Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Rush Milwaukee Marcus Amp 9-7-07

In short they were really good. I am not a Rush fan, my wife is so going to Rush was a little like having to go to church for a family event. You know it is important to someone you love and there is something to what goes on there but it is not my thing. Add to that I was pissed off about getting the word that a job upgrade that looked promising was not to be. Almost didn't go because we could not find a sitter. As a last resort I ask a friend if he and his wife can do it when he calls to say hello. Not only does he say yes, he says he has comp tickets that I can have that turn out to be row R in section one four seats off the aisle for the middle section. Then we found free parking on the street an easy walk from the venue. Things were looking up. Got in went to seats and smiled real big for how good they turned out to be. We thought we were way on the side.

They opened with Limelight and it was well played. Got a couple off the new CD (I think) something about the streets of Babylon. Free will was easily the best song of the night. They hit the solo in that like a ton of bricks. There was a decent version of the song about being immortal for a limited time from Roll the Bones. Tom Sawyer was in there, YYZ. Interestingly no CLoser to the Heart or Trees. Cannot really give a setlist as they are not my band. Two full sets and a double encore.

All in all they were playing really hard. They are professionals and play with great energy. Geddy can still get up into the high registers. I was impressed. He played bass real hard at times too. The other times I have seen him he would just play droning open notes while he playe keys. He attacked the bass at times and got that Fender bass played hard sound that only fender basses can make. They were almost sloppy at times (for Rush) but they were playing with such fire I would take that over machine like precision any day. The drum solo was cool, Neil had the rotating kit thing going. There was some cheesey pyrotechnics. The light show was mediocre given the rig they had. Sound was all right, Geddy's vocals were breaking up mid way through the second set and the Marcus sucks for sound, even in the front. Lots of Dads and sons around us, that was kind of cool. I will say aside from a few overzealous sing a long types this was a good crowd.

A couple questions for the fans: Does Geddy have an Amp on stage? Alex had four Marshal stacks but I did not see a bass amp. What is the deal with the rotisserie chicken ovens on the stage?

>>What is the deal with the rotisserie chicken ovens on the stage?<<

Huh? Like set decorations? That's crazy...although, way to plan ahead, perfect for those post show munchies

The one time I saw them live the set decor was oddly similiar...except it was chicken in ovens but laundry spinning around in dryers. It was actually kinda cool...a bunch of white dryers with glass fronts, they had alternating colors...1st one was red, next one was white, back to the red, etc. It was fun, it was the one canadian show I've seen! Not being a Rush fan myself, I was quite impressed, they sounded great!

Geddy plugs straight into the board for his bass sound..SO he has rotating concepts from tour to tour

Seeing them next mondaze at the Mecca of rock.>>MSG in NYC

I read in Peart's book that Geddy Lee puts things on stage as a joke because otherwise his side would be completely empty. That is why they had washer-dryer combo's during the 30th anniversary tour.

Set One
Introduction Video - Dream Sequence with Alex and Neil followed by Geddy and his Scottish Counterpart

Limelight
Digital Man
Entre Nous
Mission
Freewill
The Main Monkey Business
The Larger Bowl (with Bob & Doug McKenzie introduction)
Secret Touch
Circumstances
Between The Wheels
Dreamline

Set Two
Introduction Video - The Alex/Leela Board Rant

Far Cry
Workin' Them Angels
Armor And Sword
Spindrift
The Way The Wind Blows
Subdivisions
Natural Science
Witch Hunt
Malignant Narcissism
Drum Solo
Hope
Summertime Blues
Distant Early Warnings (replaced Summertime Blues on July 4th, 8th, 9th, 20th, 23rd, 27th and 30th, August 3rd, 6th, 11th ,14th, 24th and 28th and September 1st, 6th, 9th and 14th. ).
The Spirit of Radio
Tom Sawyer (with South Park/Lil' Rush introduction)

Encore
One Little Victory
A Passage to Bangkok
YYZ

It wuz my 8th time seeing Rush pplay MSg in NYC.. Wuz looking around the building and traced my steps over the years to the nite I dropped Purple Micro and wuz the lil freshman in high school freakn' on Witch Hunt. As always Rush really made us all happy.>One of those bands that just tweak yr dna a bit.>Can bring back all of those times the music matters.>Camping and playing air guitar, driving in traffic, mowing the lawn.Rush is one of those bands that are as proud as their fans. Last night in NYC we were all smiling and digging the moment.>For me the Cicumstances adn Distant Early warning made me crazed with delight

Anyway - The inner child last eve wuz HAPPY..music of Geddy, Alex and Neil and home to the heart.Where music can fill you with comfort in hard times.Cause man o man I needed to be at some kind of church after the last month or so and wam bam!!!!

blessingz
We are secrets to each other
Each one's life a novel
No-one else has read.
Even joined in bonds of love,
We're linked to one another
By such slender threads.

We are planets to each other,
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse.
Each of us a world apart,
Alone and yet together,
Like two passing ships.

Chorus
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show.
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow.

We are strangers to each other,
Full of sliding panels,
An illusion show.
Acting well-rehearsed routines
Or playing from the heart?
It's hard for one to know.

Chorus

We are islands to each other,
Building hopeful bridges
On a troubled sea.
Some are burned or swept away,
Some we would not choose,
But we're not always free.

Chorus