...and now a much better Rush review...

chopper wrote: Just seen a very enthusiastic review of the gig in The Sun - they have them 5 stars!

A good review, indeed:

A GLEAMING crimson Les Paul slung round his neck, Alex Lifeson saunters across the stage, his 57-year-old fingers picking out one of the most exhilarating riffs in the history of rock. The Spirit Of Radio is in full cry and a woman near me is in tears of joy. How many bands induce such emotion in the first five seconds of a gig? There is a reason why Rush trail only the Beatles and Stones for consecutive gold or platinum albums. It's not just their astonishing musicianship. That gets only a tenth of the way there. It's a blend of power, subtlety, soaring choruses and some of the most intelligent lyrics ever written. It's cool to hate them, to refuse to see beyond their three dope-fuelled years of proggy hobbit-bothering 35 years ago. But drummer Neil Peart has since penned skilful and profound explorations of love, loss, prejudice and alienation. Yet there is nothing po-faced about it. The comic mini-movies tying the show together display a limitless capacity for self-parody. Here are three Canadians, all nearing 60. energetically revisiting their 40-year career - yet somehow there is nothing sad about it. It is effortless. There is a not an awkward move or pose all night. Fabulous songs like Workin' Them Angels and Far Cry remind us that some of their best work has come in the last four years, that they still create tremendous material. Few peers can say the same. Let's hope we haven't seen the last of them.

Edited by Jim Garten - June 07 2011 at 03:03

They were good (ok, better than just good) in Sheffield as well- agree with the point on the vocals, a bit disappointed for that, but that alone could not spoil the joy

Tony R wrote: I'm guessing that reviewer is a big fan... Great show, again, last night. Wonderful performance, stage show and visuals. A solid A in my book.

Awesome it most certainly was 

Dammit, no

I haven't read the other review, but I can't say I like this one much. I'm not that keen on the 100% positive fan type reviews. 

Tony R wrote: I'm guessing that reviewer is a big fan... Great show, again, last night. Wonderful performance, stage show and visuals. A solid A in my book.

Definitely - I did keep an eye out for you but somehow a middle aged Rush fan seemed to blend in with 25,000 others

That is so much more like the concert I went to see...

Yes, that review is more like it. It sounded like a great show.

OK, I know I'm biased, but you have to admit this is a well written review

Just about sums up my feelings last night - in my humble opinion, an even better show than they put on at Wembley on the Snakes & Arrows tour a couple of years ago.

Admittedly, Geddy Lee's voice did crack on a couple of occasions, but the guy's considerably older than he was when he originally recorded the vocals, so I'm prepared to forgive him the occasional waver - apart from this however, I'd say Rush put in an absolute stonker of a show last night (even Professor Peart was grinning pretty much throughout)

Guardian reviewers, take note of how a review can be when written by a person who know's what he's talking about