Rush – November 28th – American Airlines Arena – Dallas, TX
Ok so we will end this blog entry the way we began – Discussing old friends and their dedication to Classic Rock. If you recall I earlier I mentioned about the guy who sat behind me my first year of college who introduced me to all of his High School buddies who I went on to form lasting friendships with them collectively as well as individually. Well none maybe more so than my friend Patrick –
When I met Patrick he was wearing a Rush t-shirt, he’s an obsessive from the start and the first time he came to my house he made me an offer for my Permanent Waves poster that, with his combined enthusiasm, I just couldn’t refuse.
Just like the others, Patrick and I are still great friends, and we are still rawking, and proudly so is Rush. I was looking forward to seeing Patrick and the band tonight – as well as it being a special night as they were filming it for an upcoming live DVD –
I get to the arena hoping to find Patrick and like as if we had planned it, I passed by his seat and joined me at my mine which was graciously in the third freaking row. My seat was one from the aisle and the rest of the row was empty so I assumed that I must be in the comp section – and since that was a singular seat next to me, I told Patrick I was confident that no one would be sitting there and to stay put and that’s exactly what happend. I was able to largely upgrade him and we were able to see the show together.
Ok Rush is epic. This isn’t a revelation, of course. The legendary progressive rock band carved its niche long ago by finding the ideal balance between high concept themes paired with grand musical flourishes and the straightforward, visceral energy of good old rock ‘n’ roll. Today, nearly four decades after its 1974 debut album, Rush remains an all-encompassing force, and this show was sold out.
Not long after we are seated the lights go down and the intro film for this tour which we have not seen yet begins as the band takes the stage we hear the opening synthesizer riff to Subdivisions –
As the ’70s gave way to the ’80s, they introduced synthesizers and moved away from the multi-chapter suites that defined the earlier records. This being the 30th anniversary of that era the setlist focused heavily on that period.
But what continues to be paramount is this group’s inspired longevity. Their new LP Clockwork Angels is one of the most inspired Rush albums period.
And they are very proud of it – As proof of this, the show (a whopping three hours, sliced in half by a 20-minute intermission) the second half of the show they played the entire record and were joined by a string ensemble, marking the first time they have had anyone join them on stage.
Patrick and I were so close we have to be in it and it was neat as the camera operator walked past us, it was our old buddy Dick Saunders giving us the thumbs up. Of course attending any concert is never completely douchebag free – Patrick and I had been enjoying having the whole row to ourselves but during the second half of the show an employee suddenly escorted a group of guys to fill in the slots. One of them, looking like a cast member of Duck Dynasty and so drunk he can barely stand, of course is now seated next to me.
For some Rush will always represent a more 70’s stoner vibe instead of the nerdy fans of today – he was one of the stoner guys, probably in his late 50s.
He was so smashed that he started leaning on me and then began to periodically fall on me.
I told the younger guy he was with to switch seats with me or I’d have him thrown out – This guy thought himself a comedian until I told him I’d smash his nose in and then have them both thrown out.
Then, though we are on the third row, this fat guy in front of us decided to stand on his chair blocking our view and the sun. I grabbed him and yanked him down to a smatter of grateful cheers behind me.It did nothing to take away from what a special night this was, for me, for Patrick, our friendship, for all the Rush fans, that these guys are still rocking and rocking this hard.
Simply put, Rush is epic.Setlist –Set One:Subdivisions
The Big Money
Force Ten
Grand Designs
The Body Electric
Territories
The Analog Kid
Bravado
Where’s My Thing?
Far Cry
Set II w/ Clockwork Angels String Ensemble
Caravan
Clockwork Angels
The Anarchist
Carnies
The Wreckers
Headlong Flight
Halo Effect
Seven Cities of Gold
Wish Them Well
The Garden
Dreamline
Red Sector A
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Encore:
Tom Sawyer
2112 Part I: Overture
2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx
2112 Part VII: Grand Finale
After the show we were still high from it and taking it all in and went outside to smoke before heading to our seperate cars. While out there, I ran into an ex-girlfriend I hadn’t seen in a long time who is also obviously a Rush fan. We discovered we were parked near each other and had a nice talk catching up and talking about the show.
