HEMISPHERES

In 1978 I experienced one of the biggest disappointments in my prog life listening to Genesis their new album ATTWT, my beloved band had turned from symphonic rock into progressive pop. But soon another trio became my new musical heroes, Rush from Canada, they had impressed me with their previous efforts 2112 (1976) and A Farewell To Kings (1977) and Rush impressed me again with Hemispheres (1978), wow, what a band! Here is my PA review that was published on June 26, 2005 (slightly re-arranged).

CD-1 features the original 1978 album.

"I was a bit disappointed about this album because at some moments my attention slips away during the long titletrack and the song Circumstances sounds a bit uninspired to me. But The Trees is pivotal 'heavy progressive rock' (from a classical guitar intro to powerful rock guitar riffs) and La Villa strangiato belongs to their finest work, it's perhaps the best example of the 'mid-Rush sound' and their incredible skills and ideas. La Villa Strangiato starts with exciting flamenco guitar and lush Moog sounds, followed by a great build up with twanging electric guitar, drums and bass guitar. The music culminates in a very propulsive rhythm with magnificent interplay between the fiery electric guitar (with repetetive quick and catchy runs) and a powerful and adventurous rhythm-section. Then the music slows down and a howling guitar (with frequent use of a volume pedal) enters as a prelude to a long and splendid build up guitar solo, from sensitve to biting. The support soft keyboards and a slowly heavier, very propulsive rhythm-section lift this part to an 'eargasm'! Soft synthesizer sounds and catchy guitar runs are a forerunner of a mindblowing final part with again sensational interplay between the guitar, bass and drums. The 'Canadian powerhouse' pushes themselves to their limits, what a captivating blend of energy and skills. La Villa Strangiato ends with a short, phaser-drenched bass run. In my opinion this stunning composition is the bridge to their masterpiece Moving pictures. "HAIL TO RUSH THEIR POWER SYMPHONIC ROCK!!"

CD-2 contains a large part of the Pinkpop festival concert, June 4th, 1979 and the entire epic composition 2112, recorded in the USA, Arizona, November 20th, 1978.

I was thrilled to notice that this bonus CD delivers the legendary Rush gig at Pinkpop 1979 (the Hemispheres tour), because I was there, after an almost 4 hour journey from the outskirts of my hometown The Hague to the edge of the city Geleen, and I was blown away! I remember a huge group of Rush fans from Canada who were travelling with the band through Europe, after talking with them I got free beer during the rest of the festival, haha. But seriously, what a performance that afternoon, the band sounds very inspired, and they made a lot of friends with their awesome progressive blend of hardrock and symphonic rock. In comparison with Genesis the crowd and the band embrace both the earlier as the new work, from progressive hardrock like A Passage To Bangkok and In The Mood to prog and roll like Closer To The Heart and The Trees (exciting version). And Heavy Prog like Xanadu (featuring Geddy and Alex on a double-neck) and La Villa Strangiato: volume pedal guitar, Minimoog, Moog Taurus bass pedals, assorted percussion, mindblowing guitar solo, build-up and interplay, Rush at their best! The atmosphere is great on this good sounding live recording, a band that feels the appreciation and a crowd that loves to show their appreciation, chemistry rules!

Due to a failure by the sound engineer on Pinkpop the long composition 2112 was not recorded entirely, that's why CD-2 features a version that was recorded a year earlier in the USA. I remember the excitement when the crowd heard the intro with the spacey Minimoog sounds, then Rush stunned the fans with an excellent rendition, more powerful than on the album, especially the interplay, wow, what a band!

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