Written by guest reviewer Fumo Verde
In eighth grade, my buddy Chris brought over his Rush tape, Moving Pictures. He wanted me to listen to two songs. One called "Witch Hunt", a dark and spooky number. Since we went to Catholic school and had heard the band was "demonic," we had to listen. The other song was, of course "Tom Sawyer," which immediately turned me on to a sound I had never heard before. I was used to the classics, Hendrix, the Who, Zeppelin, but Rush was a band that took the classic rock sound and energized it, flying off into a different galaxy altogether. Since I first heard that tape, I have been to nine Rush concerts and have more than half of their work on CD, the rest on tape. Rush is the only band that I have seen that many times and will keep seeing, until they decide I won't see them anymore. Hope that never happens.
R30 captures their 30th anniversary tour Rush performed in the summer of 2004, which El Bicho, Captain Petrone, Dr. Smith and myself attended on July 14th, and it was one of the best shows the band has ever done. The first DVD is from their performance at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany, on September 24th, but once it started up, I was transported back to Irvine Meadows or what ever the frack it's called now. The chills started up my back and I found it hard to sit without jumping out of my seat and rocking out in my living room.
The show starts out with a little animation that tours you through the images of Rush album covers, from Rush and 2112 to Roll the Bones and beyond. This trip down memory lane is shown on the wide screen monitors above the stage, but this looks even better on a TV or PC screen. After the cartooning is over, the screen fills with a sleeping Jerry Stiller, who wakes up wondering if had missed the show and is annoyed that they never play “Bangkok.”
Then, electricity fills the air...even in my living room. The band’s entrance starts out with an instrumental medley of early songs, snippets from “Finding My Way,” “Anthem,” “Bastille Day,” “A Passage to Bangkok,” “Cygnus X-1,” and “Hemispheres”. After this 10-minute overture, they break into the heart-stirring "Spirit of the Radio", and the magic at your fingers are created by Alex, Geddy and Neil as they pour out all their energy into songs, such as "Force Ten", "Subdivisions", Red Barchetta" and of course, "Tom Sawyer". Speaking of Neil, it wouldn’t be a Rush show without one of his amazing percussion demonstrations and, as always, he delivers the goods.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Awesome - thanks for the alert - DVR get ready!
2 - Guppusmaximus
El Bicho,
Dude... What a great review!!I watched this DVD at my brother's place.. We should all pay homage to such a brilliant band! Especially one that has been together for 30 years. They inspired me tremendously with "Manhattan Project" and "Ghost of a Chance" and probably inspired the "Original" trio,Cream,to get back together after all these years...
I just found Winamp's Internet Station,"RUSH Radio" and they played "Summertime Blues". What a cool cover.... Anyways, Great Review!!
Cheers...
3 - gonzo marx
LISTEN UP FOLKS!!!
if ever my mad peckings have made you grin, provoked your Ire, made you Think , or forced you to look something up...
do me one Favor...
at least watch and listen to this broadcast on VH-1 Classic
IMO, these 3 men have won the Rock band Contest...for over 30 years they have pursued their Art and the true Objectivist Ethic of Craft
more true living Icons of the principles in the Fountainhead(especially compared to the love struck speed freak who wrote it)...these men have relentlessly pursued the pilgimage of their Art, honing the tools fo their chosen Craft...and earned their "bread" with uncompromising adherence to their Principles
and it's DAMN fine Music too!!
many bands since the creation of electric Music have come and gone....and very few are in this League
no matter what "style" of Music moves you, if you watch and listen, you will be moved inside
they stand as an abject Lesson to the younger generations of what is Possible when you follow your Muse and Work at it
they stand as an abject Lesson to those who have stepped aside and come back, to what they should strive for...having Fun while performing and giving your All to the Audience
they stand as an abject Lesson to us All, for what is Possible in our Lives, when we hold to our Ethic for the sheer Joy of it
they stand as an abject Lesson to any Artist, you CAN create and make your living from the fruit of your Spirit
the times of the shows are listed in the Post, again, i urge you all to try it at my Asking if at all possible
thanks, El Bicho
Excelsior!
4 - Aaman
It's a good band - my *first* rock band
5 - gonzo marx
blast ya Aaman...ya knocked my cogent and colorful commentary, the purple pulsing persnickity prose of my plea, from the fresh comment box!!!
dreck
(no worries, i just can't believe the timing...lol)
Excelsior!
6 - El Bicho
I thank you and Fumo Verde thanks you.
And for those that choose not choose to watch, you still have made a choice.