Ruefus

To quote Yoda: "No. There is another." People have been predicting the demise of this band's creativity since Caress of Steel. Even then, it was only because they didn't understand it. Not for lack of vision. At any point in time have they lost it? Even after the horrific loss Neil endured, people still wonder about their ability to create. Seriously? Anyone thinking this band - of all cult bands - would release a new album, tour behind it like people a third their age, and say nothing about it being their 'last' is off their rocker. It might be a year - it might be 5. There will be more, and they will say goodbye. Keep in mind, these three know nothing else in terms of 'work'. Rush is what they do, and none of them are retirement age just yet.

A note from the nosebleed section. A priceless moment for me was during Temples with the call and response with the crowd, the floor was lit up both literally and figuratively. It was just a sea of arms moving in unison. I may have been three rows from the top - but that view made it worthwhile. Looked not unlike waves on the ocean. Awe inspiring and one of the moments I'll never forget. For the band to film in Cleveland (where I live and work) is quite literally a dream come true and more than I could have asked.

QUOTE (laughedatbytime @ Apr 16 2011, 08:26 PM) QUOTE (Ruefus @ Apr 16 2011, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Apr 16 2011, 02:45 PM) Question: Did Cleveland give a better audience than Rio '02? I don't know how you could get more rabid than 40-60,000 fans at once. But like Rio - we WERE singing to YYZ (and others), and at times you could hear the crowd well over the band. Hopefully, it was loud enough for them to hear at the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame. Meh.....people make way too big a deal out of it. The band has said more than once they don't care. Really, it fits with Rush - outsiders, always.

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 16 2011, 07:43 PM) QUOTE (Ruefus @ Apr 16 2011, 07:16 PM) QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 16 2011, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Apr 16 2011, 02:45 PM) Question: Did Cleveland give a better audience than Rio '02? No. The Cleveland crowd was great but thats because they were filming and everybody in the arena knew it. It was a phenominal atmosphere but you could feel that it was a bit forced. That didnt take anything away from the show, but had there been no film crew and extra lights it would have been an entirely different story. Best North American crowd I've ever seen.. but not better than Rio. Hang on a sec. First - 14,000 people cannot compete with 40,000. Can't be done. So no, the Rio crowds were superior. But consider they'd never even SEEN the band before. Cleveland has been listening to Rush longer than any American city. Now... Vapor Trails came after a 4 year period where THEY thought they were done. Almost no band can come back after a 4 year absence and draw heavy. It's not like they were following up Moving Pictures. They were a new band to many. Rush had let an entire high-school generation graduate since their last album. The Feedback tour (the Blossom show you refer to) was an album of covers. Totally out of character for Rush. I'm a long-time fan and I didn't care much for it. I'll bet their attendance was down at most shows that tour. The show still kicked ass. 'Forced' is not a term I would use for the atmosphere last night. Perhaps where you were sitting. Of course the place was jacked a little higher....they were filming a DVD. Wasn't forced from my perspective. That's a privilege anyone would want - and we got it. The 9 and 13 year old sitting next to us were as jacked as the 40 somethings next to them (us). 9 year old William likely can't talk today any better than I can. I've been to at least 10 Rush shows in the Cleveland area. None were what anyone would call 'sedate' crowds. Last night was easily the loudest. The worst was Counterparts at Polaris in Columbus. Still...killer show. For a band with no opening act, in this economy, in a city *just* this side of failure and no album or radio support - the sellout show lived up to the band's and the city's reputations as both anomalies an anachronisms. They didn't pick to film here out of some obligation. Cleveland Rocks and Rush knew it. First off, the Blossom show I mentioned was in '07 - the S&A tour. Second, I was 5th row center. Standing in the middle of many people who had traveled from various parts of the country simply to be part of the DVD shoot. Hell, I'm from Detroit.. an easy 3.5 hour drive and if it wernt for the filming I would have skipped Cleveland this time around. The energy level was there but it was manufactured by everybody knowing the show was being filmed. Combine the brilliant marketing from Anthem and Sam and Scot going onto the stage 10 mins before the lights went out to rally the crowd to be the best audience captured on film and you've got the result. I'm not putting Cleveland down, not by any means. I've seen more RUSH shows in Cleveland than just about anywhere other than Detroit. And like I mentioned before those shows at the old Richfield Coliseum were amazing, second only to Toronto in my memory. I'm just saying that the audience reactions were not a natural occurance. People saying that the Cleveland audience was better than Rio are just wrong. 98% (if not more) of the people at the Rio show had never seen RUSH before. The reactions captured on film that night were a result of real emotion. Pure joy to finally be able to see one of their favorite bands after so many years. I'm sure the film crew announced to the stadium they were filming that night as well... however Rio didnt need any pumping up to be that hyped up. You could have had RUSH on an old wooden pallet playing just through their amps and the people in Brazil would have gone out of their mind to see them. Friday nights show was a great experience. A much different atmosphere than I have been part of since Toronto in '84 (and yes, Cleveland was better than those Toronto shows). The band was good.. not great. There were quite a few mistakes. Some of which I'm sure will be fixed in editing.. some of which will probably be left in just to add a little charm. Anyone who is saying the Cleveland show beat Rio hasn't watched the Rio shows. Those people were RABID for Rush. Anyway.....the fact of the matter is that the show was exceptional for a variety of reasons. Not mistake free (they never are). The Presto hiccup was the most noticeable the rest just live performance. Was some of the atmosphere manufactured? Of course - and it should have been. But, I know not of the marketing you mention. I basically live in my car with the radio on during the week. Don't recall one spot mentioning the show. I bought tickets two weeks ago thinking it'd be stupid not to go. THEN I found out about the DVD. Regadrless, the DVD will come out and it'll be great simply because it's Rush....and we were there. That's something I've dreamed of since I don't know when.

QUOTE (Snaked @ Apr 16 2011, 03:43 PM) QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Apr 16 2011, 02:45 PM) Question: Did Cleveland give a better audience than Rio '02? No. The Cleveland crowd was great but thats because they were filming and everybody in the arena knew it. It was a phenominal atmosphere but you could feel that it was a bit forced. That didnt take anything away from the show, but had there been no film crew and extra lights it would have been an entirely different story. Best North American crowd I've ever seen.. but not better than Rio. Hang on a sec. First - 14,000 people cannot compete with 40,000. Can't be done. So no, the Rio crowds were superior. But consider they'd never even SEEN the band before. Cleveland has been listening to Rush longer than any American city. Now... Vapor Trails came after a 4 year period where THEY thought they were done. Almost no band can come back after a 4 year absence and draw heavy. It's not like they were following up Moving Pictures. They were a new band to many. Rush had let an entire high-school generation graduate since their last album. The Feedback tour (the Blossom show you refer to) was an album of covers. Totally out of character for Rush. I'm a long-time fan and I didn't care much for it. I'll bet their attendance was down at most shows that tour. The show still kicked ass. 'Forced' is not a term I would use for the atmosphere last night. Perhaps where you were sitting. Of course the place was jacked a little higher....they were filming a DVD. Wasn't forced from my perspective. That's a privilege anyone would want - and we got it. The 9 and 13 year old sitting next to us were as jacked as the 40 somethings next to them (us). 9 year old William likely can't talk today any better than I can. I've been to at least 10 Rush shows in the Cleveland area. None were what anyone would call 'sedate' crowds. Last night was easily the loudest. The worst was Counterparts at Polaris in Columbus. Still...killer show. For a band with no opening act, in this economy, in a city *just* this side of failure and no album or radio support - the sellout show lived up to the band's and the city's reputations as both anomalies an anachronisms. They didn't pick to film here out of some obligation. Cleveland Rocks and Rush knew it.

QUOTE (jesse2112 @ Apr 16 2011, 02:45 PM) Question: Did Cleveland give a better audience than Rio '02? I don't know how you could get more rabid than 40-60,000 fans at once. But like Rio - we WERE singing to YYZ (and others), and at times you could hear the crowd well over the band.

The show last night was killer. Saw them in Columbus, OH last year and they were good then. This show was an order of magnitude tighter and the guys were loving life the whole night. QUOTE (badeepster @ Apr 16 2011, 08:07 AM)Hello all--I'm a casual Rush fan and saw them for the 1st time in Cleveland last night. Great show--thoroughly enjoyed it. As a former drummer, I was in awe of Peart, he's amazing. Anyway, I did have one question for you diehards. I was very disappointed that my fav Rush song, Fly By Night, was not played and after doing some setlist research, it appears they really don't play it. Does anyone know why? Thanks in advance and enjoy the music! Well, I've been going to Rush concerts since 1990 and don't recall ever hearing them play it. I don't think it has anything to do with Geddy's voice. They've just chosen not to perform that song for some reason or another. I mean, they've sung Finding My Way from time to time and that's at least as high pitched. Dunno QUOTE (01GT Eibach @ Apr 16 2011, 10:17 AM) My one gripe: It has nothing to do with Rush. This was my first time ever in Cleveland. We were there at the arena (in our car) an hour before the show, andstill could not find parking for seemingly ever. "Lot Full" was posted everywhere. The Cleveland Indians were in town and playing right next door to the (sold out) arena. Finally we found parking and made it in ... but missed the opening and first three songs (which is okay, as I have seen them on this tour before). But, Cleveland, was' up with no parking anywhere??! In addition to the concert and ball game, there was also a film festival going on. Having lived in Northeast Ohio all my life, there are TONS and TONS of places to park. But they aren't obvious and with three major events on the same night they aren't always plentiful. Few cities can support that kind of event traffic in such close proximity to one and other.