RUSH
Stadthalle
Offenbach, DEU
1979-05-28

(SPEED-CORRECTED VERSION OF "Universe Divided" [ Source release bookmark: http://www.digitalrushexperience.com/database/review.php?RecordingID=1859 ])

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Disc 1 track listing (initial run time 57:56; revised run time 58:45):
1. Anthem (04:08)
2. A Passage to Bangkok (03:58)
3. By-Tor and the Snow Dog (05:41)
4. Xanadu (12:28)
5. The Trees (05:16)
6. Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres (19:50)
7. Closer to the Heart (03:17)
8. Something for Nothing (04:01)++

Disc 2 track listing (initial run time 58:06; revised run time 58:21):
1. A Farewell to Kings (05:38)
2. La Villa Strangiato (10:34)
3. 2112 (19:49)
4. Working Man (03:37)
5. Bastille Day (01:44)
6. In the Mood (02:44)
7. drum solo (05:12)
8. Cygnus X-1 (08:57)++

++: Likely from different gig(s) (Pinkpop and/or Cobo Hall?); see original PRRP production notes. Included here to present complete release in pitch-corrected edition.


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line-up:
Geddy Lee�lead vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizers
Alex Lifeson�guitar, backing vocals
Neil Peart�drums, percussion

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CD-R -> .wav -> Nero Wave Editor (pitch correction, indexing) -> .wav -> TLH (SB alignment) -> .FLAC

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An otherwise terrific soundboard from the Hemispheres tour, PRRP's "Universe Divided" production, despite its documented efforts at speed correction, is PLAGUED by pitch issues throughout. Using a free tuning app, I compared against studio references to measure what I was hearing going on in "UD" and discovered in short order that there was no easy diagnosis to the pitch problem! I spent many hours combing through the recording and found that while certain individual songs ran only slightly (8 cents) and consistently slow, others ran more audibly slow (24 cents), others (23, 39, 54 cents) fast; and a good chunk of the songs had a range of deviations within each. "Hemispheres," the biggest offender, started off at about 64 cents above pitch and ended at 14 cents below pitch...a BIG shift which required at least 9 different rates of correction to straighten out! I've since given this rework a number of listens, and while a few small "wobbly" (but not glaring) areas remain, they're not consistent enough within their brief durations that I could meaningfully remedy them. I applied a global 1dB boost to everything except the last track of disc 2 (to even out the apparent volume more closely, to my ears), but took no other liberties with the PRRP sonics. All respect and praise to everyone who had a hand in initially bringing the concert capture to Rush fans! I humbly offer up a speed-(much closer to) corrected version for your enjoyment!