One factor of a band's legacy, is their longevity. Longevity, stems from a solid fan base. One of the last surviving power trio rock bands, Rush, has a legacy, longevity, a definite, hardcore fan base, and musical talent in spades. All three original members (guitarist, Alex Lifeson, bassist/vocalist/synthesizer player, Geddy Lee, and drummer, Neal Peart), have actually been performing together, since the late 1960s. They are one of rock & roll's last true power trio's. They released their first album in 1974, and 40+ years later, have decided, this, is their last hurrah.
Yours truly, saw the band, in 2010, at the Minnesota State Fair. Back then, it was the more well known records like 1975's "Fly By Night" or, "2112", released in 1976, and especially, 1981's "Moving Pictures", which has to be their best known recording. This time however, it was their records from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, that took center stage. While the music was the show's centerpiece, the band also showed these kooky video montages for opening and closing the sets, that introduced new fans, and also, treated the diehard veterans, to Rush's collective, genial sense of humor, that meshes well, with their thought provoking lyrics, and musical virtuosity.
The band opened with the tune "The Anarchist", from their most recent record... "Clockwork Angels", released in 2012. "Headlong Flight" (also from this recording), was another early set feature, as were, "Far Cry", and "The Main Monkey Business", released on 2007's "Snakes & Arrows" album, followed by "One Little Victory" from 2002's "Vapor Trails". Then, after the newer tunes took their turn, it was time to throw the time machine, into high gear. Ironically, that was the name of the last tour that yours truly saw Rush on... the Time Machine tour, back in 2010.
The next layer of the show, delved into material from the band's 1980s and 1990s work, which was a first, for yours truly, in some respects. 1991's "Roll The Bones" and "Distant Early Warning", which meant a shift into the band's slightly more recognizable 1980s material, from the 1984 "Grace Under Pressure" recording. Set two opened with the instrumental "YYZ" and "Tom Sawyer", which did come from "Moving Pictures". So that album, was partially represented in the show, to the delight of perhaps, more casual fans. However, with a band like Rush, the term "casual fan" need not apply.
"The Spirit of Radio", "Cyagnus", and two songs from 1976's "2112", seemed to usher in the true fan favorites of the Rush catalog. The cherry on the sundae, seemed to be the tune "Xanadu", the first cut off of 1977's "A Farewell To Kings". Yours truly learned a lot about the catalog of the band from last night's show and is putting the puzzle together, in this review. For "Xanadu", the most exciting aspect, was the use of double neck guitars. A Gibson EDS 1275 for Alex Lifeson, and Geddy Lee, playing a Rickenbacker double neck bass. Lots of sounds, can be created by a guitarist, when you have two necks, with different numbers of strings on each.
"Jacob's Ladder" and "Cygnus X-1" in it's various parts and phases, also wowed fans. Let us not forget one of the biggest hits in Rush's catalog, from "2112"... "Closer To The Heart"... a semi acoustic number. The encore brought together songs from the earliest of Rush's works. It included "Lakeside Park" from 1975's "Caress of Steel" record, "Anthem" (revisiting the aforementioned "Fly By Night" album), and the encore... was a real treat for the Rush faithful. Two songs, from their very first recording. 1974's "Rush", including "What You're Doing", and a staple of their live shows, the ever crowd pleasing, "Working Man".
Rush, has proved for the last 40 years, that a power trio, can really be as much as a band might need to be on stage. Guitar, bass, and drums... still works. Oh, and Geddy Lee, also, has mastered the art of a Moog synthesizer, to boot, and that too, came to the fore, on some of the tracks. With Rush hanging up their hats and retiring, at the end of this year, will power trio bands, still be a part of the musical landscape? Only time will tell. But, these three, (Alex, Geddy, and Neal), have shown how effective, and awesome, a power trio can be, for the better part, of four decades.
Rush set list - Xcel Energy Center - 5/12/15
Set 1:
1. The Anarchist
2. Clockwork Angels
3. Headlong Flight (with Drumbastica mini drum solo)
4. Far Cry
5. The Main Monkey Business
6. One Little Victory
7. Animate
8. Roll The Bones (with celebrity rappers video)
9. Distant Early Warning
10. Subdivisions
Set 2:
11. Tom Sawyer
12. YYZ
13. The Spirit of Radio
14. Natural Science
15. Jacob's Ladder
16. Cygnus X-1 Book 2: Hemispheres - Prelude
17. Cygnus X-1 Book 1: The Voyage - Part 1
18. Drum Solo
19. Cygnus X-1 Book 1: The Voyage - Part 3
20. Closer To The Heart
21. Xanadu (with double neck guitars)
22. 2112/Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Presentation/Grand Finale
Encore:
23. Lakeside Park
24. Anthem
25. What You're Doing
26. Working Man (with Garden Road riff, at the end)
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