Rush In Rioby Rush

This is a fantastic set. Drummer Neil Peart took time off after the double tragedy of losing his daughter to a car accident, then ten months later losing his wife to cancer, so he got on his motorcycle and just drove, wandering for an extended period of time. It was unknown whether or not be would return to the band, his bandmates (guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson) worried more about his well-being than his returning to play. But he did return, and his journey resulted in the album "Vapor Trails", providing Peart with a great catharsis. So the band went back out on the road, deciding to play some places they had never been to. One of these places was Rio.

The reinvigorated band played to huge stadiums filled with fans who had never had the opportunity to see them before. They recorded their sets, and released this massive love album. There are 31 songs over the three discs in this set, covering their entire history. Standards such as "Tom Sawyer" and "Spirit of Radio" feel fresh; the band is amazingly talented as always, but you can really feel excitement and energy in Lee's voice.

Newer tracks such as "Ghost Rider" and "One little Victory" come off better live than on the studio album. They dug up some older tracks like "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" and "Cygnus X-1", and they blend in incredibly well. There is an occasional song introduction by Lee, and a brief cameo by The Simpsons (!), but this is primarily a straight-through rock show, the band is putting it all out there in one, long, continuous statement.

If you are a fan of Rush at any level, this is a must have. Their performance is top-notch, they give an energy here that can't come through on a studio album. This is a great introduction to their music for newer fans, a revitalization for older fans. Rush has put out many live sets, this is probably the best.