Although keyboards dominated
Rush's 1989 double live set
A Show of Hands, it's a definite improvement over its somewhat flat predecessor, 1981 's
Exit...Stage Left. The band's music isn't as
hard rock-based as it previously was, evidenced by the more modern-sounding compositions selected for this third live album (the first
Rush album to be produced completely by the band). The only tracks from the pre-1982 period to be featured are
"Closer to the Heart," which is expanded to include a jamming section at the end, and the spooky
"Witch Hunt," originally from 1981's
Moving Pictures. The remainder of the album's track list is comprised of
Rush's best compositions from 1982-1987, such as
"Subdivisions," "Distant Early Warning," "Force Ten," "Time Stand Still," and
"Red Sector A," as well as several tracks that have been forgotten over time (
"Marathon," "Turn the Page," "Mission," etc.). Also featured for the first time on a live
Rush album is a completely unaccompanied drum solo by
Neil Peart -- the intricate
"Rhythm Method." The inspired
A Show of Hands is an excellent snapshot of
Rush in concert during the mid- to late '80s. ~ Greg Prato