RUSH - Clockwork Angels DVD Screening 11/18/13 AMC 25 Theater - Times Square, New York City

On the eve of the DVD release of the "Clockwork Angels Tour" Fandango Tickets gave us an opportunity to attend a screening at select theaters across the country of the concert film. I arrived one minute late due to technical difficulties retrieving my ticket from the AMC ticket machine and the screening had already begun at seven p.m. sharp with no coming attractions. 

The film began with the Watchmaker intro film and then onto "Caravan" as I thought to myself but "Subdivisions" was the opening number, I quickly surmised they were screening set 2 of the show which took place after intermission at the actual performances and made sense as the second portion of the concert and promised "tour documentary" would be a 2 hour experience all its own and give the attendees something to look forward to as we would be getting the complete DVDs on the very next day. I have read conflicting reports concerning the sound quality at these screenings but that is down to each theaters acoustics and speaker systems (more on that below). AMC 25 has a superb audio system and crystal clear projection system at least in theater 17, to get a little technical here there were High Highs and Low Lows and the decibel levels were just right, no audience members yelling "Louder Please" in this crowd.

The photos here were taken off the "movie screen" with an iPhone 4 (flash off), and here's a nice pic of Geddy. AMC 25 was nicely filled to about half capacity with the audience in rapt attention, we cheered at the end of most songs and laughed during the watchmaker films (the intro film opened the show and "Office of the Watchmaker" closed the concert portion) and at the appropriate moments in the tour documentary which was shown afterwards as a nice extra. There was certainly a friendly buzz and excitement in the air as will be common in a room full of RUSH fans and the adoration we all have for our favorite Canadian trio made for the most comfortable viewing experience.

There is currently an unrelated film called "Rush" out and whomever programmed the marquee for theater 17 dropped the ball on this one, I doubt if most even noticed and being the good natured goofballs (no offense to the serious minded fans) that make up a large portion of the RUSH community we would only find this humorous, I certainly did.

I was the last one out of the theater as I wanted this photo op, well here it is. Some theater seats and projector glow.

Earlier in this post I had mentioned the individuality of in-house audio and projection systems inherent to each movie house and room and this goes without saying. I did not notice if this was played back in 5.1 surround yet I am sure it was, the audience was too busy enjoying the intense performance and were not there for a "Dolby" demonstration. Some years back I attended a screening of the T. Rex concert film "Born To Boogie" which had been remastered into 5.1 and after its conclusion Producer Tony Visconti was on hand for a Q & A and began by stressing that "If you get a chance you must hear this in five one, I think what we just got was two one", this was completely good natured and most endearing but just goes to show that all theaters are not equal.

I think that these one-off DVD screenings are a great opportunity to see this footage for those of us without a private screening room in our homes and I applaud whomever came up with the idea. It has always struck me that these would be great events to sell the actual DVD at but most are premiered before release date and that might tip the "soundscan" video sales chart ever so slightly. Virgin Megastore did set up a merchandise table of CDs/DVDs and the "RIO" DVD at the screening for "RUSH IN RIO" in 2003 but that was in agreement with Atlantic Records. The WEA (Warner Elektra Atlantic) rep came to my job at around 7 that night and handed me a promo copy of the DVD, I was so grateful and said "Thank you so much" to which he replied "you never ask for anything".

Upon arrival in Times Square off the D train and headed for AMC 25. 

I think Mickey is going through that young woman's purse.

Elmo and Cookie Monster lament that they missed the Clockwork Angels screening, too bad they had to work, the watchmaker is also a taskmaster.

Filmed off the screen.

RUSH OFFICIAL WEBSITE

RUSH IS A BAND BLOG

Neil Peart - Taking Center Stage DVD

Electric Light Orchestra - Live/The Early Years DVD

It becomes easy to lose sight that ELO at the heart of it is a simple Rock and Roll band (albeit flavored with violin, Moog synthesizer and 2 cello's) due to the fact of the lush orchestration and attention to detail that Jeff Lynne productions have taken on (and which is why we love them so much) once he was afforded the time needed to exercise perfection.

The band is completely on the money but in very much the Chuck Berry meets Beethoven strain that they created as a group just prior to "A New World Record", Due to copyright terms (I guess Eagle Vision didnt want to spend the extra money) the U.S. release of the ELO Live DVD omits 2 performances of "Roll Over Beethoven" and 1 "Day Tripper" which would have cemented the Berry Beethoven link even further. Great to see the band Rocking Out before things became grander on all scales and I am hoping we get to see some more of post 1976 ELO on video in the future being a fan of the Grand Scale works as well.

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.