Do you think we'll ever see the String section on Tour again?

[WavesandWindows]

I hope so, however they may decide to just record the string section for the tour and have Geddy run it through the sampler

[Mills1988]

I hope not. I wasn't a fan and I'm not an "old school only" Rush fan either. I like the mid 80's stuff as well as the 1970's classics. To me it just sounded like there was too much going on at once. It took away from what i was there to hear: the three amazing guys in Rush. Maybe they were just too high in the mix at my show... I wouldn't have minded it on certain songs but I really didn't like hearing strings in YYZ. It just didn't work for me.

[Xanadoood]

I honestly couldn't hear them all that well in the mix both times I saw them. I wouldn't miss them. Was a cool idea though. I just don't care either way.

[rocketom]

If you read Neil's latest blog you would come to the conclusion that we will not see the String section on tour again.

[gangsterfurious]

Neil's new blog update says no way Jose (in slightly different wording).

[losingit2k]

Neil's new blog update says no way Jose (in slightly different wording).

 

Well if the professor has chimed in with his news letter to negate the possibility, then thats it then! Close the Thread!

 

:codger:

[Slack jaw gaze]

Well if the professor has chimed in with his news letter to negate the possibility, then thats it then! Close the Thread!

It simply expressed the sadness of the current group of people going their separate ways. An obvious realization that even if an orchestra would be used in the future, its makeup would inevitably be different.

 

I would have said there's no way they would ever have an orchestra again before reading the blog. The fact that the group enjoyed it so much is a good indicator that they will at least consider it in the future. It's obviously an experiment that was deemed a big success by the band.

[losingit2k]

Well if the professor has chimed in with his news letter to negate the possibility, then thats it then! Close the Thread!

It simply expressed the sadness of the current group of people going their separate ways. An obvious realization that even if an orchestra would be used in the future, its makeup would inevitably be different.

 

I would have said there's no way they would ever have an orchestra again before reading the blog. The fact that the group enjoyed it so much is a good indicator that they will at least consider it in the future. It's obviously an experiment that was deemed a big success by the band.

Yeah! I Just read the blog and came up with the same analogy. This was more about the end of the tour than not ever playing with strings again. :codger:

[sdhonda]

Indeed. Most likely, if they ever bring back a string section, it will most likely be part of a somewhat larger group or something.

 

Still, they were a great, compact unit, a great fit for backing up a great, compact band.

[losingit2k]

Indeed. Most likely, if they ever bring back a string section, it will most likely be part of a somewhat larger group or something.

 

Still, they were a great, compact unit, a great fit for backing up a great, compact band.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing them tackle songs like Limelight, Red Barchetta and La Villa Strangiatto Live with a staring section playing the keyboard string parts.

[ClassicB]

My feeling is that RUSH has one tour left in them, honestly, they will be pushing mid 60's by the next tour. That said, I don't think they are going to bring back the strings. It was nice last tour but that's it. RUSH isn't going to do a possible final tour with more than the 3 of them on stage.

[GeminiRising79]

Neil Peart "Many Moons Ago" Book Release Interview with Maxime Guillaume

(Excerpt taken from The Digital Drummer, December 21, 2027):

 

"When you look back on your career with Rush, were there any regrets you had during your days of touring?"

 

"Ah, well,...yes (pauses momentarily). I distinctly remember a considerably disturbing faux pas we had decided on back in the Summer of 2012, for the 8th leg of the Clockwork Angels Tour. We, ahem, I... came up with the not-so-brilliant idea to employ a strings section for this tour. Quite frankly, we were running out of novelties to utilize that would allow us to enhance a long running show- in a fashion much like how a Dung Beetle rolls a sphere of faecal matter, accumulating random "accoutrements" onto the sphere, if you will. We had considered the unplugged theme of the 90's, but felt this would force us to play most of our best material from the 70's.. and Bubba wasn't having any of that!(laughs). So, it eventually dawns on me that despite my being horrified by the idea of a strings section many years ago, it seemed like a great idea at the time to enhance the droning character of the new album. It also dawned on me that it would be quite economically feasable to simply hire a group of aging hippie musicians, throw on some cheap black t-shirts with a white alchemy symbol and let them stand in the dead area behind me. I thought to myself in my perceived moment of brilliance: "I can't stop thinking big", downed another The Macallan and high-fived my male wet-nurse, Michael (Neil explains the jovial banter the two have among each other).

So, many years later, after finally seeing video of those "orchestral" shows on YouTube, I felt the creeping shadow of terror and remorse fall onto me seeing the images of head-banging scruffy, balding and white-haired group of unkempt men of differing heights loitering behind me. It felt like a bad dream, to be honest...a nightmare. I still can't understand what in God's name I was thinking at the time...perhaps a bad combination of Macallan and pertness? (winks). If I could jump into a time machine and change the way we did things this travesty would be on the top of the list. I now realize this mental pratfall had no business whatsoever in being associated with Rush and greatly pains me to say it was a clear oversight on my part. But, it is what it is and I'm so thankful to God for the wonderful things and experiences in my life with Rush, past and present.

 

Oops- and then there's the issue of the African hat.. let's save that eye-full-of-sore for the next interview!" (laughs and smiles intensely)

 

@copyright TheDigitalDrummer.com

[jamie]

i really hope so. i think the strings were incredible. it gave the songs sort of an elegant twist.

[Lorraine]

My feeling is that RUSH has one tour left in them, honestly, they will be pushing mid 60's by the next tour. That said, I don't think they are going to bring back the strings. It was nice last tour but that's it. RUSH isn't going to do a possible final tour with more than the 3 of them on stage.

That reminds me of what I was thinking this morning about this next tour. They shouldn't wait long if they have plans to tour again. Why? Because if they wait longer than a year, it might be very hard for them to muster the get up and go to get up and do it, especially if they plan to continue three hour concerts with only one day off between. During this extended and well earned and deserved vacation, they will relax. If they relax too long, it may be grueling for them to energize themselves for a long tour.

[losingit2k]

Neil Peart "Many Moons Ago" Book Release Interview with Maxime Guillaume

(Excerpt taken from The Digital Drummer, December 21, 2027):

 

"When you look back on your career with Rush, were there any regrets you had during your days of touring?"

 

"Ah, well,...yes (pauses momentarily). I distinctly remember a considerably disturbing faux pas we had decided on back in the Summer of 2012, for the 8th leg of the Clockwork Angels Tour. We, ahem, I... came up with the not-so-brilliant idea to employ a strings section for this tour. Quite frankly, we were running out of novelties to utilize that would allow us to enhance a long running show- in a fashion much like how a Dung Beetle rolls a sphere of faecal matter, accumulating random "accoutrements" onto the sphere, if you will. We had considered the unplugged theme of the 90's, but felt this would force us to play most of our best material from the 70's.. and Bubba wasn't having any of that!(laughs). So, it eventually dawns on me that despite my being horrified by the idea of a strings section many years ago, it seemed like a great idea at the time to enhance the droning character of the new album. It also dawned on me that it would be quite economically feasable to simply hire a group of aging hippie musicians, throw on some cheap black t-shirts with a white alchemy symbol and let them stand in the dead area behind me. I thought to myself in my perceived moment of brilliance: "I can't stop thinking big", downed another The Macallan and high-fived my male wet-nurse, Michael (Neil explains the jovial banter the two have among each other).

So, many years later, after finally seeing video of those "orchestral" shows on YouTube, I felt the creeping shadow of terror and remorse fall onto me seeing the images of head-banging scruffy, balding and white-haired group of unkempt men of differing heights loitering behind me. It felt like a bad dream, to be honest...a nightmare. I still can't understand what in God's name I was thinking at the time...perhaps a bad combination of Macallan and pertness? (winks). If I could jump into a time machine and change the way we did things this travesty would be on the top of the list. I now realize this mental pratfall had no business whatsoever in being associated with Rush and greatly pains me to say it was a clear oversight on my part. But, it is what it is and I'm so thankful to God for the wonderful things and experiences in my life with Rush, past and present.

 

Oops- and then there's the issue of the African hat.. let's save that eye-full-of-sore for the next interview!" (laughs and smiles intensely)

 

@copyright TheDigitalDrummer.com

You must associate yourself with those spheres Dung Beetles Roll. :bump:

Edited September 2, 2013 by losingit2k

[Dscrapre]

Neil Peart "Many Moons Ago" Book Release Interview with Maxime Guillaume

(Excerpt taken from The Digital Drummer, December 21, 2027):

 

"When you look back on your career with Rush, were there any regrets you had during your days of touring?"

 

"Ah, well,...yes (pauses momentarily). I distinctly remember a considerably disturbing faux pas we had decided on back in the Summer of 2012, for the 8th leg of the Clockwork Angels Tour. We, ahem, I... came up with the not-so-brilliant idea to employ a strings section for this tour. Quite frankly, we were running out of novelties to utilize that would allow us to enhance a long running show- in a fashion much like how a Dung Beetle rolls a sphere of faecal matter, accumulating random "accoutrements" onto the sphere, if you will. We had considered the unplugged theme of the 90's, but felt this would force us to play most of our best material from the 70's.. and Bubba wasn't having any of that!(laughs). So, it eventually dawns on me that despite my being horrified by the idea of a strings section many years ago, it seemed like a great idea at the time to enhance the droning character of the new album. It also dawned on me that it would be quite economically feasable to simply hire a group of aging hippie musicians, throw on some cheap black t-shirts with a white alchemy symbol and let them stand in the dead area behind me. I thought to myself in my perceived moment of brilliance: "I can't stop thinking big", downed another The Macallan and high-fived my male wet-nurse, Michael (Neil explains the jovial banter the two have among each other).

So, many years later, after finally seeing video of those "orchestral" shows on YouTube, I felt the creeping shadow of terror and remorse fall onto me seeing the images of head-banging scruffy, balding and white-haired group of unkempt men of differing heights loitering behind me. It felt like a bad dream, to be honest...a nightmare. I still can't understand what in God's name I was thinking at the time...perhaps a bad combination of Macallan and pertness? (winks). If I could jump into a time machine and change the way we did things this travesty would be on the top of the list. I now realize this mental pratfall had no business whatsoever in being associated with Rush and greatly pains me to say it was a clear oversight on my part. But, it is what it is and I'm so thankful to God for the wonderful things and experiences in my life with Rush, past and present.

 

Oops- and then there's the issue of the African hat.. let's save that eye-full-of-sore for the next interview!" (laughs and smiles intensely)

 

@copyright TheDigitalDrummer.com

 

You pleasure yourself to fantasies of Neil agreeing with you, don't you?

[ILSnwdog]

I enjoyed seeing the strings make an appearance on this tour, but I don't think we'll ever see them again. I don't think there will be enough CA material in subsequent tours to justify it.

 

[OneLittleVictory]

I doubt it..they probably are going to only play like 2 songs from CA so they could just use those trigger thingies. Edited September 4, 2013 by OneLittleVictory

[rushfanforever!]

Unless the next tour is called Clockwork Angels Continued, I believe we have seen the last of the "Stringers". :( They sure did rock out during the shows, especially Gerry H, whom I had the great pleasure to meet and hang out with numerous times before/after some CA shows. What a great decent guy!! :ebert:

[The Cat 3]

I think we'll see Rush perform with a full orchestra for a handful of shows at some point.

 

Alex has mentioned it in the past and I think it would be a natural progression for them.

 

Time will tell I suppose...I'd welcome it, that's for certain.

[bathory]

I enjoyed seeing the strings make an appearance on this tour, but I don't think we'll ever see them again. I don't think there will be enough CA material in subsequent tours to justify it.

 

but what if they play losing it? then they could get ben mink! that reminds me, I need to make a new setlist now!!!

[Shredder2]

I'd like to think so. I enjoyed it while it lasted! :P

 

I wouldn't mind the strings making a return to both, the tour and Rush's music. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work out at first, but Rush has a strange way of making me think otherwise.

[bathory]

I'd like to think so. I enjoyed it while it lasted! :P

 

I wouldn't mind the strings making a return to both, the tour and Rush's music. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work out at first, but Rush has a strange way of making me think otherwise.

 

they do a ton of things I typically dislike (adding a ton of synthesizers, mixing rap with rock, touring with an orchestra) but somehow they IMO successfully pull it off every time

[Shredder2]

I'd like to think so. I enjoyed it while it lasted! :P

 

I wouldn't mind the strings making a return to both, the tour and Rush's music. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work out at first, but Rush has a strange way of making me think otherwise.

 

they do a ton of things I typically dislike (adding a ton of synthesizers, mixing rap with rock, touring with an orchestra) but somehow they IMO successfully pull it off every time

That's the thing that gets me thinking! How the hell do they manage to pull off that kind of stuff?!

[Del_Duio]

I don't think so but we might see 'other' special guest joining them on some parts of another tour

 

I'm just sad they didn't do "Losing It" while they had the live strings

 

I hear you brother. Maybe one of these guest will be Ben Mink and then they'll play Losing It.

 

:drool:

 

Naw, no way. They had their chance for Losing It and it didn't happen.

I don't think it's ever going to get played now :(