Astral Door

I was 16 rows from the stage last night and the wave of shocked realization the moment Geddy said we want to play something we never have played live before and then Ben Mink walks out was amazing. My friend Terry (drummer in our band) and I love that song. I bought a Geddy Lee tobacco sunburst Fender Jazz bass this morning. Great weekend needless to say. The crowd was great last night. Louder than most RUSH shows in YYZ that I have been to. Thanks Geddy, Alex and Neil for 40 years of musical wonder and enjoyment. All 3 of you and all the members of your team have always made me proud that you 3 are Canadians. Hope we see you perform again. :musicnote:

Very disappointed withthis set list. Analog Kid and the Pass are about the only songs I really want to hear, and I get stuck hearing Bravado instead of the Pass. The only song from CA I wanted to hear was 7 Cities of Gold, and guess what...... I get Carnies instead. This set list sucks. Probably going to sell my ticket and go see BC play Hamilton on Friday instead. I think they are over touring and don't care what they are playing as long as it fills the 2 plus hours. SAD Astral Door Go Lions Go

Saw Blue Oyster Cult on Friday night, they absolutely sucked. The set list sucked, the performance sucked, zero professionalism, annoying 10 minute guitar solos every song. 35% of the place was gone by song 5. They looked like an old garage band trying to play Blue Oyster Cult. A little Canadian band that America never discovered called TROOPER blew BOC out of the water. I am a huge BOC fan of 30 years, it was the first and last time I would waste $$$ on them in concert. I was not a TROOPER fan until Friday night. They rocked. Oh Canada !!! Blew Oyster Cult was a sad embarrassment. Going to see John Fogerty, then the boys in October. AD (still in shock)

Fantastic ballad considering these guys don't record too many of them. Alex's guitar is absolutely beautiful on this one, the lyrics go right through your heart like a laser, and to end a concept album with a ballad shows a level of creativity very very few bands today could ever hope to muster. It will sound incredible live. Hope I don't look like a goof when the tears start flowing. The song reminds me of a dear friend I lost in March 2008 who was a huge fan of this band, and a brilliant bassist. He is greatly missed, this song confirmed that fact AD

My 3 "weaker tracks" on Clockwork Angels after 7 or 8 spins; Clockwork Angels, Wish Them Well, The Anarchist. My 3 best tracks on Clockwork Angels after 7 or 8 spins; The Garden, BU2B, Headlong Flight. I've never really found any value in rating Rush's material from early albums to the more recent albums for the following reasons; From 1974 to 1984 they recorded an album a year. Most of this material was incredible enough to be considered the cream of their catalogue. These songs and albums were masterpieces worthy of the title. Why bother comparing masterpieces to each other when we are fortunate enough to have this much musical wealth. Just enjoy, it was and still is an incredible testament to these 3 musical legends. By 1985 Rush started putting out albums that featured 5 or 6 gems per album, with the rest "filler". That was ok too, it is impossible for a musical group to maintain the quality of their material even for 5 years let alone 10. They had their "Let It Be" with Vapour Trails (which after a 5 year hiatus did not surprise me) and have cranked out 2 pretty incredible albums since then. To compare anything from Power Windows onward to the older material is just silly. Not only that, they only recorded 3 albums in the last 10 years, so the influences that effect the writing come at a slower pace and in greater quantity They also age and mature more now between albums. More time for influences to affect the thought process, more technological advancements between albums etc.. I like to rate their albums to the previous one only. With that said, I still like Snakes and Arrows better, but this one is catching up. I was so pleased that S&A wasn't VT2. I hope they play the whole album through for the first half of the show (I'll be at the ACC Oct 14). Then bring out the old stuff for the second half of the show. Maybe drop the tunes they have been playing for 30 years on every tour also. It wouldn't put the free world at risk to drop Tom Sawyer or The Spirit of Radio or Freewill for this tour. Throw in Jacob's Ladder, The Analog Kid and maybe Madrigal and watch the crowd explode. I'm going to sit down with my new Paul Reed Smith guitar in the morning and start learning my 3 favs from CA. The guitar work on this album sounds very fun to play. Thanks for letting me babble on. Goodnight from the Great White North We RUSH fans are the luckiest music fans on the planet. AD

I am so happy I grew up in the 70's and enjoyed the music of that time. especially the rock music. The list of great bands and musicians seems endless. Today music is a complete and utter joke. Lip synching bimbos that pant and moan like they are actually singing during child birth, rappers mumbling through lyrics that can only be talked out anyway because the "music" lacks any coordination or variances. Just an angry idiot yelling with a back beat drum track in the background. Very sad. Then you get stupidity like American Idol, Canadian Idol, etc.. calling someone who can sing one song half decently a musical genius. And the judges are talentless lip synchers like Paula Abdul that had their careers last 1-2 years tops. Good bands, singers, songwriters, musicians are few and far between. the only artists involved in the music industry today are the plastic surgeons and hair stylists pumping up and out the likes of Britney and Justin Beiber. My son was a rap fan to the fullest until his 18th birthday. for his gift I brought him to a RUSH concert and from that evening on he was cured. It was one of the greatest moments of fatherhood for me to hear Xanadu blasting out of his room. Still brings a tear to my eye. Thanks for the chance to rant like an old guy. Happy Holidays to all of you out there. We RUSH fans are the best

Ann Wilson Stevie Nicks Alanis Morisette Amanda Marshall (first 2 albums) Nancy Wilson and of course Janis Honorable mentions; Christine McVie Norah Jones (not including her last disaster uh....album) Allison Krusse SADE Annie Lennox Marianne Faithfull A.D.

Pink Floyd - Animals Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin UFO - Strangers in the Night So many to choose from....

Feb. 14 Sudbury Ontario Canada HEART If anyone was at the Opening Show of the tour in Newfoundland last night I wouldn't mind knowing what tunes were done. Thanx AD

I cannot see them skipping Toronto on any leg of any tour. I hope not anyway, because I passed on the Hamilton show hoping that a summer stop in Toronto will be a reality. Roll the Bones baby, roll the Bones AD

First Set; Force Ten Caravan Superconductor Ghost of a Chance Red Barchetta Analog Kid Afterimage The Larger Bowl YYZ Clockwork Angels Second Set; The Spirit of Radio Freewill Jacob's Ladder Entre Nous Different Strings Natural Science How It Is The Pass Vital Signs Drum Solo The Camera Eye La Villa Strangiato (full version) Encore: Half the World Far Cry Between Sun & Moon Yea I know, no Tom Saywer or Closer to the I thought this was a nice mix of old and new.

Hey Nec23, the last thing we RUSH fans need at their concerts is a drunken idiot who can't appreciate the fact that this great group is still touring and recording after so many years. Stay home for the next tour if you don't like the set lists, or go to something boring and predictable like a U2 or Aerosmith concert instead. I would have liked to add and subtract from the set list too, but with the catalogue they have to choose from, you can't please everyone. AD (who thought both Toronto shows were fabulous)

I had great seats for both shows. Molson Amp show: crowd was into it more than ACC better venue entire show was great, but the boys were feeling the heat and humidity by 2112 or so. Air Canada Centre: bumped into Terry Brown in the lobby of ACC waiting to get a T-shirt. That was very cool. the T-shirt booths are very poorly laid out. 45 minutes to get to the front, and we blocked traffic going in the whole time. ACC staff should address this. technical difficulties with Alex's amps during YYZ and Limelight. other than that, great show. These guys give you your money's worth all the time. Great band, great show, and great way to spend vacation. I give the edge to the Molson Amp. Astral Door signing out

RUSH July 13 Toronto RUSH July 17 Toronto Just got great seats for both this morning on the pre sale. Let the Fray Begin Astral Door