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Let's Face It ... The First Set Sucks


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Saw both Toronto shows. Was really drunk for the Amphitheatre Show, but really wondered why the next day I couldn't remember anything for the show except Time Stand Still. I was more sober for the 2nd show but I realized then why I didn't remember most of the first show - the first set is totally forgettable.

 

This was my 8th tour and (aside from the Moving Pictures set) for me this was the only tour where a large portion of the show's set list was quite noticeably sub par.

 

Let's review:

 

- The Spirit of Radio - with concerts, I love surprises. I don't want to know anything about a concert before I go to it! I love the thrill of hearing a totally unexpected old classic and then getting right into the groove (Digital Man was like that for me on the last tour).

 

Spirit Of Radio is such an obvious, hackneyed opener. Playing this first is totally blowing your wad in the first 30 seconds. It's opened their shows before, and there was no surprise at all here, considering that unfunny, overlong intro film alluded to it so heavily.

 

(BTW: best concert intro ever - the Thus Spake Zarathustra 2001-ish intro on the Counterparts tour. Spectacular start to a show for a great album!)

 

- Time Stand Still - aRgH! Hold Your Fire would be an unblemished masterpiece were it not for this turkey and Mission, yet we've had to endure BOTH songs on the past 2 tours. Whereas total masterpieces from HYF like Second Nature and High Water have NEVER been played live EVER!

 

- Presto - the one shining star in the pre-intermission first set. Although I wish Alex had been swapping between the Ovation acoustic and the electric guitar as he did in Closer To The Heart during ASOH instead of playing faux acoustic on his electric. I think it would have sounded quite a bit better.

 

Stick It Out - I know where they should stick this one...

 

Workin' Them Angels - of all the songs you could play ... on a retrospective tour ... and they chose THIS????? This song just plain sucks. Can anyone tell really tell me they're still listening to S&A with any regularity since it came out??

 

Leave That Thing Alone - I wish they HAD left it alone. For me, the least interesting Rush instrumental ever.

 

Faithless - exactly how I was feeling at this point in the show

 

BU2B - not bad - but again .... of all the songs you COULD play .... ???????

 

Freewill - way too overplayed on too many tours (plus overplayed on the radio)!

 

Marathon - very nice to hear again - but what about all these other gems from PW very few of us have ever heard live? Such as Grand Designs or Middletown Dreams ... if they had done Emotion Detector I would have gone into orbit!

 

Subdivisions - way too overplayed on too many tours!

 

 

The thing that really disappointed me about this show was how many albums were not represented at all in the entire show, and yet this is a "Time Machine tour" where we're hearing 3 songs from S&A and 2 new singles! That's a full 20% of the entire concert from the 2 newest studio albums of 20 studio albums total!

 

Yet ZERO songs from GUP, TFE or RTB, only tired old Subdivisions from Signals, and only tired old Closer To the Heart from AFTK (even the band said they stopped playing it because they got "sick of it"),

 

We can all argue endlessly about what they should or shouldn't play, and to each his own, but I think I can say one thing for sure: not much imagination went into the song choices. There are SO many songs little or never played live from all previous albums, most any of which would have (if nothing else) piqued my interest for being novel due to being played and heard live for the first time. That's the sort of thing that's sustained my interest at Rush shows over the years - Circumstances did that especially on the last tour. To me, that's a real trip down memory lane - THAT is a time machine.

 

PS What happened to Jacob's Ladder? Was really looking forward to that one!

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I am confident that will see a more interesting set list after the completion of the Clockwork Angels.

 

Hope they bring back Armor and Sword...

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QUOTE (Necromancer23 @ Jul 20 2010, 08:14 PM)
Leave That Thing Alone - I wish they HAD left it alone.  For me, the least interesting Rush instrumental ever.

wacko.gif I think you forgot 'Where's My Thing'. I do agree on a few others you mentioned though.

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QUOTE (RUDT @ Jul 20 2010, 05:32 AM)
I am confident that will see a more interesting set list after the completion of the Clockwork Angels.

Hope they bring back Armor and Sword...

i'm not. it's all hype and rumors until you actually see the setlist. i can see it now for the clockwork tour. alex and the boys will be saying something like, we had a long sit down together or spent a weekend at neil's house and we decided we're really going to go where we've never gone before or shake things up. laugh.gif

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Thank you for the "setlist sucks" talking points. Whew. I almost forgot about them. I also went through the initial disappointment of the setlist when it was revealed. Now I have to wait to see it in person. I can't wait!

 

Oh yeah, "Workin' Them Angels" is a fantastic song. And I still listen to Snakes & Arrows. It's a pretty good album.

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I guess you should just stay home next time and get drunk on cheaper beer. Save your seat for someone that will enjoy the show.

 

 

I don't get the people who b**ch about the set list, then spend their money and still go to the show. Suppose you hate spinach, but you know a restaurant is serving spinach but you still go to the restaurant and b**ch about the spinach. wacko.gif

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QUOTE (Necromancer23 @ Jul 20 2010, 03:14 AM)
Saw both Toronto shows. Was really drunk for the Amphitheatre Show, but really wondered why the next day I couldn't remember anything for the show except Time Stand Still. I was more sober for the 2nd show but I realized then why I didn't remember most of the first show - the first set is totally forgettable.

This was my 8th tour and (aside from the Moving Pictures set) for me this was the only tour where a large portion of the show's set list was quite noticeably sub par.

Let's review:

- The Spirit of Radio - with concerts, I love surprises. I don't want to know anything about a concert before I go to it! I love the thrill of hearing a totally unexpected old classic and then getting right into the groove (Digital Man was like that for me on the last tour).

Spirit Of Radio is such an obvious, hackneyed opener. Playing this first is totally blowing your wad in the first 30 seconds. It's opened their shows before, and there was no surprise at all here, considering that unfunny, overlong intro film alluded to it so heavily.

(BTW: best concert intro ever - the Thus Spake Zarathustra 2001-ish intro on the Counterparts tour. Spectacular start to a show for a great album!)

- Time Stand Still - aRgH! Hold Your Fire would be an unblemished masterpiece were it not for this turkey and Mission, yet we've had to endure BOTH songs on the past 2 tours. Whereas total masterpieces from HYF like Second Nature and High Water have NEVER been played live EVER!

- Presto - the one shining star in the pre-intermission first set. Although I wish Alex had been swapping between the Ovation acoustic and the electric guitar as he did in Closer To The Heart during ASOH instead of playing faux acoustic on his electric. I think it would have sounded quite a bit better.

Stick It Out - I know where they should stick this one...

Workin' Them Angels - of all the songs you could play ... on a retrospective tour ... and they chose THIS????? This song just plain sucks. Can anyone tell really tell me they're still listening to S&A with any regularity since it came out??

Leave That Thing Alone - I wish they HAD left it alone. For me, the least interesting Rush instrumental ever.

Faithless - exactly how I was feeling at this point in the show

BU2B - not bad - but again .... of all the songs you COULD play .... ???????

Freewill - way too overplayed on too many tours (plus overplayed on the radio)!

Marathon - very nice to hear again - but what about all these other gems from PW very few of us have ever heard live? Such as Grand Designs or Middletown Dreams ... if they had done Emotion Detector I would have gone into orbit!

Subdivisions - way too overplayed on too many tours!


The thing that really disappointed me about this show was how many albums were not represented at all in the entire show, and yet this is a "Time Machine tour" where we're hearing 3 songs from S&A and 2 new singles! That's a full 20% of the entire concert from the 2 newest studio albums of 20 studio albums total!

Yet ZERO songs from GUP, TFE or RTB, only tired old Subdivisions from Signals, and only tired old Closer To the Heart from AFTK (even the band said they stopped playing it because they got "sick of it"),

We can all argue endlessly about what they should or shouldn't play, and to each his own, but I think I can say one thing for sure: not much imagination went into the song choices. There are SO many songs little or never played live from all previous albums, most any of which would have (if nothing else) piqued my interest for being novel due to being played and heard live for the first time. That's the sort of thing that's sustained my interest at Rush shows over the years - Circumstances did that especially on the last tour. To me, that's a real trip down memory lane - THAT is a time machine.

PS What happened to Jacob's Ladder? Was really looking forward to that one!

I hear Justin Beiber is looking for new fans...might want to jump on over to his wagon...that kid rocks! (note sarcastic tone)... Get over it people and be thankful we are still getting to see the boys live. The setlist is fine.

 

1022.gif

 

 

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The OP really leaves himself open for more criticism then said concert. One could start with the "really drunk" comment and go from there. However, I will pass this by and simply shake my head and laugh. That is all the post is worth.

 

2.gif

Edited by drgrendel
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Let's face it, I think you suck! You aging, middle aged, talentless, balding, uninspiring, shawdow of your former self which wasn't much to start with!

 

Go see Madonna or Lady Gaga I'm sure their set lists will be much better and enjoyable to a U2 loving smuck like yourself!

 

admin.gif

 

I'll kill you!

Edited by losingit2k
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cool10.gif

 

Boy oh boy...where to begin with this mess of a post!?

 

I'm all for one's opinion, but wow...you are clearly off your rocker (and I mean that in the most respectful way).

 

You bash practically every song in the first set...including questioning why BU2B was played. Hello...this is new material. It was a well-known fact that they would play it, and it kicked ass BTW.

 

Also, who gives a shit how many times Freewill is played?! It kicks f'n ass every time, and was easily the highlight for me yet again. I could hear that bridge over and over and it wouldn't bother me one bit. It is a flawless song.

 

I'm sorry, but overall, this set was great. A nice mix...it felt fresh and new, and it felt like a nice change of pace from previous sets.

 

Now...don't get me wrong. I do agree with some of your points regarding them playing some gems (like Emotion Detector), as well as missing some classic albums (like GUP and CoS). You are absolutely right there...but unfortunately with only 3 hours, and especially when playing MP in full, it is tough to find time to fit everything in.

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There's some good songs in the first set; it's a little extreme to say "it sucks."

 

But I am much more interested in the second set, which looks much better than the first.

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QUOTE (Modest Man From Mandrake @ Jul 20 2010, 05:52 AM)
I completely loved the show. Too bad it sucked for you.


Same here man.. trink39.gif 1287.gif

 

and where is your SPOILER warning????

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Go to their next concert, stand outside the gate and hold up a sign that says "Set list sucks".

 

 

Then get prepared to be trampled by 15000 people that want to see and enjoy the show.

 

 

If you really have a pair atickhum.gif , then you'd do this...not just b**ch about it on a forum.

 

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I think it would be natural that when a band plans a set list with two parts they would intend that the second part might be "better' (whatever that means) than the first. It would be awful if the energy level, crowd satisfaction, etc. waned as the show went on.

As for sucking, when will people realize that all these things are a matter of opinion - not to be confused with fact. In my opinion, for example, if the set list contained the alternative songs the OP mentioned, I would feel that it sucked , but...who gives a crap about my opinion and it's only people with an over-inflated ego that could imagine that anyone cares about their opinion!

Edited by The Sphere
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QUOTE (cygnus_thegodofbalance @ Jul 20 2010, 10:10 AM)
Seeing as how your name is Necromancer23, I take it you are a CoS fan...which happens to be the worst album in Rush existence. I don't know if I can take your opinion seriously.

eyesre4.gif

 

I guess you're cool10.gif the same stuff as the OP.

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QUOTE (cygnus_thegodofbalance @ Jul 20 2010, 09:10 AM)
Seeing as how your name is Necromancer23, I take it you are a CoS fan...which happens to be the worst album in Rush existence. I don't know if I can take your opinion seriously.

see i think it's an underrated album but it goes to show you how we all think differently. just like with someone who doesn't like the setlist. only difference is i chose not to buy a ticket and that's a personal choice and not done as a protest or to offend any rush fan or rush themselves.

Edited by ReflectedLight
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