Rush in Rio

"Rush in Rio" is, no doubt, one of the most exciting DVDs I have purchased. Although I am a biased Rush fan of almost 20 years, I found this performance to be flawless. The music is heavy and sharp (which sounds great on any surround sound system), the band is energetic, the crowd has a constant smile... it's like they were able to capture every concert I've been to. For any Rush fan, this DVD is a must; if anything, just to see the "Boys in Brazil" documentary (which reveals the travels of this rather isolated, personal band). For any non-Rush fan, this DVD is an enjoyable concert. Rush fans know the talent of these three Canadians. We have rather firmly stood by them for years. I've shown this DVD (or portions of it, anyway) to those who have never heard of Rush, or those who think Rush is less than good because they do not appeal to the pessimistic masses of rock (i.e., sex, drugs, and a drunken frenzy). The bottom line is this DVD is worth every penny and more than worth the time to view it.

First I have to point out other comments about the editing/MTV quality of this video. Once you see the pains and heartache they went through in order to deliver this video to the general public, you will have a better appreciation of what they've done.

Through rain, bad weather, mechanical malfunctions and thousands of screaming fans, Rush was able to record and edit their first concert DVD ever! There's no sense commenting about the quality of the editing once you actually watch the documentary and realize what they were up against in filming this; just sit back and enjoy the show!

The show goes on for several hours, spanning just about every album of their 30 year career. There are songs for every type of Rush fan from every generation. They play some old, rarely heard classics (ByTor and the Snowdog) to some of their 80's hits (Tom Sawyer) and songs off their latest release, `Vapor Trails'. There's something for everyone as far as their music goes.

The documentary is one of the only video documentaries Rush has ever recorded. You get to see everything and everyone, from Neil warming up, Alex goofing off and Geddy stressing about his hair :) This is one of the only times the `boys' have provided this in-depth look into the band, and is worth the price of the DVD set alone in my opinion.

I will admit, the screaming fans get a bit much at times, but hey, when was the last time you've heard of Rush performing to an audience equivalent to the type the Beetles did in the mid 60's? It's truly awe inspiring.

After searching for 6 months, I finally found this DVD. All I can say is it was damn well worth the wait! "Rush in Rio" may very well be the greatest rock DVD in existence. I'm not joking. It's incredible! All the fuss about the sound being crappy is true, however it doesn't make the concert unwatchable. I find it makes you feel like you're actually in Rio watching the concert from the audience. That's one of the reasons I love this DVD. It makes you feel like you're actually there. Also, Geddy, Alex and Neil have never been in better form! Geddy's vocals are flawless, Alex's guitar playing is still incredible, and Neil - absolutely no words to say. The camera work on this concert was very good I must say. They gave us a good look at everything that was going on on-stage, and in the audience. Kudos to the cameramen! Anyways, enough of my raving! Go watch "Rush in Rio" for yourself. You will be amazed. I guarantee it.

10/10

Having seen Rush live, I'm able to appreciate the awesomeness of this. Others may complain of sound problems, but it's sometimes over dubbed by the overwhelming screams of 60,000 Brazilians and it goes to show the band's territorial gain of attention

This DVD will be treated with indifference by mllions of classic rock music devotees across the world because Rush just aren't cool. It is a shame that Rush have had to overcome sneering disdain from the majority of North American and British music journalists over their thirty odd year history as this has deprived many people the chance to get into a real band.Each of the last four decades are well represented here and what a catalogue of songs it is! We have the seminal "2112", the magical "The Trees" and the lyrical "Tom Sawyer" interspersed with the high-energy, genre-challenging pieces from their latest album "Vapor Trails." The musicianship is almost flawless, the stage show is spectacular and the Brazilian fans are just plain crazy (at one point they sing along to an instrumental!)Each band member plays at a level that defies belief-real craftsmen performing art.If you doubt this try out the instrumentals "La Villa Strangiato" or "The Rhythm Method" for size-and yes the latter is a drum solo (which has to be seen to be believed.)

Sound and vision production values are very high as befits the Rush experience and you also get a documentary and multi-angled set pieces to boot.

This is an astonishing performance and tribute to the Canadian rockers and all serious classic rock fans should own a copy.