Post by Bret Walker on Oct 30, 2002 12:05:21 GMT -5
JBG and I went to see Rush at the First Union Center in Philadelphia on Sunday, and I gotta tell ya, every time I see them they get better and better. It's hard to believe that three guys aged 49-50 can still rock that hard. Especially when you consider how long they've been togeter. How many bands stay together that long, continue to put out fresh material, continue to tour and be really effective on stage? Forget about the Stones, they suck, they've always sucked and the fact that they still draw an audience is mind boggling. But Rush in its present incarnation has been together since 1974, and the only reason the original drummer left after their first tour was because of health reasons. But for 28 years, Geddy, Alex and Neil have been together and they still look like they're a bunch of kids on stage just happy to be playing out live. They looked like they were having fun. The chemistry between them is incredible.
Anyway, I just figured since we went to see them, I'd give you a report on how they were. Here's the songlist as I can remember it, in no particular order.
Working Man
By-Tor and the Snowdog
2112 - Overture/Temples of Syrinx
Cygnus X-1
The Trees
La Villa Strangiato
Spirit of Radio
Freewill
Natural Science
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
Limelight
New World Man
Distant Early Warning
Red Sector A
The Big Money
The Pass
Dreamline
Bravado
Roll the Bones
Leave That Thing Alone
The Rhythm Method (Neil's drum solo)
Resist
Driven
One Little Victory
Ghost Rider
Secret Touch
Earthshine
They played this incredible setlist in two sets, both being about 1:20, and topped it all off with an awesome encore of By-Tor, Cygnus, and Working Man. Fucking phenomenal. This was the second Rush show this year that we've seen, and they were pretty close in setlist, except this show had the addition of The Trees from Hemispheres. They played the hell out of every single song.
So basically, it's been 18 years since my first Rush show (Grace Under Pressure tour, 1984), and I've seen them now six times, including two shows this year. All I can say is, they just keep getting better every single time. Even JBG was VERY CLOSE to admitting she actually likes Rush now.
The Rush Website
Anyway, I just figured since we went to see them, I'd give you a report on how they were. Here's the songlist as I can remember it, in no particular order.
Working Man
By-Tor and the Snowdog
2112 - Overture/Temples of Syrinx
Cygnus X-1
The Trees
La Villa Strangiato
Spirit of Radio
Freewill
Natural Science
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
Limelight
New World Man
Distant Early Warning
Red Sector A
The Big Money
The Pass
Dreamline
Bravado
Roll the Bones
Leave That Thing Alone
The Rhythm Method (Neil's drum solo)
Resist
Driven
One Little Victory
Ghost Rider
Secret Touch
Earthshine
They played this incredible setlist in two sets, both being about 1:20, and topped it all off with an awesome encore of By-Tor, Cygnus, and Working Man. Fucking phenomenal. This was the second Rush show this year that we've seen, and they were pretty close in setlist, except this show had the addition of The Trees from Hemispheres. They played the hell out of every single song.
So basically, it's been 18 years since my first Rush show (Grace Under Pressure tour, 1984), and I've seen them now six times, including two shows this year. All I can say is, they just keep getting better every single time. Even JBG was VERY CLOSE to admitting she actually likes Rush now.
The Rush Website
