SNAKES & ARROWS LIVE

After the highly successful album Snakes & Arrows and the even more successful resulting tour Rush decided to release this live album, as they have after every studio release in the new millennium. Now, let's just get this out of the way right now - As a devoted Rush fanboy, lover of the studio counterpart and attender of two shows in the tour I can say that I honestly adore this new live album. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that between every album by another artist that I play this one manages to sneak in there.

But this review isn't for the devotees - it's for everyone else.

Biases aside, this album does seem rather unnecessary in the big scheme of things - being that if you count all the live disc and DVDs that have been released since Vapor Trails you'd have well over 10. That being said, this album has a lot going for that others don't. On the Rush In Rio live set, for example, the world simply needed to be reminded that the band was still alive and kicking, so the band played a kind of reunion set that included a couple of tracks from the new album along with a ton of material from older albums. R30 was similar in that since it was an anniversary tour they needed to represent all their albums (even if they missed Presto) and so played a set accordingly.

With this set the band's reputation and knowledge of them still existing is enough to get them to play more new material. Snakes & Arrows Live is a very appropriate title for the album as 9 out of 13 songs from the studio album are represented. All of the best tracks from the latest album are here -- and all grouped fairly close together. Older songs also appear on the set list, and again, there's some new stuff here.

The addition of songs like Entre Nous, Digital Man and Circumstances during the actual show was something marvelous to behold, and to see them on the show is something else completely! These are a group of the band's best little-known songs that finally get to see the light of day -- and the band performs them stunningly. It's nice to see the same kind of energy from the band that was present years ago, even if they've slowed down a bit.

One of the biggest standouts on the record, however, is Neil's drum solo, De Slagwerker. Going this time with a more industrial feel to his normal solo with a bit of a twist the solo is one of the best in the entire Rush catalog! Even those who don't really appreciate the drummers of the world will get a kick and a half out of this.

The rest of the songs on the album are quite familiar, but all very well performed with a kind of modern vibe put to the classic music making them seem fresh even to those who have heard it so many times.

For an excellent performance from an excellent band with a lot of new stuff to hear I award 3.5 stars. This is certainly one to get for any Rush fan - especially those who loved Snakes & Arrows. Those who didn't will still appreciate hearing them in a live setting (where Rush always excels) and get a kick out of the previously un-recorded-live tracks. For everyone else -- this is an excellent addition to your collection.

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