"So this is where that pigeon thing happened, right? Well I just want to let you know...No matter how many pigeons shit on him (gestures towards Alex) we're not gonna stop.-Geddy Lee 8/22/10 St. Louis MO.
Last night I went to the Rush concert here in St. Louis with my brother Derek and good friend Tim. Also found out another old friend Jim was there too, he called me tonight to see if I'd gone and we caught up a bit which was nice. Anyway, this was my 11th rush show and, though not my favorite, certainly among the best.
In an unusual move, the band is touring without a new CD, although they did play two new songs to whet the appetite of the loyal fan base for next year's new release. So with little new material to focus on, Rush freed themselves up to play whatever they wanted from their 30+years in the business. The tour's name and concept is "The Time Machine", a clever way to mix songs of the present past and future into an entertaining package.
As always, the band were firing on all cylinders last night, proving themselves to be consummate musicians, and making it all look easy. Geddy Lee (bassist, keyboards and vocalist) was in top form. Though his voice is beginning to show its age (can't quite hit all those high notes anymore), it is still quite strong, and his skills as a player are still phenomenal. A very energetic performance from Geddy as well. And then, of course, there is the man widely believed to be the greatest drummer in the world, Neil Peart. Even on a night when Neil's not 100% he's still better than just about anybody else out there. This is arguably the best rhythm section in all of rock (only Baker/Bruce and Entwhistle/Moon come anywhere close).
This leaves the other member of the band, Alex Lifeson is often overshadowed by his band mates, making him one of the most underrated guitarists ever. Alex isn't your standard shredder, but he plays with a lot of heart, and is more about feel and texture than multiple rapid notes. However, when he does let loose it's absolutely fantastic, as anyone who witnessed his solo on show ender "Working Man" last night will confirm.
As for the show, the focus was on Rush's most popular album "Moving Pictures" which they performed front to back. Every song on that record can be considered a classic (even the ones I'm not crazy about). Though for me, the real treats were in the first set when the band played little heard and overlooked gems "Presto", one of my personal faves, and "Marathon". It was also nice to see some songs return to the set that had been given a rest for the past few tours like "Time Stand Siill", "Closer To The Heart" and "Stick It Out". I did think the first set could have flowed a little better, but the songs were all good ones, so no real complaint there.
Visually, this tour is stunning as always. They may have gotten rid of the lasers but the lights, pyro, fire and video all added their own special magic to the evening. Speaking of video, these pieces are getting more and more involved and elaborate each tour. Rush have used video projections for years, but now with two sets a night, they are taking full advantage of the medium. They are even going so far as to make goofy little movies starring the band as different characters, giving the boys a chance to ham it up a little. Sure, it;s kinda silly and they could probably do away with them and play another song or two. But these silly movies make the evening a little more special, and tend to make the audience feel more connected to the band-and that connection is what this whole music thing's about right?
Other than a few sound problems first set (overly tinny, a few slight drop outs) this show was about as close to perfect as you can get. Rush is still one of the best bands going. Can't wait for the new CD and the 2011 tour.
P.S.- To those expecting a dedication post, I'll cover it next time.
-Dave
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