puffyshirt

When did they ever play Fly By Night in post-R30 sets?

I don't really understand how you could levy this complaint against the Clockwork Angels tour. ALmost half of their setlist was made up of almost the entire new album, which contains all of zero big, recognizable all-time hits. In terms of hits, the first set has Subdivisions, The Big Money (I guess), and Far Cry, along with a ton of deeper cuts that would bore casual fans. And the second set list had a deep cut in Manhattan Project, and like four of their biggest hits (two of which were the encore, which just makes sense). I'd say that's a pretty damn good setlist for fans of the band. And PS, Spirit of Radio is my favorite song of all time and I'd be right pissed if they didn't play it.

If we didn't get one for Rio, we sure as shit ain't getting one now.

What a giveaway! That's what I'm talking about. Does everyone see him repressing me? I can't tell if you're being serious or joking. Using words like repression in relation to an internet forum is throwing me off.

Clockwork, not a chance. It's a pretty boring story. 2112 might at least be interesting, but it isn't really new or fresh a story. So no, not really.

edit double post

After listening to the CD a LOT in the past couple days, I maintain that my main criticism lies not so much in the quality of the mix, but in the consistency. It's really quite odd. Territories, Analog Kid, Caravan, and a few other songs sound GREAT. But there are elements of other songs where I just don't understand their priority in the mix. The opening riff to Headlong FLight, it sounds like absolutely nothing is in the forefront there. Each instrument sounds muted, but magically it gets more powerful about a minute in. Far Cry is a bit of a mess too, especially near the beginning, but a bit overall. And the oomph out of the most powerful part of Bravado (right after the solo when Geddy sings "and if the music stops...") is completely stripped because Alex suddenly fades to the background for no clear reason. Yet then you listen to The Pass, Red Sector A, or Where's My THing, and it all sounds pretty great. It's pretty clear that whoever did the mixing had the most trouble when the strings came in, as the Clockwork Angels stuff is hampered the most. Caravan sounds good, but there are parts of Clockwork Angels (the song) that put weird emphasis on the ambient sounds over the instruments, etc. Just odd decisions sprinkled throughout. Not nearly enough to break my enjoyment, but the mix is definitely not in the upper tier of their live releases.

After watching the Blu-ray, I'm a bit disappointed. The footage is fine, but the audio is pretty weak. I don't have a soundsystem, so I have to go with the 2.0 mix, which is incredibly quiet and weak here. The 5.1 mix sounds suitably better, but I'm obviously missing a lot of elements.

I think you might be just a tad naive into what goes into writing comics/graphic novels. You aren't writing the way you write a book, you write a script closer to the way you would a movie. It's not easy, and you'd probably suck at it.

Dreamline. It's never been one of my faves, it feels like Animate but with less drive. But this version is way better, the strings add quite a bit and Alex finally give it a solo that isn't sleep-inducing. It's definitely the one that improved the most for me. Territories is great here too. And Body Electric. Pretty much all of those spit-polished, over produced 80's songs benefit from the rawness and weight added here. Geddy's voice really suits them too, since that's when he started to sing in a lower register.

This is a nitpicker's thread, not a detractor's thread. Didn't you read the first question and answer in the original post? So you're asking people to complain, but only complain a little? I'm not sure you know what a nitpick is :P

I suppose that since one of my other favorite bands is AC/DC, I've seen the effects when a lead singer TRULY loses his voice. All things considered, Geddy is doing alright. As I said, Manhattan Project is near indistinguishable form the album. His voice is still good, it just isn't good to sing songs that 20 year old Geddy sang. And unfortunately, tours ask him to do that a lot .

R30 remains their peak live album. This is way better than Time Machine in terms of setlist and Geddy's voice, and at least on par in terms of mixing. This isn't quite as good as S&A in terms of mixing, but they sure are playing a hell of a lot better than they did on that one (S&A is their worst live recording, performance-wise in my opinion).

My main nitpick is that Alex flubs the opening note to Spirit of Radio (though he swiftly corrects it), and his solo for Analog Kid isn't as 100% on fire as it could have been. This album has some KILLER solos, but Analog Kid should have been a standout and isn't quite there.

Copied/pasted from another thread. LOVE it! The mixing isn't 100% exactly what I'd like (but no live release has been), but it's a great medium between the spit polish of A SHow OF Hands/Exit Stage Live, and the manic energy of Rush In Rio. There is quite a bit more audience audio here than on the past couple releases, especially during the beginnings of songs, or during the money parts. Luckily it never quite drowns out the music (such as in Rush In Rio), even if there may be one or two instances when you wish it wasn't there. Overall it lends an incredible energy to the performance. If the last couple live releases were incredibly cleaned up (though not altered) soundboard recordings, this one can be likened to the sound of having the absolute best seat in the house. Onto the performance, this one is really incredible. The boys are playing in incredibly fine style. LEAGUES better than Snakes & Arrows Live, which is my personal opinion as the low point for live albums, they are clearly displaying infectious energy and speed. It does lead to a couple fumbles in the song (such as Alex's bum note in 2112, which most have already heard), but hey, that's the live experience, and the degree to which they are playing around with the tunes (the solo in Force Ten give that song incredible life) more than make up for one or two fumbles. The solos in Analog Kid, Caravan, and the final solo in Spirit of Radio are all among some of the best live performances they've had the pleasure of recording. And anyone worrying about Geddy's voice, rest easy. He sounds as good here as ever (at this point in time, at least). Just listen to Manhattan Project if you want a good example, his vocals are near-indistinguishable from the album cut! Luckily, anything would be better than Time Machine tour vocals, though he had the shitty luck of having a cold during that show. I also want to point out that I'm happy with how the strings are mixed here. They are clearly audible, yet don't overshadow the band. This was probably my biggest concern. Now, onto a few complaints. While I'm generally more than okay with the mixing, there are a couple oddities here. There are one or two moments when the drums fall a bit too much in the background. This isn't as much a problem as it was in the Time Machine Tour though. In that album, a couple of the drums (especially high hat) were recorded just terribly, rendering them inaudible, but here the volume is just a bit lower than you'd like. It's all audible, but I can understand why some would want the drums to be more prominent. My main complaint is that the mixing is a bit inconsistent, almost like it's been done by a few separate people with separate priorities. Songs like Analog Kid and Caravan bust forth with the energy you'd expect, yet the beginning to Headlong Flight is a bit too quiet, almost like the music is far away or something. Also, while the presence of audience cheering doesn't throw me off, the constant presence of stage sound effects (fire, bangs, flares, etc) is a bit annoying. Things like this pop up from time to time, and while it doesn't hinder my enjoyment, it does hinder it from being a perfect live recording. The opening to YYZ, for example, has an odd hissing sound that is pretty off putting, and I'm not sure how it made it through the mixing process (perhaps with all the instruments and tracks, it was just impossible to completely erase). The hissing goes away after the intro, but it's annoying. Little things like that pop up a few times. *NOTE: It's entirely possible that some of these nitpicks are partially due to the low quality of the stream. It's doubtful, as The Garden and 2112 sound pretty much as they did on the other web sites when they premiered, but the possibility is there. Overall, while this probably won't replace R30 as my favorite live recording, I will definitely get a ton of mileage out of it. It's just really nice to hear the band at their peak, there are some incredible moments during this performance that illustrate why live albums can be so magical. Little flourishes that bring these songs above the rigid confines of the studio versions. The nitpicks I have with the mixing, while annoying, are definitely not of the Rush In Rio-level to actually hinder your enjoyment if you're here for the music. More often than not, they serve to put you right in the middle of the best sounding concert you've ever been to, instead of hearing a really high quality soundboard recording. I can live with that. *Oh, It should also be noted for those who care that the Limelight soundcheck recording is missing about 70% of the vocals. Geddy usually just sings the first few words of a line and then stops. I assume this is common practise for a soundcheck, since the whole point is just to test the sound. Still, it's a bit odd. I assume since Limelight wasn't played at either show, this is probably the most complete recording of it they had. Better than not having it at all, I suppose. Plus, it ends with a cool funky jam ;)

Of those, probably Power Windows. Each of them has a few good tracks (save for Presto, which is probably tied with T4E as my least fave album), but Power Windows has some greats.

If you use Google Chrome, Media Hint is your friend ;)

LOVE it! The mixing isn't 100% exactly what I'd like (but no live release has been), but it's a great medium between the spit polish of A SHow OF Hands/Exit Stage Live, and the manic energy of Rush In Rio. There is quite a bit more audience audio here than on the past couple releases, especially during the beginnings of songs, or during the money parts. Luckily it never quite drowns out the music (such as in Rush In Rio), even if there may be one or two instances when you wish it wasn't there. Overall it lends an incredible energy to the performance. If the last couple live releases were incredibly cleaned up (though not altered) soundboard recordings, this one can be likened to the sound of having the absolute best seat in the house. Onto the performance, this one is really incredible. The boys are playing in incredibly fine style. LEAGUES better than Snakes & Arrows Live, which is my personal opinion as the low point for live albums, they are clearly displaying infectious energy and speed. It does lead to a couple fumbles in the song (such as Alex's bum note in 2112, which most have already heard), but hey, that's the live experience, and the degree to which they are playing around with the tunes (the solo in Force Ten give that song incredible life) more than make up for one or two fumbles. The solos in Analog Kid, Caravan, and the final solo in Spirit of Radio are all among some of the best live performances they've had the pleasure of recording. And anyone worrying about Geddy's voice, rest easy. He sounds as good here as ever (at this point in time, at least). Just listen to Manhattan Project if you want a good example, his vocals are near-indistinguishable from the album cut! Luckily, anything would be better than Time Machine tour vocals, though he had the shitty luck of having a cold during that show. I also want to point out that I'm happy with how the strings are mixed here. They are clearly audible, yet don't overshadow the band. This was probably my biggest concern. Now, onto a few complaints. While I'm generally more than okay with the mixing, there are a couple oddities here. There are one or two moments when the drums fall a bit too much in the background. This isn't as much a problem as it was in the Time Machine Tour though. In that album, a couple of the drums (especially high hat) were recorded just terribly, rendering them inaudible, but here the volume is just a bit lower than you'd like. It's all audible, but I can understand why some would want the drums to be more prominent. My main complaint is that the mixing is a bit inconsistent, almost like it's been done by a few separate people with separate priorities. Songs like Analog Kid and Caravan bust forth with the energy you'd expect, yet the beginning to Headlong Flight is a bit too quiet, almost like the music is far away or something. Also, while the presence of audience cheering doesn't throw me off, the constant presence of stage sound effects (fire, bangs, flares, etc) is a bit annoying. Things like this pop up from time to time, and while it doesn't hinder my enjoyment, it does hinder it from being a perfect live recording. The opening to YYZ, for example, has an odd hissing sound that is pretty off putting, and I'm not sure how it made it through the mixing process (perhaps with all the instruments and tracks, it was just impossible to completely erase). The hissing goes away after the intro, but it's annoying. Little things like that pop up a few times. *NOTE: It's entirely possible that some of these nitpicks are partially due to the low quality of the stream. It's doubtful, as The Garden and 2112 sound pretty much as they did on the other web sites when they premiered, but the possibility is there. Overall, while this probably won't replace R30 as my favorite live recording, I will definitely get a ton of mileage out of it. It's just really nice to hear the band at their peak, there are some incredible moments during this performance that illustrate why live albums can be so magical. Little flourishes that bring these songs above the rigid confines of the studio versions. The nitpicks I have with the mixing, while annoying, are definitely not of the Rush In Rio-level to actually hinder your enjoyment if you're here for the music. More often than not, they serve to put you right in the middle of the best sounding concert you've ever been to, instead of hearing a really high quality soundboard recording. I can live with that. *Oh, It should also be noted for those who care that the Limelight soundcheck recording is missing about 70% of the vocals. Geddy usually just sings the first few words of a line and then stops. I assume this is common practise for a soundcheck, since the whole point is just to test the sound. Still, it's a bit odd. I assume since Limelight wasn't played at either show, this is probably the most complete recording of it they had. Better than not having it at all, I suppose. Plus, it ends with a cool funky jam ;)

I agree that TIme Machine was worst for him concerning sound mix, but Snakes & Arrows Live is definitely the worst in terms of performance. He's playing noticeably weaker than usual on that album. Luckily though, this CA release has him effing on fire.

Ohhhh man, this album sounds GREAT! They are playing SO well! Sweet merciful crap, that solo in Force Ten!!! :dweez:

You guys are nuts. The instruments in this album easily sound at least better than the Time Machine tour album. I think when you say that the sound is "buried in shit", you are referring to Alex's recent wall of sound guitar, which wasn't present in pre-Rush in Rio live albums. I agree that it isn't my favorite sound, but it's how it is now. And really, can they even release a live album that's harder to listen to than Rush in Rio? I love the energy, but the actual music on that one is impossible to hear. At least the drums were recorded correctly on this one, as opposed to Time Machine where Neil's high hat and kick drum were near-inaudible. And the actual playing is definitely better than Snakes & Arrows Live, which caught Neil at his worst live recording. Just listen to Passage to Bangkok on 2112, then on S&A Live, and you'll see that Neil really wasn't on his game that day. I don't think this will hit the highs of my favorite live albums (R30 and Different Stages), but the fact that the drums are recorded well and Geddy doesn't have a f***ing cold already puts it above Time Machine.

I've been wondering that, too. I haven't seen Thing One about it, and I'm starting to worry that maybe there won't be one. You can rip audio off of a DVD or blu ray pretty easily, you should just get that and make your own CD. As a bonus, you can mix in the bonus tracks however you want. Yeah, but it's not ideal. I have an audio rip of the R30 blu-ray, since that has the full set list, but the audio isn't mixed nearly as well as if it was done specifically for an album. Your basically taking a surround sound track and making it stereo, so some elements are lost a bit. I just want to see the tracklist for the CD, I want to see if it will include the bonus tracks.

The one thing that this remix did is make it sound a LOT like bands like Angels & Airwaves and Silversun Pickups. I don't consider this a negative per se (since VT came first), but it is a bit cringe inducing to hear this cleaned up opening riff to Earthshine and be like "woah, this is exactly what the beginning of by Silversun Pickups sounds like". And the opening drums of Nocturne has that same effect that bands like Angels & Airwaves use . Again, not a knock since Rush did it first, but making it all sound cleaner just kind of emphasizes the resemblance.

One of my very favourite songs. And the R30 version of RB is my favourite Rush live recording ever. Everything about that performance was pitch perfect.

I'm a fan of almost every change on this, save for a few nitpicks. Three listens in, this is already the definitive version of the album. I especially love just how clear Alex's guitar has become. It's now possible to actually tell how incredible his playing is on these songs, instead of it just being a wall of sound.