Actually benefits from some EQ tweaking
Um but ISN'T THAT THE JOB OF THE ENGINEER?!?!

Insane performance. Insane Brazilians. What else can you expect?

GREAT BAND, UNFORGIVABLY AWFUL SOUND!
Atrocious recording of what should have been a stellar representation of Rush's triumphant return in 2002. People are not exaggerating when they say this is a horrible recording. I love this band dearly but can't bring myself to listen to this album after many attempts at trying to get into it. It literally hurts my ears. The band actually listened to all the complaints about Rush in Rio and R30 (their next live recording release) is miles improved with Richard Chycki at the helm. Skip this one and wait for Snakes and Arrows Live 2007, which comes out in April 2008.

An incredible experience
I have never purchased a live album as they just don't trip my trigger. Be it the 15 minute guitar solo in the middle of my favorite song, or the completely different sound than the album version, they have always left me cold.

Throw all of that out the window with Rush in Rio. This is an incredible CD and it flows with an energy unlike any other album I've ever heard. All it will take to prompt you to purchase this is the track "Driven". I heard this track on Pandora (and of course on Test For Echo) and was hooked.

The only drawback is the lack of "Subdivisions", but that's a personal preference.

Reward yourself, and your CD collection, and pick up Rush in Rio---you won't be disappointed!

Another superb live gem from Rush which is superb
Rush's 22nd album (not counting compilations) Rush In Rio was released in October of 2003 and was Rush's fifth live album.
First there was All The World's A Stage with a raw sound (1976), then Exit...Stage Left which was slightly polished (1981), followed by A Show Of Hands which was extremely polished (1989), and finally the excellent Different Stages (1998).
The thing all these aforementioned live albums had in common was that they were released at the end of the band's different phases, taking place at four albums apart each. Then comes Rush in Rio, many fans have whined and cried like babies and complained about another live album especially right after Different Stages was released.
Many griped that the live album was too raw for their own blood, if you want doctored live albums buy KISS' Alive discs and/or Duran Duran's Arena, Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous (all are studio albums with crowd noises).
Sound quality issues aside, Rush in Rio easily has the best setlist of all of the five Rush live albums without question. With the exception of Caress Of Steel (1975) and Hold Your Fire (1987), every album shows for at least one song somewhere in the performance.
The songs were well picked too. Of course you've got the band's big hits like "Tom Sawyer", "The Spirit of Radio", "Closer to the Heart" (which was not played on the whole tour save the shows in Brazil) and many others but I was glad to see songs like "New World Man", "The Pass", "Between Sun and Moon" and "Vital Signs" (these aforementioned tracks have not ever appeared on a live album until Rush in Rio). There's also songs from Vapor Trails (2002), many of which have added guitar solos and sound MUCH better live "Earthshine", "One Little Victory", "Ghost Rider" and "Secret Touch". The aformentioned "O Baterista" (a/k/a The Rhythm Method) is a classic Neil drum solo, comprising of parts of The Rhythm Method, and the drumming parts of Driven and Scars.
"2112" isn't the full version like on Different Stages, but it has the two key sections the Overture and Temples of Syrinx. "La Villa Strangiato" was awesome as well with Alex's humorous rant. I also love the "By-Tor"/"Cygnus"/"Working Man" medley that ends the Rio portion of the album (Between Sun and Moon and Vital Signs were from other shows on the US leg and are the bonuses not on the DVD whilst the DVD has bonus video features).
I forgot to buy this album on CD the day it came out as The Eagles' two CD Very Best of the Eagles and Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii The Director's Cut DVD was released the same day. It wasn't until my 28th birthday in January of 2004 that I got this album and was well worth the wait for me getting this album as it is Rush's best live album after Different Stages.
The album was Rush's first Gold album since Different Stages as the fans liked the live material moreso than the studio version of Vapor Trails.
Highly recommended!

Good song list, Not so good song sound
Even after reading all of the reviews talking about how so-so the sound was I decided to buy the cd anyway. It took me a while to decide how to really describe the quality of the album, so here goes. It sounds like your friend went to a Rush concert and had pretty good seats close to the stage. During the concert he calls you on a cell phone to let you hear what it sounds like to be there. Put that on a cd and you have it. You can kind of understand the lyrics on some of the tracks when the crowd is singing along. Otherwise, it is a lot drums, guitars, crowd cheering, and an occasionally audible singer.