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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You gotta take the bad with the good. Still five stars though..., 18 Oct 2008
Review header explanation first: the 'bad' is really a few minor niggles. First off, the crowd seems less excited to actually be there than that of Rush in Rio, which IS understandable, given they hadn't played there before. But still, the show feels more like what it is, a music DVD, than an EVENT, like Rio did. Secondly, there were several songs played that night which didn't make the DVD, including "Secret Touch", "One Little Victory", "By-Tor..." and "La Villa Strangiato" (all personal favourites). I understand that these songs were on the last DVD, but the lack of newer material on what is supposed to be a retrospective anniversary tour is quite noticeable, and besides, what's wrong with having a little repetition? Surely this "problem" would have been balanced out by the inclusion of "Between The Wheels" and "Force Ten" anyway. Anyway, these petty issues aside, I literally can't think of anything else to complain about on this set.
For a start, R30 boasts the best production of a Rush concert video to date. The picture is crystal clear and sharp. The editing is well paced, and the director clearly knows when to focus on which band member. The sound is also superior to the Rio show as well. And, most importantly, the performance is better. Geddy's singing is much more impressive here than ever before, particularly on older numbers you'd imagine would be challenging for him. Alex's solos never miss a note, and what few new flourishes there are scattered here and there always improve the material. Neil's playing is as dependable as ever, playing songs at 52 better than he could 20-odd years earlier. He allows himself a few spontaneous fills now and then, but the real treat for fans is "Der Trommler", a drum solo with distinct parts that's both hugely impressive and merits repeated listening. Forget Portnoy, THIS guy's the best in the world today.
So what of the songs? Well, the opening "R30 Overture" is a neat medley of a song each from the first six LPs. Most of the staples are here ("Tom Sawyer", "The Spirit of Radio") as well as a few surprises (the aforementioned "Force Ten" and others from that period). It's just a shame there wasn't more material from the nineties, and from Vapor Trails. Still, you realise that you don't miss something when it's not there, if you take my meaning. Highlights include the now-standard acoustic rendition of "Resist" as well as a truly rocking "Working Man", improved tenfold by Neil Peart's almost totally different drumming over John Rutsey's original performance.
The extra disc fits in with the retrospective feel, presenting performance and interviews dating as far back as the seventies. The interviews are arguably the more interesting of the bunch, as its always nice to get some artist insight, particularly in the context of making the album they're talking about instead of doe-eyed reflection. That said, there are some gems amongst the performance. A couple of tracks from the late seventies see the boys in full concept get-up, and you'd be forgiven for thinking they were pretentious no-fun lot, but when it's a full length version of Xanadu, who cares?! There's also a promo video for Fly By Night which sees Neil Peart in furious form, and the less said about Geddy's straightened mop the better.
In total, the package is worth an awful lot more than the ten quid or so you can get it for. I'm tempted to say its better than Rush in Rio, but I think the latter's documentary and set length balance the two out. That said, for sheer performance perfection, glorious sound, clear visuals and a look at how far one of the world's biggest bands has come, R30 is hard to beat.
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