UnsilentBob

The Neil political stuff was pretty surprising. The lyrics of Armor & Sword kinda told me that he wasn't the biggest G W Bush fan but that he's changed his tune on the economic libertarianism stuff was news to me considering he's the guy who said in 1978: http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19780123macleans.htm On the other hand, the fact that Alex likes to blaze was hardly surprising - guy has been on the Trailer Park Boys more than a couple of times (a show whose whole theme is about growing & smoking the devil's lettuce) and he always came across to me as a guy who enjoys a nice bowl of green while practicing guitar. A classic "hesher" from the 70s if you will. Anyway, I know I'd smoke the guy out if I ever got the chance - :smoke:

You know it brother! My first show was Signals Tour - I don't even have pubes yet and my older sister was trying to get me into music that wasn't all Top 40 or new wave. She played Hemispheres, 2112 and Moving Pictures all the time but I still didn't really get into the band, just liked what was on pop radio at the time. She got us tix to see them on the next tour at the San Antonio Convention Arena. I was pretty ADD-ed out kid back then and don't remember much of the show except Countdown (that and people smoking pot....including sis going up to top of upper level with her friend). I was born on the Space Coast and my Dad worked for Air Force around there (though not directly for NASA) He got press pass for one of the later Apollo launches when I was just out of diapers (Mom thought I would freak out and cry but I was jumping up in the air and yelling). Obviously I was really into the Space Shuttle when it got manned spaceflight started back up so this tune was like talking to me during the show. Anyway, all I really remember is the sound FX and how they made the launch so loud it felt like the building was shaking along with the huge video of the launch. Totally blew me away and definitely made an impression. I still think it's a really under-rated song off Signals. Doubt they'll pull it out but we can still dream.

Great interviews for both Geddy and Alex. I'm frankly excited for Geddy's enthusiasm and (as I wrote in my Alpharetta review) he is playing better than any time I've seen him - not only in chops but in confidence, almost a swagger demonstrating he's in almost total control of what he wants to do musically on-stage with his best friends. I'm even more excited about something new from the band in a studio release. I've liked everything since TFE and think they're even getting better at putting their musical vision onto tape (disc?). CA is an incredible record so even if they didn't tour, just putting something new out to blow minds would be just fine with me. Yeah, very introspective Alex wondering if he can physically continue doing what he's always done that it's second nature. He looked very serious at the Alpharetta show and don't recall him commenting or joking around as he did it most every other time I've seen them. His playing was as good as ever and he poured a lot of soul into those solos - would hate it if he'd have to stare a guitar remembering how much easier it was to build and execute his ideas. Well, to finish positively I'm glad they are going to still be a working unit and not just heading for the links or beach to relax waiting out the watchmaker.

Just wanted to say that upon further review I believe you are correct - they won't play Losing It during an actual show. Not only are they not much for pity-pots, they've never really been the most sentimental of bands. I mean, how long did it take before Neil actually wrote something that could be considered a "love song" (Time Stand Still?). I also think they've let the cat out of the bag that the main reason to retire from the rigors of touring is their physical limitations - all of them are as engaged and driven by playing music together as ever, but age is catching up with at least Neil & Alex (the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, indeed). So knowing that we know why they are about to hang up the saddle (and how much we know every song inside and out practically), they wouldn't want to put people in an emotional situation in public. Hell, I got choked up over Geddy singing emphatically the chorus of RTB (weird to me too) and actually shed tears of joy and wonder at the end of Jacob's Ladder (and again a little watching Neil solo for possibly the last time) - no way would I be able to get through Losing It without literally doing that to some extent. Guys in band know this is a landmark tour in the winter of their career and will keep us from getting too distraught. It makes much more sense that they are honing it to perfection to put as a bonus soundcheck track on the inevitable R40 Live DVD.

PW: Marathon (Hon Men: Mystic Rhythms) HYF: Mission (Hon Men: Force 10) Presto: Show Dont Tell Me? (not a huge fan of this era and this was high noon of that era) TFE: Time & Motion (Hon Men: Driven) Last quick thing....most of these have already been played on the last few tours. Weird how they have forgotten TFE.

Big ups on La Villa (can't see how they can walk away without giving that one a spin a few final times) & what is gonna be a really heavy Losing It (last show on tour - bring a hankie). Kid Gloves is good stuff but Countdown or Red Lenses haven't been played in forever. Also wouldn't mind The Weapon coming back...do Fear Trilogy on lark maybe next year on 2nd US leg (plz?) As for Limelight or Red Sector A - don't hate em but have been over-Limelighted out and there are better songs off G/P (Between The Wheels was a masterful call...works with their new style so well).

He said that because Jacob's Ladder is about storm clouds passing over, and it had rained all day, delaying the show. Derp! I thought he was making a comment like "Why you guys like Jacob's when Natural Science is better jam?" but that makes more with the weather that night - at 5:45PM I was looking out a 5th story window right behind the venue watching it just come down like no tomorrow and recall having other bands stop sets or whole shows when it was hellish like that at the Verizon (pushed that mojo with us for sure). Saw other blog where Peter Collins was in attendance at Alpharetta and I remember Geddy saying something early in first set about "welcome our friends from England out there tonight" which I thought was cool (wondering who he was talking about).

Shoulda reviewed before I posted.......uh, took a quick visit to the (also freely available with no lines) portajohns during Closer To Heart. Got back in time for end jam and then into Xanadu. Not a drop tonite, I swear.

Hey TRF, occassional lurker, first time caller. I hit that Alpharetta show and have some takes that I hope are balanced (with my tastes and POV). Show started late (8:30 I think) because of the rain. It had actually stopped the hard stuff (pounding thunderstorms with heavy rain) in that area an hour or two before show time (I work in office park behind amphitheater). Got a nice vibe from that sunset mid first set and how we didn't get a drop on us during the show.....Rush works in mysterious ways, no doubt. As far as the show presentation - first off, sound was dialed in on the lawn. Geddy was way out front on the bass and they filled the place with a clear distinct mix that may have had best sound I've ever heard at a show of theirs (note - I was little off-set towards Alex in middle - 3/4 way up lawn). Really liked the big screen in the middle and how they mixed in graphics like Geddy "burning" during OLV (looked almost satanic, cool effect). I'll let everyone know now - I REALLY liked CA (Album Of Year!) and still play something off it at least once-twice a week going to or from work. My favorites happen to be Headlong Flight, Anarchist and the title cut so I had zero complaints. I agree with the O(riginal) P(oster) that their energy coming out of the gate was intense and they do love playing these new songs. I felt that same passion seeing them with the string section in Nashville on the CA Tour and thought it was an amazing set of music to open a 2nd set with (little too much 80s in first set - no spoilers going into it for me that night - but at least they played the songs with gusto). I've heard Far Cry on a few tours in a row now and I would've preferred Armor & Sword or Way The Wind Blows from S&A instead. I do think that Main Monkey Business is the best of the instrumentals on that record so that was great to hear again - got a very psychedelic screens & vibe on this one, don't remember the silly monkeys back on S&A Tour which I thought ruined the whole feel of the song. Not as big a fan of OLV (cool special FX besides) as other songs like Earthshine or Secret Touch off VT but I thought they rocked it out. Band was definitely riding a good consistent energy by this point and seemed really confident. Don't recall Geddy having vocal issues on this one like some have said but I was so far pretty impressed with the show. Animate was alright - was never a huge Counterparts fan but they got a nice groove going on this one that got people moving around a bit (yeah, they'd been sorta sleeping up until that point). I will always maintain that the rapping in RTB was a crisis of conscience for me in the early 90s. They'd pushed the synth stuff as far as it could go but to this? However, what really astonished me is how Geddy turned this tune (of all tunes - no Bravado this tour) into the anthemic ballad part of the set. The way he sang so hard into chorus after chorus: "Why are we here? Because we're here Roll the bones Why does it happen? Because it happens Roll the bones" To hear him emphasizing that seemed to say while they did commit to dedication to perfecting their craft, put in the countless hours both in rehearsal and on road...all of it started by taking a chance on fate and pushing it as far as three regular guys from Toronto could go. It also may have never even happened - as if an alternate reality exists where they didn't get anywhere and never became anything (yeah, forget that right?). Maybe you had to see him digging into the lines with passion but I got the weirdest lump in my throat during this tune (well, buzz had definitely kicked in too) - you know, the same one with that....actually you had to like the Trailer Park Boys and the cameos galore getting into the rap thing. I still cringe when I hear it but at least the rest of the song blew that away. And yes, crowd was mos def into the show by now and really letting the band know. I seem to remember a minor flub in DEW but they still kicked it down and having the old video with Alex's son on the cruise missile had to make you smile. Remember seeing that video at least 3-4 times a day back when MTV actually played music videos. Signals had a video too but I don't remember it as much as DEW (and Big Money vid was popular for a while too). Seeing scenes from a proto-Freaks & Geeks and then the kid seeing Rush on TV. Brilliant marketing! Everyone seemed to get into the ending with the subdivision diagrams and Tempest video game action - so very 80s. I guess Subdivisions makes a good enough set closer but I kinda wished they did Countdown before it because that's an unsung tune off Signals that would be a definite bustout. I noticed no PW or HYF tunes too but I think Big Money is kinda played out and they just did Marathon a tour or so ago. Mission would've been welcome to these ears again as that's one of their best songs period off an otherwise so-so album (too many synths synths synths!). I honestly think they've over done the pre-set silly video intros. I realize the guys are pretty much just nerds with their own really odd senses of humor (as we all are I suppose in our own weird way) but some of the jokes get too inside I guess. Seemed like they played every one of those vids during the 2nd half of the set break. Myself I preferred the simply R40 clocks with that great prog rock tribute they played (gotta love Watcher In The Skies - seemed like they hit most of the big prog bands of the era too). You could see Tom Sawyer coming from a mile away and I suppose they are destined to play it at every show from here till the train stops (they actually spooked me a bit in Nashville when they didn't play it until the encore). The song is just simply them, it crystalizes into pop-song format what they do and is arguably their peak as a band (hey, lots of mountains in this range folks). Not unlike how Stairway defines Led Zep, this is the quinessential Rush song. Actually laughed at the monkeys playing on the vid screen since the band (or at least Neil) acknowledges it's the hardest song they play (morphing into themselves then switching roles what cool too). Anyway, to agree with the OP again I think they came out swinging for the fences with this set opener as well - defiant, almost savage energy coming off that stage. Red Barchetta was the first Rush song I ever really connected with and had to hear again and again (even more than Sawyer). The Exit Stage Left version was played a good bit on MTV back in day too and I remember stopping to watch it every time til sister got me a tape for my birthday (I think). Never liked the downshift in the middle of the jam but that's OK.....Geddy and that outro solo with the extended jamming, so brilliant. Sure it would've been cool to catch Natural Science again (got it on S&A though) but since this is quite possibly the last time I may see the guys, Barcheta was so apropos and made the whole history for me come full circle. Spirit Of Radio is another one of those hits I guess they're gonna play most every show (not unlike Sawyer or Subdivisions) though I thought they kept the energy going pretty good for the most part and this position in the middle of the set caught my attention whereas usually it's a set opener or closer that goes right on by. Big song for the guys back in the day and they relished it. I'd made the mistake of checking out a story at the beginning of the tour and got spoilered on Jacob's Ladder (I immediately killed that page wanting to keep any other surprises) but that didn't minimize my appreciation of it by any stretch. Got off to a funny start with how Geddy intro'd it by saying "this next song is one you guys have been asking to hear for years now...and I simply do not know why." May not have been one of his favorites but they built this one so beautifully, totally made me realize how perfectly structured this tune is. As they worked through the progression in the second half of the song, the screens started showing buildings, skyscrapers and the like then projecting out with the "heavenly" light display. "Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies, The shifting shafts of shining weave the fabric of their dreams..." was given a whole new meaning in terms of man looking up to see his opportunity and fortune in tall structures of a city (uh, Camera Eye lyrics anyone? Also linked the architecture concept with "I walk through their beautiful buildings, And I wish I had their dreams" lyrics in Mission). I try not to let stuff get to me too much in public but no lie....tears streamed down my face when that realization hit me, distinctly remember that moment. I can go home now - I got what I came for, this is IT with what I admire and love the most about Rush. To be honest, tears came from the steady (but pacing) buzz from literally NO beer lines at the top of the hill. Wasn't sloshed out drunk but definitely in mood for some passionate music. We celebrated Jacob with another tall boy and as you can imagine, the show gets a bit more hazy from here on out ;-). Hemispheres was a nice treat - hadn't heard that since mid-90s (Counterparts Tour) and the fact that they played the whole thing out. My over-riding emotion through the rest of the show was how they put in the practice on almost every change (though it seemed liked the jumped the gun on some things - trying to get to a resting point I'm sure after the immense effort they were expending at this point) and just deepened my admiration for what they're doing on this final(?) tour. Blasphemy I know but I was never all that blown away by Cygnus X-1 though bringing it back and, as I said, playing every change was inspiring enough. They did rock the hell out of this stuff and then Neil's solo was its usual amazing self. He just never stops creating the new while reminding us of the classics (floating snare). Bug or something may have got in my eye as I wondered if this is the last time I'll see The Professor work his magic. He's simply the best, folks. Lots of other great drummers no doubt, but there will always be only one Neil. Still the heavyweight champion of the world even at the end of his career in these eyes (I'm fine with his decision to retire while on top too). Alex slammed into the end of Cygnus and that was what really kicked in the end of the show - very nice peak there! Xanadu is another old favorite of mine and seeing the double-neck guitars - they really were going back in time - and the extended intro gave me some goosebumps. I got into this one just fine as I should but may have preferred La Villa instead in retrospect. Still that final Alex solo made those hairs on back of neck stand up when it really hit me - so much soul pouring out of that Les Paul. Classic song I'm proud to say I got to see one last time. They did 2112 on CA Tour and I've heard it enough times over the years that it didn't have quite as much power this go-around. Perhaps a bit of fatigue was setting in as well (seem to remember Neil stumbling at one point but Geddy going over to give him some head banging nods to keep him going) but Alex tore out all the stops at the end and while I can tell he wasn't his usual jovial/joking self due to his own punishment put on a body over the years (a lot of the time he was looking more serious like Neil does), the guy left it on the field when it came to playing the guitar that night. Speaking of individual awards.....is Geddy ever going to stop? Sure his voice isn't what it was all those years ago (and I was never a fan of the banshee anyway), his playing seems to be getting even better (when he was already the best) and his enthusiasm and confidence was something to behold. If he wants to continue on with his own endeavors (perhaps a tour with Danny Carey of Tool and maybe like Buckethead or someone gonzo like that) I am there to support him 100%. He certainly didn't look ready to stop in Alpharetta. The encore was fun, maybe going a bit too far back for my taste (silly Eugene Levy vid did not help - again, not my thing though the whole "high school gym" look was cool) . Lakeside Park didn't really light a spark with me (or anyone around me) but I gotta admit, they nailed those old tunes with a last release of energy. Alex all over that Anthem and if the feeling that barrell-roll through Working Man hit you is wrong, I don't want to be right. I hung out on the lawn and took in the folks who all seemed fairly blown away - noticed a LOT of kids that look like they see Phish, Widespread Panic, moe., etc. "jambands" walking around with twinkly eyes and cratered craniums (must've been quite the show, maaaaan). For all my complaining about the vids, I should say I did very much like the Exit Stage Left outro video and it seemed to give a sense of closure sitting there on the lawn; really felt like you saw them, through all those years in terms of the experience of the entire show. Well, that's my take - I like a LOT of music and I have a lot of "favorite bands" (probably rotate like the seasons) but the one that will stand out as the most consistent, most compelling and gave me the most bang for my music & concert buying buck is most definitely Rush. Thanks guys for an awesome night! (and for reading if you got this far.....great forum!)