ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

Rush´s first ever live offering was a stunning one! If you ever doubt their prowness, this was the final proof that those guys were something special. Some of my friends at the time were thinking they were still an average power trio with some skills and that 2112 was a fluke, a lucky strike, helped by studio trickery and effects. Well, this album proved them all wrong. All The World´s A Stage can be easily be cited as one of the great live albums of the 70´s. No small feat in a decade full of great live albums.

I remember how impressed I was when I first heard it: the sound they made on stage was bigger than a lot of bands with 5 or more members. The trio´s perfect tecnique was only matched by their enthusiasm. Playing for a dedicated audience, the CD is pure energy from beginning to end, making it difficult to pick up highlights. My personal choices were the storming opener Batille Day, the great Lakeside Park (better than the studio version, as with most of the tracks here)and the phenomenal opus 2112 (any doubt those guys are prog?).

With a very fine production, this is a must have for any Rush fan. Although much of the songs here are not really prog (aside from 2112 and some Caress Of Steel´s material) everything was so well done and sophisticated, it was obvious those guys were meant for something greater soon. Even if you´re not really fond of power trios, this a CD worth checking out. By the time ATWAS was released Rush was still an underrated band, but that would change in less than an year when they delivered the masterpiece A Farewell To Kings. But this live album showed how capable and talented those guys were live, as much as 2112 proved them as good on the studio. It is no surprise how big they became. 4 stars.