10 Hard Rock Live Albums You Need To Hear
1. All the World's a Stage - Rush
Rush has built up a reputation as the world's most popular cult band. With some of the most rabid fans in the rock sphere, the band were able to work their prog rock magic for decades regardless of radio play or not. These guys may have left their biggest mark in the studio, but they were absolutely unstoppable when they got in front of an audience.
Coming right after the release of their landmark album 2112, All the World's a Stage shows one of the greatest progressive bands in the world in top form, as they tear through 20 minute pieces without a care in the world. For as much chaos that goes on on their records, it's astonishing to think that these recordings were only done by three people live on stage, from Alex Lifeson's melodic soloing to the precision of Neil Peart's drum solo.
This record also shows a turning point in the band's overall discography. After this record, the band began toying with their sound further in the studio, where they embraced the sound of keyboards and synthetic elements for their later work. Rush definitely had heavier material after All the World's a Stage, but this record shows some of hard rock's most imaginative song crafters at their most raw and unhinged.