Rush Concert Review
Montreal Bell Center September 15 2007
My budget does not allow me to see a lot of shows, but when I heard that Canadian rock band Rush was coming to Montreal, I had no problem parting with the ninety-five dollars required. These guys have been together (off and on) since 1974, and I still hadn't seen them live. While I love their music, I'm not the "have all their albums/know all the lyrics/see them every time they come to town" type of fan.
I felt right at home in this crowd, as they averaged about forty. There weren't a lot of young people to bring down the average like some other long lasting bands…I figure that if you weren't a Rush fan from the start, you'll never be one. I'm sure that if you went to the homes of these people, you'd find most of their Rush collection is on vinyl.
I had a nice surprise when I saw that my seat was on the aisle, the envy of those with weakening bladders. Being six foot one, I had a big advantage in being able to see the stage over most of those on the floor...that is, until that six foot six guy arrived to take the position in front of me, at which point I found myself standing in the aisle. The crowd stood and cheered as the lights went down, and a video played featuring guitarist Alex Lifeson waking up from a nightmare, followed by his bed partner, drummer Neil Peart, and finally, lead singer and bassist, Geddy Lee. They started the show with Limelight, a classic that brought us all to our feet.
At first glance, the stage setup seemed relatively straightforward, but then I noticed something weird. While the drum set was in the center with a stack of speakers on the left, on the right were three working rotisserie ovens, complete with the glowing orange light and rows of rotating chickens that would periodically be inspected by someone dressed up as a chef. Behind were three video screens, which I first thought seemed kind of bland, but then soon realized that the video screens added more possibilities to the background: At times the screens showed close-ups of the band, other times, such as for The Larger Bowl (introduced by Bob and Doug Mackenzie), there were scenes of society relevant to the song, and there were monkeys and gorillas shown during The Main Monkey Business.
There was multi-level lighting with five rigs that moved up and down, and the lighting changed with every song: There were green lasers for Spindrift, pyrotechnics during Far Cry, and my favorite touch was the simple lighting for Subdivisions, where only the spotlights were used as a retro effect…probably the way the show was lit up in the eighties. Basically, if you got up to get a beer during a song, you probably missed something.
Speaking of getting up, about an hour into the show, Lee announced that they would be taking a short break to "charge their brains". Here's some advice: If the band says they're taking a break, and you have to go to the bathroom, don't wait until he finishes his sentence. I made it into the stall without waiting, but by the time I came out, there was a lineup out the door.
They wrapped up the show with Tom Sawyer (introduced by the kids from South Park dressed up as rock stars with their band "L'il Rush"). The crowd loved it, and as the band left the stage, the roar was unbelievable. They came back for the encore and did three more songs, ending with YYZ…a fitting end to a great show.
Their play list was really varied, a nice mix of old and new. I would have liked to hear The Trees and Red Barchetta, but that would be nitpicking, as they were very generous in playing twenty seven songs in a concert that lasted over three hours…I must say I never so much felt I got my money's worth as I did here. These guys are all in their mid fifties, but their performance was sharp and energetic, and Lee seemed honestly gracious at the favorable reaction from the Montreal crowd. Their years of experience performing showed, as these guys are truly professionals and masters of their art.
Because they put on such a great show, I actually left more of a Rush fan than when I arrived, and I find myself wanting to hear more of their songs, and wanting to listen again to their new release. Maybe I'll even go out and buy some of their previous albums…
Play list:
1- Limelight
2- Digital Man
3- Entre Nous
4- Mission
5- Freewill
6- The Main Monkey Business
7- The Larger Bowl
8- Secret Touch
9- Circumstances
10- Between the Wheels
11- Dreamline
Intermission
12- Far Cry
13- Workin' Them Angels
14- Armor and Sword
15- Spindrift
16- The Way the Wind Blows
17- Subdivisions
18- Natural Science
19- Witch Hunt
20- Malignant Narcissism (Drum Solo)
21- Hope
22- Summertime Blues
23- The Spirit of Radio
24- Tom Sawyer
Encore
25- One Little Victory
26- A Passage to Bangkok
27- YYZ
