ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

The immaturity of sound had not quite escaped Rush by the time their first live album was recorded, but as many fans will claim, it was that raw energy that served as an attraction to Rush in the first place. Geddy Lee's youthful vigor, in my opinion, has never left him, but it was at its most unrestrained in the early years, particularly with respect to his warbling, high-pitched voice. His bass tone lacks the might it would have in future recordings as well. Speaking of might, Alex Lifeson's guitars are forceful and crunchy, not swamped with flanging as they would be on their subsequent live release. Like the bass tone, however, Neal Peart's drumming sounds thin, even though his performance is incredible as usual. It is in this live album that one can distinctly hear Rush's transition from a young 1960s-inspired blues-rock band to a progressive rock group with compositions to be taken seriously. The band breaks out of the gates with the stalwart rock tune that is "Bastille Day" and maintains its unrefined oomph throughout the duration of the show. "2112" is interesting to hear live, but of course is a rather stripped down to accommodate merely three players. The "Working Man / Finding My Way" jam is a lot of fun, containing a spirited drum solo, but is again limited by the band's rawness and roots.