The Plot:
It's time for Rush fans to rejoice. After the one-two punch of Rush in Rio and R30, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart are making three of their original live performance pieces available on the digital format for the first time. Highlighting the band's rollercoaster ride through the sonically strange '80s, Exit: Stage Left is old form Rush, while Grace Under Pressure is an attempt by the band to be more modern and media savvy. Finally, with A Show of Hands, the members of Rush retain their crown as musical magicians while proving they can update their image to fit the ever-changing times. Along the way we get time-honored hits ("Spirit of Radio", "Limelight", "Tom Sawyer", "Freewill", "The Big Money", "Closer to the Heart") as well as audience pleasing album tracks. For those hoping for a more "greatest hits" oriented presentation, you need to stick with Rio or R30. Rush was still putting out popular albums during this time, and where involved in the tour circuit pimping of their latest releases. That we get so many older classics is a testament to their desire to mix their past with the present. Rush, like many acts from three decades ago, were notorious for delivering a perfunctory performance platter for every couple studio releases. Interestingly enough, what sounds good on LP looks amazing on video (or film).

The DVD:
The first thing you notice after watching all three shows contained in Rush Replay x 3 is how much BETTER the band is today. Back 24 years ago, Rush were taut, but not yet tight, occasionally stumbling through performances with missed notes and sloppy play. Today, after decades on the road, they are an amazing machine, a crackerjack unit of unbridled sonic force. From the moment they step on stage, they effortlessly run through a back catalog of stunning hard rock royalty. Each show has it's own persona, a distinctive aura that reflects the band at a specific time in their career. Viewed individually, we can dissect these distinctions and watch Rush mature from critical whipping boy into musical men of undeniable distinction. Lets start with:

Exit: Stage Left (1982)
Track Listing: "Limelight", "Tom Sawyer", "The Trees", "Xanadu", "Red Barchetta", "Freewill", "Closer to the Heart", "YYZ", Medley: "By-Tor and the SnowDog"/"In the End"/"In the Mood"/"2112 Finale", "YYZ"
This is probably the most familiar material to the casual Rush fan. MTV and VH1 (in all their incarnations) have long used the "Tom Sawyer" video taken from this show as the seminal Rush song, and several sections of "Limelight" also turn up in the band's mini-movie for said track. This is also the "red" concert, a live experience bathed in what seems to be a single primary color spotlight gel. Certainly there are minor moments of blue and white, but for the most part, this filmed show is a constant shade of maroon. From a performance standpoint, one can easily call this the lesser of the three experiences. Sonically, the sound has too much treble, with the bass and vocals buried in the guitar and synth heavy mix. Still, the typical Rush musicianship comes through. Peart is especially powerful here, making up for some of Lifeson's lackadaisical playing. As will happen throughout these concerts, Lee's vocals range travels from spot on to spotty. He is no longer capable of hitting those grating falsetto notes of the early '70s, and in some songs ("Closer to the Heart") he doesn't even try anymore. At 60 short minutes, this is a show souvenir vs. an actual recreation of the Rush live experience. (Score: ***)

Grace Under Pressure (1984)
Track Listing: "The Spirit of Radio", "The Enemy Within", "The Weapon", "Witch Hunt", "New World Man", "Distant Early Warning", "Red Sector 'A'", "Closer to the Heart", Medley: "YYZ"/"The Temples of Syrinx", "Tom Sawyer", Vital Signs", Medley: "Finding My Way"/"In the Mood"
Welcome to the "new wave" version of Rush, a time in the band's tenuous '80s career arc where they were stripping down their sound and shearing off their locks in an attempt to compete within and match the music scene of the era. It's hilarious to see Alex with a Flock of Seagulls sweep to his hair, and Neil looks exceptionally spiffy with that braided rat tale hanging from the back of his head. Only Geddy maintains his retro resemblance, cutting some, but not all, of his flowing follicles. As a show, Grace Under Pressure is much better than Exit: Stage Left, if only because the playing is more powerful, and the song selection more potent. The selection of newer songs – "New World Man", Distant Early Warning" – works well, since it shows that Rush had the chops to change with the times. While it would have been nice to hear other classic tracks like "Subdivisions", this is still an excellent overview of the band's post-modern material. As a concert, this shot on video variation (the only one in the set) looks a little ragged. The images are much clearer, and there is less mood lighting. But with tape comes issues like flaring and bleeding, and while those irritating elements are kept to a minimum, this is still a technically tricky offering. (Score: ****)

A Show of Hands (1989)
Track Listing: "The Big Money", "Marathon", "Turn the Page", "Prime Mover", "Manhattan Project", "Closer to the Heart", "Red Sector 'A'", "Force Ten", "Mission", "Territories", "The Rhythm Method – Drum Solo", "The Spirit of Radio", "Tow Sawyer", "2112", "The Temples of Syrinx"/"La Villa Strangiato"/"In the Mood"
We are back to omnipresent colored lighting for this final live show, a nice '80s retrospective from one of the few '70s bands to survive the era intact. With a focus on songs from latter LPs Power Windows and Hold Your Fire (though, sadly, no "Time Stands Still") and a smart, clean polish to their performance, this is the Rush that would soon learn the power in their amazing musicianship. As the '90s would prove, distinct instrumentation was nothing compared to passion and image. It would take them a decade under the influence of grunge, punk, boy bands and nu-metal before they would reemerge as incomparable masters of sound. This filmed concert provides proof of Rush's fascinating fanbase, a group that can take pleasure in a drum solo as well as an opening rocker like "The Big Money". They sing along with "Tom Sawyer" and propel the last act workout medley into a maelstrom of auditory anarchy. Unlike the previous two shows, Rush really connects with the crowd here (there are more audience shots in this concert than in previous shows, by the way) and they play together as a trio in a far more fascinating manner. Peart was often left out of the onstage dynamic, but Lee and Lifeson draw him in time and time again. With 30 more minutes of material here than on Grace Under Pressure or Exit: Stage Left, this is the best live performance of the box set, and a clear indication of where the power trio would be once that stellar stopover in Rio finally occurred. (Score: ****1/2).

There are a couple of other things to note about these live performances. For one, there is no backstage footage. During Exit: Stage Left, there are voice over comments from the band, usually occurring between songs. Yet without identifying who is talking, it's hard to put the information into context. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this approach is getting a chance to hear Neil Peart speak, since he's been relatively silent since a series of tragedies (his daughter died in 1996, while his wife succumbed to cancer in '98) shattered his rock and roll life. In addition, both Grace Under Pressure and A Show of Hands utilize a video screen to show prepared material, and while some of these visuals are nothing more than typical animation and early CGI, the best bits arrive courtesy of SCTV's Joe Flaherty. Dressed in full Count Floyd regalia, he instructs the audience to "put on their 3D glasses" in preparation for "The Weapon", which he promises will be "real scary!" Sadly, no sign of the great Bob and Doug MacKenzie, who Geddy Lee worked with on the comedy duo's classic "Take Off" single. Also, Rush isn't relying on heavy stage dramatics during these shows. There's nary a washing machine, or other scenic prop in sight. For anyone who wants to see semi-classic Rush, caught before they turned into a quasi-nostalgia act (albeit, a fabulous version of same) Replay x 3 will definitely satisfy your post-prog rock cravings. Love them or hate them, you cannot deny Rush's ability as a band. It's amazing the intricate sounds that derive from a simple bass/guitar/drum/keyboard combo.

The Video:
Each concert arrives in a 1.33:1 full frame transfer that's clean and clear. There is hardly any dirt or damage, and the overall visual basics are handled expertly. Some will be bothered by the lack of white stage lighting here, since these shows were obviously recorded without consideration for the overuse of colored gels. For shows like Rush in Rio and R30, the band is much more visible. Neil Peart in particular seems lost in the shadows during all three shows. Of the trio, Grace is probably the most problematic, since we are dealing with video, not film. However, each concert looks much better than past presentations, meaning fans that have worn out their VHS copies will definitely want to pick up this box set.

The Audio:
Perhaps the biggest selling point for Rush fans will be the selection of sonic remasters offered on each disc. Before you begin the show, the menu asks you to choose between PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, or a 5.1 DTS mix. While the two channel scenario is good, the 5.1 choices are incredibly. Only Exit: Stage Left sounds a little flat. Both Grace Under Pressure and A Show of Hands practically explode across the channels, delivering as close to a live concert feels as a DVD can deliver. With the DTS being a tad more dynamic, you get the best possible aural presentation from this new digital transfer. While the visuals may be good, it's the music that truly makes this collection.

The Extras:
Sadly, all three show discs arrive sans bonus features. Thankfully, the packaging provides some solid added content. Each concert gets a booklet highlighting the track list, material from the show program, and some information derived from the accompanying album's liner notes. Again, it's nice to read Peart's input, while Lifeson and Lee are always personable and forthcoming. Along with the write-ups, we get the entire Grace Under Pressure Tour Soundtrack, which is more or less the live album of the Grace Under Pressure DVD. Expertly mastered, it sounds fantastic. While it would have been nice to have some additional material from the band – interviews, commentary, videos – this is still a fine presentation.

Final Thoughts:
This critic is a late convert to the Rush throng, and yet you still won't find him queuing up to buy their CD catalog anytime soon. No, it was Rush in Rio that convinced him that this long dismissed power trio was nothing short of instrumental gods. Sure, the bonkers Brazilian crowd, an audience that even sang along during INSTRUMENTALS (!!!), helped seal the sonic deal, but over the last few years, the band has worked its way into this music cynic's punk-soured heart. As a result, Rush: Replay x 3 earns an easy rating of Highly Recommended and stands along that South American show and the recent R30 as testaments to the power in performance. Few bands today can match Rush in technique and tone. They may have showmanship chops, or a pure power chord command of the stage, but Rush argue for something subtler, more fluid in the realm of live music. Playing should not be a chore, or a chance to recreate your latest hit with technological precision. When three divergent elements come together to intermingle and interplay, the results can be resplendent. It's just too bad that pop culture prejudice kept many of us from realizing this until now. Thankfully, Rush keeps reminding us of this very fact every time they take the stage. We're just lucky enough to have this DVD evidence to remind us of that, in case we forget again.

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