All The World´s A Stage VS Exit... Stage Left VS A Show Of Hands

[gudbuytjane]

ATWAS...my first Rush album.

 

I never heard their music, but I saw the album in the record store. Since it was a double album, I debating on spending a whole $10 of my lawn mowing money on a group I never heard. I decided that, even though I might not like it, with a stage set like that front cover picture it will definately kick ass. I was right.

 

Good grief. This mirrors my experience exactly. I had never heard of the band but ATWAS was sat ( sealed) in the import rack of my local record shop. I too had to wrestle with the dilema of wether I should spend my whole album allowance on this expensive double album. I also could only see the front and back covers and I took a risk and went for it. Amazing.

 

These comments are getting me all misty-eyed and reminiscing about planning my album purchases with my limited allowance or money from after school jobs. Live albums were always a great starting point for me, I'd scan the track lists and then figure out what studio albums to buy (except, of course, for those damn 70's album covers that didn't list anything! :) ).

[Jaminbenb]

ATWAS...my first Rush album.

 

I never heard their music, but I saw the album in the record store. Since it was a double album, I debating on spending a whole $10 of my lawn mowing money on a group I never heard. I decided that, even though I might not like it, with a stage set like that front cover picture it will definately kick ass. I was right.

 

Good grief. This mirrors my experience exactly. I had never heard of the band but ATWAS was sat ( sealed) in the import rack of my local record shop. I too had to wrestle with the dilema of wether I should spend my whole album allowance on this expensive double album. I also could only see the front and back covers and I took a risk and went for it. Amazing.

 

^^^^Crazy stuff!!! ^^^^

 

I was lucky because a friend that saw them played Working Man (after he prefaced it with "you're a drummer, right?") then I went home and told my mother, who ordered it for my from Columbia House (I think we had a few free albums coming) so I got that and Caress of Steel at the same time (but didn't listen to it for about a week because I was playing ATWAS to death!)

[Jaminbenb]

ATWAS but I prefer anything past Different Stages to any of these three cause they're full concerts. I pick ATWAS because of the energy and that it has a few really good versions of songs, By-Tor, 2112, SFN, In The End, but it suffers a lot from lack of catalog. I'm not a fan of the first 3 albums save 2 or 3 songs at the most, and only 2 songs from 2112 made it on, though they're the two best ones. Had this been recorded during the Hemispheres tour then it would 10x better.

 

ESL is an overproduced mess, and my thoughts have always echoed Geddy's it seems. There are some good moments like Broons Bane and the Trees/Xanadu combo, and Jacob's Ladder is better on here than it is on PeW. This is my least favorite live album by far, cause it's not a real live album. It sounds like a roughed up studio compilation.

 

ASOH I never pick cause they ripped half the setlist out of the CD. Prime Mover, Lock And Key, Territories, and pretty much any older material is gone, though of course out of ALL older songs they put Closer To The Heart as the lone pick, which has been done to death. I love watching ASOH on video, someone uploaded a video playlist of the full concert on YouTube, remastered from the Laserdisc so Lock And Key is included, and they deserve a trophy for doing that.

 

ATWAS > ASOH (CD) >>>> ESL

 

 

Their first truly great live album for me was the first two discs of Different Stages, and then they reached perfection on Rio and R30.

 

Yeah.. Totally agree on the entire concert vibe! I wish some of the earlier albums were just full shows.... heck the "bonus" disc tape from Hammersmith from 1978 is purported to be a whole concert, but they left off the "like" tunes from the prior live albums.... I wish they'd come back and just release the WHOLE show, and be done with it!

 

Aren't there also tapes that exist from the PW tour that they used partially for the E...SL album? I think I remember reading that they were going to release a live show after the PW tour, but decided to hit the studio instead for another album....

 

I hated that AFTK concert on Different Stages. Geddy was sick that night and sounds awful. Ruins the show.

 

Better than nothin'

[cygnify]

I would admit that ATWAS is probably the best in terms of raw live energy - but I have to go with ESL. The setlist and development of Rush to their peak. Yes, the sound quality is not the best, and the lack of crowd makes it somewhat sterile - but man, that setlist. Also,as a drummer, I prefer the ESL drum solo over almost any other that I've heard. It just kicks all kind of ass without being gimmicky. Neil's progression from ATWAS is obvious.

 

ASOH was interesting - covering the "synth years" - I did not like Alex's guitar sound on this and always thought that Geddy sang Time Stand Still's chorus in a strange way live. Overall, very good, but cannot compare to classic Rush.

 

DS is also very good (not considered in this poll), but I'm not a fan of Neil's DW drum sound, or his approach variation for the TFE tour - this was the album that made me realize that Neil was starting to simplify parts live. Still an excellent collection of songs.

Edited February 26, 2015 by cygnify

[Narps]

I would be if I say. Should be quite obvious by now.... :codger:

[Lorraine]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

[Geddy's Soul Patch]

Well, it's really just between Exit and ATWAS lol. Went with ESL due to the most holy run of songs ever: Broon's Bane, The Trees, Xanadu :smoke: Edited February 26, 2015 by Geddy's Soul Patch

[HemiBeers]

ATWAS...my first Rush album.

 

I never heard their music, but I saw the album in the record store. Since it was a double album, I debating on spending a whole $10 of my lawn mowing money on a group I never heard. I decided that, even though I might not like it, with a stage set like that front cover picture it will definately kick ass. I was right.

 

Good grief. This mirrors my experience exactly. I had never heard of the band but ATWAS was sat ( sealed) in the import rack of my local record shop. I too had to wrestle with the dilema of wether I should spend my whole album allowance on this expensive double album. I also could only see the front and back covers and I took a risk and went for it. Amazing.

 

I think it took a whole 20 seconds of Bastille Day to convince me. Ballsy metal riff, time signature changes out of the blue and...who the hell changes keys 4 or 5 times during the guitar solo? Epic at first listening.

[clem]

I picked ATWAS, but, unlike their latter DVD releases, each one of these three is definitely special because it captured each "phase" of their recording history.

 

I also liked the way that they rarely ever duplicated live songs when they released E...SL and ASOH. I liked the way they mainly featured only material from the last four albums. I mean, how many "Tom Sawyers" do we need??

 

Clem

[Digital Dad]

ESL For me. A sentimenral choice though. Its really the material that does the most for me, that time period. Does it sound great? No far from it but if sounds better To me Than ASOH.

 

And the cover is amazing.

[EagleMoon]

ATWAS for the all-over primal youthful Rush experience. ESL for the sound and because it has Xanadu, though it would have been much better had they brought the audience sound up a bit. I rarely listen to ASOH, not sure why. And what about Different Stages? Edited February 26, 2015 by EagleMoon

[fraroc]

Why did you leave out GUP live?

[TheAccountant]

ATWAS because of the raw passion and energy. ASOH is enjoyable because of the variety of strong songs on it but its well back of ATWAS. Exit, for some reason has never turned me on at all. It just feels dead to me with no passion or energy. The DVD for it is fine but the album does zip for me and even though it has some fine songs its just wayyy back of ASOH.

[Lucas]

Chalk me up for All The World's A Stage also ... When Alex hits those chords in "In The End", it never fails to give me chills ( .... and you know the chords I am talking about )

 

I also love Disc 3 from Different Stages

[Blue J]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

 

I agree about the sound on All the World's a Stage, and it's still my favorite live Rush album. But I also have a soft spot or two for Exit- though I wasn't going to specify Xanadu, but rather YYZ. That version of YYZ on Exit is my favorite of all time. I just love, love, love how they were doing it back then- the fact that they put the drum solo in the middle of that song. It works just perfectly.

[Lorraine]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

 

I agree about the sound on All the World's a Stage, and it's still my favorite live Rush album. But I also have a soft spot or two for Exit- though I wasn't going to specify Xanadu, but rather YYZ. That version of YYZ on Exit is my favorite of all time. I just love, love, love how they were doing it back then- the fact that they put the drum solo in the middle of that song. It works just perfectly.

Let's not forget Alex's red shoes too. :)

 

Too bad ATWAS wasn't a DVD. Watching them play a song as opposed to just listening to the live version intensifies everything for me.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Lorraine

[Narps]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

 

I agree about the sound on All the World's a Stage, and it's still my favorite live Rush album.

:cheers: ...

[troutman]

ATWAS...my first Rush album.

 

I never heard their music, but I saw the album in the record store. Since it was a double album, I debating on spending a whole $10 of my lawn mowing money on a group I never heard. I decided that, even though I might not like it, with a stage set like that front cover picture it will definately kick ass. I was right.

 

Yeah!! That cover got me as well. :codger:

[Blue J]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

 

I agree about the sound on All the World's a Stage, and it's still my favorite live Rush album. But I also have a soft spot or two for Exit- though I wasn't going to specify Xanadu, but rather YYZ. That version of YYZ on Exit is my favorite of all time. I just love, love, love how they were doing it back then- the fact that they put the drum solo in the middle of that song. It works just perfectly.

Let's not forget Alex's red shoes too. :)

 

Too bad ATWAS wasn't a DVD. Watching them play a song as opposed to just listening to the live version intensifies everything for me.

 

I remember seeing a post of yours in another thread recently where you said you have quite a few DVD boots- do you have 12/10/76, the black and white footage from Passaic, NJ? I'm pretty sure it circulates on DVD (though I've only watched it on YouTube).

[Lorraine]

Exit...Stage Left on account of Xanadu, and I'm thinking of the DVD, not the audio.

 

ATWAS, however, has the best sound. In fact, it has the best sound of any live album, including recent ones. In. my. opinion. :)

 

I agree about the sound on All the World's a Stage, and it's still my favorite live Rush album. But I also have a soft spot or two for Exit- though I wasn't going to specify Xanadu, but rather YYZ. That version of YYZ on Exit is my favorite of all time. I just love, love, love how they were doing it back then- the fact that they put the drum solo in the middle of that song. It works just perfectly.

Let's not forget Alex's red shoes too. :)

 

Too bad ATWAS wasn't a DVD. Watching them play a song as opposed to just listening to the live version intensifies everything for me.

 

I remember seeing a post of yours in another thread recently where you said you have quite a few DVD boots- do you have 12/10/76, the black and white footage from Passaic, NJ? I'm pretty sure it circulates on DVD (though I've only watched it on YouTube).

 

No, I don't have the video from that concert, only the audio. The very kind person who sent me the bootlegs only included somewhere in the vicinity of fifty of them. Some video ones too on DVDs. Unfortunately, the Capitol Theater concert was not among them.

[Blue J]

Fifty is very generous! I was the recipient of similar benevolence some time ago- someone on this forum sent me about thirty shows (all audio), on a flash drive- including the first Rush show I ever attended.

 

I don't have the '76 show on DVD either, but it's fun to watch every once in awhile on YouTube. I think it's the only such document on video that is that long, from that early in their careers.

 

 

[Lorraine]

Fifty is very generous! I was the recipient of similar benevolence some time ago- someone on this forum sent me about thirty shows (all audio), on a flash drive- including the first Rush show I ever attended.

 

I don't have the '76 show on DVD either, but it's fun to watch every once in awhile on YouTube. I think it's the only such document on video that is that long, from that early in their careers.

Yes, it was a very generous and kind gesture, and the person hadn't even gone through all of the thousands of them on the hard drive that is going around.

 

Every Rush fan should have at least some of the bootlegs. The professional DVDs are too slick; by that I mean that a lot of stuff is edited out that shouldn't be. Like the one bootleg I have when, during Red Barchetta, Alex's guitar string breaks and Geddy forgets the lyrics to the song and swears into the microphone. I guess what i am trying to say that the bootlegs bring out their "humanity" better. :) They make mistakes too. And things go wrong. :)

[Blue J]

Fifty is very generous! I was the recipient of similar benevolence some time ago- someone on this forum sent me about thirty shows (all audio), on a flash drive- including the first Rush show I ever attended.

 

I don't have the '76 show on DVD either, but it's fun to watch every once in awhile on YouTube. I think it's the only such document on video that is that long, from that early in their careers.

Yes, it was a very generous and kind gesture, and the person hadn't even gone through all of the thousands of them on the hard drive that is going around.

 

Every Rush fan should have at least some of the bootlegs. The professional DVDs are too slick; by that I mean that a lot of stuff is edited out that shouldn't be. Like the one bootleg I have when, during Red Barchetta, Alex's guitar string breaks and Geddy forgets the lyrics to the song and swears into the microphone. I guess what i am trying to say that the bootlegs bring out their "humanity" better. :) They make mistakes too. And things go wrong. :)

 

That's one thing I love about them...they are known to be perfectionists, and have always played music that's very challenging; they take their profession, their craft, very seriously. But the don't take themselves too seriously. They seem to have a lot of fun with their humanity, as such.

[GeminiRising79]

No contest. Atwas across the board obliterates any other live performance by Rush. Next poll..

[Rutlefan]

ATWAS because it transformed and elevated the source material. I do love side 3 of ESL though, more than any other side of a live album (though side 3 of ATWAS gives it a run), despite the muddy sound.