Tom,

I'm with you... waiting patiently for the MVI release.

Well, I don't know about "patiently". But yeah, between the tickets and the MVI release and associated expenses, they need to make that extra $15 from somebody else. Of course, if I still don't have the new tunes a couple weeks before the show, I'll have no choice but to go buy the CD.

Good news, I got an e-mail from amazon that the MVI of Snakes and Arrows has actualy shipped!

Tom, I'm in the same boat as you. I have requested a hold of the standard CD from our local library. To each their own, but I don't feel it wrong to make a CD copy of this album after buying the DVD version.

From what I've heard so far on the DVD, the mix of this album is very good, unlike Vapor Trails.

I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the new album if you plan on seeing them on tour this year. 8 songs from the new album are being played...strange setlist on this tour. I did not know many songs on the setlist (not including the new album), and I have been a fan for almost 20 years.

I agree. Anyone seeing them on this tour is going to definitely want to get familiar with "Snakes & Arrows" before they go. First of all it is an excellent album, especially the instrumentals, and secondly a large part of the concert is songs from the album.

Ditto - they are going deep into the new album and also digging up some oldies, some of which they have never done live before.

They also played 2/3 of Permanent Waves. Interesting. Nothing from Power Windows, one of my favorite albums.

They have retired or skipped some well-worn favorites. No "Closer to the Heart", nothing from 2112, etc. In fact, fans of early Rush will be disappointed. They didn't play anything from their first 5 studio albums. The only things from the '70s were "Bangkok" and "Circumstances".

Course, there's always R30 and their other excellent DVDs for catching those oldies. I'm glad they kept it fresh.

I am looking forward to hearing the new songs performed live. I have watched/listened to Rush In Rio and R30 so much that a new set list will be refreshing!

The concert sound was the best on the new songs. Makes sense, I guess, because that's what they are playing the most lately, what with recording and all. The second set opener was very impressive - the lighting and stage presence for Far Cry was top notch. And the multiple instrumentals rock!! Enjoy the show!

Yahoo! I have finally secured my tickets to see Rush! Our plans to see them in Las Vegas fell through so my wife and I are planning a road trip to Ridgefield, Washington (north of Portland) for the July 21st show. The trade-off is the wife gets to shop on the weekend and I will tour the micro brew pubs

Sounds like you made a great deal

The Rush album is growing on me every day. I like it. The video on the MVI DVD is interesting, and also the bio of the album that Neil wrote (also available on the DVD).

Now just 1 month and counting for the Utah show!

It does sound good, as it ought to. The stereo version is uncompressed, at 24 bit 96kHz. The 5.1 mix sounds really good, but it is a standard encoded (compressed) Dolby at 448kbps total for all channels. I've found both versions enjoyable. I've tried to A/B between them, but I have to make a large volume adjustment between the two.

Yes, I made a great deal. I feel like a child waiting for Christmas. I am going to pick-up the Rush MVI DVD this weekend.
Cheers,
Shaun

Good for you, Shaun! I'm seeing them the day before at the White River amphitheater (Seattle). I'd offer to meet you for beer on Saturday, but Tacoma Swim Club is hosting a meet. Hope I'm ready for that Saturday morning session. If you're driving back through the Puget Sound area on Sunday evening, give me a call.

If they closed down the swim club, you could drink more beer....

Tom,
I sent you a private email.
Shaun

J.P.
Did you by chance check out any of the s.w.a.g. at the Rush concert (T-shirts, cd's etc.)? My wife and I are attending their show this weekend in Washington state. Was wondering if they were selling the MVI disc at the shows?
I haven't had time to purchase one locally.
Cheers,
Shaun

Yeah, I got a t-shirt, and, as always, a program ($20). Tshirts ranged from $30 - 45, and there was a longsleeve T. I almost bought pmbuko the thong underwear, but he said they gave him too many yeast infections, so he stopped wearing them.

The DVI wasn't yet released when I saw them, but they were selling the CD for $15. Hopefully that is a good sign and you may be able to get the DVI. I'd go to the merch area before the show starts, because when I went after the show, they had sold out of some items.

Have fun!

That's the last time I pad by drawers with a baguette.

T minus 04:39.00

Here's hoping to hear some reviews from both Tom and Shaun.

Wish I were there, man. I'd see them again in a heartbeat. Enjoy the show, my brother in beer.

Well, it's Monday afternoon, and I am now mostly recovered from Friday night's show.

The band was as good as ever and I was not disappointed. Given my fairly high expectations, that is high praise.

It took Geddy a bit of time to get his voice warmed up; the beginning of Limelight wasn't perfect by any means. They did not deviate from the previously published setlist except that they did not play Summertime Blues. My current favorite cuts from the new album (Far Cry and Workin' them Angels) were stellar, and the band seemed to enjoy playing all the new music. Cuts from the new album were not as enthusiastically received by the crowd as some of the classic numbers. I thought Digital Man and Natural Science were very compelling, as each one was not only passionately played but also deviated somewhat from the studio versions.

The venue (The White River Amphitheater) is a good place to see a show, if you can live with fairly horrific ingress/egress problems. There are about 8,000 covered seats and another ~10,000 on the lawn. It was fortunate that we were in the middle of the covered area, as this has been the wettest July EVER in the Puget Sound area, and it rained like Thailand most of the week, including the day of show.

The open-air nature of the venue contributed significantly - I think - to a VERY high fidelity mix. The show was still very loud, and was surprisingly clear and detailed. We were probably 150 feet back and dead center. I did not feel compelled to use the earplugs I brought. I left my SPL meter at home.

The visuals - both the live shots and the set pieces - were very good, and were displayed on three screens behind the band and two enormous screens to the sides of the stage. I did not find a high enough percentage of the thematic visuals compelling, and might have preferred a higher ratio of live broadcast of the band.

The South Park into to Tom Sawyer was hilarious. Classic.

At one point, Geddy brought out a video camera and aimed it at the crowd. He implored a "Hello Canada!" and seemed genuinely surprised by the resulting vigor. At the end of the show, he graciously thanked the crowd and said we were great. It's true.

I found Geddy's singing to be very satisfying; he is still quite able to hit whatever he wants. I was also reminded how much I enjoy his bass playing - he plays a LOT, and has a very punchy, bright tone that is complementary to the rest of the band's profile. He played three different Fender Jazz Basses most of the evening, but did pull out a Rickenbacker for one number. It seemed - a bit more than usual to me - to be "his band".

Neil's playing was superb and compelling, as usual. His are the only drum solos I find interesting. He works awfully hard, but his apparent joylessness and lyrical/philosophical bent make him somewhat less appealing to me personally than I'd like. He does seem to genuinely value his big band and jazz predecessors, which I think is wonderful. His technical skills seem unsurpassed.

Alex's playing has never been better, I think. I really like the parts of the new album where he indulges the acoustic guitar more than usual, and I was mesmerized by his performance on the MVI disk and in the concert. I think so much of what he does is contextual that he is somewhat under appreciated as a virtuoso. He did seem to enjoy himself.

It was a good show - one of the few times where an exorbitant entry fee has proven "worth it". I went with a friend that I've known since childhood and sharing the evening with him definitely enhanced the experience. We see each other too rarely now, and this was a special occasion for lots of reasons. Wish I'd been able to share the show with Peter, JP, Dave, Shawn and other Axiom folks also.

I would go again.

Wow Tom! A great and detailed review. You pretty much covered it all. Now I'm really looking forward to the show 2 weeks from tonight.

It would be great to see really good show together as a group of Axiomites. I echo your sentiments

When asked for a review, you certainly deliver... thanks and take care.

Hi Tom,
Fabulous review! I echo your sentiments regarding the show. It sounds like my wife and I had similar seats to yours. I found myself using binoculars quite often when the visuals were playing. The live footage of the band was great (not enough though). Was watching Mr. Peart most of the time. (Note to Dave, bring binoculars!) BTW, Neil's new drum kit sounds awesome and the drum solo is worth the price of admission.

The new music was very impressive which I was really looking forward to hearing. Far Cry, Workin Them Angels and the Main Monkey Business will be future Rush concert classics. I could feel the heat from 125ft. on the pyro/fire on One Little Victory. I thought Geddy's voice sounded far better than the R30 and Rio dvd's. The sound was loud however we did not resort to ear plugs. Other bands like Metallica will have your ears ringing the following day! The musicianship of Rush is nothing short of stellar. The improv on YYZ was classic.

A cool thing happened early in the show. A white owl flew over our section and sat up in the rafters for about 5 minutes. Reminded me of the album cover of Fly By Night.

The venue (The Amphitheater at Clark County) was a great facility although the on-site parking is limited at 7,200 cars. The local transit were running shuttles to and from the Clark County Fairgrounds (outstanding service as we were back at our hotel 25 minutes after the show ended). One of the staff told me they seat 10,000 under cover and 5,000 on the back lawn. I believe the show was sold out. The weather was great, scattered clouds and around 80 degrees (we were lucky).

Met some interesting Rush aficionados before the show. One fellow has seen every tour and according to his wife owns every t-shirt. I purchased a tour program and the white Snakes & Arrows tour shirt. It was an expensive weekend but worth the trip. My wife is a very casual Rush fan but she was astounded by the performance.

Maybe on the next Rush tour we can try to get some of the Axiom crowd together and attend a show? That would be fun
Cheers,
Shaun

Here's some links to some interesting reading for all of you Rush fans. I think that you'll really like it.

The blogger is one of my best friends from high school, Beau Dure. He's the one who turned me on to Rush. As the blog says, it was a transitional time for Rush in the mid-80s. We saw Rush on the Power Windows tour in Atlanta.

The post begins here. It is, to borrow the title of Neil's instructional DVD, a work in progress.

I may be biased, but I think Beau is a great writer. Let me (and him!) know what you think ...

Snakes & Arrows House Music Playlist!
For all you Rush fans that have attended a concert or are planning to go, this is the setlist (from rushisaband.com) of the house music compiled by Neil Peart. My wife and I arrived early enough to hear the whole playlist. Interesting selection of music by The Professor!

Tommy Overture - The Who
Mojo Pin - Jeff Buckley
Trains - Porcupine Tree
Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
Fear of a Blank Planet - Porcupine Tree
Welcome to the Machine - Pink Floyd
Eria Tarka - The Mars Volta
Roundabout - Yes
Looking for a Place to Happen - The Tragically Hip
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Baba O'Reilly - The Who
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
2112 Overture - String Ensemble
The Temples of Syrinx - Sting Ensemble
I Know What I Like - Genesis
The Prophet - Yes
Grace - Jeff Buckley
18 People Live in Harmony - Dredg
Dazed and Confused - Led Zeppelin
Bobcaygeon - The Tragically Hip
21st Century Schizoid Man - King Crimson
Inertiatic E. S. P. - The Mars Volta
The Sound of Muzak - Porcupine Tree
Echo - Vertical Horizon
Fifty Mission Cap - The Tragically Hip
So Real - Jeff Buckley
Time - Pink Floyd
Good Days, Bad Days - Richard Butler
No Opportunity Necessary - Yes
Anesthetize - Porcupine Tree
Say Hello 2 Heaven - Temple of the Dog
Babe I'm Gonna Leave you - Led Zeppelin
Open Car - Porcupine Tree
Evenflow - Pearl Jam
Hells Bells - AC/DC
Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
How Many More Times - Led Zeppelin
Us and Them - Pink Floyd

Went to the show last night it was a great show for sure. I wish I could add to what Tom wrote but I think I would embarrass my self after his great write up.

The South park characters was a crazy bit

It's "The Professor's" birthday today! Yes, Mr. Neil Elwood Peart is turning the big double five today. I'll have to pour a glass of The Macallan tonight in his honor.