Rush, Atlanta GA, November 1, 2012

I've often said that Rush is the perfect band for high school-age males.  Discovering them at age 12 when Moving Pictures was all over the radio, me and my friends devoured every album, every song lyric, every drum fill, and treated it like precious nuggets of wisdom that no one else quite understood like we did.  "Subdivisions" was a real eye opener, as I gave a lot of thought to Peart's lyrics about the ennui of free young thinkers in Suburbia, USA, and quietly decided to myself that I wasn't going to play the game of "conform or be cast out".  The strange feelings of alienation I'd been feeling were suddenly validated, as I realized I wasn't the only one who felt this way (remember, there were no online forums then, where disaffected youth could cry on each others' shoulders...we were all alone).
  
I narrowly missed seeing the band in concert on the "Signals" tour, because, yes, it was a School Night (collective groan).  As the 80s wore on, I became progressively (ha) less interested with each new release, but I dutifully bought them all, up through "Roll the Bones", where I finally got to see them live.  By then, though, the teenage thrills I got from the band had died down, and I was hell bent on expanding into other areas of progressive music, so I kind of forgot about Rush for a while.

Fast forward 20 years, and suddenly there's a bigger buzz about Rush than there'd been in years.  While the band never really went away, and many would argue that they never put out a subpar album, there was something about Clockwork Angels which intrigued me enough to bring them back into my life.  And while the album still hasn't blown me away, I'm still as excited about Rush as I've been in decades.  And on November 1st, I found myself back in that audience, 20 years older (and looking it), as Rush did the same thing they've been doing for close to 40 years -- pushing themselves physically and mentally to play their complex music, and delivering an experience that only a consummate group of professionals could pull off.

Set List

Subdivisions (my favorite song)
The Big Money
Force Ten
Grand Designs
Limelight
Territories
The Analog Kid
The Pass
Where's My Thing? (w/ drum solo)
Far Cry

(set break)

Caravan
Clockwork Angels
The Anarchist
Carnies
The Wreckers
Headlong Flight
(another Clockwork song or two I couldn't place)
The Garden
Dreamline (took me the whole song to remember this one)
Electronic Drum feature thingy, leading into:
Red Sector A (yess!)
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio

encore:
Tom Sawyer
2112 Overture/Temples/Finale

The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater was a lovely venue, though the corporate vendors all over the place plugging products was a wee bit tacky.  Been over 10 years since I was at a "big show" like this, so I guess this may be the new norm, as the CONCERT HALL (drrn drrrn drrn da derrrrn) echoed with the sound of Salesmen... oofffffff SAAAALESMEN!!!

Oh, and it was pretty cold too.  Geddy even remarked on it.

I should point out too that I was in good company, with my friend Mark and three of his former co-workers, all die-hard Rush fans.  We met in a parking lot a few miles from the venue, gathered our stuff all in one car, and rode to the show together, enjoying a little tailgating action in the parking lot, with cheeseburgers, potato chips and pasta salad.  Like many do nowadays, I mentioned the Rush show in a "status update" I posted on Facebook, and immediately a whole motley crew of present and past friends (including a guy who I played in a band with in high school, when we once attempted to play Xanadu) joined in the fun.

And the last word concerning Rush.  It feels good to be serviced by professionals now and then.  For all my affinity for underground bands playing in dark caves, Rush are and always have been top flight musicians at the top of their game, putting on shows where no expense is spared to make everyone in a huge Amphitheater audience feel like they're a part of the action.  Great show, great experience.


Edited by HolyMoly - November 02 2012 at 08:34

Nice review indeed Glad you enjoyed yourself.

Good review!! Glad you were able to harken back your days of old......Some bands now adays just do not have the cult following like a Rush has.....I don't see for example Dream Theater or Porcupine Tree or Yes for that matter playing "An Evening With..." and filling some of these larger venues without 4 other support bands.

i'm in ATL too!  went last night.  it was cold, but not too bad.  it wasn't as big a thrill for me because i went to time machine tour two years ago.  at that point i hadn't seen rush in 20 years.  that being said, the setlist last night was a fanboy's dream.  the clockwork set got a bit old for me, but no big deal.  hearing those songs live was great.  i am utterly impressed their energy and stamina.  i was exhausted and i wasn't even doing anything!

Hi HolyMoly and everybody @ PA Forum!

I really liked your post! It´s interesting how Rush´s fans have a similiar approach to the band, their music and lyrics.

I´m a brazilian fan and I was also there in ATL show! I had this opportunity to spend some days of my quick vacations visiting a friend who liver in Milton (near ATL), and as a Rush fan too, he bought the tickets just when released for sale.

I must say I´m a huge fan of Rush and mainly of Mr. Neil Peart, not only as a drummer but as a writer. And I liked a lot the Clockwork Angels! I was impressed about them being played live.

So, for me, this 3rd opportunity to see them live (1st, in 2002, @ Sao Paulo, their greatest audience of all time; 2nd, in 2010, again is Sao Paulo), in another country, was unique, and I felt impressed and happy about the show. Some great moments:
1) After Subdivisions my friend and I said to each other, "we dont need to see the rest of the show. This song is worth the price of the ticket, let´s go home"...rsrs...
2) Grand Designs, which I love
3) Limelight, the only song I play on drums with my band, Rock Station).

Hope they will come to Brazil on 2013, after the European leg of the tour.

Hugs to all,

RobertoBR

Hey HoluMoly,

Thanks for your comments.

Yes, the show in Sao Paulo had 62k people, while the one in Rio had 44k.
During the DVD this information is mentioned.
I remember the interview with the guys of Sepultura, who were in the audience, and then showing some takes from Sao Paulo gig (it was a rainy night) but was magical.

The RIR was really a magic moment...as Mr Neil Peart says in its book "Far and Away - A prize every time", "Magic happens"...and for sure it happened there!

See ya!