Rush R40 LIVE (3CD)

Personnel: Alex Lifeson (vocals, guitar); Geddy Lee (vocals); Neil Peart (drums).Audio Mixer: David Bottrill.Liner Note Author: Philip Wilding.Recording information: Livewire Remote Recorders, Toronto.Illustrator: Hugh Syme.Photographers: Richard Sibbald; John Arrowsmith; Randy Johnson .Recorded and filmed over two (sold-out, of course) evenings at Toronto's Air Canada Centre in the midst of the band's 35-date North American R40 tour, the aptly named R40 Live finds Rush at a crossroads. On the one hand, it's a festive affair that sees the stalwart trio performing a lethal mix of classics, deep cuts, and recent triumphs with the gusto of men many years younger, but that carnival atmosphere is tempered by the fact that after 41 years, the band may be finally exiting stage left. Neil Peart's chronic tendonitis may be the biggest contributing factor to the band's retirement from the road, but one would be hard-pressed to find any flaws in his performance. In fact, R40 Live may be the band'