RUSH - Barclays Center 10/22/12 Brooklyn, New York

Rush is not a "Hits" band but an entity in itself and to some like me feel like old friends, What differentiated the set list on this tour from previous tours is that a few "Hits" were saved for the end of the show but the entire first half of the show was comprised of deep cuts (as they say) and album tracks. It was a pleasure to hear songs like "The Manhattan Project", "Force Ten" and "Bravado" performed for the first time in many years.

My first concert ever was Rush on the "Moving Pictures" tour of 1981 at which they performed 6 of the 7 tunes on that record ("Witch Hunt" notwithstanding). Time was allotted during their sets on following tours for the "Hits" and a healthy dose of a track or two off every album from their growing back catalogue that only left room for maybe 4 or 5 songs from the latest release. On the Clockwork Angels tour the setlist is sequenced with 9 songs from their newest album (Only 2 tracks "BU2B" and "Wish Them Well" were left out) which is unprecedented in the most Awesome Way and appreciated since the new record is so strong. Joining the band onstage for this portion was the Clockwork Angels string section, a first.

 

Geddy.



Neil.



Alex.



RUSH AT BARCLAYS CENTER 10/22/12, SETLIST - Subdivisions /The Big Money /Force Ten /Grand Designs /The Body Electric /Territories /The Analog Kid /Bravado /Where's My Thing? /Far Cry /INTERMISSION /Caravan /Clockwork Angels /The Anarchist /Carnies /The Wreckers /Headlong Flight (with drum solo) /Halo Effect /Seven Cities of Gold /The Garden /Manhattan Project /Drum Solo /Red Sector A /YYZ /The Spirit of Radio /ENCORE /Tom Sawyer /2112 Part I: Overture /2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx /2112 Part VII: Grand Finale




Last 2 pics by Jamie.



Overture/Temples Of Syrinx.

THE VIDEOS



I peeked at the setlist so knew when to roll it for "Clockwork Angels"



I'm watching this thinking "WOW, Grace Under Pressure" then thought FILM IT You EEEDIOT !!!



In the 'Clockwork Angels' novel Owen Hardy witnesses a windup Drummer as one of the sideshows in Chronos Square that mechanically flounders ending its solo prematurely, I was pleased to see Neil playing with a CGI windup drummer behind him bringing this scene from the book to life, Neil did not flounder but the backdrop film did. This clip and the next two were taken by Jamie.



YYZ.



The Spirit Of Radio.



Jamies Pics

It was 30 years ago today - RUSH - Moving Pictures Tour Brendan Byrne Arena 12/21/81

Actually Doesnt SUCK

The "Mad Monster Party" style Bat during the opening credits made me smile and there are "inside" jokes aplenty to keep any Music aficionado (Invite me over for some Peanut Brittle) tuned in. Fortunately SUCK does accomplish the job (Vampire Rock Musical Genre) and it really could have gone either way on this one but thankfully this is not a painful flick to view but only succeeds by the skin of its,..... well,.... Teeth.

For anyone with more than a passing interest in musical popular culture of the late 20th century Rob Stefaniuk's vampire film SUCK will seduce you into at least one viewing just on the strength of it's cameo power alone (Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Alex Lifeson, Henry Rollins)

Our Heroes Alice (Tetragrammaton), Iggy (Shaman) and Henry (Stereotyped Buffoon) (Author's Archetypes) All play their roles winningly but as in most things RUSH Alex Lifeson (Ballbreaker) steals the show. There is something undermindingly Hilarious about Alex posing as Canadian Border Patrol (credited as the border guard) through a lens smartly, Heaven Help Us All but especially the Great YYZ North. The Head Vampire and original music in the film tested my patience but Im not here to bitch, just to leave a signpost.

What comes as a surprise is how watchable the film is after seeing the Horrific yet stylized DVD artwork (Packaging Does Matter Peoples!!!) and contemplating the difficult subject matter, YES! The Vampire Rock Musical genre but succeeding in the film in and of itself is the whole Bloody Yet Satisfying Enchilada.



O.K. I know the artwork looks this way on purpose.

RUSH - Time Machine tour 9/3/10 PNC Arts Center - Holmdel, New Jersey

RUSH - A Jew, A Slav & A Canuck Walk Into A Bar - Beyond The Lighted Stage DVD

It was with great Relish and high expectations that I personally (and individually) sat down with before my first viewing of the long overdue and justly deserved Rockumentary concerning the peoples band from the Great White North (none other than our favorite canadian power trio) RUSH. Upon first viewing I was highly entertained and paid very close attention to detail as vintage clips and interviews never before seen flashed before my eyes (a photo of Neil Peart with Peter Criss in Cat makeup 1975! Etcetera!!!) and almost instantly knew that the film makers approached this as a labor of love placing me firmly amongst the RUSH fan that was in for quite the ride.

Whilst meandering a bit much on the early years of the band (as music bio's tend to do) this is still an almost perfect documentary with a winning formula of variety and execution, What was first tried in the wonderful QUEEN-The Magic Years video films and then perfected by the likes of The Beatles (Anthology) and The Who (Amazing Journey) is an MTV style/short attention span singsong editing formula leaving little room for the chaffe but working extremely well in music and movie documentaries where certain portions of a career must be strung together very briefly with a sense of continuity as told in interview and performance clips. Being an Uber-fan I learned very little new information but seeing my heroes praises sung and respected in an honest and non judgmental arena was extremely fulfilling.

A commercial ran (thrice?) during the broadcast advertising the DVD release and to my utter surprise and delight I was overjoyed to see that its coming out TOMORROW !!! More on that in a few hours - 6/29/10 3:41 a.m.



Arrived at Best Buy (Bay Parkway) only to find zero copies of the DVD in the section so approached a staff member to ask him to check their database for a new release music DVD to which the lad replied "Rush?" immediately. I was directed to a new release display where there was 1 copy left of the DVD/t-shirt bundle pack and 2 copies of the DVD, I am curious how many they ordered and was quite surprised that they had run out of stock and on a weekday as well. Got my t-shirt (and in my size) so I cannot complain at all. - 6/29/10 3:14 p.m.

Geddy Lee 1981

My First Concert EVER. RUSH December 21st 1981. Boy was I Impressed.