Rush September 18, 2012

The Bearded Bard wrote: Great review, Scott! Sorry to hear you were disappointed

Seconded - really looking forward to the O2 Arena in London next year.

If you think Scott was disappointed, you should see some of the Rush forums , you'd think the guys were deliberately ripping people off by playing what they want to (ie a new album they're justifiably proud of) instead of the same songs they've been playing for the last 35 years or so.

Padraic wrote: Uh-oh.  Well, I'm committed to go - maybe I'll go get a beer during the CA set.  At least I'm not alone in really being underwhelmed by that album.

What baffles me are those who trash Vapor Trails but love Clockwork Angels.

Edit: However, hearing it live may increase your appreciation of it.  I know that's happened to me before (not often, but it happens).


Edited by Epignosis - October 02 2012 at 16:54

Catcher10 wrote: I don't get the dislike for either VP or CA....both are fantastic works by Rush. Sure its not AFTK or Hemispheres, but damn if those albums don't kick a$$. I have always liked Caravan and BU2B, live those songs are power houses.......I am really looking forward to hearing the rest of the songs off CA live.   But I am not surprised at all the fuss over the setlist.....when you have soooo many amazing albums to choose from and people have so many different favs, almost impossible to please the masses.....Bring it on.   I am still hoping for that 3 hour show with 16 songs:   Cygnus X1 Hemispheres Fountain of Lamneth Necromancer By-Tor/Snowdog Xanadu La Villa Strangiato Natural Science Camera Eye Earthshine Secret Touch Clockwork Angels The Garden Beneath, Between & Behind Jacobs Ladder   Encore: 2112-Side 1

That would indeed be an amazing set!

Epignosis wrote: Padraic wrote: Uh-oh.  Well, I'm committed to go - maybe I'll go get a beer during the CA set.  At least I'm not alone in really being underwhelmed by that album. What baffles me are those who trash Vapor Trails but love Clockwork Angels. Edit: However, hearing it live may increase your appreciation of it.  I know that's happened to me before (not often, but it happens).

It did, Rob.  Got that beer ($10 ) but saw most of the CA set, and I enjoyed it.

Definitely a show for Power Windows fans.  They did half the album:  Big Money, Grand Designs, Middletown Dreams, and Territories.  Overall incredibly 80s laden.  Remarkable in fact, that the only pre-1980 song performed was the final encore of 2112 (Overture/Syrinx/Grand Finale).  Opened the gig with Subdivisions.

I can get over not doing 70s stuff (since I've seen plenty of it), but no Counterparts songs were a bit disappointing. 

rushfan4 wrote: This seems to be the setlist that was played last night:   NIGHT B version 1* Set 1: Video Intro (Gearing Up) Subdivisions The Big Money Force 10 Grand Designs Middletown Dreams Territories Analog Kid The Pass Where's My Thing (with drum solo) Far Cry Intermission (Clockwork Angels String Ensemble enters) Set 2: Video Intro (The Appointment) Caravan Clockwork Angels The Anarchist Seven Cities of Gold The Wreckers Headlong Flight (with drum solo) Halo Effect (with guitar solo intro) Wish Them Well The Garden Dreamline The Percussor (drum solo) Red Sector A YYZ (Clockwork Angels String Ensemble exits) Working Man (with reggae intro) Encore: Tom Sawyer 2112 Overture/Temples of Syrinx/Grand Finale Video Outro (Office Of The Watchmaker) * played 9/9/2012 in Bristow, VA   Source: http://www.rushisaband.com/setlist_pop.php?tour_id=199

After my concert (and review) from last night, I thought I'd check out your review again, and it's interesting how similar our shows were.  I didn't spend much of my review talking about the songs themselves, but if I had, I would have said many similar things to yours.  Some interesting setlist substitutions between your set and mine (I understand they have several variants on the basic set list where they switch some songs in and out):

Middletown Dreams in my show was replaced with Limelight.  I think it was strategically placed to keep people engaged during what would have otherwise been an obscuro trip through Power Windows territory which few people were really amped up to do.

Seven Cities of Gold in my show was replaced with Carnies.  Both pretty good songs, probably about an equal switch.  Carnies was probably the highlight of the CA set at my show. 

Working Man in my show was replaced with Spirit of Radio.  Probably the only "classic" song I was kind of disappointed to hear.  30 years of hearing it, and I'm just starting to get a little tired of it.