01GT Eibach

-- 1980 -- Moving Pictures -- Oakland, CA (will likely get flamed but I found it disappointing; this was first tour since 2112 that they did play all of 2112 ... just up to 'Temples', listening to medley shortened versions of tunes was frustrating, they did play everything on Moving Pictures which was awesome (except Witchhunt). -- 1989 (?) -- Presto Tour -- Sacramento, CA (another disappointment; I was first row right in front of Geddy and could only hear his bass ... nothing else; I could barely tell what they were playing) -- 1997 (?) -- Test For Echo (two times -- they came to San Jose, CA on two different tour legs -- nice!) -- Even though they were my favorite band that I learned to not see live based on my two bad experiences above, I decided to see them on this tour anyway. This was the first 'evening with Rush' tour concept with the extended duration, themed videos, intermission, etc. They were awesome, and this was the first tour since the 1979 'Permanent Waves' tour that they played 2112 in entirety. My mind was blown (hence seeing them a second time on this tour). After this I wanted to see them every chance I could. -- I saw them on every tour after TFE -- On the Moving Pictures Time Machine Tour (2010/2011), I saw them three times (out of almost blind luck, really) in Cleveland, Pittburgh, and Phoenix.

QUOTE (CrossedSignals @ Apr 15 2012, 07:38 PM) With the indoor shows, 2112 would work as a good opening song. Just imagine the house lights going down, and then the unmistakable "whzzzzzzz"ing intro to 2112...and the place going NUTS... That's why 2112 was their opener from 2112 all the way through to Moving Pictures (MP was the first tour where they stopped after Temples, though)

Rush varies greatly by taste as they changed soooo much over their career. But here are 8 gems the '80s hits you know and love: Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals The older more progressive stuff that is real classic Rush: A Farewell To Kings, 2112, and Hemispheres (many afficiandos consider 2112 to be their best work ... me included) One parcticularly great early album: Fly By Night One particularly great later album: Hold Your Fire Recent albums that are very good and worth buying, for sure: Snakes & Arrows and Test For Echo

For me, the two albums I have listened to the least is a tie between Roll The Bones and Presto. Unlike just about every other album, I really never wore these albums out.

I gotta admit that I was a doubter, but I am starting to thaw. It just seemed that after touring Time Machine so hard, that a 2012 tour would be unlikely. I am happy to be wrong ... After being spoiled and catching them three times last tour (all indoor arenas, by the way incl the Cleveland DVD show), I can't wait to see them again with a new setlist. With it being 2012, it must be time to bring back opening their show with the entire 2112 suite???? Oh, yes ... it is definitely that time. Sign me up.

Trying to convince anyone why what they like or dislike is a losing battle ... and mostly a waste of time. I am one who really likes TFE, but feel no need to convince anyone who thinks otherwise. This is what is referred to as a "difference of opinion"...

QUOTE (tjtull @ Nov 26 2011, 05:38 PM)... People have been "burning" (whatever that means) on Geddy's voice since it was first recorded ... So true!!!! I remember reading a review in Rolling Stone in the late 70s that Geddy sounded "like a cross between Robert Plant and Donald Duck". I never forgot that ... and that was back when he had every inch of his voice!!!

I just love the fact that there are people in this world that would consider this a "SIGNIFICANT" (all caps, no less) discovery. The OP is definitely someone who I wish sat next to me at work. Well done, sir.

I really liked S&A alot. If it is "the best since S&A", that is perfectly fine with me ... Of course, I also loved Power Windows, Test For Echo and ... the one everyone else also seems to not like ... Vapor Trails. So what could I possibly know?? haha

Do Rush really deserve to be in the RnRHoF? In my personal opinion, the answer is "very much so". But the media (that panned them for decades, wishing for so long for Rush to just fade away) that are the decion makers will never let it happen. So ... to me it has evolved into half a running joke, and the other half an abomination. But, regardless of what I think, it is not going to happen any time soon in my opinion. And I would say the same for Yes, Jethro Tull and the Moody Blues ... all of whom are conspicuously not in the HoF (correct me if I am wrong if any of these three are actually in).

QUOTE (danielmclark @ Nov 25 2011, 06:15 PM)Oh, right. The old "if you don't love what Geddy's voice has changed into, just stop being a fan" argument. Cool, I've been waiting for that one. As opposed to hoping and praying they stay Rush fans?? Really, what does it matter? I have been around long enough to see Rush fans drop off at various stages for all kinds of reasons. ALOT of people dropped off at Hemispheres thinking it was too conceptual and self-indulgent. A MASSIVE dropping-off-point was the keyboard era of G/P and HYF. I remember some dumping out on Rush with Roll the Bones thinking it was too archaic and out of touch compared to the current music at that time (Nirvana and AIC anyone?). It is bound to happen. My point is ... there will always be fans dropping off for whatever reason. And so what? I am just glad that Rush is still around, so that -- us fans -- still have the OPTION of deciding if we still like it or not. I can understand why some would leave for the door, but ... as the original poster said ... most of us that have stuck around this long have made peace with it. And we are okay the fact that Ged will never sing again like he did on "Bastille Day" or "Finding My Way". It is what it is ... and what it "is" still sounds pretty to good to my ears.

QUOTE (An Enemy Without @ Nov 25 2011, 03:15 PM)... You guys are starting to sound like Half the World! Yes, you are correct, and well said. We just wanted to ensure the opinion of "the other half" was represented. On a related note to mull over abit ... There are two kinds of people in this world: 1) Those that divide the world into two kinds of people, and 2) Those that don't.

QUOTE (Tony R @ Nov 14 2011, 05:37 PM)... No Rush fan really critiques Lee's voice any more, we've already made our peace with it ... Wow. VERRRRRY well said. For any one who can't get past his voice, they are welcome to not buy the albums and concert tickets any more. The rest of, meanwhile, thank God that we live in a world where new Rush albums and concert tickets exist ... especially in (my personal opinion) this current era's abyss of quality new music.

QUOTE (LeaveMyThingAlone @ Nov 23 2011, 10:26 PM).... as we all know, Test for Echo is one of Rush's worst efforts if not their worst ... coming on the heels of Counterparts, which, obviously, is Rush's best album since Moving Pictures ... Let's be clear that the person I quoted above is speaking in "as we all know" absolutes that definitely not everyone agrees with. The quote is just one OPINION that I could not disagree more with ... As a long-time and hard-core Rush fan, it is my own personal opinion that I love TFE, and rather dislike Counterparts. TFE is my favorite 90s-era album, and I find Counterparts to be their worst album of ALL. I am not saying any one is wrong, just to make clear the main thesis here is definitely not universally agreed to in this forum. Also, let's give some love to the TFE cover art which I also think was a huge improvement over the too-many Rush goofy covers.

QUOTE (ReRushed @ Nov 22 2011, 05:22 PM)... it's my favorite Rush live album and the only one I listen to with any regularity ... I have every Rush studio album but only ONE live album. The one live being ATWAS. I really do not like listening to Geddy's voice recorded live at all. He sounds much better in a studio setting. But the one exception to my ears where he sounds really good is on ATWAS ... I really like this live album alot. Quite brilliant, actually.

QUOTE (Good @ bad,andrush,Nov 25 2011, 01:39 AM)Call me crazy but I actually think Alex is more technically proficient even if it's just by a little bit. That said, duh EVH is more influential. You are correct in that Alex is more technically proficient -- time signatures, theory, different styles, etc. But that does not mean Eddie is not technically proficient, because he DEFINITELY is. Eddie is brilliant on a myriad of levels. Where things get tricky, though, is rating someone like Angus Young who is nowhere in the ballpark of technical proficiency as Eddie or Alex, but still plays with a great deal emotion and feel ... albeit very simply. However, if it was only about "technical proficiency" then Steve Howe of Yes would be the clear-cut number 1, and we could all come home. But there is more to it than that. On a related note, I have not seen the list in question, but I would home that Howe scored highly.

Rush gets it done on all fronts. The musicianship kills (as always), the songwriting has ALWAYS been great, they are still making great NEW music, their tours are immensly enjoyable (I saw TM three times), and ... as for Geddy's voice ... it is still hanging in there enough such that they can still do all the aforementioned. So, after all these years ... really ... how can ANY Rush fan not be happy with the band??

QUOTE (presto123 @ Aug 19 2011, 04:14 PM)QUOTE (01GT Eibach @ Aug 19 2011, 02:44 PM) Triumph struggled mightily with songwriting while Rush never did. Their only truly "great" album was Just A Game (and it is great), with Rock and Roll Machine coming in at "very good". Starting with Progressions of Power and every subsequent album, the songwriting got ever more spottier. Generally, the Gil Moore-sung songs tend to be filled with every rock cliche in the books, with the Rik Emmett stuff softer but with more depth and better written. Totally disagree. Thunder Seven is my fav record and a lot of other peoples too from what I've read. We can agree to disagree. That's okay, but ... Thunder Seven?? Egads ... I had that album and saw them live that year. Both regretably, unfortunately. Is that really an album you can STILL jack up on your iPod and actually enjoy listening to all the way through?? For me, Just A Game and RnR Machine are their only albums that still stand up to getting run time. Triumph, though, was really two distinct animals, though. The Gil Moore stuff was VERY different than the Rik Emmett stuff. I made my own "greatest hits" album on my iPod. After it was done, I realized that except for some of the early stuff, there was very little Gil Moore songs and mostly Rik Emmett. Maybe you are more of a Gil Moore fan which would definitely explain things. Also, the musicianship in Rush crushes Triumph with Rik Emmett's guitar playing (at best) up to par with Alex. Also, Emmett is a great singer who can sing like a bird, too. But he is an "upper register" singer, too. He may be prettier than Geddy, but during their hey-days I never thought that Emmett sang immensely better than Geddy. I always thought of Geddy as an excellent singer back in the day. Just keeping it real ... Just my $0.02 ...

Triumph struggled mightily with songwriting while Rush never did. Their only truly "great" album was Just A Game (and it is great), with Rock and Roll Machine coming in at "very good". Starting with Progressions of Power and every subsequent album, the songwriting got ever more spottier. Generally, the Gil Moore-sung songs tend to be filled with every rock cliche in the books, with the Rik Emmett stuff softer but with more depth and better written.

My prediction: No tour ... They are coming off a big tour this year where they played two CA songs, then spent the latter half of the year recording the rest of CA. Once CA hits, only two words come to mind: "long" and "break" Anything else is wishful thinking. Just my opinion, though.

QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Jul 7 2011, 10:17 PM) But even if they haven't referenced to a CA tour, it just makes sense. Touring is THE BEST way to make money as a musician these days. That is true, but you can't come back to the well every year. After this huge tour, people honestly expect them to tour Clockwork Angels, and THEN do a large-scale R40 tour?? No way ... you're thinking only like a Rush fan. I think a large-scale R40 tour that may be billed as a farewell tour will happen ... but no CA tour.

QUOTE (USB Connector @ Jul 7 2011, 03:50 PM)I dislike opening acts. I have yet to see a concert where I enjoyed the opening act. The only thing I regret missing is the Metallica/GnR tour. There was no opening there, just two headliners. If no opener wasn't an option, I would want Yes to tour with them. I think their music would flow well with the concert. There were opening acts on the GNR/Metallica tour ... which I went to, BTW. It was AMAZING. But I was lucky to catch Guns on a good night (the Seattle show). Some nights (like the Bay Area gig) went very wrong. Openers were either Public Enemy or Motorhead. In Seattle, we got Motorhead ... who were great, too.

My prediction: No CA tour. The TM tour has been significant and included tracks from CA. I think everyone is just ASSUMING that there has to be a tour with CA. I think they get the album out and go on vacation for a year. THEN ... they release some huge box set of remasters, etc. that is coincided with a "farewell R40" tour that includes only Tom Sawyer and Limelight from MP in the set. And they include "Finding My Way" and "In The End" in their encores on that tour.

QUOTE (GotRush @ Jul 7 2011, 04:49 AM)... I thought Phx was reasonable, last time in Phx same basic level was 20 bucks higher ... I agree with you. The face value tickets were affordable. But I did not know I was going to be here. So the thought of buying tickets when (or soon after) they went on sale was not even on my radar for the Phoenix show. I got my tickets 10 days before the show, when there were not good seats left (not by my standards, anyways). So I paid more to get them thru a service ... Not complaining. Actually I was glad to get tickets that -- even though well more than face value -- were not "too astronomical". They were awesome seats.

An Evening with Rush with special guest Jeff Beck