Rush Tonight in Houston

[Bengal65]

First time I got to see Rush live tonight ever. I left just after they started the 2nd set about the 3rd song. I wasn't impressed, although I am a huge respecter of all the guy's music prowess and have followed them from the beginning. It just wasn't a very enjoyable concert to me. Geddy was the only one that talked. They had all the goofy video's going and the lights were pretty neat. I could tell some hardcore fans were really into it, singing along with a lot of songs. Neil's drumming was great, Geddy spot on and Alex had some nice hardware! (Les Paul Standard Flame Top with abalone inlay with a Floyd, also his Signature Edition ES-355) Eh, I'll skip the concert next time. Definitely not worth my $103 ticket!

[Shawn Lutz]

bummer to spend that for tickets and not have a good experience. I love early Rush and saw them on the Moving Pictures tour at Cobo arena in Detroit back in the 80's...they blew the roof off the place and were excellent live I thought...I also havent gotten into any Rush since Moving Pictures

[Cygnus X1]

Only time I got to see them was the "Roll the Bones" tour.
I'm a fan anyways, and I was blown away! Tix back then were around 25 dollars.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it, from what I've seen on "Rush in Rio", and "30", they still
sound great.

[Bengal65]

They played a mix of old and new, but mostly the new stuff. My highlight was checking out the gear. For most of the songs Alex played the "Iced Tea" burst Les Paul Standard with the Floyd. The abalone inlays looked spectacular in the lights. He had no trouble hitting the high notes with that setup. He also played a hardtail cherryburst LP that had piezo's for switching between acoustic and electric. There was another Iced Tea or Brock Burst LP for lowered tunings. His white signature ES-355 looked killer as well and that was used on most of the older tunes. He had a real acoustic on a stand and a tear drop large body mandolin looking instrument. Of course the "wall" of H & K's behind him.
Not bad in all, but to me I wouldn't sit through another one of their concerts. I'll watch the DVD's in segments. I was dissappointed as I have never seen them live until last night, only on DVD's. I'm not saying that a die hard fan would not enjoy it, but it wasn't for me. I'd like to see more reviews and see what everyone's opinion is. I'm curious.

[Jason1212]

I am going to see them this Friday in Dallas. I am a casual fan, but I am going with a hardcore fan to see them. Did anyone open for them? Given your review I hope I dont get too bored.

[Bengal65]

No, opening act. They started right at 7:30PM, showtime. They took an intermission at halfway (About 30 mins.). As Geddy Lee said, "We're not Spring Chickens anymore". They went all the way to 10:50PM.

[lerxstcat]

It's too bad you left early into the second set because when I saw them that was the better half of the show. Then again I've probably seen them 20 times or more. But they hit you with all the Snakes and Arrows songs in the first set and as much as I love Rush, that album is not a great Rush album. I really only like that album because as a Rush fan I want to like it, if that makes sense.

Geddy has always been the only one to talk to the crowd; he's the vocalist, after all. I didn't get tickets to this leg because I saw them in Atlanta for the start of the tour last June, and I doubt I'd get a better show than that one. The set list is mostly the same and I prefer the songs they removed to the ones they changed to on this leg.


Sorry you didn't enjoy the show though; for $103 you should get a damn orgasm out of the deal!

[horns666]

I remember seeing them for 20 bucks in '90 when Mr Big opened for them. Remember when every fuggin' concert was 25 bucks or less..what happened?!

I would enjoy Rush more now than I did then. Its weird, I've been listening to alot of "old school" bands lately. All these Mespace bands with their fuggin' protools and drum triggers. Everything sounds "samey" without personality and feel. It sounds so cut and paste. I'm all about having good meter and pushing envelopes. Rush did that within the context of "music" with hooks. Alot of bands are technical just for the sake of it. I love the sound of a real drum kit. Sometimes uneven kicks adds dynamic character.

I'm not a huge Rush fan, but I'm finding more appreciation for them. I'm aware what they contributed to rock and metal. Without Rush, there would be no Dream Theater, Symphony X, Pagans Mind, Opeth, Atheist, Watchtower, Cynic..that list is endless.

My VH trib drummer also played in Rush trib "Vital Signs". I sat in with those guys 20 years ago. I easily dissected and learned old Rush. Therefore I was convinced Geddy was extremely overrated. BUT, I wasn't the frontman or wrote that stuff. In hindsight I grossly underestimated Geddy..I certainly couldn't fill his shoes! His voice does grate on me at times , but that guy is a master of his craft. It just took me decades to realize it.

It sucks you didn't enjoy the show at 103 bucks. That's why I was MIA for VH. I can't dish out that kind of cash to see any band. That's expensive and I'm much too cheap!

[Endrik]

I've been listening to alot of "old school" bands lately. All these Mespace bands with their fuggin' protools and drum triggers. Everything sounds "samey" without personality and feel. It sounds so cut and paste. I'm all about having good meter and pushing envelopes. Rush did that within the context of "music" with hooks. Alot of bands are technical just for the sake of it. I love the sound of a real drum kit. Sometimes uneven kicks adds dynamic character.

no truer words can be spoken

[Cygnus X1]

I remember seeing them for 20 bucks in '90 when Mr Big opened for them. Remember when every fuggin' concert was 25 bucks or less..what happened?!

I would enjoy Rush more now than I did then. Its weird, I've been listening to alot of "old school" bands lately. All these Mespace bands with their fuggin' protools and drum triggers. Everything sounds "samey" without personality and feel. It sounds so cut and paste. I'm all about having good meter and pushing envelopes. Rush did that within the context of "music" with hooks. Alot of bands are technical just for the sake of it. I love the sound of a real drum kit. Sometimes uneven kicks adds dynamic character.

I'm not a huge Rush fan, but I'm finding more appreciation for them. I'm aware what they contributed to rock and metal. Without Rush, there would be no Dream Theater, Symphony X, Pagans Mind, Opeth, Atheist, Watchtower, Cynic..that list is endless.

My VH trib drummer also played in Rush trib "Vital Signs". I sat in with those guys 20 years ago. I easily dissected and learned old Rush. Therefore I was convinced Geddy was extremely overrated. BUT, I wasn't the frontman or wrote that stuff. In hindsight I grossly underestimated Geddy..I certainly couldn't fill his shoes! His voice does grate on me at times , but that guy is a master of his craft. It just took me decades to realize it.

It sucks you didn't enjoy the show at 103 bucks. That's why I was MIA for VH. I can't dish out that kind of cash to see any band. That's expensive and I'm much too cheap!

I could Never profess myself to have the mastery of music criticism as you Bill Z.
But, even being a diehard a fan, I'm with you. I had a real hard time with Geddy's vocals for a long time. Geddy has grown out of it. He has even adapted his current voice to the old songs, and I think "Lakeside Park", and Temples of Syrinx, etc. sound better now than before.
What attracted me to Rush, early was the Black Sabbath, without the problem of Ozzy. Intellectual. I was a sci-fi nerd when I was a teen, so Rush was magic to me. And the love and understanding of history, sealed the deal.
They grew, I grew, and I never grew out of them. They didn't make a comeback, instead, they did what they did, and the fans eventually caught up. And Geddy's voice finally changed at about age 43. Late Bloomer!

[lerxstcat]

Geddy's vocals are a love-or-hate thing and I've always loved them. In fact I kind of hated it when he toned it down. Although at the Atlanta show that kicked off the tour he was singing a LOT like his old self, which was cool. They didn't do any 2112 songs though on that leg, but Circumstances and Entre Nous were great to hear live.

If they'd cut the S&A songs down to about 5 and add a few more rarities I might have gone to the New Orleans show last night, but the set list was too samey and they've toured for nearly a year on this record now. I just don't think I'd get as good a show as the tour opener was.

[horns666]

[horns666]

bump

[Bengal65]

bump

Bill bumped it
The best song on the new album I think is "Workin' Them Angels". The graphics during the concert were really neat. The crowd went wild, when the US Army Special Ops appeared with night vision, rifles to bear and wings!
You can hear the song by going to Rush.com. It opens right up. It's got Alex on mandolin in the tune.

[horns666]

You know I had all the 70's Rush, before the remasters but I've traded them off years ago. I think I'll grab them again..may as well get the remasters. I heard they do sound better.