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What Did Rush Do at Concerts that Made You Happy?


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Aside from the music being great because it is Rush and the songs selections, what did Rush do that made you love the live experience. Looking for both the big things and the nuances.

 

I think their videos and introductions were always creative and fun.

 

I liked the silly stage props the washers, the rotisserie chickens and even the time machines.

 

Neil's kufi's and tour kit. Rotating stage back in the day,

 

Alex's Hot chicks (barbies) and dinosaurs.

 

In addition to these obvious things what am I missing? I yield to the experts in the room.

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At Sheffield Arena England during the RTB Tour i vividly recall giant shadows of Al and Ged as they playing either side of stage, must've been 30ft high each, have an image of Ged's hair flying around

 

They were pretty cool

Edited by lifeson90
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That point in the darkness when everyone is scrambling to their spots on stage and that first recognizable note...bliss, sweet bliss. heart racing w/ excitement. This, this is where I am supposed to be.

 

The stage props were funny and fun. The dolls w/ the post-its, the ever changing line up of dinosaurs. Dryers and chickens and the ever evolving crew to tend to them. The whole thing felt like we the audience were let in on some personal joke.

 

Geddy and Alex's interaction on the stage...their joking around, they just looked so happy and jovial all the time.

 

Their dance moves...especially during certain songs...

 

The lights...oh lord the lights, from the very beginning (and my first was Moving Pictures). The green lazer beams made to look solid by smoke...just so completely awesome. Over the years the lights evolved...the beams now came in multi-colors, the lights above the stage took on futuristic ufo qualities, but never ceased to delight me.

 

There was always at least one moment in a concert that I'd feel emotionally overwhelmed and driven to tears. Happy tears. Not usually the same song (though sometimes)...it's that moment, that moment of complete happiness that transcends everything else, That's the moment I miss the most.

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That point in the darkness when everyone is scrambling to their spots on stage and that first recognizable note...bliss, sweet bliss. heart racing w/ excitement. This, this is where I am supposed to be.

 

The stage props were funny and fun. The dolls w/ the post-its, the ever changing line up of dinosaurs. Dryers and chickens and the ever evolving crew to tend to them. The whole thing felt like we the audience were let in on some personal joke.

 

Geddy and Alex's interaction on the stage...their joking around, they just looked so happy and jovial all the time.

 

Their dance moves...especially during certain songs...

 

The lights...oh lord the lights, from the very beginning (and my first was Moving Pictures). The green lazer beams made to look solid by smoke...just so completely awesome. Over the years the lights evolved...the beams now came in multi-colors, the lights above the stage took on futuristic ufo qualities, but never ceased to delight me.

 

There was always at least one moment in a concert that I'd feel emotionally overwhelmed and driven to tears. Happy tears. Not usually the same song (though sometimes)...it's that moment, that moment of complete happiness that transcends everything else, That's the moment I miss the most.

Great stuff!
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They showed up. Do you know how many dreams I've had over the years about going to a Rush show and me being late and missing it or they didn't show or showed but had stage problems or didn't really feel like it tonight and just played a couple songs? They always showed up in real life. That made me happy.
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When I saw 'em at The Spectrum in Philadelphia -- it was the day John Bonham died - Sept 25th 1980 -- I was standing on my chair in the 3rd row and I point to Alex as he looks at me - Alex points back and laughs, and he dropped his pick .. He made this great face and just kept going ..

 

I cannot be sure, but something is telling me it was during Beneath, Between & Behind ... I remember him up there having the time of his life that night

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At the beginning of the intermission at 1 of the shows, Geddy said something about going to get some "brain surgery" which just cracked me up because he never said stuff like that.

You just reminded me of Alex's Rants. When I saw them for the Vapor Trails show in Montreal at one point during his rant he said "And now it's time for me to introduce the band, Neil, Geddy, Geddy, Neil." while gesturing to them as he said their names. Edited by snowdogged
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Counterparts Tour, Target Center, Minneapolis. During Roll The Bones, someone through a pair of fuzzy dice (on a string) on stage and it hit Lifeson in the head... and kind of hung there, around his neck for a second or two... he just started laughing. And, so did I. Also, on the Hemispheres Tour, Civic Centre in Ottawa, it was December 21 and their last show before their very short Christmas break. They played and sang "the First Noel"... mainly Neil on his tubular bells. 8,000 people sang along. Everyone was happy... and laughing. Then, they cranked into the encore!!
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I was never a Rush fan growing up, but seeing them in 2007 just for something to do brought unexpected magic into my life at a time when I desperately needed it. I proceeded to see them 23 times between 2007 and 2015, and every single one of those gigs gave me that same feeling.

 

A lot of people criticised Geddy's voice during those years, but his live singing made me incredibly happy. His vocal performances may have often been uneven and seldom technically brilliant, but the passion he put into the effort to sing never failed to move me. And when he did hit the notes, WOW. That made me happy! I adored the ambitiousness of the R40 setlist. I'll freely admit that not all of those choices turned out spectacularly well, but I like to imagine that at least some little part of Geddy was answering the disenchanted parts of the fanbase when he made some of them: "Oh, I can't sing that anymore? WATCH ME." :D :wub: Happy!

 

What else? I haven't got time to spare to write about all the things Rush did at gigs that made me happy, but I will say that the thing that made me absolutely the happiest was the way they showed each other love and respect with subtle glances and gestures in their interactions when they were playing. The love and respect they showed us with the way they gave their all to each performance no matter what seen or unseen conditions existed, that was pretty darned wonderful too.

 

I will miss them forever :yes:

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"We've got a million songs to play for you tonight..."

 

Whenever Alex hit that first long sustained note to start the Limelight solo...particularly at outdoor shows on sultry summer nights.

 

The jam in the middle of Subdivisions. There's a jam in the middle of every song, but something about Subdivisions...

 

Wondering if Ged would hit all the notes during YYZ, and he always did.

 

The electronic choir during the outro of Marathon.

 

When Alex and Ged split in different directions when the drum solo starts.

 

The laser fan effect during La Villa Strangiato.

 

The sheer and utter power of Between the Wheels.

 

"We hope to see you soon sometime down the road...good night!" Ged never said goodbye, just, see ya next time...

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There was always at least one moment in a concert that I'd feel emotionally overwhelmed and driven to tears. Happy tears. Not usually the same song (though sometimes)...it's that moment, that moment of complete happiness that transcends everything else, That's the moment I miss the most.

:goodone:

 

 

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