Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31861 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-05-12
• Rating: Exempt
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen, Dolby, Surround Sound, Import
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 170 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
"The nature of Rush has always been musicianship first", comments Geddy Lee in the documentary that accompanies Rush in Rio. It's an apt summation of both the band and this, their first made-for-DVD concert release. Fans will know already about the Canadian power trio's legendary musical craftsmanship, and so will be delighted to learn that the same meticulous care has been extended to this two-disc set, a record of their first ever visit to Brazil, and especially the climactic concert of the Vapor Trails tour, in which Messrs. Lee, Lifeson and Peart played to an ecstatic audience of 60,000 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on November 23rd, 2002.

The first disc clocks in at just under three hours and presents the gig itself in non-anamorphic widescreen filmed by 22 cameras, and recorded in stunning clarity in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The result of such comprehensive coverage captures the stadium atmosphere ideally: the Brazilian fans cheering lustily, like an enthusiastic football crowd whose favourite team has won for the first time in years; the massive video screen; the even bigger light and pyrotechnic effects; and Geddy Lee's washing machines, of course. Kicking off with the crowd-pleasing "Tom Sawyer" (but then, everything pleases this crowd), Rush reach back into every phase of their catalogue to provide a bravado demonstration of musicianship infused with apparently limitless energy, not to mention enjoyment: just watch them grinning as the audience goes wild for "YYZ". Things really hot up in the second half, when fire-breathing dragons announce "One Little Victory", followed by the big surprise of the night: the Lee-Lifeson acoustic rendition of "Resist", following right after Neil Peart's storming drum solo "O Baterista".

Disc 2 contains The Boys in Brazil, a lengthy fly-on-the-wall look at the band's Brazilian trip, from fans at the airport, through Alex Lifeson clowning around in his hotel room, to various rehearsals and soundchecks. Retrospective interviews with the trio are interspersed throughout. It's hardly groundbreaking as rockumentaries go, but for fans it's a rare chance to peak behind the scenes at a band who value their privacy. Three tracks can also be found here in multi-angle versions: select any one of four mini-screen options to view "YYZ", "O Baterista" and "La Villa Strangiato" from different perspectives. In addition, there are two Easter eggs: the 1975 promo for "Anthem" and the "By-Tor" animation used during the concert. Rush fans everywhere will soon be wondering how they lived so long without this splendid two-disc set. "We will pay the price, but we will not count the cost." --Mark Walker

DVD Description
Rock super group Rush give a career defining performance in this amazing show shot at the world-famous Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on their wildly successful 2002 "Vapor Trails World Tour". Shot with 22 cameras in 16:9 widescreen format, this concert film beautifully captures the energy of the 125,000+ fans that saw Rush perform on this the final date of the tour. The show contains killer performances of 28 songs that span the band's critically acclaimed career; including 'Tom Sawyer', 'New World Man', 'Roll The Bones', 'The Big Money', 'Closer To The Heart', 'The Spirit of Radio' and many more.

The two-DVD set includes a documentary of the band's tour of Brazil including footage from shows in Porte Allegre, San Paolo and Rio de Janeiro.

Tracklisting:
Tom Sawyer
Distant Early Warning
New World Man
Roll The Bones
Earthshine
YYZ
The Pass
Bravado
The Big Money
Trees
Free Will
Closer To The Heart
Natural Science
One Little Victory
Driven
Ghost Rider
Secret Touch
Dreamline
Red Sector 'A'
Leave That Thing Alone
O Baterista
Resist
2112
Limelight
La Villa Strangiato
The Spirit of Radio
By-To & The Snow Dog
Cygnus X-I
Working Man

Special Features

• Documentary: The Boys in Brazil, a film by Andrew McNaughton
  
• 3 Multi Angle Options: YYZ, O Baterista, La Villa Strangiato
  
• Easter Eggs: Anthem, 1975; By-Tor animation

DVD Technical Information:

• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
  
• Widescreen
  
• 
  
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  
• PlayStation 2 compatible

Customer Reviews

Finding the Easter Eggs
I'm not going to actually review this DVD because I cant really say anymore than has already been said in the previous reviews. I do agree with most comments, fantastic concert but the sound is disappointing. Still worth 5 stars though.

I thought I would just document how to access the Easter Eggs if you havent found them already.

The By-Tor is quite easy to find. Just find the scene in the documentary where Alex talks about playing By-Tor live and press 'Enter' on your remote control. I was a bit disappointed in this clip.

The 1975 Anthem Promo, however, is a real Gem (why was it never included in the video collection?) and worth finding. The code is, of course 2112, but this is how you access it.

Put in Disc 2 and get the menu screen up.
Press 2 on remote.
After the scene starts press menu to return to the menu screen.
Press 1 on the remote.
After the scene starts press menu to return to the menu screen.
Press 1 on the remote.
After the scene starts press menu to return to the menu screen.
Press 2 on the remote.
After the scene starts press menu to return to the menu screen.

You sgould then have the Anthem promo as an option.

If, like me, you dont actually have numbers on your remote then.
Instead of pressing 1 move down to YYZ and press play.
Instead of pressing 2 move down to O Baterista and press play.

Happy Viewing

I cant believe "A viewer from Stanmore, Middlesex "
I cant believe "A viewer from Stanmore, Middlesex" has sent in a genuine review! The sound and picture quality of the Rush Live In Rio disc is superb.His equipment must be faulty and the review should be ignored.

A must-have for serious fans
Any long-term Rush fan should greatly enjoy this DVD, which captures the band in excellent form in an arena concert with a crowd unlike any I've ever seen before. This is not an audiophile DVD, I'll grant you, but the sound quality really isn't that bad IF you play it through a half-decent 5.1 or better surround-sound speaker system and select the Dolby 5.1 sound option from the main menu. I recommend turning up the treble/high frequencies a little and not really tweaking the bass at all. The mixing does have the crowd way up high in the rear surround channels, and I recommend trying your rear speakers 1.5 -2 metres further back from the usual position, or else turning down the output to your rear channels slightly. If you do this then the crowd noise from those rear satellites doesn't overwhelm everything else so much. Overall then, the sound quality is fine - they have tried to recreate the sound of 'being there' rather than make it sound like a polished live album with lots of studio over-dubs and crystal clear sound.

For my money, I like the show very much - the fantastically vocal and excited crowd really seeemd to spur the guys on to a very spirited performance. Hell, the DVD is worth the cost just for the pleasure of hearing and seeing Neil's drum solo workout. But it's a good value package, with more or less an entire show + a documentary and some rare footage 'extras'. I can understand why the CD will probably sound poor, if it really is just a mix-down of the DVD soundtrack into stereo, because all that crowd noise won't be directed at the rear speakers then, it will just be in the mix fighting for your attention and detracting from the guys' performances.

Overall, a stellar show captured pretty well for DVD, as long as you can appreciate it on a decent system.