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| It was hard to take pics in the Limelight of Rush |
There were predictably thousands of people there. Tailgaters seemed a bit more subdued than say, Motley Crue fans, so there was a lot less rowdiness, and even the lines to get into the venue were unsettling in that they were pretty quiet and orderly. The pavilion looked sold out, and even the lawn (especially the middle section) was jam packed. We set up shop on the right side of the lawn and had a pretty great view of the stage.
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| Merchwork Angels |
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| Caress of Merch |
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| One could easily spend $2112 and still not get everything |
There was a lot of merchandise, all pretty expensively priced- $40, $50 shirts. There was one for $60/65 but I'm not sure what was special about it. $15 bag, $10 poster, $25 drumstick(s), an d some hats, lanyards, I think some vinyl. So many things. There was a hockey jersey and some leather jacket- both of which I'm sure were pricey. I didn't see anything particularly gripping, but rest assured, the lines were solid.
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| Intro Video. We were kind of a Far Cry from them |
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| This photo Shows, rather Than Tells how many people mobbed the lawn. |
Make no mistake, Rush has certainly a strong following. It was a less rowdy crowd (for the most part, some people still def got a bit hammered), but that was a nice environment for a progressive band with a less party vibe, and I think we got to appreciate the music more.
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| Also chimps. |
There were a lot of lights, video on the huge screens, and even during "Far Cry," some fireworks and fire during "One Little Victory"! On "Roll the Bones" rap, the video showed some famous people like Peter Dinklage (Tyrion from Game of Thrones), Paul Rudd (actor), and the Trailer Park Boys! The stage effects were a bit more than I was expecting- which is not a bad thing!
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| Wish my Camera Eye was clearer |
Frontman Geddy Lee (bass, keyboards, vocals) was pretty on point, although you can tell he's not as high in key/pitch as he used to be (as expected). It's still remarkable singing and doing progressive bass at the same time. I believe he used to use his feet for keyboard pedals or the like, but I'm not sure if he did that this time. Again, he's one of those voices that you really love or hate... so if you don't dig it, TAKE OFF, hoser! Fun Fact: I used to have a very Geddy Lee Look, with landing strip, glasses, and long hair. But I wasn't Canadian.
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| Alex Lifeson, workin' them angels |
Alex Lifeson was working hard on guitar, and while not the most virtuoso of guitarists I've seen, certainly one of the most proficient! I don't think anyone can fault his performance at all. I think I saw in some videos afterward that he broke No wonder the Trailer Park Boys kidnapped him! He certainly sounded pretty great, and I don't know how all these progressive musicians keep track of all those notes... talent, experience, sheer will? During "Xanadu," both Geddy and Alex were using double necked guitars! That was pretty wild as well.
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| Neil Peart, losin' it! |
And heavyweight drummer god Neil Peart... I will say I was not bored by his drumming at all. He had a huge kit that sounded like heavy metal thunder! He was sweating in the June heat, but he seemed to be playing effortlessly other than the sweat droplets- very impressive. And I don't even understand the full implications of the proggy drums he plays, so I'm sure it was even more difficult to play than I even realize! And the slight solos on a couple songs were actually rather engaging (I can't believe I am saying I was OK with a drum solo). I believe this is pretty top honours from someone who really despises drum solos.
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| These guys really have Chemisty |
I think I would have enjoyed this show a bit more if I were more into Rush, or if they had played more songs from albums of theirs that I have. There is no denying their talent, but for not really knowing a lot of the songs (I think I've heard at least once/ knew about half the songs), I still enjoyed myself. So I think one can easily project that less casual fans were having a blast! I will say that the somewhat haunting "Subdivisions" was my favourite song of theirs this evening, although "Animate" sounded very good.
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| With the Available Light, you can see a ton of Rush Fans |
Overall it was a pretty fun time. I kind of wish we had stayed for the whole thing, but I also think we made a good choice in not staying in the parking lot for more than an hour to escape! A fun time, but I think I still am only a casual Rush fan- but a bigger one than before.
Next show: SEPULTURA at the Ottobar
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Setlists
- The World Is...The World Is
- The Anarchist
- Clockwork Angels
- Headlong Flight (with mini drum solo)
- Far Cry
- The Main Monkey Business
- One Little Victory
- Animate
- Roll the Bones
- Distant Early Warning
- Subdivisions
- No Country for Old Hens (video)
- Tom Sawyer
- YYZ
- The Spirit of Radio
- Natural Science
- Jacob's Ladder
- Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres Part I: Prelude
- Cygnus X-1 (The Voyage Part 1 & 3 with drum solo)
- Closer to the Heart
- Xanadu
- 2112 Part I: Overture
- 2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx
- 2112 Part IV: Presentation
- 2112 Part VII: Grand Finale
- Mel's Rock Pile starring Eugene Levy (intro video)
- Lakeside Park (left around here)
- Anthem
- What You're Doing
- Working Man
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