All The World’s A Stage

September 1976 . 1st Live Release

2112 1976 A Farewell to Kings 1977

About All The World’s A Stage

All The World’s A Stage, Rush’s first live release, was recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto on June 11-13, 1976 during their 2112 tour (see Geddy talk about attending his first show at Massey Hall and the importance of the venue to the city). The two-record set presented the band’s hour-and-a-half headlining show in its entirety, a show that featured material from its first four Mercury releases: Rush, Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, and 2112 (the performance of “2112” omits the “Discovery” and “Oracle: The Dream” sections of the studio recording.)

During an interview in 1976, Neil said,

“When we play a piece live, we add all our little quirks to it. It grows; our older material shows a remarkable progression. Some of the old songs have developed until they’re superior to the originals. This gives us a chance to bring them up to date. We always felt there was something happening live that didn’t come across on record. Now we have the opportunity to capture that essence of the band.” – Neil Peart, 1976

 

 

  • Credits
  • Liner Notes
  • Awards/Chart Positions

Credits

Produced by

Rush and Terry Brown

Recording Engineer

Terry Brown

Executive production

Moon Records

Graphics

Hugh Syme

Photography

David Street

Remastered by

Bob Ludwig and Brian Lee
Gateway Mastering Studios
Portland, Maine

Liner Notes

Neil Peart – percussion
Alex Lifeson – guitars
Geddy Lee – bass and vocals


Recorded at Massey Hall
Toronto
June 11, 12, 13, 1976

Recorded by the Fedco Mobile Unit
Mixed at Toronto Sound Studios
Toronto, Canada
Tape operator – Ken Morris


 The Show

Roadmaster and stage lighting director: Howard (Herns) Ungerleider
Concert sound engineer and centre stage technician: Major Ian Grandy
Stage right technician – Liam (Leebee) Birt
Stage left technician – Skip (Slider) Gildersleeve
Concert sound: National Sound Inc. – Tom (Joe) Linthicum, Julian (Julio) Wilkes, Jim (Bozo) Swartz, Mike (Lurch) Hirsch
Concert lighting: Atlantis Systems  – Tim Pace, Tom (Domenic) D’Ambrosia, Mark (Angelo) Cherry
Concert Presentation: CHUM FM and Martin Onrot
Booking Agencies: ICM (International Creative Management)  – Responsible agent – Greg McCutcheon; Canada –  Music Shoppe International, Responsible agent – Doug Brown
Personal Management – Ray Danniels and Vic Wilson


A personal thank you to good times on the road, to the cities and people of Seattle, Portland, San Antonio, Cleveland, Detroit, and (of course) Toronto. Also to Larry Bailey, Rick Ringer, Shelley Grafman, Steve Sybesma and Sunshine, Windy City, Joe Anthony, Lou Roney, Mel Sharp, Charlie Applegate, Roger and Ginny Sayles, Jim and Julie Stritmatter, Uncle Cliff Burnstein, Mike Bone, Jim Taylor, Peter Talbot and the Vashon Islanders, Steve Shutt, Rod Serling, Rhonda Ross, The Sunset Marquis, June and Ward Cleaver, The Sleeping Broon, Miss Anne, The Bag, The Lizzies, Chivas Regal, Tennis, Dead Fly Cookies, and Becker’s Chocolate Milk.

Also thanks to Walt Johnston and Gibson Guitars for musical instrument contributions.

This album consists of the show which we brought to you during our North American Tours of 1976. It is an anthology of what we feel to be the high points of our concerts and recordings up to this time. It is not perfect, but it is faithful to us and to you. We have tried to strike a careful balance between perfection and authenticity, and to create a finished work that you may enjoy, and we may be proud of. This album to us, signifies the end of the beginning, a milestone to mark the close of chapter one, in the annals of Rush.

To all our friends everywhere, we we thank you for your friendship and support, and wish you success in all your aspirations.


© 1976 Mercury Records
© 1976 Anthem Entertainment

Awards

Certified Gold by RIAA
November 16, 1977
Certified Platinum by RIAA
March 4, 1981

Bastille Day

Music: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
Lyrics: Neil Peart

There’s no bread let them eat cake
There’s no end to what they’ll take
Flaunt the fruits of noble birth
Wash the salt into the earth
But they’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Free the dungeons of the innocent
The king will kneel, and let his kingdom rise

Bloodstained velvet, dirty lace
Naked fear on every face
See them bow their heads to die
As we would bow as they rode by

And we’re marching to Bastille Day
La guillotine will claim her bloody prize
Sing, o choirs of cacophony
The king has kneeled, to let his kingdom rise.

Lessons taught, but never learned
All around us anger burns
Guide the future by the past
Long ago the mould was cast

For they marched up to Bastille Day
La guillotine – claimed her bloody prize
Hear the echoes of the centuries
Power isn’t all that money buys