RUSH - At a loss for words after last night's show.
As U2 continues to get lazier and lazier with their live shows (in their playing, singing, etc) I've come to the conclusion that the guys in Rush are simply not human.
to be doing what they do as well as they are doing it at their ages is beyond words.
As usual, no opening band. Slight delay in starting to get everyone in the building. Clue for the Honda Center, with your deathly slow pat downs and entrance procedures, no way do you get 15,000 people in the doors in an hour for a 730 start.
A few classics, not too many. Some VERY deep album cuts. Nine new songs in a row to start the second set (hey, U2, if your new stuff is STRONG, people will like it and won't go for a piss or a beer when you play it).
Watching the concentration on Neil Peart's face or the sheer joy Geddy and Alex have when playing their often very complicated material just adds to the overall enjoyment. Master craftsmen on their instruments.
And the new twist of adding a string section for the majority of the second part of the show was brilliant, this wasn't a stuffy violinists/cellists collecting a paycheck to play some dumbed down (for them) parts, they were rocking out and into it as much as anyone and interacting with the band.
Can't wait for tomorrow's show in a much smaller venue.
I'd love to see U2 do some of the stuff (in some cases, they'd be doing it again)
Play a longer set. Take an intermission if you must, but don't give us an opening band. tickets are expensive, more U2 is a good thing).
Rehearse, take it seriously. Last two tours they weren't even sure what to open with. Drop the snippets, they drag and don't add a lot. Take the time you use for snippets and play another song.
Play smaller venues, please no more stadiums again.
Choose songs that play to your strengths : while they'll never even if they practice every day ever be at Rush's musical ability, play to your strengths. Don't play songs you can't hack any more. Geddy Lee's voice is waning badly so they played stuff he can handle easier and as a result it made for a great change up to their normal setlists.
Deep cuts : throw in a few and KEEP THEM in the set. so what if a few people piss and moan and go get a beer. If they are songs YOU enjoy playing, play them. your own reactions to them will impact an audiences reaction.
Extra musicians : Got a live person playing extra parts ? Give them credit, bring them on stage. A keyboard player won't disrupt the stage setup too much and hey, doing a different arrangement of old chestnuts may give them new life. you're musicians after all, be creative. They don't have to be on every song but like the lovetown tour putting a few extra people on stage, or even one occasionally isn't a bad thing.
Gibson Amphitheater tomorrow night, venue half the size of last night's, should be a blast !
