Sound: This was midway through Rush's 30th anniversary tour. Being that as it may, Geddy Lee can still belt out as if he was still in his early 20s. Geddy's bass playing always wowed me but to see it Live was on a higher level. From what I can tell Geddy used a few Fender Jazzmasters and Korg synthesizers. The styling riffs the crowning crescendos and awesome arpeggios came from no one other than guitar god Alex Lifeson. Lifeson used a variety of Gibson guitars including a Vintage Gibson Double neck guitar used on Xanadu. All that powerful sound coming out of the recognizable Hughes And Kettner amplifiers.
Deary me, I believe I have forgot someone rather important. But of course, what are a guitar player a bass/synth player going to without a drums master. Who else to Lee and Lifeson call upon to head up the rhythm and percussion department none other than Neil Peart. Whether Peart is one of the best drummers in the world or not, his playing is damn near immaculate. Neils kit sits upon a spinning octagonal stage. His kit features customized drums and cymbals. In Neil's drum solo, he incorporated different music styles from African music to jazz. // 10
Perfomance: Rush is always a pleasure and a privilege not just for fellow musicians but everybody because they always put on a good show. A few special moments in the show was definitely the Jerry Stiller Intro. I thought it was a perfect way to have George Costanza's Father (Seinfeld) yelling at you to get your butts on stage and start the show. Another special moment was when a stage hand of the band when out to put coins into the automated food dispensing machines on stage. I love when bands use lasers and special optical effects in the show. The green lasers shooting around the amphitheater made me smile. There were also some great cartoons even the By-Tor and Snowdog cartoon not to mention that rascally dragon.
Here is the set list from that night however was disappointed some of my favorites were not on the list.
First Set:
Overture 2004-*
01.Finding My Way
02.Anthem
03.Bastille Day
04.Passage to Bangkok
05.Cygnus X-1
06.Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - Prelude
*- The Overture 2004 was the opening 10 minute instrumental which included parts of six songs, one from each of the bands first six albums.
07.The Spirit of Radio
08.Force Ten
09.Animate
10.Subdivisions
11.Earthshine
12.Red Barchetta
13.Roll The Bones
14.Bravado
15.YYZ
16.The Trees with Day Tripper Tease
17.The Seeker (The Who cover)
18.One Little Victory
Intermission
Second Set:
19.Tom Sawyer
20.Dreamline
21.Secret Touch
22.Between the Wheels
23.Mystic Rhythms
24.Red Sector A
25.Neil's Drum Solo
26.Resist (acoustic)
27.Heart Full of Soul (acoustic)
28.2112 (overture, temples, finale)
29.La Villa Strangiato
30.ByTor & the Snow Dog
31.Xanadu (w/ doubleneck!!)
32.Working Man
Encore:
33.Summertime Blues (Blue Cheer/Eddie Cochran cover)
34.Crossroads (Robert Johnson/Cream cover)
35.Limelight // 10
Impression: During Rush's 30th anniversary tour, this concert took place on August 6th, 2004 in Hartford, Connecticut at the Meadows Music Centre. There was no opening act (Thank God) Just three hours of Rush. There was nothing that I could find wrong with the show. It sounded great. There were actually two unexpected moments of the show for me anyways. Before the show even started my buddy and I when to will call to pick up our tickets, the will call people tell us that they don't have any tickets for us. My buddy whips out his cell phone and makes a quick call to a buddy of his. Within five minutes, his buddy straightened out the problem. As we are walking down to our seats little did we know, that my buddy's friend somehow scored us front row center tickets. At the end of an amazing show, Alex Lifeson looks at me, throws his battle scarred pick and me and I catch it. Would I go see Rush again? In a heart beat. // 10
..Oh and first.