Retail Music Store : Snakes & Arrows Live 2 CD Set [LIVE]

Retail Music Store Collection

Consistently Rush, Consistently Good,

April 16, 2008

By	Joseph C. Helton "Stephen King fan" - See all my reviews

I was at the St. Louis show, so this cd is a nice reminder of a very nice night for me and my son. Many have complained about Rush's frequency of live releases and song list, to them I would respond, check out live King Crimson. I love that band too, but they put out a ton of live stuff, many of the same tracks repeated over and over. I don't think Rush is guilty of milking the cash cow, I think they're doing a nice service to us fans.

The live recording itself is imaculate. The sound quality is first rate. The band is performing at a very high level, and consistently well, as Rush usually does. Perhaps they could mix things up a bit, but seeing a live Rush show is seeing a band that's been together as a unit for many years, a tight band that does what it's supposed to do, put on a consistently great show.

The new album Snakes & Arrows is emphasized in the set list, as this tour was to promote that album. I for one liked that album. Beyond that there are a few old gems such as Circumstances, Entres Nous, and Witch Hunt which are very nice to hear live. Mixed amongst all this are the classic tracks, such as Tom Sawyer, Freewill, etc.

I have looked forward to this album since I first heard about it, and was not disappointed. 5 stars.