5 comments about Unplugged (The Official Bootleg).

1. This is one of the best of the many solo live McCartney CD's, if only because of the relaxed nature of it. Done during the period when widely popular MTV Unplugged was near its peak, Paul McCartney tones down the fire for a laid back and cozy run through a few old favorites, and a surprisingly swinging rockabilly groove. Beginning with Gene Vincent's "Be Bop A Lula" and ending with a McCartney obscurity, Paul is obviously having a barrel of fun. His singing is relaxed and unforced, the band is solid and swinging, and there is an element of cheer that really adds to the proceedings.
   
   There are also some clever stories to be told, like the breif explanation of the first song McCartney ever wrote ("I Lost My Little Girl"). He even lets himself have a joke at his own expense, flubbing the opening verse to "I've Just Seen A Face." Coming so soon after the labored production afforded the terrific Flowers in the Dirt, this spartan and loose live show captures the boyishness that is a hallmark of McCartney's best work. "Unplugged" may have started life as a heavily bootlegged item, but it has since become a modest and unheralded gem in McCartney's catalog. (Followed soon after by the almost as good CHOBA B CCCP (Back in the USSR).)



2. I first watched it on tv, later had to make a tape from a friend's cd (yes, the first cds sold out that fast), and finally got my own cd after moving to Japan in the early nineties. Quibbling aside, this could be the quintessential McCartney album, highlighting each and every strength he has as a songwriter and performer. Most notable are three songs he brings back from his first album, McCartney. Had the Beatles stayed together, That Would Be Something, Every Night, and Junk might have immortalised themselves on the follow-up to Abbey Road, but only here, twenty years later, are we are treated to what each composition sounds like live and performed by a proper band. The sound is superb, the setting intimate, and Paul has a lot to be proud of in this one.



3. A great album to listen while you are driving, working around the house, or actually working at work (as if). Great versions of tunes that you don't expect to hear from Sir Paul, such as "Be-Bop-A-Loo-La", "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", "Ain't No Sunshine", etc. I love it when he actually forgets the words to one of the old Beatles hits. I highly recommend this album to Sir Paul fans or Beatle fans.



4. PAUL MCCARTNEY * UNPLUGGED is the soundtrack to a 1991 live performance. The musicians and audience have a fine time as Paul and band play a variety of songs, from Beatles standards, to rockabilly to folk and R & B. McCartney's voice is a bit unsteady, and he gets vocal reinforcement on some of the higher notes (examples: "Every Night," "We Can Work It Out" and "I've Just Seen A Face"). The ravages of age and one too many concert, perhaps.
   
   He does best with his own catalog, although Paul wasn't immune to forgetting the occasional lyric or word. The overall effect of this casual set is one wishes to be in the audience, so as to better soak up the man's still prodigious charisma. Liner notes included for each track, as are individual band member photos.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 58:22



5. The best reason to buy this album truly is to get Hamish Stuart's version of "Ain't No Sunshine." I guess with the advent of ITunes you should just download "Sunshine" and forget the album. Oh wait, that's right. None of Paul's stuff is on ITunes. Never mind.

5 comments about Stage.

1. This was my favorite Bowie Live Cd and still is. I love the tracks from the 'Low' period and they sound so much better on here than on the original. They sound fresher and i am happy to say the remaster is great.
   
   The instrumental Eno/Bowie tracks were originally on one side, but this edition states it is the performance in its original track order as performed at the time. Somehow though, there are noticable 'dips' and fades of the audience in between tracks, so it doesnt flow as 1 show. Probably due to how they did it the first time, but that is too bad. Very small and insignificant complaint though.
   
   Other than that i think this new version of the reissued 'Stage' is the best. I owned the original LP (it was out of print in the 80's, shortly after the release)and then the cassette (when re-issued in the 80's), disc and now this new version.
   
   The songs all hold up well, but nothing beats the excellent and vibrant rendition of 'Station to Station' that is on here. Just a great performance, as are the versions of 'Heroes', 'Breaking Glass', 'TVC15' and 'What in The World'.
   
   The 'Low' era tracks are great as mentioned previously. Studio albums at the time (mid 70's) had a tendency to sound 'muddy' or dull. These versions hit the mark and the live atmosphere enhances them.. The Ziggy era tracks are good, and sound more clean but less heavy. It works on this CD but i still prefer the Ziggy tracks on The Motion Picture Soundtrack for the movie/concert documentary from the mid 70's. Mick Ronson on guitar provided some great style, riffs and Solo's to those tracks that are hard to beat. But there are great solos on here as well by Adrien Belew.
   
   The bonus tracks are just an added incentive and are great to hear for the first time in 30 years, making this a must have purchase.
   
   So that makes the CD essential for its Nice Packaging, Tracklist in exact order, bonus tracks, a good remix and the version of Station to Staion that just kicks major as*! Great stuff.



2. EMI's packaging and design of this reissue are spot on - much better than the flimsy package they have put together for David Live (another enjoyable but non-essential live album). Even if you were to never to listen to it, Stage would at least look very cool on your shelf. The sleeve is now adorned with lots of interesting colour photos from the tour, a marked improvement on the vinyl edition's murky sleeve design.
   
   Bowie certainly works his magic on the stage (see the excellent Serious Moonlight DVD), but there's never been a truly outstanding live Bowie CD: Stage is no exception. His late Eno 70s work - the main focus here - are studio albums in the true sense of the word: Eno's obsessive productions lend so much atmosphere to albums like Low and Heroes. Translated to the stage, much of these atmospherics are lost.
   
   Instrumentals like Sense of Doubt and Warszawa are the worst affected, the live setting not adding anything to the songs. The latter sounds identical to the studio version, only with a bit of cheering added (and apparently some boos according to the liner notes). Songs like Heroes and Station to Station fare better, but neither sound much different to the studio versions. Speed of Life is probably the best of the Eno-era performances on here, given a brisker, synth-heavy type treatment, and allowing Belew to go mental.
   
   Another point to mention is that Bowie becomes quite obsessed with that 'whooshing' Station to Station synth effect throughout Stage.
   
   Some of the highlights of Stage are the bands treatment of earlier songs, particularly Five Years, Hang on to Yourself and Star - each brought to life by fuller, lush treatments from the band, and Bowie's matured voice.
   
   So Stage, while not really a must-have (unless you are a big fan), is still very worthwhile, though the fantastic packaging adds a lot to its desirability. Looking through the photos from the tour, what you're really left wanting is Stage: The DVD. Now that really WOULD be something.



3. By far the better of David Bowie's two live albums, STAGE is an impressive document of the chameleonic rocker's 1978 North American tour, with an outstandingly tight band helping the Maestro to recreate some of his most carefully constructed studio recordings in concert. Their whelming success in this endeavor is indeed a pleasure to hear.
   Focusing on material from the ZIGGY STARTDUST, STATION TO STATION, LOW and "HEROES" LPs, STAGE can't exactly be called a balanced retrospective of Bowie's career. Nevertheless, it's obvious right from the ominous opening chords of "Warszawa" that a great deal of thought went into selecting the material for these shows, with a keen and at times surprising intuition for what would work onstage. The disco-minimalist instrumentals Bowie crafted in collaboration with Brian Eno sound just great rubbing up against a faithfully reproduced half of ZIGGY, allowing the artist's progression to shine forth in clear, logical and above all tuneful relief. Said artist sings beautifully throughout, and Adrian Belew's effects-laden guitar work soars over the consistently strong rhythm section of Bowie stalwarts Carlos Alomar, George Murray and Dennis Davis. Anyone who loves David Bowie's classic 1970s work should consider STAGE - now expanded and rearranged into the original concert sequence - an essential element of his or her collection.



4. Even though I prefer 1974's David Live to 1977's Stage, I still think that this is a pretty good representation of David Bowie's live act at the time. Adrian Belew/Carlos Alomar on guitars. Dennis Davis on drums. George Murray on bass. This is in the midst of the Bowie/Eno compilations and yet Eno is absent on the tour. Suspicious? You bet. Their union was probably dead even at this early date. Still, Bowie trudged on. No longer the wunderkind he had previously been with such classic releases as Ziggy Stardust, Diamond Dogs and Hunky Dory, Bowie is starting to reach the age of medocrity and that's musn't feel too good. Still Stage has all the staples: Ziggy, Soul Love, Fame, Station To Station, Five Years & "Heroes". Also quite a bit of the Bowie/Eno instrumentals are represented here, too. Warsawza is among the better of them. I still prefer David Live but this is an interesting glimpse into the mixed and mumbled times that Bowie was facing at that strange turn in his career. Listenable and enjoyable.
   
   Dig it!



5. Perhaps this album was issued as a means of overcoming the rather disastrous "David Live" from a few years earlier, or perhaps Bowie just felt it was once again time to document his live show. Either way, Stage adequately represents Bowie's multi-faceted career without sounding excessive, forced or extraneous. Full of incredible musicianship and focused in a manner that defined Bowie's character at the time, it rights everything that was wrong with David Live. It is also perhaps one of the most schizophrenic live albums ever made, since Bowie skims from various stages of his career without any attempt to conjoin his multiple phases of fashion.
   
   Ziggy Stardust kicks off the album as if he were an independent opening act. The entire first side of Stage consists of excellent versions from the Ziggy Stardust album, performed faithfully to the originals despite the absence of the original Spiders from Mars (Mick Ronson, et. al.). From there, Bowie leaps headlong into his `Los Angeles/Berlin'-era music. The next-oldest song on this collection is "Fame". Otherwise, the show features highlights from Bowie's previous three albums, all of which were excellent studio efforts, but which left the apparent impression that they would not be capable of making a transition to the stage. Stage disproves that theory handily, with live, atmospheric versions of a few of his most enigmatic instrumental works serving as set-up pieces for "'Heroes'," "Blackout" and "Beauty and the Beast." Since it contains nothing new, Stage can hardly be considered essential listening, but it is a rather extraordinary live document that will not disappoint fans of Bowie, particularly those who recognize the late seventies/early eighties as one of his most creative phases. B+ Tom Ryan

5 comments about Live Killers.

1. This is a decent live album, but I won't repeat what many others have already said here. I would, however, like to warn you of a censored version. I'm listening loudly in headphones to a 2003 remastered version from Parlaphone/EMI (although mine is in a jewel case and not a digipack). During the introduction to "Death on Two Legs", there are three loud beeps, much louder than Mr. Mercury's voice, which nearly caused me to go deaf, not to mention the insult to Queen's art and their fans' intelligence. I don't remember the Hollywood Records remaster being censored, but this sort of thing should not be tolerated. Shame on EMI.



2. I usually judge my appreciation of live albums in two ways: 1) is it a significant historical document and 2) are the live versions better than the old studio songs? As far as the latter goes for me, `Live Killers' is somewhere between `Love You Live' and `Live! Bootleg!' A good live record not a great one, and most definitely not the album I grab when I want to here Queen. I would much rather have the Rainbow concert for early 1975, but then again the 1974-1975 era is my favorite of Queen's. This record still rocks but I don't know why I don't love it. Maybe "Brighton Rock" is too long and just not as impressive as the studio recording, surprisingly since Brian May is an all-time favorite of mine. The original side one is probably the best with the killer version of `Rock You' that blows away the original and serves as a great concert opener. "Rhapsody" and "Tie Your Mother Down" just don't go for the jugular enough for me. Freddie is bleeped out on "Death..." ? I guess Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger can drop f-bombs on a live album but Freddie can't? That's a head-scratcher. Queen fans will love `Live Killers' but for me its pretty ordinary and I am a Queen fan!



3. I was lucky enough to have seen Queen live on four separate occasions (1977, 78, 80 & 83) Amazing shows! It is quite different when you are actually there as opposed to listening to a live recording.
   This CD is OK. The performances range from good to lackluster. If you are looking for the sound they make in their studio releases you won't find it here. What you will find is more of a rendition of their 70's work. They rework most of their material so that they can perform it live without much difficulty. Sometimes it works well, other times you feel disappointed. (The medley part is a big disappointment for me)
   It says that this CD was "Remastered" but after comparing it to the original vinyl release, it sounds exactly the same. The original mix was not all that good anyway. It tends to sound dull most of the time. Also this is not a complete show. "It's late" & "Fat bottom girls' are not included.



4. Queen performs their special magic but the recording quality is simply poor. The miking is miserable with many vocals distant and weak sounding. Ruins a thoroughly memorable performance for the CD listener.



5. I never was so fond of Queen the way they sounded studio-like.
   When I bought their album "Queen Live Killers" in 1980, however, this only confirmed my opinion that Queen is an excellent live-performer of the songs which had seemed so dull, with all due respect, in the first place before hearing the "Live Killers"-album.
   Therefore, I pay my respect to Queen's studio-albums of the 1960s-1970s including the "Live Killers"-album which forms an indispensible kind of bridge between the old and new Queen to come.

5 comments about Warszawa.

1. Porcupine Tree is one of the finest bands around and this cd, recorded during the Lightbulb Sun tour, delivers in a big way. First off the material for the recording was culled from a Polish radio broadcast with a specially invited studio audience and features the bulk of the "Lightbulb Sun" cd (recently re-released in a gorgeous remastered form/5.1 surround) as well as tracks from "Stupid Dream" and "Signify", for me three of their better recordings (although serious kudos have to go to "In Absentia", "Deadwing" and "Fear Of A Blank Planet" all fine recordings of their own especially thanks to Gavin Harrison's absolutely phenomenal drum work). The recording itself is crystalline and a big improvement on the sound rendered on "Coma Devine".
   If you're seeking a fine example of what Porcupine Tree can do live, look no further. this is the recording to have. Trust me on this one.



2. Being an avid fan of Porcupine Tree, I try to see them live every time they tour in my area. I saw them this spring on their recent tour, and the live CD Warszawa captures much of the material from that tour, and has an excellent group of older and newer material which is great "ear candy" I would highly recomment this CD for any fans of Porcupine Tree who would like to add a recent live recording of this awesome band to their collection.



3. This new Digipak version is a re-release of an earlier Madfish Records UK release from 2005. As a Porcupine Tree fan and music listener for the majority of my life, I can tell you, this is one excellant concert recording.
   
   The performance is from a Polish radio show broadcast that included a small in studio audience. The performance was right on the heels of the Lightbulb Sun tour, so most of the songs performed are from that album. A couple more from Stupid Dream, Voyage 34 (Phase One), and the title track off the Signify album. This is a real treat, since the Lightbulb Sun album has been out-of-print for a long time now. This was my first chance to hear the songs (I'm still waiting for the rumoured re-release this fall).
   
   I'm not going to try and give you a full description of the music on this album, if you need that, please see the Amazon Review by "fats al" of the 2005 version dated February 22, 2006. He does an excellant job. I just didn't think it would be right to cut and paste it here!
   
   This cd is also a great bargain: it's packed to the brim with music. 79 minutes and 19 seconds worth of beautiful live PTree music for only $12. I will say track 8, Hatesong, is absolutely the Best! 5-stars!



4. So these guys can deliver that same wonderful sound live is good to know. So many bands' sound is "created" in the studio and you never know where the band's talent stops and the technical wizardry begins. This is a solid live album which shines the light on a talented group of Brits who could very well become the next Beatles. If you like good live music, buy this album. I would even recommend this as an introduction to this band as the songlist goes deep enough into their library to get to know Porcupine Tree as the treasure they surely are. These guys play progressive rock and roll and do it oh so well.



5. Being recently addicted to Porcupine Tree, I found this live album great right from the awesome guitar intro to the first track "Even Less" through to the final song "Signify". "Voyage 34" is perhaps not all that good live but everything else is fresh and solid. Of particular interest is that the album contains 6 songs from the hard-to-get album Lightbulb Sun including the superb "Russia On Ice". I highly recommend this album to all rock music fans!

5 comments about Premonition.

1. As Creedence was pretty much the John Fogerty Show, it is nice to see and hear him on a concert tour. It seems that he has retained the same upbeat spirit that has endeared Creedence fans everywhere. After all, there are many 60's retreads out there, like Eric Clapton amd Paul McCartney still going strong, so why not John Fogerty?
   
   Fogerty expertly recreates and reprises many Creedence hits such as the hypnotic Born on the Bayou, the easy Proud Mary, his stirring covers of I Put a Spell On You, and Susie Q,, and simple but energetic rockers like Travelin' Band and Fortunate Son. Singing and guitar playing are in top form here, and the backup band is every bit as compliant as the old Creedence, albeit less thin-sounding. New songs like Centerfield and Swamp River Days get an extra shot of adrenalin. And then there is one hearfelt ballad, Joy of My Life, with a fine slide guitar accompaniment.
   
   If there is anything for me to be less than ecstatic about, it's that Fogerty really hasn't shown much growth or progress in his musical career. Not to worry. The album is still worth getting if you really like him and crave Creedence.



2. Great value. If you remember the 60s' and 70s' you will love this one.



3. Fogerty goes through the motions with his CCR tunes and his own solo works, producing little more than a live version that could have been made in a studio with a canned crowd track. Banter in between songs is rehearsed sounding, and there's no good jams a la early Creedence Clearwater here.
   
   Worse yet I forgot this CD and bought it again months later, being so excited to get a chance for a Fogerty album of any kind!



4. I have always felt that the true measure of an artist lies in the quality of his live peformances where he cannot depend on the technical wizardry to be found in a recording studio. Mr. Fogerty delivers the goods in this excellent live CD. He sums up the American fascination with baseball in the song "Centrefield" and I was delighted to hear him perform his relatively unknown song "Almost Saturday Night" . His distinctive guitar work is a joy to listen to and he also entertains his fans with stories between songs aout the love of his life Julie and how he has been using the same amplificaion rig since Woodstock. Naturally 5 stars for this CD.



5. I am a huge fan of John Fogerty's solo music and his music with CCR. If you enjoy his roots-rock style then I strongly recommend that you check out the following:
   1) 24 Hours A Day by The Bottle Rockets
   2) Chooglin': A Tribute To The Songs Of John Fogerty
   3) Banjos and Sunshine by Sixty Acres
   4) Trace by Son Volt

5 comments about Journey - Greatest Hits Live.

1. Most live albums are never as good as a the studio version. That is not true with this cd. Every well known Journey song makes an appearance and several songs surpass their studio version. When I am in the mood for Journey I often chose this album over the 2 disk Essential Journey just because the live album truly has all the greatest hits that I want to hear.



2. If you are one of the millions of fans who became intoxicated with the awesome power of Steve Perry's voice, then hearing him live will be a dream come true. The live versions of hits like "Dont stop believin", and "wheel in the sky" are great symbols of the uniqueness of his voice. Although this album includes some songs that I personally dont think are any good, overall it is a great collection and worth owning by any Journey fan.



3. There's not too many bands that play well live or even change the song from studio version, but Journey does it as good as anyone. I put this CD up there with B.O.C.'s "Extraterestial Live" and UFO's "Strangers in the Night."
   
   FYI - Journey has a new singer, Arnel Pineda from the Philippines. He was discovered on YouTube by Neal Schon. I haven't heard him as my work computer doesn't access it, but I heard he's pretty remarkable. Their also going to release a new CD in spring/summer of '08 and perform at the MGM Grand in Vegas.



4. I just discovered the magic of Steve Perry's voice, lyrics, and style and have become an avid fan. This album showcases that he is a atruly great musician- his voice is as good live as in the studio. I love this aalbum.



5. I don't like all of their work nor everything on this CD but worth having in my collection (only CD I own by them).

5 comments about Live with a Little Help from Our Friends.

1. This set of songs pulls some of the best talent out there together for some spectacular jams. This is well worth the money if you love blues, rock, all mixed together. Warren Hayes, Woody, Jimmy Herring, Derek Trucks, Randall Bramlett etc. There are some great covers here too, this is the shiz, get it, and start jamming. The time to jam is now. Anyone slamming this does not know quality music. Keep jamming America.
   Coconut Phil.



2. This collection is a must for every true GM fan. Some of the recordings experience some technical difficulties, but it is a box set, after all, and you can expect such extras to be included. The regular release of "With a little help..." is probably sufficient for you music-wise if you don't want to shell out the $45.00 for the box set, as cool as it is. GOV'T MULE RULES! Great Blues Rock!!



3. At a time when so much great live music remains in the vaults, Warren Haynes continues to record and release amazing performances. (The "Wintertime Blues" live double CD of an annual Christmas Jam with major guests, is a prime example.)
   
   Live With A Little Help From Our Friends was recorded at Atlanta's Roxy Theatre New Year's Eve '98/'99. Incredible music and jams with Haynes, Allen Woody, Matt Abts, and guests Chuck Leavell, Derek Trucks, Jimmy Herring, Randall Bramblett, Bernie Worrell, Marc Ford and others.
   
   How fortunate there were tapes rolling.
   
   Quality live rock music is alive and well!



4. This CD set represents a band recovering from a tremendous loss (A. Woody). From the ashes of devistation, not even knowing if the band would even survive the loss, an idea. Wouldn't Woody be proud to have all these folks he respected as bassists, sit in? A tribute to Woody, the Deep End project was born. This is the culmination of that project! The rest is history. Hard jamming and fresh, Mule pounds out 4 cd's of NYE rock like no one else can. Find out more about Mule, the fans, tour dates, live show download links, etc. Join us on the web at [...] See you there (after you order this cd set!) Tell 'em Baddad sent ya!



5. 
   If you like Allman Bros, If you like jams, if you like blues, if you like jazz, if you like good rock and roll, if you like hairy big fat rockers, you gonna like this FOUR record set, and i would like to have been there on new year eve.
   
   Govt Mule is great !!

5 comments about Tripping the Live Fantastic.

1. The songs are great new and old a good mix. If you like to rock this is for you.



2. What can I say.
   
   Paul at his best.
   
   He is the best, no one can touch him on stage.



3. Tripping is a 2 hour plus double live CD that documents Sir Paul's huge 1989 Flowers In The Dirt world tour. It was the first time he had done a tour since the mid-70's Wings Over America shows (also documented on disc), and he was in high demand playing sold out shows everywhere. Any live McCartney album is always going to be compared to the excellent Wings Over America album and this one holds up really well. There was a lot more Beatle material on this one as McCartney delved much deeper into his past than on the previous tour. The band knows when to rock and when to play it soft and McCartney is in fine voice throughout. The highlight for me is the live version of Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End that closed out the shows on that tour. On the down side the album contains a couple of new songs that are nothing spectacular, and Paul's in between song banter comes off as quite corny at times, but fans of McCartney usually eat that up. There are also some of Paul's dud songs here (Ebony and Ivory comes to mind), but overall the material is strong and a nice trip through his career. The album is also recorded quite well. Fans of McCartney and / or The Beatles should really enjoy this live set.



4. Good choice of songs, of course, some are missing but it is just normal, The Beatles have had some many hits ! You'll find some great version of some well known songs of the Fab Four and Paul's song as a solo artist.
   A great double live album from one of the greatest musical creator of the 20th century. Highly recommanded.



5. At first, when I saw this at Barnes and Nobles, I thought it would be exactly like Paul is Live, only lengthier. Now, Paul is Live, is OKay, but it wasn't his best. But I saw the phenomenal Get Back DVD and was convinced to listen to the audio only, so I went ahead and purchased this 32 dollar album.
   To my amazement, everyone in the band, and even the audience seemed more energized than in the Get Back video and Paul is Live. I felt "naturally high" listening to Ebony and Ivory with Paul's great voice along with the almighty Hamish Stuart's voice.
   Sgt. Pepper was a blast, very rock'n'roll and just pure fun, it's not oversaturated with synthesizing crap like the original. This One is an underrated gem from McCartney's Flowers in the Dirt, and so is My Brave Face. I especially liked the new "heavier" arrangement to the acoustic Things We Said Today. And The Abbey Road Medley was probably the standout performance of the tour (well, maybe Sgt. Pepper was with that lenghty guitar solo duel between McIntosh and McCartney)
   All in all, everybody who's anybody would go out and get this album. Beatle fan, McCartney fan, or just music fan will enjoy the sophistication of the album and also the wild fun it gives.

5 comments about Caught in the Act.

1. If you lived in the suburbs, they issued this albumn along with Frampton Comes Alive (ok, apologies to Wayne and Garth.....)!!!
   
   But serious, this album along with Frampton defined live albums. I knew people who had no idea who Grand Funk was and yet still owned this album. Now if they can only have concerts like this today....
   
   Great album, if you don't have it, get it! You will not be disappointed!!!



2. I was a kid in the seventies, my favorite band were Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and Grand Funk. I still like these bands and listening to "Caught in the Act" reminds me the good seventies. This is a very good Rock album and contains the "almost" perfect choice of songs, the sound is very good.
   A must have if you are a fan of the band or a classic rock music lover !



3. Having seen Grand Funk 5 times from 1970-75 which of course is the time of all the live recordings of them, I can tell you that this is the tale end of a great live band. Grand Funk was always known as a live band and they had many problems selling their studio albums for that reason. Having seen the down and raunchy to the "we are getting tired of doing this" concerts, it is a great story and I still listen with wonder to the live recordings reliving the idea that I was deaf for 3 days after the concert in the Boston Gardens in 71-72 (hard to remember which year)and my friend Ronnie who after the third song laid down on the chairs (we were on the floor about 50 feet fromt he stage) closed her eyes and never got up again until the last song when I think she was able to handle the whole thing again. The last time I saw them was at the Hampton Roads Colisium in Hampton Virginia in 75 and was the culmination again of fan distress when one of the fans reached up and pulled the cord from Marks guitar as he was flying across the stage (again I was down front)caught up in Inside Looking Out and all the while shaking his head at the fan pleading for him not to pull it out, but he did anyway and of course prophetically that was the end of a great era. Greatest Live Rock band ever.



4. If you are a GFR fan,this re-master is a must have! Don't mess about,just buy it. It sounds great in my truck CD system, but man, it's too cool to listen to the whole CD when I have the time to kill around the house,late at night.I have the old version AND this re-master version,and I must say,the difference is unreal.
   
   These guys were THE band that Zep would not follow onstage. These fellows played for 2,500 people at the Filmore East,then 32,000 at Madison Square Garden,then 50,000+ at Shea Stadium,selling out faster than the Beatles.
   The LIVE album and this one give you insight as to why.
   
   Excellent buy...



5. If I could travel back in time going to this concert would be on my top 5 "to do list"!!

5 comments about Rush in Rio.

1. Um but ISN'T THAT THE JOB OF THE ENGINEER?!?!
   
   Insane performance. Insane Brazilians. What else can you expect?



2. Atrocious recording of what should have been a stellar representation of Rush's triumphant return in 2002. People are not exaggerating when they say this is a horrible recording. I love this band dearly but can't bring myself to listen to this album after many attempts at trying to get into it. It literally hurts my ears. The band actually listened to all the complaints about Rush in Rio and R30 (their next live recording release) is miles improved with Richard Chycki at the helm. Skip this one and wait for Snakes and Arrows Live 2007, which comes out in April 2008.



3. I have never purchased a live album as they just don't trip my trigger. Be it the 15 minute guitar solo in the middle of my favorite song, or the completely different sound than the album version, they have always left me cold.
   
   Throw all of that out the window with Rush in Rio. This is an incredible CD and it flows with an energy unlike any other album I've ever heard. All it will take to prompt you to purchase this is the track "Driven". I heard this track on Pandora (and of course on Test For Echo) and was hooked.
   
   The only drawback is the lack of "Subdivisions", but that's a personal preference.
   
   Reward yourself, and your CD collection, and pick up Rush in Rio---you won't be disappointed!



4. Rush's 22nd album (not counting compilations) Rush In Rio was released in October of 2003 and was Rush's fifth live album.
   First there was All The World's A Stage with a raw sound (1976), then Exit...Stage Left which was slightly polished (1981), followed by A Show Of Hands which was extremely polished (1989), and finally the excellent Different Stages (1998).
   The thing all these aforementioned live albums had in common was that they were released at the end of the band's different phases, taking place at four albums apart each. Then comes Rush in Rio, many fans have whined and cried like babies and complained about another live album especially right after Different Stages was released.
   Many griped that the live album was too raw for their own blood, if you want doctored live albums buy KISS' Alive discs and/or Duran Duran's Arena, Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous (all are studio albums with crowd noises).
   Sound quality issues aside, Rush in Rio easily has the best setlist of all of the five Rush live albums without question. 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" (which was not played on the whole tour save the shows in Brazil) and many others but I was glad to see songs like "New World Man", "The Pass", "Between Sun and Moon" and "Vital Signs" (these aforementioned tracks have not ever appeared on a live album until Rush in Rio). There's also songs from Vapor Trails (2002), many of which have added guitar solos and sound MUCH better live "Earthshine", "One Little Victory", "Ghost Rider" and "Secret Touch". The aformentioned "O Baterista" (a/k/a The Rhythm Method) is a classic Neil drum solo, 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 the two key sections the Overture and Temples of Syrinx. "La Villa Strangiato" was awesome as well with Alex's humorous rant. I also love the "By-Tor"/"Cygnus"/"Working Man" medley that ends the Rio portion of the album (Between Sun and Moon and Vital Signs were from other shows on the US leg and are the bonuses not on the DVD whilst the DVD has bonus video features).
   I forgot to buy this album on CD the day it came out as The Eagles' two CD Very Best of the Eagles and Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii The Director's Cut DVD was released the same day. It wasn't until my 28th birthday in January of 2004 that I got this album and was well worth the wait for me getting this album as it is Rush's best live album after Different Stages.
   The album was Rush's first Gold album since Different Stages as the fans liked the live material moreso than the studio version of Vapor Trails.
   Highly recommended!



5. Even after reading all of the reviews talking about how so-so the sound was I decided to buy the cd anyway. It took me a while to decide how to really describe the quality of the album, so here goes. It sounds like your friend went to a Rush concert and had pretty good seats close to the stage. During the concert he calls you on a cell phone to let you hear what it sounds like to be there. Put that on a cd and you have it. You can kind of understand the lyrics on some of the tracks when the crowd is singing along. Otherwise, it is a lot drums, guitars, crowd cheering, and an occasionally audible singer.