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R30 - There's No Place Like HomeAug 26 '04 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Despite some criticism that I had at certain points during the show, they delivered once again and I will go see them, yet again.
August 22, 2004 - Molson Amphitheatre - Toronto, Canada Only fans of the world's greatest power trio can relate to the preparation that is administered by one attending a Rush concert. For those that do, you will most likely nod your head while reading saying to yourself, "Yep, that's what I do." Those that can't relate will recognize the dedication, determination and strong desire to soak in every second of one of their marathon shows. The Molson Ampthitheatre is located within the grounds of Ontario Place, a modest family amusement venue overlooking the blue, yet polluted waters of Lake Ontario. Being that it's an open venue, a band like Rush can take advantage of the open air and acoustic issue to even further their mastery by creating sound that is nothing short of a mastered copy from a recording studio. Set to hit the stage at 7:30pm, I checked the weather forecast to prepare for cooler evening temperatures as being near a lake will certainly magnify the hint of autumn that is just around the corner. Going down to a low of six degrees Celcius (approximately 44 degrees farhenheit for those south of the border) my girlfriend and I prepared with the proper clothing. After arranging to meet a friend of ours down at the beach for some snacks I set a target of being inside the grounds by 6:30 to brave the merchandise lines and of course, grab an overpriced alcoholic refreshment. Taking note the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) will also begin this day, our plan of action for arrival is set to brave the heavier than normal traffic. Upon visiting down at the beach with our friend, I asked her on a couple of occasions, how long it would take to get to the gates of Ontario Place. Both times she said it was about fifteen minutes away. 'Even with today's gridlock?', I asked myself. Hmmmm, well you're the hometown girl and know what you're doing. Upon getting back to our car and hitting Lakeshore Blvd, it wasn't long before we hit heavy volumes of traffic. I kept checking my watch as the minutes passed too quickly. Our friend as our driver, she noted my nervousness and bolted in and out of traffic to guide us to the entrance at approximately 7:05pm. I gave her a big hug for her efforts as we bolted her Alero while still in traffic. Well now, maybe bypassing the merchandise at the beginning of the show is necessary. This is confirmed when we arrive within the grounds and see miles-deep lineups at all the Amphitheatre entrances. I look at my watch once again and it's twenty minutes to show time. A hardcore Rush fan does not miss any part of the show, let alone the intro and first song. Taking our spot in the line we quickly recognize that this isn't going to work. Instead we follow other already concert T-shirt clad fans to the head of the line. A bright move on our part, we get inside with about ten minutes to spare. After a ten minute refreshment line visit we make it to our seats at 7:32. Always on time, I was surprised yet relieved that they hadn't hit the stage already. I look back at our ordeal and quickly recognize how the facility really fumbled the ball on this one. By the time we were in our seats, I estimate only about 60% capacity. Taking note of this debacle, the show was purposely delayed, but only briefly. As each song being pumped through the P.A. system to amuse the fans completed, a loud cheer would surface as if to say, "This must be it." With the sunlight still beaming behind us, the lights on the stage dim causing the crowd to shriek with anticipation. This must be it. No sooner do those thoughts escape my lips when the beginning of a brilliant video biography of album covers and album themes has the crowd cheering. Seeing the owl from Fly By Night followed by several Dalmations rushing toward you only to have one lift a leg on a hydrant indicating "Signals". No sooner does the crowd respond with laughter, a hexnut from the hydrant unscrews itself and floats to the sky as the background changes to purple revealing "Counterparts". The video goes on to detail the thirty years with references to A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Presto, Roll the Bones, until the familiar "Hello, hello, hello emerges from each hatched ball of the Hold Your Fire cover. This causes any who are still in their seats to erupt to their feet. As they approach present day CD covers, the screen blurs and to everyone's amusement appears Jerry Stiller from Seinfeld and King of Queens fame awaking from what he calls a bad dream stating that 'someone must have put something in my tea'. Representing the true Rush fan, he ponders whether the boys will play 'Bangkok'. "No, they won't play Bangkok," he says much to the laughter of the crowd. Wearing a Rush T-shirt he calls on his buddies by nickname starting with Lerxst, then that 'skinny guy' Dirk, and finally calling on the Professor. The crowd erupts when they see Neil scurry with sticks in hand to his drum kit followed by Alex and Geddy. Quickly applying their earpieces, the first riffs widen the eyes of the crowd. 1. Medley - Finding My Way; Anthem; Bastille Day; Passage to Bangkok; Cygnus X-1; Prelude. I couldn't think of a better way to begin the show, an instrumental summary of classic music. As they switch from one classic tune to another, the crowd is in a frenzy jumping up and down while they watch more than thirty years of photos flash across the screen, highlighting the power trio from their teenage years to present day. It was absolutely magnificent and captivating. As they lead into the familiar riff of Passage to Bangkok, Jerry Stiller once again appears on the screen cheering to the fact they are playing his song. It was priceless. 2. The Spirit of Radio - After such an intro, this proved to be the perfect song to raise the crowd's 'Spirit' even higher as every pair of hands clapped to the beat in unison. 3. Force Ten - After hearing the opening bars of this song, my initial thought was, "Oh well, I can handle this." Apparently the capacity crowd thought the same thing as everyone took their seats immediately. I had never seen this happen at a Rush concert before, especially in the hometown of Toronto. The crowd's adrenalin was quickly clamped off and I'm sure the boys realized that this song that hadn't been played in a few tours could have been shelved for one more. 4. Animate - No change in the crowd and I quickly noted fans around me beginning to chat like it was a commercial break rather than the real show. I also could have done without this song as it has never ranked as one I liked to hear. Once again, the players likely realized this faux pas and could hardly wait to re-establish the mood just moments earlier, and they did. 5. Subdivisions - Introduced by Geddy as "Some of you may know this one," the crowd leapt up again upon the keyboard intro and supplied that rejuvenation. It's never been a favorite of mine, but coming at you live the song did it's concert justice. 6. Earthshine - Geddy announces that they are glad to be back home and will celebrate their homecoming by playing 'way too much music' prior to announcing Earthshine. I've always liked this song with its rawness and heavy bass, it captivates the total mood of Vapor Trails. 7. Red Barchetta - One of the show's highlights for this fan. Always loved this song and it delivered with the highest marks. Absolutely fabulous with its lighting and video footage. 8. Roll the Bones - Sigh. If there's a song that needs to be shelved, it's this one. The mood around me spelled out the same thing. I was tired of this song two tours ago but I still took in the five minutes only "Because we're here". 9. Bravado - Same thing. Overplayed on too many recent tours and could have been removed for a song that hadn't been dusted off in years. Mission or Prime Mover from Hold Your Fire quickly come to mind. 10. YYZ (that's pronounced 'ZED' for those south of the border) - From the opening triangle beat, the crowd in Brazilian-like fashion explodes once again as if awakened after a lull in the performance. I could hear a hint of singing that our friends from Brazil taught us from the Rush in Rio CD. Always a treat to hear this one. 11. The Trees - Always a crowd pleaser as the soft classical intro is bombarded with Alex's crunching riffs and Geddy's ear-piercing high octaves. Wonderful. 12. The Seeker - The first track to appear from the latest "Feedback" disc, and they played it note for note perfect. I liked it even more live than from the studio. Superb. 13. One Little Victory - My favorite tune from Vapor Trails has yet to be mastered in concert yet but with the same familiar footage as an intro from the Vapor Trails tour, it provides the comedy and captivation as the dinosaur blows fire in the direction of the boys as Neil orchestrates his small army of three into battle with the prehistoric beast. One of their best tunes ever, it's more raw live and a great way to finish off a set. The twenty minute intermission was abbreviated by five minutes much to my delight. 14. Tom Sawyer - And why not. It was phenomenal on the last tour opening the show and again, it proved to hold its own as a second set opener. What more can be said about this signature song? 15. Dreamline - Is it me or do we have to keep beating the Roll the Bones CD to death. I did at one time love this song, but it's now beginning to weigh thin. I would have preferred to hear "Ghost of a Chance" rather than this one or Bravado or the title track. Nonetheless, it was performed well. 16. Secret Touch - From Vapor Trails, Geddy and Alex intertwine Bass with Lead to take the crowd on a melodic roller coaster ride. As 22,000 fans join Geddy on the high notes, they can only sense some magic is going to happen this set to help them forget about some rather forgettable songs of the first set. 17. Between the Wheels - Reaching into their bag of tricks, they dust off Grace Under Pressure and surprise the crowd with this track. Only a dedicated Rush fan would recognize this tune as two fans around me conferred to me the identity of this song. Wonderful to hear again. This is one of the reasons I come to a Rush show. 18. Mystic Rhythms - Not played on tour for a while, the crowd is calmed once again as they expect to be blown away by something that should be blowing them away at this juncture of the show. The calming atmosphere of the song did just that as many of the fans took their seats again. I've never seen this happen at a Rush show. Fans are always on their feet for the duration. What's going on, guys? 19. Red Sector A - It's almost a carbon copy of the first set. Have the crowd leap from their shoes and give them time to put their shoes back on. Tour after tour after tour, this song has been inserted and it's time to give it a rest. Sorry guys, I have to be honest. 20. O Baterista - For those that saw the Vapor Trails tour, you were no doubt blown away by Neil's best effort yet on the skins. Solidifying himself as the best drummer in the world, he continues to amaze those who range from young kids with their parents to one-time or aspiring drummers alike. Absolutely incredible, although abbreviated every so slightly the crowd still got their money's worth and then some. Today's bands have nothing on Neil, Geddy and Alex and if you ask nicely, I'm sure they will let you carry their jockstraps. 21. Resist - Another highlight for me. Since introducing the acoustic version of this song last tour, it became a favorite of mine that brings the emotion of the song to the surface much more effectively. Gathering from the response they had from this version last tour, they felt the need to do it again, and they were one-hundred percent correct with this notion. It's not too often that a band like Rush would allow a fan like myself to serenade his girlfriend, but they did and it was wonderful bringing a stream of tears to my girlfriend's eyes. My only uncertainty is if she was touched by my gesture or pained by my voice. Regardless it was a moment we will never forget. 22. Heart Full of Soul - Still in acoustic mode, to give Neil some further rest, the boys lead into the second track to appear from "Feedback" but not the last. With Neil joining in halfway through, the crowd supplies their own backup vocals in an effort to substitute for the lacking instruments that the studio track supplied, and we did ourselves proud with the effort. Wonderful track. 23. 2112 (Overture, Temples of Syrinx, Finale) - If you want to get a Rush crowd's attention just play the opening bars of Overture and see what happens. It's pure magic as the boys perfectly initiate this classic that every concert needs to have. Another wonderful highlight. 24. La Villa Strangiato - One of my favorite instrumentals is becoming an Alex Lifeson highlight reel as he seems to have set a tradition of stepping up to the mic and saying what's on his 'mind'. Everyone knows how comedic Lerxst can be as he closes his eyes, hugs the mic with his mouth and recites, "There's no place like home. There's no place like Toronto", before sticking his nose into the mic and breathing deeply so the capacity crowd identifies how clean his nasal passages actually are. Is there a Naples police officer with a stun gun handy? Just kidding folks. All this time, the video screen is split into two and it shows Neil taking in the amusement of his friend once again. Take it from me, it's great to see my idol smiling these days. Holding back busting a gut, Neil keeps it together as the boys perfectly crank it up a notch one more time to finish out the track. 25. By-Tor and the Snow Dog - Perfect song for this time of Night. Another classic that was reintroduced on the Vapor Trails tour is a definite crowd pleaser. Seeing the animated video footage of Alex and Geddy flexing their muscles (they only wish) while Neil sits in the sun and reads a book only to raise an eyebrow, is priceless. 26. Xanadu - My number one highlight of the night. This song was at the top of my list of tracks I wanted to hear and they delivered. The shortened version still supplied the passion within the song and Neil's cowbell work blew me away as always. Awesome, simply awesome. 27. Working Man - To close out the set, the boys reach back to the encore finale of the Vapor Trails tour to close out the second set. Note for note, they duplicate the classic track. As Geddy bids everyone farewell, the fans remain glued to the floor anticipating a killer encore. Encore 28. Summertime Blues - The widely played single and it's unique riff blasts the crowd as they perfectly execute this tune as if lifted from the CD itself. An awesome rendition, Eddie Cochrane would be proud. 29. Crossroads - The Cream classic kept the crowd going, although I thought both these song would have fit much better within the first two sets replacing songs that I wished were struck from the list. Regardless, another perfect rendition. 30. Limelight - Another signature tune, from Moving Pictures fame, has the crowd erupt one more time as they pound away for one last time. As Neil takes the boys to their final riffs with his lightening quick rolls a total of three hours had elapsed only interrupted by fifteen minutes. It's always money well spent and the fans never get short changed. Although I saw the Vapor Trails tour, I can't help but think that many songs were shuffled around and placed in different slots only to be surrounded by some songs that were not the crowd's choices to hear. Alas, it doesn't always work out completely in favor of the fans. I enjoyed this show tremendously but I liked the Vapor Trails tour better. For those that saw this show, but not the previous tour, you were surely blown away, no doubt. Before Rush fans start blasting me for being critical at times, keep in mind the band is a group of perfectionists who are a thousand times more critical of their performance than I am. If they see areas to improve, they will surely improve upon them for the next tour. Otherwise, they wouldn't be the greatest Power Trio ever to grace this planet!  |
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