Jump to content

What are you thoughts on Rush Bootlegs


TheGhostRider
 Share

Recommended Posts

Guitars 101 is an excellent source of live Rush

 

https://www.guitars101.com/forums/search.php?searchid=12737167

 

For quick downloads you need to subscribe to a hosting service (I use File Factory). But you can download at slower speeds for free.

 

My Rush collection is huge nowadays due to Guitars 101. In fact, I'll never listen to everything I have downloaded. But it's nice to have the option of listening to something that I've definitely never heard before. For example, the show in Las Cruces, NM from Jan. '92 that I downloaded this morning. Quality definitely varies, especially for the more obscure shows, but there are absolute gems if you did deep enough...

 

My holy grail recording would be my first Rush show (and first concert) - December 2, 1982 from MSG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I enjoy them for listening to shows that were “special” to me for one reason or another. I collected all the shows (except the R40 ones) that my daughter and I attended together and put them on a USB drive for her to keep. We can listen to almost every show and come up with a memory about that show. Some good, some not so good. That’s why the boots are great for me. However, with the sound quality being so bad on many of them, they are a little hard to listen to sometimes.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All things being equal I prefer performance over sound quality but there is a point (Usually below a C- rating) where it might become a difficult listen if nothing noteworthy happened.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't remember the name of it but I remember hearing a boot from the Power Windows tour and being blown away by the clear quality of the recording. It had to be from someone who worked for the band. That's how good it was. On top of that the band sounded perfect both musically and vocally. I was in awe of how flawless the performance sounded.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KbFq6Tn64qo

 

Great sounding show! I was bummed though because I saw them in Baltimore rather than Philly on that tour....

 

I collected everything I could find years back, but sort have leveled off over the past bunch of years. I think I have at least one really good show from each tour, and pretty much stick to stuff like that when I'm in the mood (no pun intended)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm honestly amazed how much this thread blew up. For just a simple question people sure love sharing their thoughts and opinions on it. In regards to people who hoard bootlegs, especially rare ones I do find it to be a bit selfish, But they own it and unless they decide otherwise they'll never see the light of day. I learned about the 1990 Auburn Hills Presto Bootleg and the only complete source available is a very low quality copy with compressed audio, degraded video and horrible VHS tracing lines. According to other posts I saw, the quality was probably intentionally degraded. But what can you do, really?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Rush bootleg is like cold pizza - I’ll try it if someone offers it to me but I’m not paying for it. It won’t be bad because it’s pizza but yeah, an official pizza is always better.

 

:blaze:

 

That's one of the great things about about technology - these days file sharing and distribution is so easy, one can get a massive "bootleg" collection for the price of an internet connection and an external hd.

 

And still I don’t really want any.

 

I'd give them a chance. You never know what gems you can find if you look hard enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All things being equal I prefer performance over sound quality but there is a point (Usually below a C- rating) where it might become a difficult listen if nothing noteworthy happened.

I agree. If the sound quality is bad then I'll probably skip on that recording, Although I'm much more lenient than the average person for sound quality because I understand how old many of these recordings are and the recording mediums.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Rush bootleg is like cold pizza - I’ll try it if someone offers it to me but I’m not paying for it. It won’t be bad because it’s pizza but yeah, an official pizza is always better.

 

:blaze:

 

That's one of the great things about about technology - these days file sharing and distribution is so easy, one can get a massive "bootleg" collection for the price of an internet connection and an external hd.

 

And still I don’t really want any.

 

I'd give them a chance. You never know what gems you can find if you look hard enough.

 

All I can say is that over the last 20 years or so I’ve heard maybe a dozen+ of these bootlegs. However. none of them ever left me in awe or feeling the need to have them or dig very deeply.

 

I do have the ABC 1974 one which is cool but I’m not dying to load up on more. Then, if you count this as a bootleg - I’ve got some demos and interviews from the Counterparts sessions that someone gave me as a gift. Again, it’s a cool thing (mostly because it was a present) but honestly, I haven’t listened to it in years.

 

I DO enjoy digging up old Rush concert footage from the 70s over on YouTube though.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All things being equal I prefer performance over sound quality but there is a point (Usually below a C- rating) where it might become a difficult listen if nothing noteworthy happened.

I agree. If the sound quality is bad then I'll probably skip on that recording, Although I'm much more lenient than the average person for sound quality because I understand how old many of these recordings are and the recording mediums.

 

The 8/14/74 is pretty bad, but I still listen to that one. That Caress of Steel show is no charmer either, but it's likely the only one we'll get.

 

There was one from New Haven in September '84 I think where the bass was so distorted that it was unlistenable to me. It was the only Rush tape I've ever recorded over.

 

I'm generally OK with the sound as long as the performance isn't off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I DO enjoy digging up old Rush concert footage from the 70s over on YouTube though.

 

Not much of that to dig up it seems.

 

Most of that has been released officially now save for the 8mm reels.

 

Laura Secord, Don Kirschner, Captiol Theater '76 Soundstage videos for Fly By Night, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres, Pinkpop clip, Hamilton Stadium soundcheck , Live Temples bit from Buffalo in 1980,

 

Have I missed any?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I DO enjoy digging up old Rush concert footage from the 70s over on YouTube though.

 

Not much of that to dig up it seems.

 

Most of that has been released officially now save for the 8mm reels.

 

Laura Secord, Don Kirschner, Captiol Theater '76 Soundstage videos for Fly By Night, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres, Pinkpop clip, Hamilton Stadium soundcheck , Live Temples bit from Buffalo in 1980,

 

Have I missed any?

 

that's pretty comprehensive I can't think of anything else

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All things being equal I prefer performance over sound quality but there is a point (Usually below a C- rating) where it might become a difficult listen if nothing noteworthy happened.

I agree. If the sound quality is bad then I'll probably skip on that recording, Although I'm much more lenient than the average person for sound quality because I understand how old many of these recordings are and the recording mediums.

 

The 8/14/74 is pretty bad, but I still listen to that one. That Caress of Steel show is no charmer either, but it's likely the only one we'll get.

 

There was one from New Haven in September '84 I think where the bass was so distorted that it was unlistenable to me. It was the only Rush tape I've ever recorded over.

 

I'm generally OK with the sound as long as the performance isn't off.

 

once a person developes their "bootleg ears" you can tolerate a fair amount. The Caress of Steel show is a bit rough but I can handle it with headphones on. One recording I find really dreadful and so annoying I will never listen to it again, is "Plastic Guitars" from the Hamilton, Ontario show 1991 10 25. One channel is a scanner recording of Alex, the other channel is a poor audience recording. It's super unbalanced and has such an irritating sound quality to it, I find it painful to listen to. I tried to monaural-ize it and it was a marginal improvement but still blech!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All things being equal I prefer performance over sound quality but there is a point (Usually below a C- rating) where it might become a difficult listen if nothing noteworthy happened.

I agree. If the sound quality is bad then I'll probably skip on that recording, Although I'm much more lenient than the average person for sound quality because I understand how old many of these recordings are and the recording mediums.

 

That Caress of Steel show is no charmer either, but it's likely the only one we'll get.

 

 

Since a quality CoS show is my personal holy grail, and a CoS SOUNDBOARD that actually includes Making Memories, Fountain and Necromancer would make me harder than snorting 2,112 Viagra pills, I'm still hoping that the rumored Massey Hall recording isn't total bullshit and that someday this thing magically appears:

 

"Toronto, Canada - Massey Hall - 1/10/76" - Fly By Night/ Beneath, Between, Behind / Bastille Day / I Think I'm Going Bald / By-Tor And The Snow Dog / In The End / Making Memories / Anthem / The Fountain Of Lamneth I. In The Valley II. No One At The Bridge III. Bacchus Plateau IV. The Fountain (ending cut) / Lakeside Park / The Necromancer I. Into Darkness II. Under The Shadow III. Return Of The Prince / Best I Can--- / In The Mood / Working Man--- / Finding My Way--- / Drum Solo / Encore: What You're Doing

 

(Above taken from Ron's ROIO Guide at the DRE)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since a quality CoS show is my personal holy grail, and a CoS SOUNDBOARD that actually includes Making Memories, Fountain and Necromancer would make me harder than snorting 2,112 Viagra pills, I'm still hoping that the rumored Massey Hall recording isn't total bullshit and that someday this thing magically appears:

 

"Toronto, Canada - Massey Hall - 1/10/76" - Fly By Night/ Beneath, Between, Behind / Bastille Day / I Think I'm Going Bald / By-Tor And The Snow Dog / In The End / Making Memories / Anthem / The Fountain Of Lamneth I. In The Valley II. No One At The Bridge III. Bacchus Plateau IV. The Fountain (ending cut) / Lakeside Park / The Necromancer I. Into Darkness II. Under The Shadow III. Return Of The Prince / Best I Can--- / In The Mood / Working Man--- / Finding My Way--- / Drum Solo / Encore: What You're Doing

 

(Above taken from Ron's ROIO Guide at the DRE)

 

Yes the mythical 1976 01 10 Massey Hall show. I find the pursuit of these Holy Grail's entertaining but that made up set list makes it impossible to believe that particular recording exists. Maybe there is a recording from that date, there maybe even a soundboard recording but the set list? Highly unlikely. Rush was never one to tamper too much with a set list and while we only have an opening date from the COS tour as any hard evidence of what a COS play list was like - opening up with FBN? Making Memories? A few eye witness accounts of people attending CoS shows, do say TFOL was played but not in a complete and consecutive order.

Hopefully one day this or another date does surface and I will be happy to take back my claims of this being a bogus set list and admit I was wrong. The 1975 03 11 show coming out of the clear blue give us all hope that a CoS show is languishing in someones closet, or a radio station's library

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love boots, particularly of shows that I attended. One of my favorites is from the Starlight Theater in Kansas City (either 2008 or 2010, I cannot recall). Sound quality is amazing; you can hear Neil counting off to open songs. The boot of that show that I picked up had no name, so I titled it "8,000 Geeks Can't Be Wrong," some self-effacing humor to be sure.

I'm always interested to hear the "train wrecks." Those moments clearly don't make it to official releases, but particularly with a band that is well known for precision in its playing, train wrecks add variety to the boots, and make the band seem a bit more human. As Geddy said on stage (I think between songs at the Atlanta opener), just remember, there are no mistakes, just new versions of songs.

I undertook a project a while back to collect the two best-sounding boots (to my ears) of each tour. Since setlists didn't change much once Rush became headliners, quality usually dictated the shows to keep, rather than the content of the show. That sort of project is never finished, in the sense that new boots become available (or known to me, anyway) all the time. I'm not even sure I have that collection any more, as I've had several hard drive implosions over the years.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard a really good bootleg from the Moving Picture tour. It’s called Anaheim 1981, but you can also find it under the names The Definitive Edition, and Moving Stages. It’s a complete show and the sound quality is quite good.

 

That's probably my absolute favourite boot. What a setlist! Supposedly recorded by this guy...

 

https://en.m.wikiped...ki/Mike_Millard

 

if that's the case that's depressing. Poor guy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard a really good bootleg from the Moving Picture tour. It’s called Anaheim 1981, but you can also find it under the names The Definitive Edition, and Moving Stages. It’s a complete show and the sound quality is quite good.

 

That's probably my absolute favourite boot. What a setlist! Supposedly recorded by this guy...

 

https://en.m.wikiped...ki/Mike_Millard

That is so very, very tragic. Poor young man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard a really good bootleg from the Moving Picture tour. It’s called Anaheim 1981, but you can also find it under the names The Definitive Edition, and Moving Stages. It’s a complete show and the sound quality is quite good.

 

That's probably my absolute favourite boot. What a setlist! Supposedly recorded by this guy...

 

https://en.m.wikiped...ki/Mike_Millard

That is so very, very tragic. Poor young man.

 

In case anyone is interested in his 1977 Led Zep boot, here it is:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I DO enjoy digging up old Rush concert footage from the 70s over on YouTube though.

 

Not much of that to dig up it seems.

 

Most of that has been released officially now save for the 8mm reels.

 

Laura Secord, Don Kirschner, Captiol Theater '76 Soundstage videos for Fly By Night, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres, Pinkpop clip, Hamilton Stadium soundcheck , Live Temples bit from Buffalo in 1980,

 

Have I missed any?

 

There's the colour clip of them playing Finding My Way circa 1977 in Beyond The Lighted Stage (JD Roberts is talking over the scene).

No idea where it's from but it would be great to see more of.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've enjoyed collecting bootlegs since the mid 90's or so. I often went to record shows, and there were some stores in the area who sold boots on cassette--and later CD. Of course, since the arrival of Dime, I haven't need to do so.

 

I wouldn't say I've got the most Rush boots of any fan, but my collection is easily in the triple digits, with multiple shows from just about every tour. Of course, I don't listen to more than a handful on a regular basis, but there are some great shows out there, including a few shows that I've seen, such as Chicago on the closing night of RTB, and the opening night of S&A in Atlanta.

 

What I really enjoy are boots with technical mistake such as Milwaukee 97 where the guitar went out at the beginning of Stick it Out, or the keys not working in the opening of Between the Wheels in Atlanta 2007.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I DO enjoy digging up old Rush concert footage from the 70s over on YouTube though.

 

Not much of that to dig up it seems.

 

Most of that has been released officially now save for the 8mm reels.

 

Laura Secord, Don Kirschner, Captiol Theater '76 Soundstage videos for Fly By Night, A Farewell To Kings, Hemispheres, Pinkpop clip, Hamilton Stadium soundcheck , Live Temples bit from Buffalo in 1980,

 

Have I missed any?

 

There's the colour clip of them playing Finding My Way circa 1977 in Beyond The Lighted Stage (JD Roberts is talking over the scene).

No idea where it's from but it would be great to see more of.

 

I was thinking about including that one on a technicality actually. but decided against it. I remember when that came out and some of us were wondering where the rest of it might be. I think the without any further information that the consensus was that it may have come from a news report on the band but there's been nothing definite so far to conclude it came from there or anywhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've enjoyed collecting bootlegs since the mid 90's or so. I often went to record shows, and there were some stores in the area who sold boots on cassette--and later CD. Of course, since the arrival of Dime, I haven't need to do so.

 

I wouldn't say I've got the most Rush boots of any fan, but my collection is easily in the triple digits, with multiple shows from just about every tour. Of course, I don't listen to more than a handful on a regular basis, but there are some great shows out there, including a few shows that I've seen, such as Chicago on the closing night of RTB, and the opening night of S&A in Atlanta.

 

What I really enjoy are boots with technical mistake such as Milwaukee 97 where the guitar went out at the beginning of Stick it Out, or the keys not working in the opening of Between the Wheels in Atlanta 2007.

 

Those record shows were they easiest places to get boots (Independent Record Stores being a distant second.) but you needed to hear them first so you knew you weren't getting a duplicate show unless it was a huge upgrade.

 

Stayed away from cassettes unless there was no vinyl or CD counterpart and even then it had to be a whole decent sounding show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...