PHX, AZ 11/25/2012 Review
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:12 amUnfortunately, I wasn't able to make it to last night's show here in Phoenix, but wanted to post the review that was written and published in today's paper and online of the show. It's really nice when the person writing the review actually knows and appreciates the band like this guy does.
Rush concert spotlights ‘Clockwork Angels' in Phoenix
By Michael Senft
Special for the Republic | azcentral.com
Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:45 AM
There are certain things you can always depend on at a Rush concert — drum solos, dazzling lights and videos, plenty of humor and “Tom Sawyer.” And Rush delivered all of them at US Airways Center on Sunday, Nov. 25. But the Canadian power trio, who filmed the concert for a DVD, showcased their new album, “Clockwork Angels,” at the expense of many longtime favorites. They played the bulk of the acclaimed new album, a steampunk-inspired concept piece about a young man searching for the meaning of life, to the delight of the sold-out crowd. Casual fans only familiar with radio hits like “Freewill” and “Closer to the Heart” were probably confused for the bulk of the three-hour show, however, which ignored many of Rush’s biggest hits. Indeed, they only performed one song from before 1980.
Perhaps they wanted to give singer/bassist Geddy Lee’s vocal cords a rest. He sounded rough when tackling the falsetto that defined their older songs on Rush’s recent live album from 2011, “Time Machine: Live in Cleveland.” But if he was struggling at all during the show, it wasn’t evident.
Or perhaps they wanted to focus on newer material after greatest hits tours in 2004 and 2011.
The first set did just that — showcasing Rush’s synth-heavy work from the ’80s.
Taking the stage to a surreal, Python-esque video involving the band members being assembled in a carnival-like factory — they launched into “Subdivisions,” the synth-driven hit from 1982’s “Signals.” From that opener, they stuck to big-hair territory, playing such rarely-heard chestnuts as “Grand Designs,” “The Analog Kid” and “Middletown Dreams,” songs not played live for over 25 years. The 1985 album “Power Windows” was heavily featured, with Rush showcasing five of its eight tracks during the show.
“Where’s My Thing,” an instrumental from 1991’s “Roll the Bones,” moved things forward and featured an economical solo from drummer Neil Peart, the first of three he performed during the show, before the first set closed with “Far Cry.”
Peart, long known for his lengthy drum solos, toned them down this year. While Peart is a master, drum solos, especially long ones, can get annoying quickly. By breaking them up and scattering them throughout the set, they seemed more relevant to the music and did not disrupt the show. Alex Lifeson also performed a brief solo piece leading into “Halo Effect.”
While casual fans may not have recognized many tunes, longtime fans may have been confused as well — especially when a string ensemble came onstage during intermission. The eight-piece ensemble joined Rush for the bulk of the second set, which featured a hefty dose of “Clockwork Angels,” from the lighter “The Wreckers” to “Headlong Flight,” a hard rock monster reminiscent of early Rush tracks like “By-Tor and the Snow Dog” and “Anthem.” Rush’s finest song in 30 years, the sublime ballad “The Garden,” provided an emotional close to the “Clockwork Angels” portion of the show.
The string ensemble stuck around for a few more tunes, however, adding some additional flair to the electronic “Red Sector A” and the knotty instrumental “YYZ.”
While the first set was an excellent reintroduction to forgotten album tracks, the second set was revelatory. Rush have always used stunning light shows. During the second set they proved they are at least the equal of Pink Floyd with dazzling lights, intricate videos and the aforementioned string ensemble. Ten rotating video screens added additional effects and the pyrotechnics threatened to set a couple of violins on fire. It almost seemed like they were upping the fire quotient for the cameras.
Unfortunately, the string ensemble wasn’t mixed well and seemed to fade into the background through most of the set. And realistically, their parts weren’t so essential that they couldn’t have been handled on keyboards. It was an unusual visual, however.
Speaking of unusual visuals, mention must be made of the stage design. Instead of amplifiers, pneumatic machines and circular screens sprouted from the stage, fitting with the steampunk motif. At one point, a roadie in a gorilla suit came onstage to “check the settings” on a popcorn machine behind Lee. And during “YYZ” a wizard appeared, helping conduct the string ensemble. Were these special touches just for the upcoming DVD? Regardless, they added to the carnival atmosphere of the show.
After closing with “The Spirit of Radio,” from 1980’s “Permanent Waves” album, Rush returned for the expected encore of “Tom Sawyer” and excerpts from the 1976 epic “2112.” Predictable – yeah, but how else should they have closed the show? Honestly, the second set was so strong, it made the first set seem more of an afterthought. With an album as strong as “Clockwork Angels,” Rush didn’t need to play a three-hour, two-set show. But the added bonus of hearing those long-forgotten songs in the first set made the show extra special.
Set One:
“Subdivisions”
“The Big Money”
“Force Ten”
“Grand Designs”
“Middletown Dreams”
“Territories”
“The Analog Kid”
“The Pass”
“Where’s My Thing?”
“Far Cry”
Set Two:
“Caravan”
“Clockwork Angels”
“The Anarchist”
“Carnies”
“The Wreckers”
“Headlong Flight”
“Halo Effect”
“Wish Them Well”
“The Garden”
“Manhattan Project”
“The Percussor”
“Red Sector A”
“YYZ”
“The Spirit of Radio”
Encore:
“Tom Sawyer”
Excerpts from “2112
Rush concert spotlights ‘Clockwork Angels' in Phoenix
By Michael Senft
Special for the Republic | azcentral.com
Mon Nov 26, 2012 9:45 AM
There are certain things you can always depend on at a Rush concert — drum solos, dazzling lights and videos, plenty of humor and “Tom Sawyer.” And Rush delivered all of them at US Airways Center on Sunday, Nov. 25. But the Canadian power trio, who filmed the concert for a DVD, showcased their new album, “Clockwork Angels,” at the expense of many longtime favorites. They played the bulk of the acclaimed new album, a steampunk-inspired concept piece about a young man searching for the meaning of life, to the delight of the sold-out crowd. Casual fans only familiar with radio hits like “Freewill” and “Closer to the Heart” were probably confused for the bulk of the three-hour show, however, which ignored many of Rush’s biggest hits. Indeed, they only performed one song from before 1980.
Perhaps they wanted to give singer/bassist Geddy Lee’s vocal cords a rest. He sounded rough when tackling the falsetto that defined their older songs on Rush’s recent live album from 2011, “Time Machine: Live in Cleveland.” But if he was struggling at all during the show, it wasn’t evident.
Or perhaps they wanted to focus on newer material after greatest hits tours in 2004 and 2011.
The first set did just that — showcasing Rush’s synth-heavy work from the ’80s.
Taking the stage to a surreal, Python-esque video involving the band members being assembled in a carnival-like factory — they launched into “Subdivisions,” the synth-driven hit from 1982’s “Signals.” From that opener, they stuck to big-hair territory, playing such rarely-heard chestnuts as “Grand Designs,” “The Analog Kid” and “Middletown Dreams,” songs not played live for over 25 years. The 1985 album “Power Windows” was heavily featured, with Rush showcasing five of its eight tracks during the show.
“Where’s My Thing,” an instrumental from 1991’s “Roll the Bones,” moved things forward and featured an economical solo from drummer Neil Peart, the first of three he performed during the show, before the first set closed with “Far Cry.”
Peart, long known for his lengthy drum solos, toned them down this year. While Peart is a master, drum solos, especially long ones, can get annoying quickly. By breaking them up and scattering them throughout the set, they seemed more relevant to the music and did not disrupt the show. Alex Lifeson also performed a brief solo piece leading into “Halo Effect.”
While casual fans may not have recognized many tunes, longtime fans may have been confused as well — especially when a string ensemble came onstage during intermission. The eight-piece ensemble joined Rush for the bulk of the second set, which featured a hefty dose of “Clockwork Angels,” from the lighter “The Wreckers” to “Headlong Flight,” a hard rock monster reminiscent of early Rush tracks like “By-Tor and the Snow Dog” and “Anthem.” Rush’s finest song in 30 years, the sublime ballad “The Garden,” provided an emotional close to the “Clockwork Angels” portion of the show.
The string ensemble stuck around for a few more tunes, however, adding some additional flair to the electronic “Red Sector A” and the knotty instrumental “YYZ.”
While the first set was an excellent reintroduction to forgotten album tracks, the second set was revelatory. Rush have always used stunning light shows. During the second set they proved they are at least the equal of Pink Floyd with dazzling lights, intricate videos and the aforementioned string ensemble. Ten rotating video screens added additional effects and the pyrotechnics threatened to set a couple of violins on fire. It almost seemed like they were upping the fire quotient for the cameras.
Unfortunately, the string ensemble wasn’t mixed well and seemed to fade into the background through most of the set. And realistically, their parts weren’t so essential that they couldn’t have been handled on keyboards. It was an unusual visual, however.
Speaking of unusual visuals, mention must be made of the stage design. Instead of amplifiers, pneumatic machines and circular screens sprouted from the stage, fitting with the steampunk motif. At one point, a roadie in a gorilla suit came onstage to “check the settings” on a popcorn machine behind Lee. And during “YYZ” a wizard appeared, helping conduct the string ensemble. Were these special touches just for the upcoming DVD? Regardless, they added to the carnival atmosphere of the show.
After closing with “The Spirit of Radio,” from 1980’s “Permanent Waves” album, Rush returned for the expected encore of “Tom Sawyer” and excerpts from the 1976 epic “2112.” Predictable – yeah, but how else should they have closed the show? Honestly, the second set was so strong, it made the first set seem more of an afterthought. With an album as strong as “Clockwork Angels,” Rush didn’t need to play a three-hour, two-set show. But the added bonus of hearing those long-forgotten songs in the first set made the show extra special.
Set One:
“Subdivisions”
“The Big Money”
“Force Ten”
“Grand Designs”
“Middletown Dreams”
“Territories”
“The Analog Kid”
“The Pass”
“Where’s My Thing?”
“Far Cry”
Set Two:
“Caravan”
“Clockwork Angels”
“The Anarchist”
“Carnies”
“The Wreckers”
“Headlong Flight”
“Halo Effect”
“Wish Them Well”
“The Garden”
“Manhattan Project”
“The Percussor”
“Red Sector A”
“YYZ”
“The Spirit of Radio”
Encore:
“Tom Sawyer”
Excerpts from “2112
Maybe.... Dirk throws in a curse word here and there so as to "appear" as though he thinks like we do. 
