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There could never be a better concert than this. That is what I found myself texting to all of my jealous fellow Rush fans, as the band was finishing the second of three acts at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island. The full set list is available online if you are curious, so I won't go into details and spoil it for those who wish to be surprised when they go. My friend and I avoided looking at the song choices, and happily spent the evening predicting, hoping and high-fiving when one of our favorites was played. The underlying theme of this tour is the "Time Machine" which basically meant that they were going to play something off of almost every album, up to and including the two new songs they have released online, which are brilliant tunes that earned huge ovations.
The thing that continually struck me throughout the evening was the strength and timelessness of the songs. Rush has often been acclaimed for Neil Peart's drumming, Geddy Lee's bass playing, Peart's lyrics and the band's artistic flair - from the album covers to the live videos. What sets them apart from all of the other prog-rockers is their sense of song structure. All of their songs, even the instrumentals, go some place yet never fail to bring you back home. Whether a musical passage, lyrical cohesiveness or a vocal melody, something always pulls it all together and keeps it tight. This is meant as no disrespect to bands such as Yes, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Mastodon and others who sometimes get lost in solo-land, but no band other than Rush has managed to consistently deliver quality songs from cover to cover, year after year, decade after decade.
After a full three hours of gems covering a 40 year period of productivity, a revelation hit me. Alex Lifeson is the perfect guitarist for this band, and probably the most underrated rock guitarist of all time. He doesn't show off, but he plays impeccably and appropriately. He has co-written the majority of their songs and gets little credit for doing so. He uses so many styles, he isn't known for any particular one, but he is the musical glue that holds it all together, which allows Geddy and Neil the room to apply their personal flair within a song structure. I am so looking forward to the day this fall when Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock, featuring all of 2112, hits stores. I hope that Alex's stature amongst guitar legends ascends as a result of millions of people playing his songs.
Many bands have begun playing albums in their entirety recently, and 1981's Moving Pictures is certainly deserving of the honor. Side One may be as perfect an album side as anyone has ever put down, with Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ and Limelight. Side Two is rarely played, but very strong as well. I always found it easier to put the needle back on Tom Sawyer, rather than flip the record over, so it wasn't until the advent of CD's that I really ever listened to the rest of the songs. It was so amazing to finally hear them live. Moving Pictures [best triple-entendre album title/artwork ever] is the centerpiece of the show, opening the second act. The band cleverly created an intro video for this tour, which serves two purposes. First, it gives the fans in the cans and merch booths time to get back to their seats before the actual music starts. Secondly, it allows the band to creatively and hysterically poke fun at themselves and the music industry. Perhaps inspired by their critically acclaimed documentary, Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage, the members of Rush seem to be truly appreciative of their successes, yet are clearly not resting on their laurels. They still deliver tremendous performances on all instruments and vocally, still have a huge stage show, and even give us an added bonus at the end of the 3 hour show. Others may do it as well, but nobody does it better than Rush, and I honestly cannot see how I could ever be as happy and fulfilled as I was when this show was over.
One more thing that made this show special, and part of what makes Rush special, is the bond amongst Rush fans. I chose to attend this show on Long Island, where I grew up, with 3 of my friends from kindergarten. We spent years hanging out in the neighborhood, going to school together, playing soccer together, mastering Dungeons & Dragons together. But the 4 of us had not been together as a group since 1984. We have Rush to thank for an amazing evening that was worth the trip before we even walked into the outdoor theater. I look forward to my next Rush concert in Virginia with another old High School friend who I have not hung out with since high school. That is, unless I come into some money and take a flight to LA where my female friend from college has tickets for 2 of their shows. Yes, there are female Rush fans, and I happen to know quite a few of them. Heck, I even married one!
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