Comments
and Reviews:

Taken from the Rush CD Bootleg Listing:

I wasn’t expecting much from this CD. The previous "Power Windows" boot I had reviewed left a lot to be desired. But this CD is extraordinary - I couldn’t believe my ears! The only bad thing about it is that it’s one disc. The date should be correct -- Geddy mentions that it’s their second night in Philly, and based on the tour dates listing, the 16th was their second night (please correct me if I’m wrong). The sound is obviously exceptional. Every instrument is clear, precise, and even in stereo! Even the wind chimes come through perfectly. This was recorded either directly from a master tape, or from a tape that recorded this concert directly off the radio.  The only glitch I noticed was a splice during "Red Sector A," and then I had to listen to it twice, it was done so well. The cut occurs during the middle section of the song and is hard to spot sound-wise, but easy to hear if you know what to expect in the song. Some highlights: listen to the end of "New World Man" to hear Geddy go off; the version of "Territories" done is amazing; and we can’t forget the ever-present screaming fans, yelling for their favorite song (although I can’t make out what it is). "YYZ" is part of the last track, and is tastefully faded out after about a minute. How come all the best sounding boots have such lousy packaging? This is the standard inset, no booklet deal. The pictures at least are from the correct tour, one of each member (Geddy has the honor of gracing the cover). The songs are also labeled correctly in the correct order. Honestly I didn’t want this CD to end, one of the best I’ve heard in a long time! Someone should grab up those tapes and press the whole concert with a nice booklet to go along with it, and they’d have a real winner on their hands! Highly recommended.

Taken from the Rush Trading Register:

A lot has been written about this excellent CD boot from the Power Windows Tour, but in the wave of enthusiasm that has greeted this offering, I feel that maybe people haven't been listening too hard.  Now don't get me wrong, this is an absolute Rush MUST for any collector / fan. It's a soundboard recording of the highest (boot) quality and the track listing, although on part of the show, is superb.  Middletown Dreams for example stands out as a personal favorite which is odd because it was never so on the original Power Windows album. But live it really rocks. It's one of those classic Rush tracks which once you get in your head, keeps on coming back. - "they live in Middletown..." - I love it.  No, my only concern is the very poor level of Alex's guitar. On The Spirit of Radio (first track) for example he is very low in the mix and things only improve slightly later on.  On a first listen it's not that noticeable, like I said the enthusiasm of getting something of this quality from the Power Windows 86 tour somewhat overtakes, but on further listens it can be annoying.  So how does Mystic Dreams rate?  Well although it's a soundboard recording I have to give it only a 9 out of 10.  I like Alex and it's nice to hear him!

Taken from Ron's ROIO Rush Review:

This show made me remember why the Power Windows Tour was my favorite of all the Rush concerts I’ve seen. A true gem, unfortunately not the entire concert, but it does feature the staples of that tour. What really makes this show interesting is the use of some alternate keyboard lines, most notably on "Closer To The Heart." I can say definitively that this show is on my list of the top 5 best-sounding Rush ROIOs. It sounds like a direct soundboard feed, as the overall mix is a bit dry, lacking ambient hall reverberation.  The bass line is especially audible, somewhat of a rarity on Rush ROIOs. The only slam is the small skip in "Red Sector A" and the fade out in "YYZ." But even those don’t significantly detract from the overall package. If you don’t have this one, get it!

Bill Girton:

This is an excellent soundboard recording. Everything comes through crystal clear. Definitely the best Power Windows show out there.  Actually, many people feel this is the best Rush show available.  The only disappointment is that it is not the entire show.  Other than that it is a excellent recording.  There is a slight splice in Red Sector A. It is VERY hard to detect and does not interrupt the flow of the song.

Nate Hertzog:

This is one great sounding show.  Knowing how few recordings exist from the Power Windows tour, coupled with the great sound, make this boot a real gem.  It's not without its flaws, though.  During the first few tracks, Alex is hard to hear, but it gets better once the sound man turns him up.  I think the keyboards sound a little cheesy especially during Subdivisions, plus I never was a real big fan of Geddy's Steinberger, but the recording isn't to blame for these.  I guess when the recording is especially clear, you notice more little things like this.

Ben's Notes:

Definitely the best example of a soundboard recording! All of the instruments are waaay up front and the crowd is waaay in the back!  Problems? Only that the whole show isn't here, other than that, the sound doesn't get much better than this!  Oh yeah there are the weird things you hear on a soundboard recording, but realize that the sound isn't being mixed for a recording, it's being mixed for the hall and just being recorded off the mixing desk. The funny stuff is hearing Neil "warming up" during the 3 Stooges intro , just getting the wrists loose!  If you want to hear Neil up close and personal, this is the best way! No processing just pure clean signal! This is definitely worth your while as no Rush boot collection is complete without it! (now if someone could come up with the second half of the show!!!!!)