For Rush (the band) Fans

[Ksyrup]

I know we have a couple, so...



Thirty-Year Bash For Rush

Updated 04:11 PST Sun, Dec 28 2003

Rush's Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee spilled the beans on the band's upcoming tour plans during their recent appearance on radio show "Rockline."

The two announced that Rush plans to celebrate its 30 years together with a major, global concert tour next year.

That said, specific dates, cities and even countries where the band plans to play are still being worked out. However, Lifeson and Lee did specify Rush will play North America and Europe, where it's been more than a decade since they've last toured.
Billboard is reporting the outing will hit amphitheatres beginning in June for approximately 30 dates, and then move to Europe in September.

The Canadian trio recently released a three-disc live CD, Rush In Rio, taken from the last night of 2002's Vapor Trails Tour. The music set was followed by a two-disc DVD, which hit the charts at No. 1.

Rush's tour of the States last year was their first North American outing since 1997.

[Fonzie]

Good for them. I hope I get a chance to see 'em this time around.

[HornedFrog Purple]

woohoo!

[Leonidas]

Blended did a review this month on a new Rush DVD, Rush in Rio . I haven't checked it out yet.

[wahoomac]

Originally posted by Leonidas
Blended did a review this month on a new Rush DVD, Rush in Rio . I haven't checked it out yet.

I bought the DVD and CD the day it came out, and boy, was I impressed. It is really awesome to see the crowds in Brazil go nuts in huge soccer stadiums, and most people singing right along with the band. Puts most crowds at a North America concert to shame, IMO.

[Draft Dodger]

I don't like Rush, but I considered getting that Brazil DVD - sounds like a good live disc.

in other music news...Sammy Hagar is recording with Van Halen again....
http://birminghamspoint.com/common/l..._says_hes.html

[HornedFrog Purple]

Originally posted by wahoomac
I bought the DVD and CD the day it came out, and boy, was I impressed. It is really awesome to see the crowds in Brazil go nuts in huge soccer stadiums, and most people singing right along with the band. Puts most crowds at a North America concert to shame, IMO.

Yeah as an example when they were humming along to Natural Science was awesome.

The DVD set is top notch. One of the DVDs is following the guys around while they are touring. It's definitely my #1 music purchase this year.

[cthomer5000]

I'll definitely catch them on this tour, as I'm sure it might be the last chance. It's a shame the last 10 years of their career have generally been spent coasting on greatest hits collections (3 different sets of them!) and live albums.

The last thing we needed was another triple live album.

[HornedFrog Purple]

yeah but I don't think Vapor Trails would have come out as late as it did if Neil Peart's personal life didn't go straight to hell.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
in other music news...Sammy Hagar is recording with Van Halen again....
http://birminghamspoint.com/common/l..._says_hes.html

Not according to Sammy:


"SAMMY HAGAR: VAN HALEN Reunion Not On The Horizon - Dec. 28, 2003

Former VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar was featured in the "At Home" section of the Friday, December 26, 2003 edition of the USA Today national newspaper. Asked about a VAN HALEN reunion, Hagar said it's not on the horizon, but he reiterated a posting he made to his web site about a recent dinner in Los Angeles with drummer Alex Van Halen.

"We had a lot of fun times together," said Hagar, who after replacing David Lee Roth spent a decade with the band, before himself being dismissed when the band briefly took back up with Roth. "So after years of carrying anger around on both sides, it was really nice to be able to feel like we were once again focusing on the friendship."

As previously reported, rumors of a possible Hagar-VAN HALEN reunion surfaced last month, with unconfirmed reports claiming that the group had teamed with high-powered manager Irving Azoff (EAGLES, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SEAL, JEWEL, JOURNEY) — who currently represents Hagar — and are eyeing a new album and tour in 2004.

Soon after those rumors surfaced, Hagar posted a message on his web site, in which he confirmed that he, guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen were on speaking terms for the first time since Hagar and the group split in June of 1996.

Hagar and VAN HALEN bassist Anthony have remained friends, and Anthony has frequently performed with Hagar over the past two years. The duo will make their next joint appearance at next year's Super Bash, a five-day concert event (Jan. 28 until Feb. 1) in downtown Houston that coincides with Super Bowl XXXVIII."

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by HornedFrog Purple
yeah but I don't think Vapor Trails would have come out as late as it did if Neil Peart's personal life didn't go straight to hell.

good point. Geddy's solo album sucked too.. I almost wish I could go back in time and force the band to break up after Counterparts. That would have been a wonderful closing album. I don't even know if I could make one good album out of all of Test for Echo or Vapor Trails. Vapor Trails was at least approriately named, since the band is clearly running on fumes.

[Ksyrup]

I still haven't gotten past track 3 of Vapor Trails. Someone actually did a scientific analysis of the tracks and determined that the production was seriously screwed up. That album just sounds awful - not St. Anger awful, of course, but bad enough that I can't listen to it.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I still haven't gotten past track 3 of Vapor Trails. Someone actually did a scientific analysis of the tracks and determined that the production was seriously screwed up. That album just sounds awful - not St. Anger awful, of course, but bad enough that I can't listen to it.

The production is horrendous. I don't know what the thinking was...


"Let's take a group of 3 supreme musicians, then muddy up the sound as much as possible so you can't hear the great individual performances."

[Leonidas]

I actually liked Vapor Trails. The production may be bad, but I think it was their best set of songs since Grace Under Pressure. The lyrics are very abstract for Rush, but I think they are more mature now than anything they've done before.

I also think Vapor Trails may have saved Neil Peart's life. As I understand it he pretty much turned into a depressed recluse and Alex and Geddy used the lure of the new album as a way to bring him back into the world. I read an interview where Neil talked about having to teach himself to play drums all over again because he had so completely lost touch.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Leonidas
I actually liked Vapor Trails. The production may be bad, but I think it was their best set of songs since Grace Under Pressure. The lyrics are very abstract for Rush, but I think they are more mature now than anything they've done before.

Grace Under Pressure is my least favorite Rush album ever. Actually, I thought everyone felt that way.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
Grace Under Pressure is my least favorite Rush album ever. Actually, I thought everyone felt that way.

Just goes to show people who like the same band don't always like it for the same things. My least favorite Rush album has to be pretty much anything they did between GUP and Vapor Trails. My favorite is a toss up between 2112 and Permanent Waves (Moving Pictures is almost cliche to call it their best). I'm also not real wild about Hemispheres, but La Villa Strangiato pulls that one out of the dung heap.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Leonidas
Just goes to show people who like the same band don't always like it for the same things. My least favorite Rush album has to be pretty much anything they did between GUP and Vapor Trails. My favorite is a toss up between 2112 and Permanent Waves (Moving Pictures is almost cliche to call it their best). I'm also not real wild about Hemispheres, but La Villa Strangiato pulls that one out of the dung heap.

You're like my evil twin in terms of Rush.

My favorites (in no particular order):

Hold Your Fire
Power Windows
Hemispheres
Counterparts


least favorites (in no particular order):

vapor trails
test for echo
grace under pressure

[dickysty]

That's great news!

I'm always thinking that the most current tour maybe their last. So maybe this latest proposed tour is the last, who knows.

I've been to many shows and this will be about number 12 or so!

[Hurst2112]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I still haven't gotten past track 3 of Vapor Trails. Someone actually did a scientific analysis of the tracks and determined that the production was seriously screwed up. That album just sounds awful - not St. Anger awful, of course, but bad enough that I can't listen to it.

I am no scientist, but I do know that vapor trails was mixed too hot.

They said it was from the tracking phase, but listening, I can tell you that the 2 mixes were way to hot. Digital distortion sucks, and you hear it a lot in that album.

[Hurst2112]

Thank god they are going back on tour. I can keep my user name a little longer now.

[Ksyrup]

What did YOU do on New Years' Eve?

"Well, the wife, the son, and I got arrested."

Clue #6,379 that you are a world-famous musician:

You have a wife who is younger than your son.

EDIT: Is this referring to Lifeson's wife or his son's wife? I thought it was Alex, but now I'm not so sure.



NAPLES, Florida (AP) -- The lead guitarist for the rock band Rush faces criminal charges after a New Year's Eve fight with sheriff's deputies.

Alex Zivojinovich, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, was arrested for what deputies described as drunken, violent behavior at the Naples Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Deputies said they used a stun gun on Zivojinovich, 50, who faces 6 charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication.

Also arrested were his 33-year-old son Justin Zivojinovich and wife Michelle Zivojinovich, 30.

Justin Zivojinovich said his father, who was still in Collier County jail late Thursday, had his nose broken by deputies.

He also said his father did not throw a female deputy down the stairs, as stated in arrest reports. She tumbled down the stairs as she pushed the guitarist down the stairwell, his son said.

The scuffle began when Justin Zivojinovich refused to leave a stage, according to the arrest report.

Rush's hits include "Tom Sawyer," from the 1981 album "Moving Pictures," "Limelight" and "Spirit of the Radio."

[CamEdwards]

funny, you don't think of anybody from Rush doing this. Maybe it's the fact that they haven't had a hit in twenty years, maybe it's because they're Canadian, maybe it's because they're all kind of wimpy looking.

Maybe it's the fact that he's 50. Regardless, I expect this kind of behavior from the guy from the White Stripes, not the guitarist from Rush.

[Ksyrup]

Hey, older rock musicians can be irresponsible drunken louts, too!

[TLK]

33 year old son.....

30 year old wife.....


Well something went right for him.....

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by TheLionKing
33 year old son.....

30 year old wife.....


Well something went right for him.....

Turns out it was just poor grammar. That's his son's wife, not his. More recent articles on this have clarified it. Whoever wrote this one gets an F.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Well if that is the worst thing Rush has ever done being 30 years in the rock business I think I can forgive them.

Alex is actually a pretty big guy.

h**p://www.nbc-2.com/News/stories/040201-lifeson-2.shtml

Watch the video. It's classic Alex. I have the a feeling the La Villa ramblings will be pretty interesting on the next tour.

[Fritz]

am I the only guy who think rush should have stopped with Moving Pictures?

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Fritz
am I the only guy who think rush should have stopped with Moving Pictures?

Some of their best stuff had been since then, but I think a fair amount of people probably feel the same way you do.

And those people are all bastards.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Right on...

They have never tried to be a radio band.

[Senator]

HFP likes Rush? Our friendship continues.........

[Fritz]

I should have said Signals but Permanent Waves is the last studio album of theirs that I love.

[HornedFrog Purple]

Originally posted by Senator
HFP likes Rush? Our friendship continues.........

Yeah I was introduced to them when I entered high school just after Hemispheres came out and right before Moving Pictures A couple of guys there worshipped them and were aspiring musicians (mainly air guitar). Anyways, once in a blue moon Q102 (an old rock station from Dallas for everybody else) would come in clearly down in Zephyr and they would play Rush triple shots I think on Thursdays?

Then of course Kerry Von Erich used that song and it sealed the deal. My dad of course thought I was nuts.

Eventually I was able to get my own tapes and have listened to them ever since.

[Fritz]

tapes

[Ksyrup]

RUSH "30th Anniversary Tour" confirmed tour dates:

May 28 – Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
May 29 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
May 31 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Post Gazette Pavilion
Jun. 02 – Columbus, OH @ Germain Amphitheater
Jun. 04 – Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jun. 05 – Chicago, IL @ Tweeter Center
Jun. 07 – Milwaukee, WI @ Marcus Amphitheater
Jun. 08 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Entergy Center
Jun. 10 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
Jun. 12 – St. Louis, MO @ UMB Pavilion
Jun. 13 – Kansas City, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jun. 23 – Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Center
Jun. 25 – San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jun. 26 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Jun. 29 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
Jun. 30 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater
Jul. 02 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheater
Jul. 03 – Portland, OR @ Clark County Amphitheater
Jul. 06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
Jul. 07 – San Diego, CA @ Coors Amphitheater
Jul. 09 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater
Jul. 10 – Concord, CA @ Chronicle Pavilion
Jul. 12 – Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
Jul. 14 – Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Jul. 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Amphitheater
Jul. 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand
Jul. 29 – W. Palm Beach, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheater
Jul. 30 – Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Amphitheater
Aug. 01 – Atlanta, GA @ Hi Fi Buys Amphitheater
Aug. 03 – Washington, D.C. @ Nissan Pavilion
Aug. 04 – Philadelphia, PA @ Tweeter Waterfront Center
Aug. 06 – Hartford, CT @ Meadows Music Center
Aug. 07 – Scranton, PA @ Ford Pavilion at Montage Mountain
Aug. 09 – Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Aug. 11 – Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Theater
Aug. 12 – Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center
Aug. 14 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
Aug. 15 – Buffalo, NY @ Darien Lake
Aug. 21 – Montreal, PQ @ Bell Centre
Aug. 22 – Toronto, ONT @ Molson Amphitheater
Sep. 08 – London, UK @ Wembley Arena
Sep. 11 – Birmingham, UK @ NEC Arena
Sep. 12 – Manchester, UK @ MEN Arena
Sep. 14 – Glasgow, UK @ SECC

[cthomer5000]

I am heavily considering 8/14 show out of obligation only. I'll think long and hard about this one.

[MacroGuru]

June 30th! Nice theater too.

Lets hope I can get tickets. They tend to sell out in less than an hour around here still.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I am heavily considering 8/14 show out of obligation only. I'll think long and hard about this one.

Obligation?!?!

There isn't anything to think about. This may be the last time anybody will see them. Go, Go, Go!

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Obligation?!?!

There isn't anything to think about. This may be the last time anybody will see them. Go, Go, Go!

Exactly. That's the obligation. Still, im not too psyched about an hour drive to the PNC Bank Arts Center.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Exactly. That's the obligation. Still, im not too psyched about an hour drive to the PNC Bank Arts Center.

I understand.

If it makes you feel any better, I have driven from Minneapolis to Chicago to see a show...back to Minneapolis right after the show...all in one day.

Not to mention that I will be driving from Minneapolis to Green Bay (staying there for a night), then to Milwaukee and possibly Chicago.

An hour isn't that bad really.

[Ksyrup]

*WARNING: MAJOR TOUR SPOILERS AHEAD*












RUSH: 'An Evening With Rush' Tour Opening Night Details Revealed - May 27, 2004

RUSH kicked off the first leg of the 2004 "An Evening With Rush" tour on Wednesday, May 26 at the AmSouth Amphitheatre in Nashville, Tennessee. The following information about the opening night's performance is taken from the RUSH fan site Power Windows:

"On stage, instead of three dryers, there are two dryers and one vending machine (in case the guys get hungry during the show!). There is an 'Alex Rant' as on the 'Vapor Trails' tour, the 'Dragon Video' intro to 'One Little Victory' and the 'By-Tor and the Snowdog' cartoon are both back. Four songs are played from the upcoming 'Feedback' album.

"Noteworthy visuals: The intro is a new computer animation/live action video that has all the album covers morphing into one another (the 'Signals' dog pisses on the hydrant, the '2112' naked guy comes out of the red star and falls into the 'Hemispheres' cover). The film ends with Jerry Stiller in RUSH tee-shirt wondering when the band is finally going to hit the stage.

"Following the intermission, we have a new movie: the dragon film from 'One Little Victory' begins again (for the second time of the show), then the 'channel' changes to the bunny film intro for 'Leave That Thing Alone' last seen on the 'Counterparts' tour. When then learn that the Dragon is 'channel surfing' with a remote control, and then fire breathes some popcorn. He then changes the channel to a film called 'That Darn Dragon' which is a Godzilla spoof, starring the bobblehead of Geddy, Alex and Neil fighting a toy dragon: they win with the help from their Cygnus X-1 ship, and the film ends with 'and the meek...' from '2112', and the band launches into 'Tom Sawyer'.

"During 'Working Man' a film montage of the band performing throughout the years is shown.

"At the end of the concert, as the band leaves the stage, a final short film begins showing a sleeping Jerry Stiller (the actor who played on both 'Seinfeld' and 'King of Queens', etc., also Ben Stiller's dad...) who wakes up and tells everybody to leave because the shows over, and they says 'they played Bangkok!'

"Rather than doing an oldies medley before the encore, as was often done in the past, the very first six songs are an instrumental medley with each segment lasting approximately 1-1:30 each, apparently titled 'Overture 2004' on the setlist sheet at the soundboard. These first six songs, and the following seventh song, are from the first seven albums played in chronological order. 'Between The Wheels' is played for the first time since the 'Power Windows' tour, a 'reggae' version of 'Working Man' is played, possibly the same as last played during the 'Moving Pictures' tour, 'Red Barchetta' is the original arrangement, versus the 'punchier' version played on tour in the '90s. During 'Xanadu', Alex plays his double neck guitar, not seen since...? The first set lasts approximately 1:15, the intermission is :20, and the second set is approximately 1:30, for a 3:00 concert."

RUSH setlist — May 26, 2004 at the AmSouth Amphitheatre in Nashville, Tennessee:

(intro film)
-(begin medley 'Overture 2004')
Finding My Way->
Anthem->
Bastille Day->
A Passage To Bangkok->
Cygnus X-1 (prologue?)->
Hemispheres (Prelude)
-(end medley)
The Spirit of Radio
Force Ten
(Geddy speaks)
Animate (abbreviated)
Subdivisions
Earthshine
Red Barchetta
Roll The Bones
Bravado
YYZ
The Trees (with short Daytripper ending)
The Seeker
One Little Victory (with dragon intro)
(-Intermission-)
("That Darn Dragon" Film)
Tom Sawyer
Dreamline
Secret Touch
Between the Wheels
Mystic Rhythms
Red Sector A
Drum Solo
Resist (acoustic - Geddy and Alex)
Heart Full of Soul (acoustic - Ged/Al/Neil)
2112 (Overture/Temples of Syrinx/Grand Finale)
La Villa Strangiato
ByTor & the Snow Dog
Xanadu (w/doubleneck guitar and Lerxst rant)
Working Man (reggae)
Encore:
Summertime Blues
Crossroads
Limelight

[Groundhog]

Hrm, I only have on Rush album, Moving Pictures, which I quite like. What should I try next, keeping in mind that I'm a bit of a 'prog' fan, and from what I hear only their earlier stuff is in that vein.

I know of 2112, and that certainly sounds proggy enough (perhaps a little too proggy...), but is it in a similar vein to Moving Pictures, or is it more of a symphonic typical 70s prog album?

[cthomer5000]

Between the Wheels? why?!

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Hrm, I only have on Rush album, Moving Pictures, which I quite like. What should I try next, keeping in mind that I'm a bit of a 'prog' fan, and from what I hear only their earlier stuff is in that vein.

I know of 2112, and that certainly sounds proggy enough (perhaps a little too proggy...), but is it in a similar vein to Moving Pictures, or is it more of a symphonic typical 70s prog album?

hmmm, Moving Pictures is a failry unique sounding album (IMHO). Permanent Waves is probably the closest to that in sound (and was immediately before Moving Pictures). If you really like Moving Pictures, I think Permanent Waves would have to be the next recommendation.



Definitely stay away from
Grace Under Pressure
Rush (self titled, first album)
Presto
everything after Counterparts

[Shucker]

Chronicles is a double album that will cover a bit all the way through most of their career. At least the hey days. Includes a few live songs.

For their live stuff, Exit Stage Left is a keeper and covers the surrounding Moving Pictures era quite well. All the World's a Stage is a nice earlier live album.

I agree, post-Counterparts is quite forgettable.

[Ksyrup]

Well, the opening show has already shown up online. I downloaded it last night (all 1.22GB of it ) from sharingthegroove.org, as a bittorrent download. Clocked in at over 5 hours to d/l, and it was so late, I wasn't able to listen to it yet. I expect stellar quality, though.

Also, MP3s of it have shown up on one of the newsgroups, as well.

Gotta love living in 2004. It's a beautiful thing.