Best Concert EVER
And not because it’s the first stadium concert I’ve been to in 18 years, but because it was Rush. I seriously can’t believe I’ve waited this long to see Rush. Yes, Rush, in Toronto, last night (the 19th). I’ve wanted to catch them on the last couple of tours but couldn’t make the timing or budget work. The same when I was younger, maybe more so.
I’ve been a Rush fan since my favourite uncle gave me Signals for my 12th birthday. Vinyl and that album got played 100s of times. I’ve still got it, but a CD version, too, and I’ve downloaded that to MP3. I bought every album up to Roll the Bones and backtracked a lot of older material. Roll the Bones didn’t move me like previous work had and I missed the next couple of albums, still listening to the old stuff. Enter the age of the Internet and the sample track from Vapor Trails hooked me again - I bought it a few days after it released, reeled back into current fandom and haven’t left.
Back to the concert.
Not counting the intermission, they played for 3 hours and my hands hurt from applauding by the time the lights came up for real. Two-thirds of Snakes and Arrows and a fantastic selection of other material. Did they play all of my favourites? No, but I didn’t expect them to. I got “Freewill” which is my absolute favourite, and for that I’m eternally grateful.
Neil Peart’s drum solo alone was worth the price of admission. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are still at the top of their form. Multimedia, lasers, lights, pyrotechnics, Bob & Doug McKenzie, and a hilarious South Park lead in to “Tom Sawyer”. Teenagers through to people in their sixties with a few people my age or a little older trailing exhausted looking kids ranging up from 8 (can’t picture my son sitting still for music that loud, that long).
I’m a humble fan. I can’t tell you any of the historic or biographic details for anything. I listen to and enjoy the music. And did I enjoy the music last night. I can only use the word spectacular. It rolled over me, literally vibrating my bones and I wish I was still there. Thousands of us would have sat there if they’d wanted to play all night, or all week.
I’m still only listening to Rush, or watching concert footage going back up to thirty years on You Tube, and humming or singing along. I know I said it already, but I wish I was still there. Best concert ever.
Side note: I find myself with a lot of projects on the go lately that keep me away from everything but my kids. More sooner than later, I hope.
Oh, and for all you concert-goers and would-be concert-goers, unless you’re participating in or trying to start a standing ovation, sit the fuck down. Your fat head is in my way.
