REPLAY X 3

Exit ... Stage Left

This DVD will interest most fans but unfortunately it is the least satisfying of the 3 discs. For a number of reasons. Even though there are notable improvements in the sound compared to the regular CD, some of the songs sound as dusty as they always have, tracks like Limelight, The Trees and Xanadu have a good crispy sound, but others like Red Barchetta are still very muffled. This brings me to a second disappointment. This document lacks coherence and doesn't evoke the concert feel that you might expect from concert videos. The interview snippets that are pasted in between songs and even during the song intros only add to that effect.

The playing is superb as usual and many fans will want to spend their cash on any footage from this period. Just be aware that YYZ is not the full album version but just a 1.30 minute snippet. The inclusion of By-Tor / In The End / Mood / 2112 might look very alluring but it's not more then a 10 minute medley that doesn't do any of these songs much justice. 3 stars for this disc.

Grace Under Pressure Tour

The second DVD is more consistent and recreates a good concert feel. The sound isn't perfect but it's clear and alive. The setlist is interesting and features a number of songs that do not appear on many other Rush live albums. However, with a total running time under 60 minutes, I could have lived without the obligatory The Spirit of Radio, Closer To The Heart and Tom Sawyer, never my favourite Rush songs anyway. Also the medleys of YYZ-2112 (in 4 minutes...) and Finding My Mood (3.40 minutes) are forgettable.

For people that love Rush songs like The Weapon, Witch Hunt, Vital Signs and the Grace Under Pressure tunes as much as I do, this will nevertheless be a pleasing concert. As a bonus, this package contains a regular audio CD with this concert. 3.5 stars.

A Show of Hands

Quite to my surprise, the third disc is the most accomplished of all. Even though I never liked the live album, the DVD is entirely pleasant. First of all, it has the best sound of all 3 DVD's, the balance is perfect, each instrument is loud and clear and the overall sound is very tight. Secondly, with a good 80 minutes it does the impressive Rush discography more justice then the other DVD's. The 2112 and La Villa Strangiato versions do not run for their full length but luckily they avoid the annoying medley syndrome that wrecks the Rush classics of the other concerts.

The icing on the cake is the inclusion of the clever visuals and goofy cartoons used during the show. It makes this DVD not only pleasant to hear but also pleasant to watch. As far as live DVD's go this is a 5 star, but of course your enjoyment will depend on your love for the songs of this Rush era.

Conclusion

For fans of 80's Rush, this DVD comes in nice packaging and overall, it offers good value for money. At under 20$ you shouldn't hesitate really.

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