Rush - Live In Rio DVD

The nature of Rush has always been musicianship first", comments Geddy Lee in the documentary that accompanies Rush in Rio. It's an apt summation of both the band and this, their first made-for-DVD concert release. Fans will know already about the Canadian power trio's legendary musical craftsmanship, and so will be delighted to learn that the same meticulous care has been extended to this two-disc set, a record of their first ever visit to Brazil, and especially the climactic concert of the Vapor Trails tour, in which Messrs. Lee, Lifeson and Peart played to an ecstatic... audience of 60,000 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on November 23rd, 2002. The first disc clocks in at just under three hours and presents the gig itself in non-anamorphic widescreen filmed by 22 cameras, and recorded in stunning clarity in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The result of such comprehensive coverage captures the stadium atmosphere ideally: the Brazilian fans cheering lustily, like an enthusiastic football crowd whose favourite team has won for the first time in years; the massive video screen; the even bigger light and pyrotechnic effects; and Geddy Lee's washing machines, of course. Kicking off with the crowd-pleasing "Tom Sawyer" (but then, everything pleases this crowd), Rush reach back into every phase of their catalogue to provide a bravado demonstration of musicianship infused with apparently limitless energy, not to mention enjoyment: just watch them grinning as the audience goes wild for "YYZ". Things really hot up in the second half, when fire-breathing dragons announce "One Little Victory", followed by the big surprise of the night: the Lee-Lifeson acoustic rendition of "Resist", following right after Neil Peart's storming drum solo "O Baterista". Disc 2 contains The Boys in Brazil, a lengthy fly-on-the-wall look at the band's Brazilian trip, from fans at the airport, through Alex Lifeson clowning around in his hotel room, to various rehearsals and soundchecks. Retrospective interviews with the trio are interspersed throughout. It's hardly groundbreaking as rockumentaries go, but for fans it's a rare chance to peak behind the scenes at a band who value their privacy. Three tracks can also be found here in multi-angle versions: select any one of four mini-screen options to view "YYZ", "O Baterista" and "La Villa Strangiato" from different perspectives. In addition, there are two Easter eggs: the 1975 promo for "Anthem" and the "By-Tor" animation used during the concert. Rush fans everywhere will soon be wondering how they lived so long without this splendid two-disc set. "We will pay the price, but we will not count the cost." --Mark Walker [show more]

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