Anthem

[Arndrake]

After hearing that they were playing this weekend, I went down to the Olde Shipwreck in Tacoma tonight to check out the show. Even despite their technical difficulty (one of their three amps shorted out), they played a decent show.

 

They mostly play songs from MP back, but did do Dreamline and The Analog Kid. The singer and bassist does pretty good hitting Ged's register but isn't a copy of Ged's voice (I don't think anyone could). His bass playing was ok. The guitarist could duplicate Alex's riffs pretty well, but I think he was a little heavy on the notes. The drummer has worked hard to match Neil's style and he is close. After their sets, I did mention to him that it is extremely difficult to copy the Professor. But he did all right. He said it is hard because Neil's style is always about changing it up in the middle of the song.

 

Their best cover was a great rendition of Xanadu. They even had the double necked guitars.

 

Anybody else in the Puget Sound seen them?

[JARG]

I've seen them. Hell, I was in the band for about a year before they got their current guitarist. Bill (bassist) is sooooo dedicated the band. He's invested a lot of money into it. His house out in Maple Valley is on several acres and he's built a rehearsal room where he has an awesome stage set up, complete with drum riser and a full set of lights and PA. His bass chops are still coming up to speed, but he's got a good singing voice (though, as you noticed, not necessarily a good Geddy voice). The one thing I was always trying to push him to work on was his keyboard skills; he'd rather rely on sequences than play the keyboard parts live.

 

George (drums) is a damn good drummer. He can play Neil riffs so flawlessly that you can't tell you're not listening to Neil. George is also a great guy, but unfortunately he was one of the reasons I left the band. George loves to rehearase, but it takes an act of Ged to get him motivated to actually play gigs. It was that, coupled with the fact that I lived about 90 minutes away from where we rehearsed that lead me to eventually leave the band. It was an amicable split and Bill and I still chat from time to time.

 

I've only met Dave (guitar) a couple of times. He and Bill were in another band at the same time Bill, George, and I were Anthem, and Dave came out a couple of times to our rehearsal to check us out. He's a really good guitarist (he's a stronger technical player than I am by far), but I don't think he's a Lifeson disciple; he plays some parts incorrectly and his tone is a little too metalish at times. I do envy his white Epiphone double-neck, though!

 

They're a very good band and their set is heavily weighted with material from the 2112 - MP era.

[Arndrake]

They are playing the Royal Bear in Algona tonight, so I will go check them out again. Maybe I can even get off work early.

[Arndrake]

Well, I didn't get off early. So when I got there at 12:45, they were doing the last song of the night, By-Tor. Afterward I gabbed a little with George and Bill. John (JARG) was there tonight too, but I missed meeting up with him.

 

I found out they are playing the Rocksport in West Seattle on Saturday, August 19. So now you can put it on your calendar and come check them out if you're in the Great Northwest.

 

I also got their website address

[melodic777]

Yea, and no offense but it helps if you actually know how the words go in the song before playing out when calling yourself a tribute band......

 

example: Tome Sawyer, last verse first..........oooooops

 

The only thing with the double neck bass/guitar that Geddy played during Xanadu was the ending where you hear the contrapuntal parts. Fortunately, I play 7 string basses and can get those notes on the 18th frets on my G,C,and F strings.........that gets me off the hook from buying that thing (even though vintage, not necessary)

[Arndrake]

Humph, another flamer. Find something more constructive to do with your time (like practicing those notes on the 18th frets of your G,C,and F strings).

[momosdanceparty]

QUOTE (melodic777 @ Jul 23 2006, 09:07 PM)

The only thing with the double neck bass/guitar that Geddy played during Xanadu was the ending where you hear the contrapuntal parts.  Fortunately, I play 7 string basses and can get those notes on the 18th frets on my G,C,and F strings.........that gets me off the hook from buying that thing (even though vintage, not necessary)

Actually, Geddy is playing 12-string chords throughout the guitar solo section of Xanadu while playing bass notes from Taurus pedals.

 

 

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www.NotRUSH.com

[melodic777]

QUOTE (Arndrake @ Jul 23 2006, 11:07 PM)

Humph, another flamer. Find something more constructive to do with your time (like practicing those notes on the 18th frets of your G,C,and F strings).

Not a flamer, just a person that sings, plays bass, keys, and bass pedals for a Rush Tribute band and can relate, however, I wouldn't exactly make my mistakes a link to media on my website. God knows, I'm far from perfect, but as a tribute band, it is the bands responsibility to replicate precisely as possible

 

I'll take your word on the 12 string guitar part, however, I didn't notice him doing that during the Vapor Trails tour when playing Xanadu

[momosdanceparty]

QUOTE (melodic777 @ Jul 26 2006, 04:26 PM)

I'll take your word on the 12 string guitar part, however, I didn't notice him doing that during the Vapor Trails tour when playing Xanadu

You don't have to take my word for it; just listen to (or watch) Exit... Stage Left and you'll hear guitar chords behind the solo (along with Taurus bass pedals and some synth strings). On the concert video (although the camera primarily focuses on Alex), you can see Geddy strumming away on the Ric doubleneck and that he is holding a pick. In fact, Geddy strums the final E chord on guitar, not bass -- once he switches to the 12-string neck, he finishes out the song on guitar.

 

RUSH didn't play Xanadu on the VT tour--did you mean R30? On the R30 tour, Geddy didn't use a doubleneck. I believe he just used a Fender Jazz on Xanadu and during the solo, he played what sounded like sampled guitar chords from midi pedals. They also didn't end the song with a reprise of the long descending riff; they just held an E chord while Alex switched guitars for the next song.

 

Xanadu is pretty much impossible to pull off without two doubleneck guitars and loads of sampled percussion. If you're in pursuit of an authentic RUSH tribute sound, you've got to look back to those tours when the material was still fresh. It really doesn't matter how RUSH performs the classic songs now; they wrote the material, so they may now do whatever they like with it.

 

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www.NotRUSH.com

[melodic777]

I totally listened to it

I just never payed attention to it because when I learned it I was 16, and had a lot to learn yet. So thanks for shining some light on that. Its funny to (re)learn something 12 years later and making it a polished piece

 

Yea, I won't be using a 12 string. I have high enough octaves on my 7 string basses that I can get the chordal tones way up high on the high strings and it works. I tried it tonight. No, I won't have octave strings like a 12 string guitar, but I will be doing those parts while playing the bass pedals. We'll have that song sick, trust me. I can't wait to get that in the bag. I have to start singing it again too. I tend to take what I like from the live and studio performances and mix them, sometimes adding my own (tastefully, as I do with bass and keys, maintaining integrity though most importantly!)

 

Cool talking with you!

~Randy

[melodic777]

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/Xanadu01/rush_lee.jpg

 

You sure that isn't just a six string. I could have sworn that alex does the 12 string parts on his 6/12 string double neck whereas, Geddy plays a 4 string bass/6 string neck......and due to my strings, I can get notes in the correct octave very far into the high guitar range.

 

And yes, the percussion is important. our drummer has real percussion as well as electric so we'll easily have those bases covered. The rest is cake

[momosdanceparty]

QUOTE (melodic777 @ Jul 26 2006, 11:59 PM)

You sure that isn't just a six string.  I could have sworn that alex does the 12 string parts on his 6/12 string double neck whereas, Geddy plays a 4 string bass/6 string neck......and due to my strings, I can get notes in the correct octave very far into the high guitar range.

Geddy's equipment list from the Moving Pictures tour book:

 

BASSES AND GUITARS

Two Rickenbacker 4001's, Fender Jazz Bass, Rickenbacker 4002, double-neck Rickenbacker, incorporating 4001 with twelve-string guitar, double-neck Rickenbacker, incorporating 4001 with six-string guitar, Ovation acoustic.

-------------------

Geddy used both the Ric 4080/12 and 4080 (6-string neck) starting on the Moving Pictures tour, but if you check earlier equipment lists, he used only the 12-string version since the AFTK tour.

 

On ESL, it sounds like he uses the 6-string version for A Passage To Bangkok, playing rhythm guitar behind Alex's solo. The black 4080 is the 12-string; I think this photo shows the 6-string version:

 

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/wallpaper/MPtourgeddy.jpg

 

It's very difficult to tell the models apart from the tuning pegs. Just compare this photo of the 12-string version with this eBay auction for the 6-string version. They both look like 6-string necks.

 

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www.NotRUSH.com

[PW_Guitarist]

The 6 and 12 string Rickenbacker necks are hard to tell apart from a distance because the extra 6 tuning pegs are sideways in the slots, so the headstocks are the same length. However, the shape is the giveaway - the 12-string necks do not have the trademark Rickenbacker "Cresting Wave".

 

I can certainly relate to how challenging it can be to reproduce the music as authentically as possible, and I am also used to how demanding the audience is, so anyone who is willing to lay down around $4K for a vintage Rick doubleneck to play a couple of songs in a tribute band deserves a nod in the dedication department! Xanadu does look and sound better with 2 doublenecks, but the bass and guitar model selection out there is limited.

 

I picked up a bizarre Cort headless-and-bodyless Steinberger L2-style doubleneck that is completely offset, because the Steinberger-style bridges have to be placed by the edge for tuner access, and the bass neck has to be full scale because that't the only scale those double ball strings are made. The result is something that looks like it belongs in a luthier's nightmare. The new Spirits (like Momo's) are much nicer. I also have an Ibanez 2404 from the 70's, but for some reason, the bass player prefers the Cort abortion!

[melodic777]

QUOTE (PW_Guitarist @ Jul 27 2006, 08:26 AM)

I can certainly relate to how challenging it can be to reproduce the music as authentically as possible, and I am also used to how demanding the audience is, so anyone who is willing to lay down around $4K for a vintage Rick doubleneck to play a couple of songs in a tribute band deserves a nod in the dedication department! Xanadu does look and sound better with 2 doublenecks, but the bass and guitar model selection out there is limited.

A nod for having the cash and dedication to spend it. Our project already has around 50 grand in everything from equipment to lights, to sound, etc. I just don't have the cash to get one of those but I won't concede what looks and sounds better until we do it with my parts on the seven string............

 

.........plus even if I had the cash, I wouldn't buy a Rickenbacker if it meant I had no choices and had to quit playing altogether. They are one of the worst sounding basses I have ever heard. I don't even think the company has "tone" in their vocab...........oh well. We are all entitled.

 

And as far as tribs go. I love Geddy, but am happy I don't look like him. And I notice that Rush Tribs aren't held to the regard so much.....so I don't think they'll mind the doubleneck deficiency we have.

 

We'll see I guess.

[melodic777]

PW, I noticed you guys play a nice version of the song as well. Hopefully we'll do as gracefully as you have

[Arndrake]

Anthem played tonight at the Royal Bear in Algona. A decent set.

 

Things worked out better than they did last month at the Rocksport in West Seattle. For one, the stage was small, making it difficult to hold the group and all their equipment. Second, the place's electricity system couldn't handle the lighting; a circuit breaker kept tripping.

 

Normally the Royal Bear is a biker bar. But it has a good size stage with the exception of a narrow drum riser. The drum kit almost didn't fit on it, and George had a hell of a time squeezing in behind his bell stand and the bass stack. Kind of funny watching 30 and 40 something women dancing to Xanadu or Beneath, Between, and Behind.

 

Bill said they were taking a couple of months off, but their next gig would probably be late January or early February. He said they would add Anthem and Circumstances to the set list, pulling New World Man and Red Sector A. He commented that they were trying to stick to songs that have a good strong energy to them.

[Arndrake]

Man, am I the only one in the area that catches their shows? Bummer, because they do alright at helping a Rush fan get his fix until the real tour.

 

They played the Royal Bear again tonight. Man, was it a trying experience. The circuit breaker that provided power for the entire sound system tripped twice; once near the end of the first set and once in the middle of the second set. So then after the second trip, the synth sequencer misbehaved and had to be rebooted while the group was trying to perform Xanadu. That could have sounded interesting; Xanadu with no (artificial) Moog. Then near the end of the song, Bill's double neck bass fell off his strap, so he had to quickly switch to another bass while Dave repeated one riff. Talk about a gig that could make you want to quit.

 

Other news with the band: Dave, the guitarist is leaving to move back to Omaha. So they hired a new guitarist named Brian. He hopped in and played a couple of songs tonight: Bastille Day, What You're Doing, and Beneath, Between, & Behind. He sounds pretty good and seems a little more fluid with the guitar solo work.

 

Next Saturday, the band plays at the Rocksport in West Seattle. C'mon Puget Sound Rush fans. Go check them out.

 

 

[-D-RocK-]

Sounds like they took a page or two right out of "This Is Spinal Tap".

 

Have any of their drummers been killed?

[Arndrake]

Tonight at the El Corazon in downtown Seattle, Anthem had one last gig with Dave at guitar. Sadly, the place sucked horribly, the turnout was anemic, and Bill had some tuning issues. On a positive note, the light show looked great and Xanadu sounded good tonight.

 

Hopefully things will work out better at their next gig. I'm not sure when that will be as Brian (or is it Bryant?) needs to get settled in.

[Arndrake]

Been a while since I gave the update on one of Seattle's Rush tribute bands.

 

Earlier this summer, they played small sets at Taste of Tacoma and Bite of Seattle. Their show at Bite of Seattle was actually two days after Rush played White River Ampitheater. Even though the set was short, they sounded good and had pretty good audience interest. Must have been because it was an outdoor stage at the Seattle Center.

 

Their most recent gig on Halloween night at Cowgirls in Pioneer Square was a disaster, thanks to a sound engineer who was contracted by the bar. The levels were all bad, the band had no monitors, and finally the bass input went out. Bill was not pleased.

 

Friday, December 14th at 9:30, they are playing the Royal Bear in Algona again. They have usually had good results at this bar, even though last time they had some power issues.

 

Puget Sound Rush fans, come on down Friday night for some classic Rush tunes.