A SHOW OF HANDS

Probably the best Rush live album ever. It was my very first CD I ever bought (even before I had a CD player!). Rush used to release a live double LP every four albums as a kind of closing chapter of a different phase. And this is what you get: recorded during the Hold Your Fire tour, it shows the band at its creativeness peak. The musicanship is, as always, awesome. I love this 'keyboards' stage of the band. To me it was their most progressive and bold time. Neil Peart is simply outdoing himself again. What a guy! But the whole band is their finest form. they reached a near perfection state by this time.It was hard to believe that only 3 guys could produce so much sound, with so much precision and conviction. I had great expectations on the Exit Stage Left live offering, but that album was a bit of a disappointment while A Show Of hands excelled all my best wishes. Even though the DVD version is better (for it has more songs), this is the live Rush that I hear the most. And with the same pleasure, I should point out. Some live versions are even better than the original studio ones (like Subdivsions). The production is very good and the overall sound is great.

It was only unfortunate that this CD sighted the last of the truly creative period in Rush's career, since it was all bound to go dawnhill from then on. But that's another story. A Show Of hands was a great testimony of one of the world's most interesting and influential groups to emerge from the 70's. Highly recommended.