Live Rush 76-98

verslibre wrote: I should pick ASoH, because that was the first I got upon release, but I love Different Stages. The live version of "Driven" is all you need hear to be convinced.

Hold Your Fire and A Show of Hands was my introduction to Rush, great set-list and sound, one of my most played live album ever. A close second after Different Stages.

verslibre wrote: Barbu wrote: verslibre wrote: I should pick ASoH, because that was the first I got upon release, but I love Different Stages. The live version of "Driven" is all you need hear to be convinced. Hold Your Fire and A Show of Hands was my introduction to Rush, great set-list and sound, one of my most played live album ever. A close second after Different Stages.   Hold Your Fire was also the first Rush album I personally purchased. My friend got me into Rush and had everything, so I was able to hear everything past Fly By Night first. I simply chose HYF because it was the new album, and its striking cover art... You'll find this funny. Power Windows was almost my first album. For whatever reason lost to time, I actually left the shop that day with one by...Triumph! I like both bands, but once I got on the Rushtrack, there was no looking back for a good few years! And yes, ASoH got played nonstop when that was new. I counted the days for that one. I had the tape and the VHS before I got the CD.

The first album you hear from a band is always special indeed. Near the bottom of most Rush fans list, HYF will always be a high-ranking one on mine. Discovered them during spring '89 and Presto was my first purchase on release day some months later, played that one quite obsessively too and another of my very favorites. I re-listened to it last weekend and it is as good today as it was back then...high school, first job, first girlfriend, beer pitcher at $5..aaah sweet memories.

Edited by Barbu - January 16 2020 at 15:11

verslibre wrote: Hold Your Fire and Presto are indeed underrated. HYF has some very strong material, like "Turn the Page," "Force Ten," "Open Secrets" (one of my favorite Rush songs), and another choice cut, IMHO, is "Prime Mover." I never hear that get a mention. On Presto, there's "Scars," "Chain Lightning," the wonderful "Available Light" and the title track. And I played the hell out of that album, too.

A girl friend of mine, used to drive me around everywhere while I was temporarily out of work and without a car, around the time Presto came out. She was a big Rush fan, and had recently bought the album, taped it and played it non stop on her really crappy sound system in the car. It sounded like a transistor radio played at deafening volume. This underlined the albums 'tinny' production. My state of mind was so bad at the time, Presto became my least favourite Rush album in a very short space of time, not helped by her singing along joyfully, while I sank into a depression..

That was obviously many years ago, and now I consider Presto one of their best post Signals albums. The tracks you mention are all favcourites of mine, and I would add The Pass to the list

A Show of Hands (1989)

I've always have a soft spot for A Show of Hands. Perhaps 'cause I first came to listen to Rush in the 80's, specifically PW and HYF. I loved the setlist, although I always thought there should've been more songs from Signals. The version of Witch Hunt here is so good, it brings goosebumps to me all the time. The sound of Alex's guitar here is unusually distorted, but I love it anyway. The way in which Geddy switched playing between bass and synths, or at least pretended to, always left my young self amazed. Neil here was certainly in his prime: just listen to the full version of The Rhythm Method here (in contrast with the abridged version on the video). And the way the crowd roars at the start of the classic Closer to the Heart, makes me want to cry. My friends and I used to air-play the whole concert quite often (they preferred Exit...Stage Left because there were less synths there, but it was my house and my stereo), me pretending to play Geddy's bass, synth, and vocals.