Rating: 
Summary: Awesome
Review: I saw my first Rush concert in September, 1980. It was a post-"Permanent Waves" tour. They had taken a break from recording "Moving Pictures" to test a couple new songs, "Tom Sawyer," and "Limelight" in the show. They instantly graduated to being my favorite band that night. And they've never disappointed in concert.This DVD is simply amazing. It is as comprehensive a document of songs that they could come up with. My taste tends to lean towards the Rush tracks from the period 1976-1981, but it's not to matter here. What makes this performance so great: 1. The audience. 2. The bands performance. 3. The quality of the entire DVD. The crowd clearly elevated the band that night, what an enthusiastic crowd. Rush's performance is so tight yet inspired. There's just something more to the sound of these songs when performed live like this. The multi-angle songs are very cool, obviously geared towrd us many musician fans, since it's "YYZ," "La Villa Strangiato" and the drum solo "O Baterista" that incorporate this feature. The three most technical instrumental parts of the show. From a technical standpoint: Neil Peart not only looks as fit, healthy and inspired as ever, he plays the same way, actually moreso. In the past, others would try to critique Neil by saying his performance was often too stiff. On their previous album "Test For Echo," Neil had studied with Freddie Gruber to "loosen" his performance, and it showed on that tour. It also gave him the extra stamina to play a 3 hour instead of a two hour show. A hugely cool thing to do for the fans. Neil was using a more traditional technique to hold the left drumstick during this time. From what I saw in those performances he was using this technique most of the time. Now he seems to have alternated back to the more powerful overhand style for a lot of the drumming, and slips the more traditional technique in more sparingly. This was an excellent decision. He seems to have kept the stamina and the looser more flowing "feel" but in terms of the power and technique, it's escalated to the energy of his younger days. Geddy has once again taken his bass playing up one more notch technically as well. It's mind-boggling. After having already released what I was sure would be his best live performance of "YYZ" on "Different Stages" he has topped it here. And this is constant throughout the show. The higher register vocals do not seem to be a problem, though I did notice 2112 was still downtuned like they did on the last tour. I think the secret is the amount of instrumental performances they are slipping into the show: i.e. "La Villa," "YYZ," "2112-Overture," "Leave That Thing Alone," and "Cygnus X-1" (only the instrumental front portion of this song is played. That's great because that's one of the things we all love about them anyway. Alex Lifeson had barely played a solo on "Vapor Trails." He makes up for it here. Alex is one of the best soloists ever. it's great to see the extra little solo bits added to "Bravado," "Dreamline" and "Earthshine." He shines everywhere and is nothing short of absolutely hysterical with his little rant on "La Villa." "I love singing! It's so EASY!!" I think the 5 "Vapor Trails" tunes featured here benefit greatly from the live environment. My biggest criticism of that album (besides no guitar solos at all) was there were just too many guitar and vocal sounds layered in and competing for a small range of sound. Impossible to do with two voices and one guitar live. Of the old tunes I haven't mentioned, "Working Man" is brought back with vigor and is a major highlight - they've managed to cut it down to 5 minutes but they've trimmed away the fat so cleverly, you have to listen multiple times to figure out what was yanked and then you don't care anyway. The whole "ByTor/Cygnus/Working Man" medley is a highlight. Played with the raw intensity of the old days. "Big Money" really rocks out too. and that is a song from my least favorite period in their career. Final performance note, on "Different Stages," there are moments throughout where certain songs seem to drag a little. Not here. They are playing with energy and intensity and pleasure throughout this entire show. Constantly playing with a Rush (pun intended, but appropriate). The footage is their best - it beats previous videos by a mile. "Exit Stage Left" might have featured the best setlist if the WHOLE SHOW were included (note: hmm, idea for a DVD version), but it suffers from other flaws that make it inferior to this in many other ways anyway. not the least of which is the oversaturated filming of the show. And "Grace Under Pressure tour live" and "A Show of Hands" suffer from a limited selection of songs that are mostly culled from that (my least favorite) period of their career. This DVD is proof that they should have been looking for one show to represent on each live album. Their technical abilities make that a very real possibility at any time on any tour. I will not detail anymore. I'm one of those old fans that's always complaining that they didn't play this or that old tune and I'm saying every song is a highlight. Buy this DVD. What more could convince you?
Rating:
Summary: This dvd is awesome THIS IS NOT U2!!
Review: I own the Exit Stage left laserdisc and all I can say this is better than it. Exit does sounds a little better but this dvd is like really going to see Rush. I did not have any of the audio problems that some reviewers have had. All I had to do was turn down the rear speakers a bit to lessen the crowd noise. I feel that the people who were expecting a anamorphic presentation have a legitimate complaint. Since my tv is a 4:3 HDTV I was satisfied.I realize that in parts of Rush's last album Vapor Trails they sort of sounded like U2. That is were the similairity ends!! Rush is not U2 they are a power treo that does not over polish their performances. If you like overdubbs watch the Kiss Symphony dvd. This is RUSH!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth it but should've focused camera on the band
Review: This is a great buy. The song set is pretty nice, documentary on 2nd disc is insightful and fun to watch. The fans are sincere and sing and dance really well! Just listening to it, reconfirmed how good Rush sound and perform on stage. However, who did the video editing? Watching I wondered if they even knew Rush songs. As the guys expressed themselves, this is a band which holds technical peformance and execution above everything else. We all know this and that's why we love them -- there's always been a lot of energy and complexity in their songs and it's wonderful to visually watch the band perform so well with great intensity. However, the camera moves constantly and never really focuses on the band members at any time for more than ten seconds. Basically I felt that I was robbed of seeing the band during at least the critical/crescendo parts of MOST of the songs. Never got to see Alex from start to finish of any guitar solo (similarly Neil/Geddy -- thank God for Neil's solo!). Amazingly, there's hardly ANY part of the video where you see all three together close up center to really appreciate their teamwork and cohesion. I hope they make another DVD release in a couple of years. I hope Neil especially is doing well, I did contemplate his personality and what happened to him quite a bit as I watched. Last thing, check out Burhan Ocal if you love virtuoso musicians. He plays traditional hand drums (Turkish) and solos which at times sound very much like Peart.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
Review: Stop reading right now and buy this DVD set. It is that simple. Are you still here? Come on, GO! GO! GO!
Rating:
Summary: benefits outway the risks
Review: - in short , this concert DVD is spectacular. It leaves you feeling as if you were actually there. The crowds response to the music that was palyed that night is amazing. Many camera angles with excellent sound quality. Rush took a chance by recording thier last show of the tour in a country they have never been before. (not knowing how the crowd would respond) And the benefits outway the risks they took. A must own for any music lover, regardless of preference.
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite perfect, but a great keepsake for Rush fans
Review: Having been a Rush fan for going on half my life, and seeing them live on every tour since 1987 (including twice on last year's Vapor Trails tour), I had anxiously awaited this DVD's release. For a band which has been together (and intact!) longer than many of today's rock artists have been alive, and still has legions of loyal fans, very little commercially released live video exists (and only on VHS), none of which faithfully and completely captures the live Rush concert experience. That was, until October 21, 2003. With all the eagerness of a child waiting to tear open his presents on a Christmas morning, I snatched up a copy and headed back home, prepared to spend the day viewing and reliving the experiences I had a year ago this summer. At first listen, I found a few things very evident: 1) The crowd is the most intense and energetic I have ever seen. 2) This has to be the loudest concert DVD I have ever owned. Listening to this moderately loud in 5.1, in an apartment such as the one I live in, is guaranteed to disturb any and all of your neighbors, and then some. I had to decrease the levels quite a bit on my subwoofer (only an 8" 80 watt model) in order to keep the rumble to less than floor shaking. 3) There are a lot of quick cuts in the editing, which I guess must be normal with a 22 camera shoot. At many times when you're about to get a nice close-up for more than a second, suddenly there comes either a wide panoramic shot, an angle from either side of the stage or behind looking toward the audience, or a high overhead. Many people here have griped about this, and I am inclined to agree. More than just a bit annoying. 4) The mix could have been better, as Geddy's vocals are a bit low in the overall mix, and nearly drowned out when the crowd gets REALLY excited (which is lot!). The audio level is rather "wavy" in some spots (it drops and rises), mostly at the beginning. While this problem seemed to "fix itself" after the first 3 or 4 songs, there are some other instances during the second half of the show, most notably during "One Little Victory". Don't know if it's just my copy, but a bit annoying nonetheless. I have watched this show several times since that first day, and, after making many necessary adjustments, have seemed to find a greater balance in the mix between instruments. After increasing the center speaker about 3 db, and reducing the rear surround about as much in order to take out some of the crowd, I find the vocal mix to be a bit better. Not perfect, but better, and actually pretty good for live, which is what this is all about. The video quality is very good (given the limitations of my TV, which is NOT HD), with the exception of some shots where the camera is zooming quickly from audience level to the stage that appear to be blurry, almost as if they were done with a camcorder. Again, a little annoying, but this does subtly add to the live experience. Performance wise, the band is at the top of its game, and this show really encapsulates the entire tour and how well they played. The shows I caught during the VT tour were the two best I had seen from them, and I was hoping this would come close. Needless to say, I was not disappointed performance wise. This show will be extremely difficult for them to top if indeed they tour again. The combination of audience and performance energy here is extraordinary, as if this were the one night all the right forces aligned to achieve the ultimate experience. I just wish I could have been there. But for those who were not, Rush in Rio is a great keepsake that has been too long in coming. There is a very nice behind the scenes documentary on the second disc that serves well as a kind of "build-up" to the show. I recommend watching it first to enhance your concert experience. I would undoubtedly rate this 5 stars, if not for the crazy editing and little audio glitches, were I to base this on performance alone, which is stellar. Instead, I have to deduct 1 star for those faults. All in all, while this DVD is not perfect, it's more than good enough for me.
Rating:
Summary: Ignore the naysayers and buy it
Review: I must say, I'm a bit peeved by some of the overly critical reviews I've read about this DVD. When you consider what you are getting for what you are paying, its a monstrously good deal. One guy said he wanted his money back. That's ridiculous. How any Rush fan could think 3 hours of music and video, plus a 55 minute documentary of the band is not worth the $20 bucks is beyond me. This is a few bucks more than a regular CD would cost. Even if the DVD was poor quality(it's not) it would still be an incredible deal. Take the negative comments with a huge grain of salt. The video is crisp and clear. Geddy's voice is slightly lower than it should be for the first two songs(there are 28 songs in the show), after which the mix gets better. Apparently the video is not widescreen anamorphic, whatever that means, but as far as I can tell, amazon.com was the only one to advertise this. Looked great on my TV. Now with that out of the way, this DVD is incredible. This is quite simply the most amazing audience I have ever seen. A first for Rush live albums, you get to see the entire concert as it was played. The video does a great job of presenting Rush's stage show. Although I got to see Rush when they came to my city, somehow I am still in awe of their stage - the combination of lights, lasers and video only serve to intensify the brilliance of their music. To me the DVD captured the magic of a Rush show perfectly. Some people complained about the cameras changing every few seconds, but to me that was just fine. Its how I experience a Rush show when I go see them live - there's so much to take in, I wind up doing nearly the same thing. Some of the highlights of the DVD - The enthusiasm of the Brazilian fans is infectious. To me it seems odd that they get such a (comparatively) lukewarm reaction in the states when they outshine every other rock act by such a large margin. The fans in Brazil outwardly display how I feel about Rush. In the documentary you see people crying or otherwise getting deeply emotional about the effect Rush's music and its meaning has had on them. This is as it should be IMO. The boys were clearly ON that night and played an immaculate show with few mistakes. Even so, I was happy to hear a few glitches - this let me know there were no studio edits. Alex had many intense solos throughout the show - Bravado and La Villa Strangiato were highlights. Geddy's bass solo in Driven and his incredible show-ending performance in Working Man, both on bass and vocals. This was quite simply the most amazing version of Working Man I have ever heard. On the Vapor Trails tour I heard Neil play the most incredible drum solo I have ever heard from any drummer anywhere, and it's preserved perfectly on this video(in multi-angle!) The acoustic version of Resist is choice - and only available on this DVD or the accompanying CD. The Brazilian fans showing their spirit - by singing along with YYZ(!) The multi-angle videos of YYZ, Neil's drum solo, and La Villa should make any musician happy. Cool video of Anthem from 1975. The other Easter Egg is the animation done for By-Tor - another highlight of the show. The By-Tor animation and Alex's insane monologue in La Villa prove Rush isn't just a serious band - they have a great sense of humor. I have lost many hours of sleep watching this DVD, and will continue to do so! I know most Rush fans are going to buy this anyway, but I'm hoping my review will cause a casual listener of Rush to pick this up. The greatest thing about Rush is their live show. It has the magical ability to transform a casual listener into a rabid fan - trust me, I've seen it happen many times. If this is you, pick this up and prepare to experience the magic of RUSH!
Rating:
Summary: MAGNIFICENT!
Review: Please please please PLEASE don't listen to all those other people saying "the sound quality is TERRIBLE and that means the whole thing sucks." Yes, I will agree to SOME EXTENT, but you have to realise the conditions and equipement available at the time, and it works out PERFECT! Rush is at their full glory here, stronger then ever! I bought this the first day it came out (Oct. 21) and just now I'm getting around to reviewing it, because there is just so much cool stuff! Who cares about how old they are, they are still pushing it to the limits musically, stage shows and humour! The song selections are just about perfect and the wonderful 22 camera angle view gives you the feeling of a front row seat....on your couch...probably thousands of miles away...oh well, at least I saw them in Dallas! No, but really! The concert is just AWESOME. Nothing to say. No words can explain. It's just AWESOME. The crowd is hilarious too! Those Brazilians are..every energetic, to say! But that is not a bad thing! They start singing to "YYZ," the INSTRUMENTAL song (not to mention many others!).
Disc 2 has a lot of cool extras. The hour long documentary "The Boys In Brazil" is so cool! I had always wanted a long, in depth documentary thingy for a long time. This documentary just has so much stuff in it, not to mention humour too. All the band members are interviewed throughout, and Neil has a lot to say too! The documentary is just wonderfully done, and you just have to watch it. Also, you get alternate camera angle views on "YYZ," Neil's drum solo "O Basteria," and "La Villa Strangiato." It's very interesting. Be sure to unlock the By-Tor video, it's pretty funny. But I can't find Anthem..:(
All in all, you just have to watch the DVD. Watch every singe song and don't move your eyes off the screen. I found it hard to. Over all, just have a fun time with it! It is well worth the price and the CD isn't half-bad too. RUSH RULES!
Rating:
Summary: Rush: Better With Age
Review: Some bands some, some bands go, some remain the same. Rush is a band that defies all that. Like the finest wine, Rush has proven to better themselves with age. At it shows in front of the 40,000+ Brazilians crammed in a soccer arena. How many Rock bands are there where the fans will actually sing to an instrumental? Yes...these fans are singing to YYZ! And it's heard clearly over the music. This is definately a MUST for die hard fans and new fans alike. Rush puts on a flawless performance, and the extras are great as well. Very few have seen Rush "behind-the-scenes" Well, here's your chance if you're curious. Everything about Rush is captured on this DVD. And to think...this almost wasn't! (Explained on Disc 2)
Rating: 
Summary: Rushed in Rio
Review: Being the avid Rush fan that I am, I couldn't wait to see this tour. Saw the show In Hershey, PA and was blown away! The band was tight and the sound quality was exceptional. Purchased the DVD as soon as it was released. I have an above average surround sound system and was anxious to play the DVD on it. To cut to the chase, alot of volume level adjustments were necessary. First off, there is excessive audience noise that continues past the first few tracks. Second, the vocals and lead guitar were very faint at times. I increased the center channel volume more than ever to hear Geddy. Several times during Alex's guitar solos, I couldn't hear it well enough to appreciate it. The drums and bass however did come through loud and clear. I am really disappointed in the mix quality of this release without a doubt!
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