graptemys

I agree. Geddy did get a lot of video time during Roundabout but whoever was handling the mixing did not have the bass loud enough in the HBO version. The bass on that song should be in the front not buried.

I remember hearing a Twilight Zone bootleg a long time ago that took place on New Years Eve. They play it right after midnight. Which one is that? Chris

I agree that Roll the Bones is the most poppy album. You can't deny that "you bet your life" is very, very poppy.

It is hard to believe that Geddy played (in the studio) or composed all of that keyboard work on Hold Your Fire and Presto. There are loads of keyboard sections on Presto. Do you think that some of the engineers, producers (Rupert Hine), or other musicians came up with some of that stuff? Red tide, anagram, Available light, etc. If he did do all of that....WOW!!!! That is awesome.

Interesting to note that in regards to Xanadu, they played the whole song except for the last section right before they have the big rock-n-roll ending on E. They have not played that much of that song in a very long time. The skipped part is quite intricate with Alex playing one of his classical background arpeggiated lines with open string intermixed with high octaves (!2 string guitar)..the same style he uses during the bridge in Trees. The really cool part is that Geddy is playing an actual real guitar line (not just four chords) that requires skilled picking. Unfortunately, they skipped that and went right to the outro. Another note is that Alex did not play 12 string during the "solo" chord part toward the beginning of the song (the part where Geddy is playing keyboard and Neil is playing pitched cowbells). He clearly changes necks in the Exit Stage Left Concert and I waited for him to do so in Tampa and he stayed on the 6 string. (E, D, B, A, G).

It was the perfect show. They mostly played songs that they don't usually play and nothing pre-1982 until the second to the last song of the second set.

If you listen to the original song and compare....they just went to the wrong part after the verse instead of the solo. They realized it, played through it and went back to the solo and kept going in the original order. Train wreck avoided. They may have had some help in the in-ear monitoring of where to go. Do you remember in the Show of Hands video when Alex switched out his guitar at the end of Overture and Geddy had to wait for him (which seemed like forever) in order to sing..."and the meek shall inherit the earth". Geddy gave him a wtf look and Alex smiled back.

It appears like they were suppose to go the guitar solo after that verse and instead jumped to the transposed verse. Then they went back to the solo and repeated the transposed verse for a second time.

I have an extra ticket for Tampa on Oct 1 that I am looking to part with.... The seat is on Geddy's side. The ticket is for Section 10, Row H, Seat 5. I am selling it for the price I paid... $134 firm (the price on the ticket is $101, the other $33 is half of the fees and the shipping I paid to get both tickets). The picture shows the location of the seat (red dot). I will be in seat 4. Call, text or write if you are interested (708-359-0396).http://turtletech.biz/10_H_5.gif

I can't see Geddy using active pick-ups. He did use them on the Wal but that did not last long.

Every time I hear a new Rush song I feel like I am not going to like it as much as the last album. The same thing happened yesterday, but inevitably the more I listen to it, the more I like it and I end up liking it equally as much as the previous album. I read a lot of people bashing albums like Presto or Counterparts but I like them equally as well as Moving Pictures or Permanent Waves. I think that a lot of Rush fans are resistant to change. There are Rush fans out there that stubbornly refuse to like anything after 2112, after Moving Pictures, after Hold Your Fire, etc, yet they still go to the concerts and post their opinion on this forum. The fact is... Rush is an excellent band and they are always trying to break out the box they got themselves in on the last album. These two songs are once again a change from the prior. Those of us that can tear every Rush song apart (because we know every little nuance concerning Rush) are often overly critical. Just because we instantly pick up up on things like the use of Alex's signature F# chord with the open E and B string, or the chromatic run in La Villa Strangiato that some members picked up on in Caravan, or the use of the signature Neil Peart ride cymbal pattern, it does not mean that we think that Rush has lost their touch or skill. Those people that expect 180 degree changes from album to album are a bit delusional. It takes time to change your sound. I hear a lot of comparisons of these two new songs to Vapor Trails and Snakes & Arrows. Well yah, that is the era they are in. However, each album is a bit different than the last and the new songs take another strive forward (with a lot of energy I might add). My personal observation of these two songs reflects an increase in tempo, energy, and complex musicianship. I love all the stops and time changes. The crowd is going to eat this stuff up in a live situation. I really enjoy the replies about a wife, girlfriend or husband that cannot tolerate Rush music. I have made quite a few Rush fans over the years and I have learned that certain people will never like Rush. Rush is just too unconventional for a lot of people. No matter how many reasons you give them as to why Rush is awesome, they just don't get it. My wife always yells at me because I rarely listen to the lyrics in songs. I am always saying things like... "did you hear that fill?, did you hear that bass chord? or how the hell did they come up with that transition?". My wife just rolls her eyes. Some people need songs that go Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus or they don't consider it catchy.

Ya, but like "The Camera Eye", they played it out for one or two tours (1980-81) and that was it. None of us that got hooked on Rush in the years after the Exit Stage Left tour have seen this live. And of course, they cut it out of the Exit Stage Left video. I wish they would just release all the songs from the live videos that they edited out (Exit Stage Left, Grace Under Pressure, A Show of Hands). We missed some awesome stuff. For example, Jacob's Ladder, Beneath Between Behind, Red lenses, Kid gloves, The Body Electric, Afterimage, Lock & Key, Time Stand Still, etc. I still feel ripped off. Why not show the whole concert? Chris

This is great. I am glad to see that Rush have listened to what the real fans want to hear. Now... as far as the rest of the songs. I have a feeling they will be playing a few more surprises. I believe the #2 song that real Rush fans want to hear is Jacob's Ladder. Let's see if they pull that one out of the vault. That is the only other song on Permanent Waves that they would probably play that they have not in the past. Different Strings has no chance. Jacob's Ladder and The Camera Eye in one show would be a dream come true. My favorite part of these concerts is to see what songs they bring back. It is kind of like a "Life List". From a couple years ago... "OK, I can now check off Entre Nous".... I started going to Rush shows during the Hold Your Fire Tour (and have not missed a tour since), so I missed them playing all the cool songs on Grace, Windows, and Signals. Although I can't complain we did get Analog Kid, New World Man, Between the Wheels and Digital Man in the last 15 years. I am routing for any of these...Chemistry, Countdown (probably no chance of that), The Body Electric, Kid Gloves, Middletown Dreams, Grand Designs,... etc