**Fan Reviews** Clockwork Angels Tour BD/DVD/CD

[EagleMoon]

I really feel for the guy. Having to sing his stuff in my tribute band, I can definitely relate. When I watch, I appreciate the effort and focus on the music. He was never a Steve Perry or Freddy Mercury. He sang with passion and feeling but it was not necessary to the music. That was where the real genius was all along.

 

I love his voice, btw. I don't want to come across like I don't appreciate it. I'm just saying to Geddy, if it ain't there, don't worry about it. You're still the best!

 

I agree with this completely. I think that some people are romanticising Geddy's younger voice. People talk about how his voice breaks and slides now, but the fact is, it always has. In the early years, it did that with a bit more range, but evidence that Geddy's concert voice has always been a little wild and prone to wandering, and that he has always struggled to a greater or lesser degree to control it, is right there on the live recordings. Perhaps it's more noticeable now because of the loss of range, but listen without prejudice to earlier live recordings, and you will hear it on every one of them.

 

I think you're wearing your rose colored glasses. :)

 

I'd rather hear him struggle vocally and absolutely kill it everywhere else... than the other way around. His playing inspired me ... I simply enjoyed his vocals.

 

Oh I agree. Which is why I said I would go see him regardless if how he sounds. His playing has always inspired me ever since I heard it for the first time and he's gotten better and better over the years. I guess it's just sadness that aging has to catch up with them in any way.

[GeddysMullet]

I really feel for the guy. Having to sing his stuff in my tribute band, I can definitely relate. When I watch, I appreciate the effort and focus on the music. He was never a Steve Perry or Freddy Mercury. He sang with passion and feeling but it was not necessary to the music. That was where the real genius was all along.

 

I love his voice, btw. I don't want to come across like I don't appreciate it. I'm just saying to Geddy, if it ain't there, don't worry about it. You're still the best!

 

I agree with this completely. I think that some people are romanticising Geddy's younger voice. People talk about how his voice breaks and slides now, but the fact is, it always has. In the early years, it did that with a bit more range, but evidence that Geddy's concert voice has always been a little wild and prone to wandering, and that he has always struggled to a greater or lesser degree to control it, is right there on the live recordings. Perhaps it's more noticeable now because of the loss of range, but listen without prejudice to earlier live recordings, and you will hear it on every one of them.

 

I think you're wearing your rose colored glasses. :)

 

We shall agree to disagree :cheers:

[EagleMoon]

I really feel for the guy. Having to sing his stuff in my tribute band, I can definitely relate. When I watch, I appreciate the effort and focus on the music. He was never a Steve Perry or Freddy Mercury. He sang with passion and feeling but it was not necessary to the music. That was where the real genius was all along.

 

I love his voice, btw. I don't want to come across like I don't appreciate it. I'm just saying to Geddy, if it ain't there, don't worry about it. You're still the best!

 

I agree with this completely. I think that some people are romanticising Geddy's younger voice. People talk about how his voice breaks and slides now, but the fact is, it always has. In the early years, it did that with a bit more range, but evidence that Geddy's concert voice has always been a little wild and prone to wandering, and that he has always struggled to a greater or lesser degree to control it, is right there on the live recordings. Perhaps it's more noticeable now because of the loss of range, but listen without prejudice to earlier live recordings, and you will hear it on every one of them.

 

I think you're wearing your rose colored glasses. :)

 

We shall agree to disagree :cheers:

 

That's fine. What would the world be if everyone agreed? :) :cheers:

[eshine]

No rose colored glasses needed here - I find it a pleasure, not painful at all, to see Geddy singing so well on this tour and DVD

 

Back in the day when I first got into Rush -never in a million years would I have imagined him being able to pull off vocals as well as he does at this stage of their career.

 

Actually, I never would have imagined them even having this stage of their career, lol.

 

His voice is one of the highlights of the DVD for me.

[GeddysMullet]

No rose colored glasses needed here - I find it a pleasure, not painful at all, to see Geddy singing so well on this tour and DVD

 

Back in the day when I first got into Rush -never in a million years would I have imagined him being able to pull off vocals as well as he does at this stage of their career.

 

Actually, I never would have imagined them even having this stage of their career, lol.

 

His voice is one of the highlights of the DVD for me.

 

:goodone:

[EagleMoon]

No rose colored glasses needed here - I find it a pleasure, not painful at all, to see Geddy singing so well on this tour and DVD

 

Back in the day when I first got into Rush -never in a million years would I have imagined him being able to pull off vocals as well as he does at this stage of their career.

 

Actually, I never would have imagined them even having this stage of their career, lol.

 

His voice is one of the highlights of the DVD for me.

 

Well considering the shape his voice was in on Time Machine, CA is definitely better.

[EagleMoon]

I was watching Exit Stage Left tonight and man does it sound better than Clockwork Angels. And I don't mean the playing or the singing. Just the production. I can't imagine why a DVD that's thirty years old just sounds so much better than one put out this year. You can hear all the parts down to every tom and the bass just pops out. Of course he was using the Rickenbacker back then but still.

[presto123]

I was watching Exit Stage Left tonight and man does it sound better than Clockwork Angels. And I don't mean the playing or the singing. Just the production. I can't imagine why a DVD that's thirty years old just sounds so much better than one put out this year. You can hear all the parts down to every tom and the bass just pops out. Of course he was using the Rickenbacker back then but still.

 

 

Why is that surprising? The production on MP blows away CA as well. Production just doesn't seem to be high on Rush's priority list these days. It is kind of head scratching so I see what you're saying.

Edited December 4, 2013 by presto123

[Cyclonus X-1]

I was watching Exit Stage Left tonight and man does it sound better than Clockwork Angels. And I don't mean the playing or the singing. Just the production. I can't imagine why a DVD that's thirty years old just sounds so much better than one put out this year. You can hear all the parts down to every tom and the bass just pops out. Of course he was using the Rickenbacker back then but still.

 

The skeptical listener might bring up the possibility that a lot of what you're hearing on those old releases wasn't exactly live, if you catch my drift. :)

 

I do think there's far less tinkering/polishing going on with their live videos/albums these days. But yeah, I love how those old ESL, GUP, and ASOH videos sound.

[EagleMoon]

I was watching Exit Stage Left tonight and man does it sound better than Clockwork Angels. And I don't mean the playing or the singing. Just the production. I can't imagine why a DVD that's thirty years old just sounds so much better than one put out this year. You can hear all the parts down to every tom and the bass just pops out. Of course he was using the Rickenbacker back then but still.

 

 

Why is that surprising? The production on MP blows away CA as well. Production just doesn't seem to be high on Rush's priority list these days. It is kind of head scratching so I see what you're saying.

 

Yeah surprising in the fact that the new DVD should sound at LEAST as good as those older recordings. Considering the "advances" audio has taken over the years. It's a shame that it doesn't.

Edited December 4, 2013 by EagleMoon

[Bluefunk]

Ah, it's all designed to sound louder and larger on portable devices nowdays. But something that sounds loud as an MP3 on your phone earplugs isn't necessarily going to sound great on a decent stereo.

[theredtamasrule]

I was watching Exit Stage Left tonight and man does it sound better than Clockwork Angels. And I don't mean the playing or the singing. Just the production. I can't imagine why a DVD that's thirty years old just sounds so much better than one put out this year. You can hear all the parts down to every tom and the bass just pops out. Of course he was using the Rickenbacker back then but still.

 

 

Why is that surprising? The production on MP blows away CA as well. Production just doesn't seem to be high on Rush's priority list these days. It is kind of head scratching so I see what you're saying.

Man no joke. The whole sonic experience with MP is awesome. Love how that album sounds.

[tas7]

Finally it has arrived but what is with the sound????!! Put it on stereo and the volume is low and the strings disappear. Put it on 5.1 and it's 10 times louder but Geddy's voice is too loud. Volume tends to go up and down as well during some songs, it's like one song sounds better in stereo whilst another sounds better in 5.1. Also one pet hate with all the later live concerts is having to fiddle with menus for the extras, keep it simple.

[Duke1]

Really impressed with this bluray. Brings back great memories of my first and most likely only time I will get form New Zealand to see the boys live. I think the BluRay looks great and sounds great. Like R30 the kick drum is a bit low in the mix, but other than that I think it's great. There are definately better produced blurays in regards to audio, but this show has got a great and diverse set list, everyone is playing well with passion and energy which for me is the main thing I look for, for me personally, if the production is a 7/10 and the performance is a 10/10 I always enjoy it more than a 10/10 production (eg Eagles Hell freezes over) and 8/10 performance. Edited December 7, 2013 by Duke1

[Lerxster]

I watched the most of the bluray yesterday, having not seen it for a couple weeks. Had an empty house for a couple hours and went for it. I noted Sin City's suggestion that it be played really loud, and I heartily agree. Pushing my system and my ears, I thought it really came alive more the louder I played it. At a lower volume, sometimes something about the mix can seem unsatisfying, but some bumps up in volume seems to fix that (although Neil's kick is sorely missed, too often). I love that snare Neil has off to his upper left. Has that always been there? I love how Rush has evolved those 80's songs- how Alex adds new shading and augmenting.. or in the case of Bravado just changes the outro solo almost completely.. bringing a beautiful vibrant energy to a climax. I love this dvd. The song Clockwork Angels is so magnificent here, made both eyes moisten. Same for The Garden's Alex solo. The whole CA suite is such a joy to watch. Just loving the hell out of the playing on this disc.. the performances are incredible. And I've come to the conclusion that Geddy's vocals sound great. Not just good, but overall he sounds great. Loved all the bonus songs from the alternate setlist. Manhattan Project is so impressive. I could just babble on and on. Sure, the camera work could be less busy and we could stand to see less of the 'Neil cam' down below, but these are ultimately minor quibbles. I enjoyed the hell out of this, again! :hail: :rush:

[Slack jaw gaze]

I love that snare Neil has off to his upper left. Has that always been there?

Yeah. He just used it more often on this set of songs. Check out The Main Monkey Business from S&A and Stick It Out from Time Machine for other places he uses it prominently.

[andrew28]

I know I'll get beat up for this, but part of me wishes they had sweetened Geddy's vocals when they mixed it (a la Ozzy's vocals on the live Tribute album). He's obviously struggling on a lot of the songs, and while he doesn't sound bad overall, there are some songs that could definitely be better.

 

Overall, it's a very good Bluray. I particularly like the shots done via GoPro-style cams (like the one mounted on Neil's kit). It would be cool next tour that have him wear the cycling helmet again for a tour and mount a camera on it. Then you could have "Neil" view as one of the bonus features.

[EagleMoon]

It would be cool next tour that have him wear the cycling helmet again for a tour and mount a camera on it. Then you could have "Neil" view as one of the bonus features.

 

I'm all for something that would give us shots of Geddy and Alex's wiggling behinds.

[Slack jaw gaze]

I love Subdivisions as the show starter. Something very cool about it. I also really like the flow of the first set. The drum pattern during the choruses in Territories is cool as hell.