A Desert Passage: Platinum Edition

Tracks 9 and 10 are ″bonus tracks″ from unknown source see below. Not the same show.

This is the even fuller soundboard from the infamous Tucson show. This show is actually an amalgamation of several sources using the best source for the overall show and filling in any problems or adding extra material from other sources. Many of the bootlegs from this period have captured the part where Neil is warming up on the drums while music is playing over the PA. For the first time we get to hear the actual song that is played before the band takes the stage. It’s rather interesting music to start off a Rush show with to say the least. The sound changes right before the line ″With our people left…″ through the section right after ″My ship Rocinate…″ line in Hemispheres, and then sound changes back to normal. The section of Hemispheres that was cut (Dream Sequence) was filled in from the same section of the Detroit ’78 soundboard. Being only 13 days apart, the performance was virtually identical and the sound close enough to make a fairly seamless transition. No noise reduction was used on this production. At the end of the show, two bonus tracks were included, ″Something for Nothing″ and ″Cygnus X‐1″. Both originally appeared with the Frankfurt ’79 source, but became apparent than these two tracks do not belong to any of the known soundboards from this era. Therefore they are a kind of ″mystery″ as to where they come from.

The performance itself is quite excellent and also very unique. The extended intro is interesting, though not remarkable in and of itself. The problems with the crowd are further expounded upon by the venue management after Geddy is unable to gain the cooperation of the massing crowd. Cygnus X‐1 is finally presented in an uncut format. And we finally have the rest of 2112 and the encores. Geddy has a little fun with Lerxt in the Working Man lyrics. Then the soundman decides to do some interesting things to the sound of each of them during the Medley. Geddy’s vocals are changed considerably during ″In the Mood″ and some of the effects on Neil’s drums are quite interesting in the Drum Solo. All in all the definitive Rush concert.

This is a remarkably clean bootleg that came straight from the soundboard. The sound is nothing short of stellar – every nuance of the band’s playing can be heard here. It’s especially sweet to hear Alex’s guitar here, as he seems to have attained the perfect effects balance on this night. The show is also a bit unusual in that Geddy delivers a severe reprimand to the crowd, who apparently is pushing quite a bit at the start of the show. Interestingly enough, this tape reveals that one of the road crew (Skip Glidersleeve? Liam Burt?) also asks the crowd to move back. This was deleted from every other source. The only real flaws are a cut in the middle of ″Hemispheres″ and at the end of ″Cygnus X‐1.″

This is the even fuller soundboard from the infamous Tucson show. This show is actually an amalgamation of several sources using the best source for the overall show and filling in any problems or adding extra material from other sources. Many of the bootlegs from this period have captured the part where Neil is warming up on the drums while music is playing over the PA. For the first time we get to hear the actual song that is played before the band takes the stage. It’s rather interesting music to start off a Rush show with to say the least. The sound changes right before the line ″With our people left…″ through the section right after ″My ship Rocinate…″ line in Hemispheres, and then sound changes back to normal. The section of Hemispheres that was cut (Dream Sequence) was filled in from the same section of the Detroit ’78 soundboard. Being only 13 days apart, the performance was virtually identical and the sound close enough to make a fairly seamless transition. No noise reduction was used on this production. At the end of the show, two bonus tracks were included, ″Something for Nothing″ and ″Cygnus X‐1″. Both originally appeared with the Frankfurt ’79 source, but became apparent than these two tracks do not belong to any of the known soundboards from this era. Therefore they are a kind of ″mystery″ as to where they come from.

The performance itself is quite excellent and also very unique. The extended intro is interesting, though not remarkable in and of itself. The problems with the crowd are further expounded upon by the venue management after Geddy is unable to gain the cooperation of the massing crowd. Cygnus X‐1 is finally presented in an uncut format. And we finally have the rest of 2112 and the encores. Geddy has a little fun with Lerxt in the Working Man lyrics. Then the soundman decides to do some interesting things to the sound of each of them during the Medley. Geddy’s vocals are changed considerably during ″In the Mood″ and some of the effects on Neil’s drums are quite interesting in the Drum Solo. All in all the definitive Rush concert.

This is a remarkably clean bootleg that came straight from the soundboard. The sound is nothing short of stellar – every nuance of the band’s playing can be heard here. It’s especially sweet to hear Alex’s guitar here, as he seems to have attained the perfect effects balance on this night. The show is also a bit unusual in that Geddy delivers a severe reprimand to the crowd, who apparently is pushing quite a bit at the start of the show. Interestingly enough, this tape reveals that one of the road crew (Skip Glidersleeve? Liam Burt?) also asks the crowd to move back. This was deleted from every other source. The only real flaws are a cut in the middle of ″Hemispheres″ and at the end of ″Cygnus X‐1.″