than Exit... Stage Left. Seriously, this DVD belongs on the shelf of any and every serious Rush fan. Don't believe the anti-hype of the other reviews. You won't regret your purchase.
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