Different Stages (1998)
Disc One
1.Dreamline
2.Limelight
3.Driven
4.Bravado
5.Animate
6.Show Don't Tell
7.The Trees
8.Nobody's Hero
9.Closer to the Heart
10.2112
Disc Two
1.Test For Echo
2.The Analog Kid
3.Free Will
4.Roll the Bones
5.Stick It Out
6.Resist
7.Leave That Thing Alone
8.The Rhythm Method
9.Natural Science
10.The Spirit of Radio
11.Tom Sawyer
12.YYZ
Bonus Disc
1.Bastille Day
2.By-Tor & the Snow Dog
3.Xanadu
4.Farewell to Kings
5.Something for Nothing
6.Cygnus X-1
7.Anthem
8.Working Man
9.Fly By Night
10.In the Mood
11.Cinderella Man
NBy the late ‘90s, Rush fans had grown accustomed to the band’s reliable pattern of issuing a live album after every four studio efforts. So, even though a decade had passed since A Show of Hands, the expectation wasn’t so much “Will there be another live album?” as it was “When is it finally coming?” When the announcement was made, few were surprised. What did catch people off guard, however, was just how expansive and generous the package would be.
Rather than stick to the usual practice of spotlighting just the most recent studio material, the band went full retrospective—balancing nearly half of the release with vintage tracks spanning 2112 through Signals before tackling the "latter" day material. It was a brilliant move. For once, fans weren’t left scrambling for bootlegs or pining for the days of yore. They were handed a legitimate double-disc set, with Disc 1 focused largely on newer material (mainly Counterparts and Test for Echo), and Disc 2 diving headfirst into that golden 1976–1982 era. Each clocked in at around 55 minutes—a tight, smart split that made the package feel whole.
Naturally, with the internet now fully in bloom, the track listing leaked long before release day, and, true to form, fans had opinions. The initial absence of anything from Presto raised eyebrows and ignited minor uproar. Enter Geddy Lee. According to fan lore (and semi-confirmed in interviews), the bass-wielding frontman got wind of the complaints and insisted that Show Don’t Tell be included. In a common case of Rush actually listening to their fan base, the song was added—along with The Analog Kid—and balance was restored.
The inclusion of the complete 2112 suite was a major coup. Long requested and long denied due to its sheer length, the band finally gave in. Of course, this was made possible by their new live format, introduced during the Test for Echo tour: two full sets with an intermission and no opening act. It was a win-win—for the fans and for the band.
But Rush didn’t stop there. As an added bonus (and at no extra cost), they tacked on a third disc—this one a full performance from London’s Hammersmith Odeon, recorded in 1978 during the A Farewell to Kings tour. Not only did it feature some long-lost live renditions, but it gave fans a true “vintage” feel, one not scrubbed clean with overdubs and digital polish.
The sound quality on the main discs is stellar. There's a very intentional panning at work: Alex’s guitar commands the left channel, Geddy’s bass fills the right, and Neil, of course, sits like a deity in the center, hammering away in pristine stereo. The whole mix breathes, giving the band the sort of dynamic space that modern live albums often lack.
All in all, Different Stages not only served as a well-rounded live chronicle, but also felt like a much-needed bridge between the past and the then-present. It didn’t try too hard. It didn’t need to. It just worked—and in a catalogue full of finely crafted moments. And that’s saying something.
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