Rush "Different Stages"

Different Stages is a live album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1998. The bulk of the first and second discs were recorded at the World Amphitheater in suburban Chicago during the 1997 Test for Echo tour, along with three songs from the 1994 Counterparts tour. The third disc is taken from a performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in London during the A Farewell to Kings tour in 1978.

The album was compiled and released by Geddy Lee and Paul Northfield in the wake of the deaths of Neil Peart's daughter in 1997 and first wife in 1998, respectively. Production of the album occurred during Peart's recovery from his loss as chronicled in his book Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, and he was consequently not involved in the production of the album. At the time, Peart had declared to his bandmates that they should "consider [him] retired", leaving Lifeson and Lee facing the possibility of the album being Rush's last. The album is dedicated to the memory of Peart's daughter Selena, who died in a car accident in 1997, and his wife Jacqueline, who died of cancer 10 months later. The text "Suddenly ... You were gone ... from all the lives you left your mark upon. In loving memory of Jackie and Selena", is included in the album's packaging. The lyrics featured are from the song "Afterimage", from Rush's 1984 album Grace Under Pressure.

The Japanese release of Different Stages includes "Force Ten" as a bonus track, and the lyrics for all songs on the album. The initial first pressings contained miniature replica tour booklets from the A Farewell to Kings and Test for Echo tours.

The concert featured on the third disc was released in 2017 in its complete form on the 40th anniversary edition of A Farewell to Kings.

Track listing

All songs written by Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart except where noted.

Disc 1

All songs recorded on June 14, 1997 at the World Music Theatre in Tinley Park, Illinois, except where noted.

1. "Dreamline" – 5:34
2. "Limelight" – 4:32
3. "Driven" – 5:16
4. "Bravado" (recorded on April 30, 1994 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia) – 6:23
5. "Animate" (recorded on June 23, 1997 at Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts) – 6:29
6. "Show Don't Tell" (recorded on February 27, 1994 at the Miami Arena) – 5:29
7. "The Trees" (recorded on May 24, 1997 at the Coca-Cola Starplex Amphitheatre in Dallas) – 5:28
8. "Nobody's Hero" – 5:01
9. "Closer to the Heart" (Lifeson, Lee, Peart, Peter Talbot) – 5:13
10. "2112: Overture" – 4:35
11. "2112: The Temples of Syrinx" – 2:22
12. "2112: Discovery" – 4:19
13. "2112: Presentation" – 3:42
14. "2112: Oracle: The Dream" – 1:51
15. "2112: Soliloquy" – 2:10
16. "2112: Grand Finale" (Instrumental) – 2:37

"2112" was recorded on June 23, 1997 at the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Different Stages is the only Rush live album that contains a full performance of the entire "2112" suite.

Disc 2

All songs recorded on June 14, 1997 at the World Music Theatre except where noted.

1. "Test for Echo" (Lifeson, Lee, Peart, Pye Dubois) – 6:15
2. "The Analog Kid" (recorded on March 22, 1994 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan) – 5:14
3. "Freewill" – 5:36
4. "Roll the Bones" – 5:58
5. "Stick It Out" – 4:42
6. "Resist" (recorded on July 2, 1997 at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto) – 4:27
7. "Leave That Thing Alone" (Instrumental) (Lifeson, Lee) (recorded on June 23, 1997 at Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, Massachusetts) – 4:46
8. "The Rhythm Method (Instrumental) – 1997" (Peart) – 8:19
9. "Natural Science" – 8:05
10. "Force Ten" (Lifeson, Lee, Peart, Pye Dubois) (recorded June 4, 1997 at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati) – 4:54 (Japanese release only)
11. "The Spirit of Radio" – 4:47
12. "Tom Sawyer" (Lifeson, Lee, Peart, Pye Dubois) – 5:18
13. "YYZ" (Lee, Peart) (Instrumental) – 5:25

Disc 3

Recorded on February 20, 1978 in London at the Hammersmith Odeon.

1. "Bastille Day" – 5:07
2. "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" – 4:59
3. "Xanadu" – 12:32
4. "A Farewell to Kings" – 5:53
5. "Something for Nothing" (Lee, Peart) – 4:01
6. "Cygnus X-1" – 10:23
7. "Anthem" – 4:47
8. "Working Man" (Lifeson, Lee) – 4:00
9. "Fly by Night" (Lee, Peart) – 2:04
10. "In the Mood" (Lee) – 3:34
11. "Cinderella Man" (Lee, Lifeson) – 5:09

Track 2 segues directly into track 3, and tracks 8 through 10 are performed as a medley.