Yet another perspective on this tour....

[cdaddie]

First let me say that everyone is entitled to their opinion, good or bad, and I can respect that. That being said, and I know there's a bit a lot of opinion expressed so far, but here is mine....

 

When I say that I'm "geographically isolated" I mean that I live in an area where Rush hasn't generally played a lot in the past 20+ years. I'm in Manitoba, about 2 hours west of Winnipeg. The boys played there in October of 1982, when I was 8 years old (and my parents weren't into this kind of music so it's not like i could have gone with them). The next time? May 24, 2008 (and no Lakeside Park!), almost 26 years later!! I'm very pleasantly surprised that they're coming back to Winnipeg in a few weeks.

 

My point however, is that after the Signals tour they've been to my province twice in 30 years. The closest cities they've played other than Winnipeg have been Minneapolis (a 10 hour drive) or Calgary (another 10 hour drive). I'm still a relatively young guy, so between being a teenager, university and then starting a family, time and/or finances (flights, hotels, food, etc.) have always made it next to impossible for me to travel to see the boys. I envy the check out of those fans who live in an area where you can see multiple shows with less driving involved than me going to Minneapolis or Calgary to see one show!

 

I finally had to reach a point where I had to splurge and travel to see more shows, or risk time running out. Can I afford it? Can I afford not to do it? its a choice I've made, and I don't regret it for a second. I have memories that will last a lifetime, and I will make the money back eventually.

 

Sorry for rambling on, but my point is that for me personally, I don't care what they play. After 25 years of waiting I'll take what ever I get, and I'll be beyond thrilled to do it.

 

[Thunder Bay Rush]

I agree totally. Too bad more people didn't see things this way. I think sometimes people get a little "too hardcore" and think they have some kind of right or even a small ownership of the band... kind of ridiculous really.

 

We should be happy that our favourite band is still going strong after 40 friggin' years! And, they're not stuck on the festival / nostalgia tours like a lot of older bands are.

 

I'm with you - any Rush show is a good one. Why? Because it's Rush.

[crazygeo]

I have seen about every tour since Moving Pictures in 1981...

Going to this show and will love every song that they play....

yah...I'd replace a few even with all of the new album, which is great, I plan to rock on.....

 

...it would keep the "criers" happy....and I understand...but miss the 70's.....

 

Tree's.....please!!!

Edited September 13, 2012 by crazygeo

[jjgittes]

The old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" applies up in Manitoba, that's for sure. And I think that is the point of these negative posts - those of us who have had a chance to see them multiple times are feeling a bit cheated this time out.

 

I feel fortunate that I have been able to see them five times since the R30 tour(R30 once, twice for S & A and twice for TM). And, as Shakespeare said, therein lies the rub. I was not a big fan of the synth years and and felt like their work was so inconsistent, it was easy to play some of those 80's albums once and forget them in favor of the older works. So if radio didn't play the songs I see on this setlist, they never got ingrained in me the way so many others are. I know we can quibble about Snakes and Arrows but for me it represented a return to form and it got me "back in the fold." Fortunately, thanks to the good old days of illegal downloads, I've been able to re-discover some of those 80's/90's works I only owned on vinyl or cassette and have found some pleasant surprises.

 

The bottom line is if I hadn't seen Rush in 10 years, your point about them still just being on the road would be spot on. But having seen them so often and their choice to perform many of the songs I've rarely heard has me pretty unexcited about shelling out $200 bucks. Of course, I still check every day for the seats still available at the venue near me and I have a feeling eventually your point is going to take hold of me-it's RUSH and that is all I can ask for.

Edited September 14, 2012 by jjgittes

[GotPeart]

GREAT post! I've seen Rush almost every tour since Presto. Any time they play in North Carolina, I try to make it.

 

They could come out and play covers of "The Wiggles" and it would be a good show (pardon the cheesey kid's band, but I hear that music as much as my own favorites now).

 

Sure, there are favorites that they aren't playing. Well, I've been fortunate to hear those live, and with all the concert cd's and boots, I can hear them any time I want.

 

I haven't heard many of these live in a long, long time, if ever. It will be refreshing to hear them again. It's like watching a movie you've seen before, but not in several years. It's like it's new again.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect those opinions, I just would hope they would all respect the opinions of those that may disagree.

 

All I know is, once they hit the stage in Charlotte next month, it will be 3 hours of sheer music bliss! I won't even mind the sleep deprivation of getting home around 3am and having to work the next day.

 

RUSH on my friends!