Well, it was worth the wait. No doubt about it.
This is probably the most polished show I’ve ever seen them do, and the quality of the rear screen images was superb. Although it has been written before that Alex isn’t into guitar solos (and the increasing use of keyboards in the 80s nearly broke them up), he was definitely the centre of attention tonight. As well as deviating from the pure album format – something they stopped doing some years ago – Alex even played keyboards at the start.
I know one thing: I must get a new camera.
They played some unusual songs – ones you wouldn’t expect – and that set some goosebumps off. Time Stand Still was there (from Hold Your Fire), along with Presto (from Presto – one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite albums), Stick It Out (from Counterparts), and Marathon (from Power Windows).
Closer To The Heart made a welcome return (I read some years ago that they were sick of playing that), and favourites like Spirit Of Radio (from Permanent Waves) and Subdivisions (from Signals) were also played. Freewill (also Permanent Waves) was also there – great guitar in that one.
The highlight was the performance of the whole of the Moving Pictures album – and that meant The Camera Eye was played live for the first time (one of my other favourite songs).
The running motif throughout was a sort of Jules Verne type time machine – hence the tour title – and the rear screen was frequently used along with this (see photo above). The intro video at the start of each section (Rush have an intermission these days – as Geddy says, they’re getting old) set the scene and was quite funny – even Neil had a significant part (good to see him becoming more involved in that). Right at the end, after the encore (which featured La Villa Strangiato (from Hemispheres) and Working Man (from their first album in 1974)), there was a short film featuring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel, from the film “I Love You, Man”, where the two characters from the film get into the band’s room backstage.
The show also featured the songs BU2B (Brought Up To Believe) and Caravan, from the forthcoming studio album Clockwork Angels – both of which sounded superb live. I can’t wait for the release of this.
Also, a masterclass of a drum solo by Neil, as always.
Sheer class.
There wasn’t an empty seat I could see, and the crowd went crazy over every song (only that jerk yelling during the drum solo – why is there always someone who doesn’t like drum solos?)
Anyway, I’m off to Sheffield Monday for the second show. And I have bought a new camera as of this afternoon. Let’s see how that one goes (see the results here from the Sheffield gig).