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Rush - Replay
UK release date: 24 July 2006
4 stars
Rush - Replay

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track listing

Disc One - Exit...Stage Left:
1. Limelight
2. Tom Sawyer
3. The Trees
4. Xanadu
5. Red Barchetta
6. Freewill
7. Closer To The Heart
8. YYZ
9. By-Tor And The Snow Dog / In The End / In The Mood / 2112 Finale
10. YYZ

Disc Two - Grace Under Pressure:
1. The Spirit Of Radio
2. The Enemy Within
3. The Weapon
4. Witch Hunt
5. New World Man
6. Distant Early Warning
7. Red Sector A
8. Closer To The Heart
9. YYZ / Temples Of Syrinx / Tom Sawyer
10. Finding My Way / In The Mood

Disc Three - A Show Of Hands:
1. The Big Money
2. Marathon
3. Turn The Page
4. Prime Mover
5. Manhattan Project
6. Closer To The Heart
7. Red Sector A
8. Force Ten
9. Mission
10. Territories
11. The Rhythm Method
12. The Spirit Of Radio
13. Tom Sawyer
14. 2112 / The Temples Of Syrinx / La Villa Strangiato / In The Mood

Disc Four - Bonus CD:
1. Grace Under Pressure
2. The Spirit Of Radio
3. The Enemy Within
4. The Weapon
5. Witch Hunt
6. New World Man
7. Distant Early Warning
8. Red Sector A
9. Closer To The Heart
10. YYZ / Temples Of Syrinx / Tom Sawyer
11. Finding My Way / In The Mood

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Even for diehard Rush fans this is something of a monolith. A whopping three DVDs of live material that weighs in at three and a half hours, and that's before you even consider the bonus CD of the Grace Under Pressure tour soundtrack.

Being a collection of three separately released live videos, however, this was never meant to be viewed at one sitting... At least not unless you take sadistic pleasure from subjecting your neighbours to long bouts of progressive rock! Nor are you likely to want to see three versions of Closer To The Heart in proximity.

But that's where most gripes end, as it should be pointed out that Universal have done a fantastic job on packaging and pricing, the outlay being only slightly more than for a single disc.

For Rush completists there is the temptation of several tracks that appearing on the format for the first time, and the discs are drawn at sufficiently different periods in the band's phenomenal career to reward even the curious viewer.

First up is ExitÉ Stage Left, filmed in Montreal in 1981. As with almost all Rush live performances, the band's energy and cohesion propel the music to a higher plane. The musical chemistry between Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson is clear to see as they trade double fret motifs on Freewill, ending with a mighty suite that climaxes in the 2112 finale.

Grace Under Pressure is also a home fixture, this time from Toronto in 1984, and finds the band updated with 1980s synthesiser equipment, a big screen backdrop and impressive lighting. Lee briefly pokes his head above a vast array of keyboards to supply the vocals for The Weapon, one of the exclusive tracks that make a considerable mark and a clear product of their electronic direction with fans donning their 3-D glasses to witness the cinematic action.

Here, as elsewhere, Neil Peart's drumming is a highlight (the closing fills to Witch Hunt in particular), and he often seems to be trying to drum his way out of captivity in this concert, surrounded entirely by toms and snares.

This gig, unlikely as it may seem, is precursory to the set-up of Muse, focussing on the stunning musicianship between the three as they head into the formidable trio of YYZ, Temples Of Syrinx and Tom Sawyer.

Finally A Show of Hands, which is potentially the biggest draw since it is filled out on disc with six more songs. Taken from the 1988 Birmingham NEC concert, it features Peart giving an impressive intro for In The Mood, while the 2112 overture hangs by a thread with some amusing banter as Lee and Lifeson almost mess each otherÕs parts up.

ItÕs an expensive hobby, being a Rush fan. However, even before considering the music this is a desirable package for the extensive liner notes and artwork, with each member of the band contributing. Cross referencing these with the music is increasingly rewarding as each show progresses, making this a suitable document of one of the finest live rock acts of the past three decades.

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