It was 1989. The mullet was king, synthesizers were everywhere, and Rush was about to drop their third live album. If you grew up in that era, you probably remember the "Hold Your Fire" tour. It was sleek. It was professional. It was also, for many old-school fans, a bit too clean. When the Rush A Show of Hands CD finally hit the shelves, it didn't just document a concert; it captured the peak of the band's "keyboard era."
Some people hated it. Others think it’s the best they ever sounded.
Honestly, the sound of this record is a specific vibe. Unlike All the World's a Stage, which sounds like a sweaty club and a wall of Marshall amps, or Exit... Stage Left, which feels like a perfectly polished museum piece, A Show of Hands is digital. It’s crisp. It’s 1980s technology pushed to the absolute limit. You can hear every single digital delay on Neil Peart’s drums and every shimmering texture on Alex Lifeson’s guitar.
But does it hold up? Or is it just a relic of a time when Geddy Lee spent more time behind a stack of Roland samplers than he did playing the bass?
The Great Sonic Debate: Analog Grit vs. Digital Perfection
When you pop the Rush A Show of Hands CD into a decent player today, the first thing that hits you is the clarity. It was recorded during the 1988 tours in New Orleans, Phoenix, San Diego, and Birmingham (UK). The band worked with Peter Collins, who had produced Power Windows and Hold Your Fire. Collins loved a big, cinematic sound.
The bass is massive.
On tracks like "The Big Money," Geddy’s Wal bass has this "cluck" and "pop" that cuts through everything. It’s a huge departure from the growling Rickenbacker sound of the 70s. For some, this is the biggest sticking point. If you want Rush to sound like a power trio, this album might frustrate you. There are layers here. Sometimes, it feels like there are five people on stage instead of three.
Alex Lifeson’s role on this album is fascinatingly misunderstood. People say he was "buried" by the keys in the late 80s. Listen to "Marathon" on this disc. His solo is soaring. It’s melodic, drenched in chorus and reverb, but it’s undeniably Alex. He wasn't missing; he was just playing a different role, acting more like an atmospheric painter than a riff-heavy lumberjack.
The drum solo, "The Rhythm Method," is a milestone. It’s Neil Peart transitioning into his electronic phase. He was using the MIDI Marimba and those hexagonal Simmons pads. To a modern ear, some of those electronic "bloops" sound a little dated, but the technicality? Unreal. He was reinventing what a drum kit could even be.
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What’s Actually on the Disc?
The tracklist is a time capsule. You get the big hits from the mid-80s, but you also get some deeper cuts that the band eventually stopped playing.
- "Intro" (The Three Stooges theme, obviously)
- "The Big Money"
- "Subdivisions"
- "Marathon"
- "Turn the Page"
- "Manhattan Project"
- "Mission"
- "Distant Early Warning"
- "Mystic Rhythms"
- "Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear)"
- "The Rhythm Method" (Drum Solo)
- "Force Ten"
- "Time Stand Still"
- "Red Sector A"
- "Closer to the Heart"
Notice something? There isn't much from the early days. "Closer to the Heart" is the only real "oldie." This wasn't an accident. Rush was a band that always looked forward, sometimes to the chagrin of people who just wanted to hear "Working Man" for the thousandth time. By 1988, they were proud of their new direction. They wanted to prove that "Subdivisions" and "Manhattan Project" could be just as powerful live as the 20-minute prog epics of the past.
The "Turn the Page" Factor
If there is one reason to own the Rush A Show of Hands CD, it’s the performance of "Turn the Page." This track from Hold Your Fire is a masterclass in bass playing. Geddy is singing lead and playing a complex, driving bass line that most humans couldn't play while sitting down in a quiet room, let alone in front of 15,000 people. The live version on this CD has more energy than the studio cut. It breathes. It proves that despite all the sequencers and technology, they were still a live band at heart.
Why the CD Version Matters More Than the Original Vinyl
Back when this came out, vinyl was dying and CDs were the new "gold standard." Because of the length of the show, the original vinyl release actually had to cut some material to fit the grooves.
The CD version was the way it was meant to be heard.
It allowed for the full dynamic range of the digital recordings. Remember, this was "DDD" (Digital-Digital-Digital) or "ADD" recording—a big selling point in the late 80s. Audiophiles used this disc to test their systems. If your speakers couldn't handle the low-end punch of "Manhattan Project" or the high-end shimmer of "Mystic Rhythms," you needed new speakers.
Critics vs. Fans: The 1989 Reception
At the time, Rolling Stone and other big outlets were kind of lukewarm. They saw Rush as becoming too "pop" or too polished. They missed the rawness. But fans who actually went to the shows felt differently.
For a kid in 1988, seeing Neil Peart's revolving drum riser and the lasers during "2112" (even though only a snippet was played) was a religious experience. The Rush A Show of Hands CD was the souvenir. It didn't need to be raw. It needed to be perfect.
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One common criticism is that the album sounds "too much like the studio versions."
That’s a fair point. Rush prided themselves on reproducing their complex arrangements live. If you’re looking for a band that jams out for 15 minutes and changes the key, you’re looking at the wrong band. Rush was about precision. This CD is the ultimate document of that precision. Every note is exactly where it should be. For some, that’s sterile. For Rush fans, that’s the whole point.
Comparing A Show of Hands to Other Live Releases
To really understand where this fits, you have to look at the "Live Quadrants." Rush famously released a live album after every four studio albums for a long time.
- All the World's a Stage (1976): Raw, loud, heavy, screaming vocals.
- Exit... Stage Left (1981): The "perfect" live album. Very polished, featuring the Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures era.
- A Show of Hands (1989): The synth era. High-tech, clean, sophisticated.
- Different Stages (1998): A return to a heavier, guitar-driven sound.
If you skip the Rush A Show of Hands CD, you miss a huge chunk of the band's evolution. You miss the bridge between the prog-rockers of the 70s and the alternative-tinged rockers they became in the 90s. It’s the sound of a band mastering the tools of the time.
Collectibility and Remasters
If you're looking to buy this today, you have choices. The original 1989 Atlantic/Anthem pressing is easy to find in used bins. It sounds good—a bit quiet by modern "loudness war" standards, but very clear.
Then there’s the 1997 remaster. Part of the "Rush Remasters" series, this one bumped up the volume and cleaned up some of the tape hiss (though there wasn't much to begin with). Most listeners prefer the 1997 version for the car, but the original '89 disc has a bit more "air" in the mix.
There’s also the video version. It’s worth noting that the A Show of Hands concert film has a slightly different feel than the CD. Watching Neil work during "The Rhythm Method" adds a layer of appreciation that you just don't get from the audio alone. But for pure listening, the CD is the way to go.
Common Misconceptions About This Era
People often think this was the "unhappy" era for the band. They assume Alex Lifeson was miserable because of the keyboards. While he has admitted in later interviews (like in the Beyond the Lighted Stage documentary) that he struggled to find his place, the performances on this CD don't sound like a man who gave up.
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His guitar work on "Mission" is some of his most soulful.
Another misconception is that the album is "fake" or heavily overdubbed. While almost all live albums have some touch-ups in the studio, Rush was notorious for doing as little of that as possible. What you hear is mostly what happened on those nights in 1988. The "mistakes" are few because the band practiced like athletes.
Is It Worth Buying in 2026?
Streaming makes everything accessible, sure. But there’s something about owning the physical Rush A Show of Hands CD. The liner notes, the photos of the band with their big 80s hair, the credits listing the massive crew it took to pull off this show—it all adds context.
If you are a bassist, this is an essential textbook.
If you are a drummer, it's a historical document of the electronic percussion revolution.
If you’re just a fan, it’s a nostalgic trip to a time when Rush was the most technically proficient "pop" band on the planet.
The production might scream "1980s," but the musicianship is timeless. Songs like "Subdivisions" have only become more relevant as time goes on. Hearing the crowd roar when the synth intro kicks in—it still gives you chills. It’s the sound of thousands of outsiders feeling like they finally belonged somewhere.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Listening Session
Don't just play this as background noise while you’re doing dishes. It deserves more.
- Use Headphones: The stereo imaging on this CD is incredible. The way the synths pan and the drums move across the soundstage is a treat.
- Check the Bass: If your headphones or speakers have a flat response, you'll hear the intricate "snap" of Geddy’s Wal bass. It’s a very different texture than his usual Fender Jazz sound.
- Listen for the "Witch Hunt" Atmosphere: This live version is arguably better than the studio version on Moving Pictures. It’s darker, moodier, and more menacing.
Moving Forward With Your Collection
If you've already worn out your copy of Moving Pictures and you want to see what else Rush can do, this is your next stop. It’s the best entry point for their 80s catalog.
Next Steps for the Rush Collector:
- Track down an original 1989 pressing if you want to hear the dynamics exactly as they were intended during the initial digital boom.
- Compare the live version of "Middletown Dreams" (if you can find the expanded versions or video) to the studio track; it’s a great example of how they brought "clean" songs to life.
- Listen to this back-to-back with Exit... Stage Left. It’s the best way to hear how much the band changed in just eight years. They went from a hard rock band to a sophisticated, multi-layered art-rock ensemble.
The Rush A Show of Hands CD isn't just an album; it’s a statement of intent. It was the band saying, "This is who we are now." Whether you love the synths or miss the riffs, you have to respect the bravery it took to evolve that much. It’s a brilliant, cold, beautiful, and complex record. Just like the band itself.