If you were wondering why Rush has not toured with an opening act since 1994's Counterparts tour, it is probably so that they can get away with the marathon three hour shows they have been putting on ever since.
Not that I am complaining though, a three hour Rush concert still goes by entirely too fast for me. Since the members of Rush, Geddy Lee (bass, keyboards, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars, synthesizers), and Neil Peart (drums, percussion), are all now in their mid-50's, they do still need to slip in a 20-minute intermission between each of their 80-minute sets in order to recharge and refuel. Thank God. It also gives us concertgoers time to refuel, and to get rid of all that spent fuel - if you know what I mean.
This year's Snakes & Arrows tour certainly continues the trend. This past June 23 at the Nissan Pavilion - somewhere out in East Bumfuck, Virginia - Rush put on a mesmerizing, three hour, 28-song show that somehow managed to leave me a bigger fan than I already was. At 7:45 PM, with the sun still shining brightly on the amphitheater, a hilarious video intro featuring a couple of Snakes & Arrows
-inspired dream sequences kicked off the show. This would be the first of many used effectively throughout the show.
The first one features Alex abruptly sitting up in bed saying, "Snakes? Who would dream about snakes, that's so creepy. Honey? Honey...wake up. I had the weirdest dream, it was a snake...," and just then you realize that the person laying next to him is actually Neil. Startled, they both scream "Ahhhhhh!" The next sequence features Geddy as he wakes up in a chair groaning, "What did I eat last night?", as an old man dressed in a Scottish kilt, speaking with a thick Scottish accent (played by a barely recognizable Geddy himself), tells him "come on you lazy bastard...the show must go on and that sadly means you! Now wipe that chicken off your face and get up on that stage."
At this point the band is running out on stage and Alex begins firing off the opening guitar lick to "Limelight," but Geddy is momentarily delayed getting out and poor Alex has to stop mid-chord. Based on some of the fan reviews I have read, this is all a staged continuation of the opening video theme, since Geddy is actually pulling off a bib and wiping chicken off his face as he runs out. I think only the orchestra seating was close enough to be in on the joke, because to me it looked like he just came out a few seconds late throwing a towel to his roadie - and I was in section 103. Awesome seats by the way.
![Rush - Replay [3 DVD/CD Box Set]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41S8A-AGrsL._SL120_.jpg)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Isorski
I am glad I wrote my review before I read yours because I may not have bothered! A GREAT write up of the show. I saw the band in Portland last night and you can get my impressions from my review. Long live Rush.
2 - Josef
I wish that I could agree with th review of the Rush Concert tour. This is my 7th time seeing Rush, and had it been the first, it would have most likely been the last. I understand that they are promoting their new album, but it was over played, and so many of Rushes standards were nowhere to be found. Yes, they were as tight as ever, but 9 new songs and the obscure B and C list songs were NOT what I came to hear. Nor was I there for the theatrics of the video show. Nor did they play for 3 hours at the Hollywood Bowl. More like 2:15 with the break, which further led to my disappiontment. I like SOME of the new stuff, but my take on it is that much of the lyrics and melodies seem dark and heavy, definitely not uplifting.
Songs thatI would have liked to hear( how do you go to a Rush concert and not hear a majority of these?):
Working Man
The Trees
Xanadu
La Villa Strangiato
Red Barchetta
2112
The Big Money
The Pass
Scars
Presto
Roll the bones
New World Man
Virtuality
Half the World
Test for Echo
Resist
Time Stands Still
The Analog Kid
Bravado
Show don't Tell
3 - El Bicho
Who goes to seven Rush shows and just wants to hear the greatest hits? That's what their 30 ann shows were for.
4 - Sean
LOL. You talk about wanting to hear the songs that are hits and not B-Sides and C-Sides then post a list of what they should have played?
Scars? LOL that my friend is a C-Side if there ever was one. Virtuality? Half The World? You have to be kidding me. Talk about obscure! Nobody gives a damn about those songs. Roll The Bones has been played every tour since 1991 and it was the least liked of the evening. Bravado has made appearances in the roll the bones show, the counterparts tour, the vapor trails tour, and the r30 tour...they can give that a rest.
Working Man has been played on 11 tours...they can give that one a rest. The Trees is so overplayed it has become annoying.
The setlist is refreshing with Entre Nous, Circumstances, Mission, Digital Man, Between The Wheels, and Witch Hunt. Your idea of a setlist would annoy the bread and butter fans who keep the band alive.
I am with you on one point though. Way too many new songs. I would have capped it at Far Cry, Hope, Malignant Narcissism, The Main Monkey Business, and Spindrift and left it at that. Leaving the remaining 4 of the 9 new song spots for Vital Signs,The Big Money,In The End, and Jacob's Ladder or Double Agent.
As much as I would love to hear more from Grace Under Pressure, Signals, Power Windows, and Presto I think they gave us a great setlist.
Also, I don't know what is wrong with your watch but the band played 2 hours and 28 minutes plus an intermission of 20 minutes.
5 - Paul Roy
I agree with each of your points. Yes, they played way too much Snakes & Arrows, but you've got to respect a band, who are going on 35 years, having that much confidence in their new material. Could you imagine the Stones or Aerosmith, or any other veteran band, getting away with that? I, for one, really appreciated all of the so called B and C sides they played, and would have loved a few more such as Chemistry or The Camera Eye. Oh, and they should just never, ever, skip La Villa Strangiato.
6 - Paul Roy
Thanks Isorski. I posted a comment on the review you did on your excellent blog. Everyone should check it out.
7 - JD Smales
I am only 16 years old an have been listenin to rush sice i was about 13. I am a drummer, and neil is the one who drew me towrds the band. I am seeing rush in septembe intoronto and CANNOT wair. I would love to here all their hits, (2112, Xanadu etc etc.) just ebcause it is mt first tim seeing them alothought i understand why they re changen their setl list up for the long time fans and for a breath of fresh air. For all you who people that are complaining about there new songs being played to much you have to undrstand that the tour is because of the album. All their true fan will apreciate their new material and still enjoy their classics. Just get hammerd and rock out to the music of RUSH.
8 - Isorski
Thanks, Paul! I appreciate it! DJ Eddie Trunk suggested to Alex and Geddy that they do a three night stand somewhere and on the first night they do only 70s era, the second night 80s only, and the third night 90s, Vapor Trails and S&A. What a great flipping idea. What do you think?
9 - Dsybok
Unless you plan to have them play for 12 hours everyone is going to walk out going " why didnt they play this, or that". Hell, you are talking about 30 plus years of studio releases, you could be there a week and not hear all your favorites. I missed 2112 sure, but I got it on the VT tour, Natural Science was a great substitute! The show tonight at the Irvine Meadows was outstanding and one of the best Rush shows I have seen in the 15 years I have been going to see them! I am already looking forward to an R40!
D
10 - Adam Grenberg
A good review... thanks for putting this up. I just saw Rush last night at Irvine Meadows, and it was a good show, but not my favorite. This was the fourth Rush show I've seen (Vapor Trails and R30/Feedback x2 being the previous). My sense of it all is a combination of the two main views expressed here: I liked a lot of the new stuff, but I missed some of the crowd-pleasing favorites and I couldn't as easily relate to the lesser-known (by me anyway) older songs. I can understand why they'd want to play from their new work, and overall I agree with many that their new work is better than, say, the stuff from Vapor Trails, in general, so it was cool to hear it. But the fact that time is limited means you have to give some stuff up, and that's always hard with Rush, since there's too much good stuff to fit it all in, even under the best of circumstances. I like hearing Freewill, which was new for me and is a favorite of mine, but I really missed La Villa Strangiato; I have to agree with the other poster that this one really shouldn't be skipped. But oh well, right? I'll also agree that Geddy's voice was in good shape, at least in terms of hitting those seemingly long-forgotten high notes, so that was a pleasant surprise. At this particular show, though, some of the vocal sound quality wasn't as good as it has been (second set in particular), but I don't know why. Also, the first set was a little slow on action, though the second set returned to a more typical, more lively rendition. In all, it was a good, albeit slightly different Rush show. More mellow, I think. But we have to remember that they're real people, and that means they have their own desires, whims, flubs, etc. I took the show as it came, and I'm glad I went. It's all part of appreciating who these guys really are, and what they're all about as people.
11 - Sean
One more thing to add here, why are they alternating Summertime Blues with Distant Early Warning every other night? Distant belongs in the show every night. Nobody cares about a 40 year old cover song. If anything they need to drop Secret Touch and One Little Victory and replace those with Vital Signs and Double Agent.
12 - Mocman
Will be seeing them tonight at the MGM Grand and will give my thoughts afterwards.
13 - christian
bon voila! se que jen comprend sé que lé opinion son assez partager.. bon voici mon opinion.. sé vrai que le show comporte certain titre quil ne feron plaisir a tout le monde..mais dite vous bien une chose.. rush joue depuis 35 ans lé meme tounes. donc sé normal de lé voir jouer autre chose non??.. pis apres tout vous lé avez vu lé autre toune en show.. donc ayez du respect pour un groupe qui continu a jouer malgrer leur age.. avec tout largent quil on fait depuis toutes sé anné il pourraient aussi bien ne plus en faire.. longue vie a rush
14 - Paul Roy
Yeah, what Christian said.
15 - christian
bah ya toujour ben dé Qc pis dé ontarien qui von finir par comprendre
16 - Dave Slade
A few afterthoughts on the Rush show at The Bowl...The guys sounded great and the visual show was impressive. However, the choice of songs was impotent, and the crowd was sitting 50% of the time and during the encore.
They failed to play Closer To The Heart, which is like Zeppelin not playing Stairway To Heaven. They forgot about playing Red Barchetta, Trees, 2112, Xanadu, or Working Man. The only highlight of the set was A Passage To Bangkok! After paying over $300 for two box seats ($18 parking, $30 for shirt, $56 beers), I felt ripped off. I will not be seeing these guys again. They played hard and long, but they played for themselves....boring...boring...boring!
17 - Mocman
I will not be critical of ther setlist or their theatrics. I have loved Rush since I was 11 years old (1979) and I respect each and every way they make their arrangements. I am a big fan of S&A so I appreciated the 9 new songs that were played. Any way you slice it, these 3 bring to the stage far more than most bands, new and old....musicianship.
18 - Jeff Davis
I haven't seen the show yet, (will on 6-Aug in SLC) but from reading the review and setlist, this is a concert for the true Rush fan. Those who complain about them "not playing the hits" need to stay home and watch their R30 or Rio dvd.... I love Strangiato, The Trees, and Closer To The Heart, but Rush has been playing those songs live on almost every tour. I've been a Rush fan since Permanent Waves and have seen them seven times since 1982 and this concert sounds freekin awesome! Circumstances!?! Entre Nous?!? Digital Man?!? If you aren't completey stoked to see those tunes played live then don't call yourself a serious Rush fan. More like a "fly by night" Rush fan... And I also think it's great they are playing many tracks from S&A. Why live in the past when you can rock in the now?
19 - Nathan Thompson
I have no problem with the set list although their are to songs that I would like to see, but at any rate in my opinion all rush songs are great. I myself only over the last couple of years becoming a big Rush fan and reading up on the history of the band and what have gone through. I'm only 18 and I love rush I have every one of there songs and know song titles better mydad who has been a fan longer than I. I would love to see them in concert, but I don't know if I will be able to, because of trying to get tickets to see them at Red Rocks which Neil has said in his books as one of the best venues they have ever played. I'd like to see faithless and bravest face, but what are you going to do, I don't care what songs they play, they are a great band who have been around for going on 35 years and are still going strong.
20 - MRB2112
Jeff Davis, you are right on: this tour is a true fan favorite.
I saw the shows in Irvine and San Diego, they were awesome. Any REAL Rush fan would freak at the thought of "Entre Nous", "Digital Man" and "Circumstances"!! Wake up. I've been to every show since Hold Your Fire and the last few tours have been the best. 2.5 hours of live Rush and people are complaining? Unreal.
To the kid who's whining about b-sides and new tracks, give it a rest. First of all, your list is silly. "Scars"? They didn't even play that during Presto. "Virtuality"?! That might be the worst Rush song of all time.
I love them playing all the new stuff. Wanna know why? That means they're having fun and enjoying themselves, they're making new, relevant music and want to share it with the fans. The new songs are great and seeing them live makes me appreciate them even more. When have you ever been to a concert where a band doesn't play new material that half the crowd isn't into? Every damn time. It's not a "greatest hits" tour, it's the "snakes and arrows" tour, they're supporting an album. Good lord, I actually have to explain this.
I'd say half of you posters (posers?) don't deserve live Rush. Go home and play your Chronicles cds over and over.