Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Rush, 8-6-2007, Salt Lake City

This was my first trip back to the USANA amphitheater since the Dead in 2004, and my first Rush show since Roll the Bones. Now without dogging it too much I saw a different classic rock band where my main knock on the show was the obvious lack of freshness. That cannot be said of Rush. While other bands pull out the trip down memory lane and fill fairground arenas, Rush is playing 2 set shows and filling bigger houses than they did 25 years ago.

I lost track of all the songs (actually I don’t even try to remember set lists.) I do remember they came out as the sun was slipping behind the hills with Limelight. Freewill was the first toe tapper of the evening and point where the soundman got it all dialed in. There were a lot of tunes from the new CD and I was impressed, gonna be picking up a copy real soon.

Didn’t hear anything from the first 3 records. We got Circumstances from Hemispheres that I don’t thing anyone anticipated. They played Subdivisions and New World Man which I dug a lot. The high point of the show for me was definitely Spirit of Radio. Sometime about 15 years ago it seems like I stopped seeing lasers at concerts… Rush still uses em and it seems exactly appropriate. Light show is among the best! Very cool also is are the screens behind the band, sometime with close ups, sometimes with different graphics and other times part of the coordinated overall stage lighting. I could see the sceens and band at the same time in the same field of view. Made for a damn enjoyable show.

Of course there was the obligatory Tom Sawyer, with the obligatory animation. New this time were the south park kids being lil’ Rush… singing about Tom Sawyer floating down the river with a black guy. We saw Bob and Doug McKinsey but I don’t remember what song that was part of. We got the XYZ in there somewhere and a different instrumental piece that was of similar structure but different… one I hadn’t heard before. I really liked the Mission, very nicely played and extended.

Also notable was the Passage to Bangkok in the encore, completely unexpected.

What did I miss hearing? Closer to the Heart, Red Barchetta, the Trees (ya I know they never play it but I wish they did J).

Not much to whine about, probably the best value for a $40 ticket I remember in a while. I cant get over how cool these guys still are. Go see em.

I was never that into Rush but they impressed the hell outta me when I saw them!

Oh, and one last thing...

a few years ago I read an article where Neil Peart got embarrased on stage trying to keep up with others playing swing.

During his drum solo last night he proved himself by going into an (abeit heavily sampled) swing groove. Piks of Gene Krupa and dancers flashed on the screen.

VERY COOL!

Just listened to the new Rush cd w/headphones this afternoon. Pretty impressive after all these years.
I haven't seen Rush since '77 at Winterland. Sounds like they still deliver the goods.

I'm seeing them Saturday in Dallas and I can't wait!

Seeing them tomorrow (Wed.) night at Red Rocks!

Another great Toronto offering to you all!

Going to RED ROCKS TONIGHT!!!!

Thanks for the review!

Hey Cache, thanks for review. I wanted to go to that show. A friend was talking about obtaining $10 lawn seats.....but he is all talk. I probably could have won tix on the radio if I tried hard enough.
Anyhow, several people calling in on the radio spoke of seeing a big OWL (a la Fly By Night) fly out from the stage and over the crowd. Did you see this?

Found this amusing phrase on a Rush discussion board:

"Who died and made you Neil Peart?"

>Another great Toronto offering to you all!

The Beatles are touring?

((((((((((( RUSH )))))))))))

No, never saw the owl.

FYI - the $10 tix your bud spoke of were for ZZ Top with the pretenders and Stray Cats. It was a 1 day deal and I did snag one.

Hope to see you at Grisman - Bush tonight. Will be down in SLC about 5 to try and get a table and shade.

XYZ!!! LOL - That would be YYZ.


And the Mckenzie Bros. were no doubt shown during the Canadian anthemic - "Great White North"