Nobody's Hero
Half the World
Caravan (Live)
Showing posts with label Rush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rush. Show all posts
Sunday, January 23, 2011
To Be Fair...
To round things out, here's a few Rush videos to remind everyone where my musical tastes stem towards.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
RUSH - Coming to Theaters...
While waiting to hear back from a couple of people to confirm going to one of the shows on the looming 2010 tour, there is the documentary. I'm not sure if it's actually going to make it to any of the local theaters here, but it will be on the oft-frustrating "gift idea" list (since I've been told I can be difficult to shop for.) With that, said, the video above is the trailer for said documentary.
Edit to add: a few moments later, there's this at the Wall Street Journal site:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Rush... The Colbert Outtake
In keeping with the Colbert Report clip...
There was a posting of some out-take material prior to the show. They sat the guys down with a "Rock Band" set-up, and had them try to play Tom Sawyer in the video game. If they mentioned the difficulty setting, I didn't catch it. I thought it rather funny to watch, more for the outcome (**spoiler, they "fail" at their own song), than watching them sit around playing the game.
The editing is actually done very well, and I think I caught Alex with a little of the, "WTF? How does this work?" expression as he was watching the on-screen frets roll by... much like I have the first time I try playing through songs in Guitar Hero...
There was a posting of some out-take material prior to the show. They sat the guys down with a "Rock Band" set-up, and had them try to play Tom Sawyer in the video game. If they mentioned the difficulty setting, I didn't catch it. I thought it rather funny to watch, more for the outcome (**spoiler, they "fail" at their own song), than watching them sit around playing the game.
The editing is actually done very well, and I think I caught Alex with a little of the, "WTF? How does this work?" expression as he was watching the on-screen frets roll by... much like I have the first time I try playing through songs in Guitar Hero...
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Weekend Update: Concert (part 2)
We arrived at the hotel by 4 o'clock, still a little full from lunch at MC's parents, so we just hung out at the hotel, setting up the fold-out couch, and getting ready for the concert. The room was nice enough - two queen beds and a pull-out sofa, but I was thinking it might actually be two seperate bedroom spaces (like I have had at some other hotels)... oh well...
My sister had not told her boys what the grand plan was for the weekend, but they had picked up that we were going to a concert. The youngest asked, "Mom, are we going to a concert?"
"Yes," she replied. "And who would you want to go to a concert to see?"
He contemplated this question, tapping his chin in deep thought. "Rush?!" he said, his voice almost asking a question, as well as giving an answer. He's seven, and likes to rock. His older brother (10) got in on it, "We're going to see Rush?" And there was much rejoicing by them.
We stopped off at a Bob Evans, right next to the hotel, for dinner on the way to the show, and finalized the seating arrangements. I would be in the closer group of seats, with the two oldest boys.
We tried to use text messages between the sections, during the course of the show, but there just wasn't the same immediacy as sitting with MC to point out some of the videos, or items on the stage. Also, since they released a live album from last year's tour, and there are plans for a live DVD to be released this fall, I wasn't so worried about trying to track down the setlist (like last year... which, by the way, I realized I was wrong with what I thought some of the songs were...).
The main recognition that MC's nephew had with Rush was "YYZ" from Guitar Hero 2 (which was the last song they played), but he enjoyed himself. Of course, my nephews had fun (even though the youngest fell asleep during the encore, I was told his head was rocking along during the drum solo. MC was actually quite receptive, overall, for her first substantial exposure to them. "They're obviously very talented," she said, "but I couldn't really understand them. And with everyone standing, I couldn't really see the screens."
However, one point of humor that has to be pointed out... you know how most of the time the line at the men's room is usually very non-existent, or moves quickly, while the ladies room will extend 20-30 people from the entrance? Exact opposite... the ladies room was a breeze through while the guys were stuck waiting to go. "And I've never seen so many mullets it one place," MC mentioned (referring to many of the fans).
Another humor point that my sister and I noticed - a guy, driving a black Ferrari... and having to park in a gravel parking lot. What the hell was he thinking?
We returned to the hotel, blessedly by way of a "back route" (the same way we go to the venue, actually - but it did not involve getting on I-85, which was how virtually all of the rest of the traffic was heading), everyone showered, and collapsed onthe beds for a few hours of sleep.
The next morning, we met up with my friend Ben who lives out there, and we all went to breakfast (at Cracker Barrel, again, as it was too early for the lunch-themed restaurants, and we were all hungry). After breakfast, we all went to Concord Mills mall for a little over an hour, to do a little shopping "since we were there". After dropping Ben off back at the CB, we reversed the route, going back to Winston-Salem before coming back east, and calling it a trip.
My sister had not told her boys what the grand plan was for the weekend, but they had picked up that we were going to a concert. The youngest asked, "Mom, are we going to a concert?"
"Yes," she replied. "And who would you want to go to a concert to see?"
He contemplated this question, tapping his chin in deep thought. "Rush?!" he said, his voice almost asking a question, as well as giving an answer. He's seven, and likes to rock. His older brother (10) got in on it, "We're going to see Rush?" And there was much rejoicing by them.
We stopped off at a Bob Evans, right next to the hotel, for dinner on the way to the show, and finalized the seating arrangements. I would be in the closer group of seats, with the two oldest boys.
We tried to use text messages between the sections, during the course of the show, but there just wasn't the same immediacy as sitting with MC to point out some of the videos, or items on the stage. Also, since they released a live album from last year's tour, and there are plans for a live DVD to be released this fall, I wasn't so worried about trying to track down the setlist (like last year... which, by the way, I realized I was wrong with what I thought some of the songs were...).
The main recognition that MC's nephew had with Rush was "YYZ" from Guitar Hero 2 (which was the last song they played), but he enjoyed himself. Of course, my nephews had fun (even though the youngest fell asleep during the encore, I was told his head was rocking along during the drum solo. MC was actually quite receptive, overall, for her first substantial exposure to them. "They're obviously very talented," she said, "but I couldn't really understand them. And with everyone standing, I couldn't really see the screens."
However, one point of humor that has to be pointed out... you know how most of the time the line at the men's room is usually very non-existent, or moves quickly, while the ladies room will extend 20-30 people from the entrance? Exact opposite... the ladies room was a breeze through while the guys were stuck waiting to go. "And I've never seen so many mullets it one place," MC mentioned (referring to many of the fans).
Another humor point that my sister and I noticed - a guy, driving a black Ferrari... and having to park in a gravel parking lot. What the hell was he thinking?
We returned to the hotel, blessedly by way of a "back route" (the same way we go to the venue, actually - but it did not involve getting on I-85, which was how virtually all of the rest of the traffic was heading), everyone showered, and collapsed onthe beds for a few hours of sleep.
The next morning, we met up with my friend Ben who lives out there, and we all went to breakfast (at Cracker Barrel, again, as it was too early for the lunch-themed restaurants, and we were all hungry). After breakfast, we all went to Concord Mills mall for a little over an hour, to do a little shopping "since we were there". After dropping Ben off back at the CB, we reversed the route, going back to Winston-Salem before coming back east, and calling it a trip.
Weekend Update: Concert (part 1)
What had started as a plan to go to the concert with my sister and my fiancee morphed into something else... a family trip. As previously recounted here, I took my sister and nephews to see the Rush: Snakes & Arrows tour in 2007. When I heard they were doing another leg, extending the tour into 2008, I planned to go. I had only planned for the three tickets, since the nephews could have been with their other parental unit in Texas for most of the summer (didn't happen, long story, but the ex-bro-in-law has moved back to NC... and I mention this only because it's relevant to the story) on the anticipated concert date...
But I am a geek in that respect... I had the three tickets, but wondered, "Is there anything closer?" I checked, and there were (by about 15 rows), and I got another three tickets. But I had time to decide what to do with the other tickets, so I didn't sweat it. I checked with some other friends (and MC's family), with no takers. Since the ex-BiL was in the vicinity, I did the nice thing and offered to sell them to him - not because I really wanted to see him, but because it would give him a chance to actually, maybe, be a parent and allow him to spend time with his kids. And that fell through.
So we changed tack, and decided to take my nephews, which left us with one ticket - a little easier to deal with. So we tried the adult rounds again, but with no takers. MC had been considering seeing if her nephew (age: 14) could go, and with everyone else in our area declining, she called "out west" to see if he could go. Which, after some discussions out there, it was decided that he could go.
The weekend came for the concert, and my sister and nephews came up on Saturday - and we went out for dinner at Cracker Barrel, and breakfast at a local bagel shop - before leaving kinda early on Sunday. We drove out to Winston-Salem to pick up MC's nephew, and switch vehicles (into something that would be more comfortable for six people). From there, we rolled down to Charlotte so we could check in to the hotel, relax a little, and get dinner before the concert.
Next: The details...
But I am a geek in that respect... I had the three tickets, but wondered, "Is there anything closer?" I checked, and there were (by about 15 rows), and I got another three tickets. But I had time to decide what to do with the other tickets, so I didn't sweat it. I checked with some other friends (and MC's family), with no takers. Since the ex-BiL was in the vicinity, I did the nice thing and offered to sell them to him - not because I really wanted to see him, but because it would give him a chance to actually, maybe, be a parent and allow him to spend time with his kids. And that fell through.
So we changed tack, and decided to take my nephews, which left us with one ticket - a little easier to deal with. So we tried the adult rounds again, but with no takers. MC had been considering seeing if her nephew (age: 14) could go, and with everyone else in our area declining, she called "out west" to see if he could go. Which, after some discussions out there, it was decided that he could go.
The weekend came for the concert, and my sister and nephews came up on Saturday - and we went out for dinner at Cracker Barrel, and breakfast at a local bagel shop - before leaving kinda early on Sunday. We drove out to Winston-Salem to pick up MC's nephew, and switch vehicles (into something that would be more comfortable for six people). From there, we rolled down to Charlotte so we could check in to the hotel, relax a little, and get dinner before the concert.
Next: The details...
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Rush....
On The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
So, I found out that the group was going to be on the show last night, but it aired after I had gone to bed. So, I watched the segment this morning, online... hehehe
So, I found out that the group was going to be on the show last night, but it aired after I had gone to bed. So, I watched the segment this morning, online... hehehe
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
In Brief...
I have a story to read/comment on for tonight's group, and some writing of my own that I want to try and get a dent in, but I had a quick comment that I wanted to post...
Rush! This weekend! A slightly modified setlist from last year, and in a different venue (in NC this time, instead of Virginia Beach). I'm stoked, and already thinking about the '08 tour stuff (to see how different it might be).
Last year was cool, because I got to take my nephews to their first "real" concert... This year, I'm taking them again, and taking MC along as well... She's not overly thrilled about it, but it's that trade-off in a relationship - the give-and-take that makes things work for the long-term... if you don't know what I'm talking about, that's your issue.
I'm going to a concert this weekend!
Rush! This weekend! A slightly modified setlist from last year, and in a different venue (in NC this time, instead of Virginia Beach). I'm stoked, and already thinking about the '08 tour stuff (to see how different it might be).
Last year was cool, because I got to take my nephews to their first "real" concert... This year, I'm taking them again, and taking MC along as well... She's not overly thrilled about it, but it's that trade-off in a relationship - the give-and-take that makes things work for the long-term... if you don't know what I'm talking about, that's your issue.
I'm going to a concert this weekend!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Farewell John Rutsey
"Who is John Rutsey?" you may ask.
Well, as I have metioned before, I am a Rush fan (the band, not Limbaugh.... gosh, people, come on), and John was part of the band.
"Dude, no he wasn't. There's only three guys - Alex, Geddy and Neil."
Yes, this is true. And to those that only think that, sadly, I must say that they don't know their Rush history. Rush, like the Beatles (and tons of other bands, I'm sure), had other members before they "made it", with those other members only being footnotes in the musical history - kids hanging out and playing together, until the right blend managed to form, and be heard by the right people.
John, however, was just a little something more than the usual "band-member-footnote". He was actually documented, and there is proof of his existance in the band. He was the first drummer, performing on their first album ("Rush", released in 1974). Just before embarking on the US leg of the tour to support the album, he opted to leave the band for medical reasons. (This is what opened the door for Neil to join the band, and the rest is history)... However, unlike other prominent "documented" (recorded) band changes (The Stones, Chili Peppers, Kiss, etc.), he eventually left the music altogether.
I have sometimes wondered what happened to John in his days since leaving the band, but information was scarce (even Google couldn't find anything significant). Not that I was looking for any music or anything, but just the curiosity of "Where are they now?"
Sadly, as I was reading over some information at the Rush website today, there was a notice on there (under "News") about John's passing - from complications due to diabetes (the reason he left the band in the first place) - last month. It's not much, and it is soooo behind the power curve, but it was news that led me to reflect. It's not my favorite album, but it was solid enough, and he did have some very tricky parts on there. I feel for his family, but there is at least a small part of him that will live on...
Well, as I have metioned before, I am a Rush fan (the band, not Limbaugh.... gosh, people, come on), and John was part of the band.
"Dude, no he wasn't. There's only three guys - Alex, Geddy and Neil."
Yes, this is true. And to those that only think that, sadly, I must say that they don't know their Rush history. Rush, like the Beatles (and tons of other bands, I'm sure), had other members before they "made it", with those other members only being footnotes in the musical history - kids hanging out and playing together, until the right blend managed to form, and be heard by the right people.
John, however, was just a little something more than the usual "band-member-footnote". He was actually documented, and there is proof of his existance in the band. He was the first drummer, performing on their first album ("Rush", released in 1974). Just before embarking on the US leg of the tour to support the album, he opted to leave the band for medical reasons. (This is what opened the door for Neil to join the band, and the rest is history)... However, unlike other prominent "documented" (recorded) band changes (The Stones, Chili Peppers, Kiss, etc.), he eventually left the music altogether.
I have sometimes wondered what happened to John in his days since leaving the band, but information was scarce (even Google couldn't find anything significant). Not that I was looking for any music or anything, but just the curiosity of "Where are they now?"
Sadly, as I was reading over some information at the Rush website today, there was a notice on there (under "News") about John's passing - from complications due to diabetes (the reason he left the band in the first place) - last month. It's not much, and it is soooo behind the power curve, but it was news that led me to reflect. It's not my favorite album, but it was solid enough, and he did have some very tricky parts on there. I feel for his family, but there is at least a small part of him that will live on...
Friday, January 18, 2008
Happy Days
Well, still working towards my 10 pages that will be due on Tuesday night, as well as awaiting my "textbooks" (funny thing is, I already had half of the "required" books anyway... and some of them I had gotten years ago for other classes or reasons...)... So my weekend will be filled with working on cleaning the house, and writing.
And reading. On the "fun" side of things, I am one short chapter away from finishing Babylon, and between reading my textbooks, I am going to try and make a concerted effort to push into my "other readings" - especially trying to work my way through Lodger.
The news that makes me really happy today, though, is that the dates for the 2008 leg of the extended Snakes and Arrows tour has been announced. The closest date will be in Charlotte near the end of the tour (unless I decide to go to DC... no thanks). There is also news of a live CD in the works, which I am currently guessing would be from the original 2007 tour... of course there is also rumor of a concert DVD project as well, which really starts my year of right!
And reading. On the "fun" side of things, I am one short chapter away from finishing Babylon, and between reading my textbooks, I am going to try and make a concerted effort to push into my "other readings" - especially trying to work my way through Lodger.
The news that makes me really happy today, though, is that the dates for the 2008 leg of the extended Snakes and Arrows tour has been announced. The closest date will be in Charlotte near the end of the tour (unless I decide to go to DC... no thanks). There is also news of a live CD in the works, which I am currently guessing would be from the original 2007 tour... of course there is also rumor of a concert DVD project as well, which really starts my year of right!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Just a Few Minutes on YouTube...
It's amazing what just a few minutes on YouTube will find you... if you remember back to the Rush concert posts, I was one happy camper over the summer. My favorite part of the show has been the drum solo. While this isn't from the same show, this is one of his solos from the tour... it will have to do until the finish the tour and produce the DVD...
Enjoy!!! (I know I did...)
Given a little more time... I just may be able to find clips for the whole concert, so you can see the video clips I was talking about...
Enjoy!!! (I know I did...)
Given a little more time... I just may be able to find clips for the whole concert, so you can see the video clips I was talking about...
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Weekend Adventures... The Concert...
So, I mentioned the Rush concert - and it was great! The seats ended up being about 6-7 seats off of center stage, and about 20 rows back. My sister (who had last seen them on the Roll the Bones tour in 1991-ish) commented that the seats were "much better" then the ones she had for the other show. We could actually see the band - not as dots on a far off stage, but as real people - facial expressions and everything!
And, being the musical goober that I am, I also took notes. I wrote down the set list as they played to possibly recreate the concert later (it was the first concert [period] for my nephews, and they could get a kick out of it). When we got into the car after the show, the eldest (9) commented, "We were just listening to this. They were just playing."
I'll put up the setlist later, once I actually have it in front of me.
UPDATE: Well, I had actually tried this part earlier this week (like, on 1 July) but for some reason the stupid thing didn't feel like cooperating when I tried to post it. Well, here goes again...
About the stage setup and opening video. During the last two tours, Geddy has had dryers on his side of the stage to balance out Alex's amp stack (for R30, Geddy had 2 dryers and a deli-style cake display that he would put various souveniers in). Neil's drum kit (complete with the rotating riser) was in center stage.
For this tour, however, Geddy has changed things up. He has ditched the dryers, and replaced them with hig powered bass amps - in the form of two rotisserie chicken ovens! (And yes, during the show people would periodically come on stage during a few moments of downtime between songs and season/basted the rotating birds.) There were even a couple of skewered pieces of poultry down by Alex's mic stand (revealed just before the band came out).
The opening video was also hilarious, in keeping with previous tours (R30 featured Jerry Stiller introducing the show). There is a collage sequence, and then Alex is shown waking up on the bus/in an RV, freaked out. He rolls over, and nudges the person in the bed next to him, and says, "Honey, wake up: as if he had heard something outside. The figure next to him sits up - and it's Neil. Then there's a cut to Geddy waking up to the taunts of a twirked-off Scotsman (also played by Geddy), telling "real" Geddy to "wipe that chiken off yer face, un get up on tha' stage!" The lights are slowly coming up, Alex entering from Stage Right and hitting the opening chords for Limelight. Neil and Geddy are hurrying to their spots, with Geddy wiping his mouth and throwing the towel off to the side of Stage Left, before fully cranking into the concert.
Set 1
Limelight
Digital Man
The Space Between
Mission
Freewill
Main Monkey Business
Larger Bowl
Secret Touch
Circumstances
Beneath the Wheels
Dreamline
Set 2
Far Cry
Workin' Them Angels
Armor & Sword
Spindrift
The Way the Wind Blows
Subdivisions
Natural Science
Witch Hunt (?)
Malignant Narcissism
[Drum Solo - reworked]
Hope
Summertime Blues
Spirit of Radio
Tom Sawyer
Encore
One Little Victory
Passage to Bangcock
Leave That Thing Alone
* A Note About the Videos
What is a great concert without at least a few great videos to either support or accent the songs - or to just give the band a quick moment to towel off or get some water. With a three hour show, you know Rush is going to have a few. Here are the "highlights" - some of the ones that struck me enough that I can stil remember them two weeks later.
Set 1
Geddy introduced Monkey Business, and during the course of the song there was a brief collage (running about three of the songs six minutes) of primate playfulness - doing a variety of activities from archive footage and other locations.
After Monkey wound down, the stage went dark, and a "Bob & Doug McKenzie" flashed onto the screen. They were sitting at a table, snacking, and finally talked about chips. One finally says something to the effect of, "Yeah, he likes eating them [this way], but I like using the Larger Bowl." At which point, the band started.
I really liked the video that was used as a supporting piece for Larger Bowl. It was beautiful to see the juxtaposition of images like a shot of Klan members on one screen, countered with a shot of a Civil Rights protest. There were also a few CGI spots, including one that showed (on two different screens) and image of a house/building that was, theoretically, the same - but one screen showed the image as a well cared for mansion, while the other image showed a building with bars on the windows, as if it were a prison. (Listen to the song, or read the lyrics then think about the images that I remembered, and you might get why I liked the video so much.)
Set 2
Far Cry - I really liked the video for this one - actually, I would prefer this one over the studio produced video for the single. The "baby carriage" is the principle feature, going all over the countryside & world, and the faceless baby periodically playing with a snake (I think - throwing it, etc - at this point I'm fuzzy on that detail). The coolest part was at the end of the video, when the baby's arm comes over the side of the carriage, and flicks a "thumbs up" sign.
Angels - This was another one of the "cool concept" videos, like Larger Bowl from Set 1 - taking various stock phot images - anything from 1920's construction stills (like, skyscraper construction) to modern day soldiers in the "sandbox" - and superimposing angel wings into the images, coming from their backs. Very cool...
Wind Blows - A nice CGI piece, featuring a "family" traveling the country side, walking into the wind. Periodically, the littlest member would be blown backward (rolling), only to be picked up and carried forward again. It fit the music well, but like the video for Bowl would probably take a couple of viewings to get all of the subtleties.
[Solo] - Neil reworked the performance portion, and the "Big Band" video portion received a little tweaking as well to go with the new ending. Some of the same images & video bits are still present, but recut with a some new ones added. Unless you find a pirated a recording, or they cut another DVD, well... your loss!
Tom Sawyer - The stage went black, and the projection screens were glowing, focusing on a sign reading "Lil' Rush". A few moments later, the camera pans back and it's South Park, with Kenny on drums, Cartman on keyboards, Stan & Kyle on guitars. And the video dialogue went a little like this:
{They start playing Tom Sawyer}
Cartman: My name's Tom Sawyer, and I built a raft, and went sailing down a river with a black guy.
Kyle: Dammit Cartman, that's not the way the song goes. That's Huck Finn, I've read the book.
Cartman: Screw you! I'm Geddy Lee and I sing whatever lyrics I want to sing.
Kyle: Start the song again, and this time play it right.
{someone counts the tempo off} The screens go dark and stage light flare up as the band starts playing the song.
Encore
One Little Victory - The dragon video from the Vapor Trails tour.
Bangcock - A montage video with a couple of train shots, as well as a couple of Marijuana plant shots. The other reason I couldn't help but laugh at this goes back to the R30 tour - Jerry Stiller's bit in the opening video about, "I hope they play Bangcock... nah, they never play Bangcock."
Overall, (as usual) it was a great show, and I highly encourage people to check it out. Jenn (my late wife) was never much of one for the studio albums - the way they were mixed, generally - but she went to the R30 show with me and had a blast.
And, being the musical goober that I am, I also took notes. I wrote down the set list as they played to possibly recreate the concert later (it was the first concert [period] for my nephews, and they could get a kick out of it). When we got into the car after the show, the eldest (9) commented, "We were just listening to this. They were just playing."
I'll put up the setlist later, once I actually have it in front of me.
UPDATE: Well, I had actually tried this part earlier this week (like, on 1 July) but for some reason the stupid thing didn't feel like cooperating when I tried to post it. Well, here goes again...
About the stage setup and opening video. During the last two tours, Geddy has had dryers on his side of the stage to balance out Alex's amp stack (for R30, Geddy had 2 dryers and a deli-style cake display that he would put various souveniers in). Neil's drum kit (complete with the rotating riser) was in center stage.
For this tour, however, Geddy has changed things up. He has ditched the dryers, and replaced them with hig powered bass amps - in the form of two rotisserie chicken ovens! (And yes, during the show people would periodically come on stage during a few moments of downtime between songs and season/basted the rotating birds.) There were even a couple of skewered pieces of poultry down by Alex's mic stand (revealed just before the band came out).
The opening video was also hilarious, in keeping with previous tours (R30 featured Jerry Stiller introducing the show). There is a collage sequence, and then Alex is shown waking up on the bus/in an RV, freaked out. He rolls over, and nudges the person in the bed next to him, and says, "Honey, wake up: as if he had heard something outside. The figure next to him sits up - and it's Neil. Then there's a cut to Geddy waking up to the taunts of a twirked-off Scotsman (also played by Geddy), telling "real" Geddy to "wipe that chiken off yer face, un get up on tha' stage!" The lights are slowly coming up, Alex entering from Stage Right and hitting the opening chords for Limelight. Neil and Geddy are hurrying to their spots, with Geddy wiping his mouth and throwing the towel off to the side of Stage Left, before fully cranking into the concert.
Set 1
Limelight
Digital Man
The Space Between
Mission
Freewill
Main Monkey Business
Larger Bowl
Secret Touch
Circumstances
Beneath the Wheels
Dreamline
Set 2
Far Cry
Workin' Them Angels
Armor & Sword
Spindrift
The Way the Wind Blows
Subdivisions
Natural Science
Witch Hunt (?)
Malignant Narcissism
[Drum Solo - reworked]
Hope
Summertime Blues
Spirit of Radio
Tom Sawyer
Encore
One Little Victory
Passage to Bangcock
Leave That Thing Alone
* A Note About the Videos
What is a great concert without at least a few great videos to either support or accent the songs - or to just give the band a quick moment to towel off or get some water. With a three hour show, you know Rush is going to have a few. Here are the "highlights" - some of the ones that struck me enough that I can stil remember them two weeks later.
Set 1
Geddy introduced Monkey Business, and during the course of the song there was a brief collage (running about three of the songs six minutes) of primate playfulness - doing a variety of activities from archive footage and other locations.
After Monkey wound down, the stage went dark, and a "Bob & Doug McKenzie" flashed onto the screen. They were sitting at a table, snacking, and finally talked about chips. One finally says something to the effect of, "Yeah, he likes eating them [this way], but I like using the Larger Bowl." At which point, the band started.
I really liked the video that was used as a supporting piece for Larger Bowl. It was beautiful to see the juxtaposition of images like a shot of Klan members on one screen, countered with a shot of a Civil Rights protest. There were also a few CGI spots, including one that showed (on two different screens) and image of a house/building that was, theoretically, the same - but one screen showed the image as a well cared for mansion, while the other image showed a building with bars on the windows, as if it were a prison. (Listen to the song, or read the lyrics then think about the images that I remembered, and you might get why I liked the video so much.)
Set 2
Far Cry - I really liked the video for this one - actually, I would prefer this one over the studio produced video for the single. The "baby carriage" is the principle feature, going all over the countryside & world, and the faceless baby periodically playing with a snake (I think - throwing it, etc - at this point I'm fuzzy on that detail). The coolest part was at the end of the video, when the baby's arm comes over the side of the carriage, and flicks a "thumbs up" sign.
Angels - This was another one of the "cool concept" videos, like Larger Bowl from Set 1 - taking various stock phot images - anything from 1920's construction stills (like, skyscraper construction) to modern day soldiers in the "sandbox" - and superimposing angel wings into the images, coming from their backs. Very cool...
Wind Blows - A nice CGI piece, featuring a "family" traveling the country side, walking into the wind. Periodically, the littlest member would be blown backward (rolling), only to be picked up and carried forward again. It fit the music well, but like the video for Bowl would probably take a couple of viewings to get all of the subtleties.
[Solo] - Neil reworked the performance portion, and the "Big Band" video portion received a little tweaking as well to go with the new ending. Some of the same images & video bits are still present, but recut with a some new ones added. Unless you find a pirated a recording, or they cut another DVD, well... your loss!
Tom Sawyer - The stage went black, and the projection screens were glowing, focusing on a sign reading "Lil' Rush". A few moments later, the camera pans back and it's South Park, with Kenny on drums, Cartman on keyboards, Stan & Kyle on guitars. And the video dialogue went a little like this:
{They start playing Tom Sawyer}
Cartman: My name's Tom Sawyer, and I built a raft, and went sailing down a river with a black guy.
Kyle: Dammit Cartman, that's not the way the song goes. That's Huck Finn, I've read the book.
Cartman: Screw you! I'm Geddy Lee and I sing whatever lyrics I want to sing.
Kyle: Start the song again, and this time play it right.
{someone counts the tempo off} The screens go dark and stage light flare up as the band starts playing the song.
Encore
One Little Victory - The dragon video from the Vapor Trails tour.
Bangcock - A montage video with a couple of train shots, as well as a couple of Marijuana plant shots. The other reason I couldn't help but laugh at this goes back to the R30 tour - Jerry Stiller's bit in the opening video about, "I hope they play Bangcock... nah, they never play Bangcock."
Overall, (as usual) it was a great show, and I highly encourage people to check it out. Jenn (my late wife) was never much of one for the studio albums - the way they were mixed, generally - but she went to the R30 show with me and had a blast.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Recap and Fast Forward...
It is Monday... the weather is fine, and all else seems to be fine with the world. Except for a few minor points. The most significant point is, well, that it's Monday (and I have long sided with a lasagna eating tabby in the disposition of, "Mondays... I hate Mondays.")... The less obvious point... today would be a great day for a birthday party... or even a quiet dinner out - celebrating someone turning 27.
But enough depression - each day is a new day (even if it is a Monday) - and there's no way (yet) to turn back the sands of time... reflecting is ok, but dwelling can get dangerous.
Time for the recap: I dog-sat this weekend, threw a party, and did some sorting (and reading).
Reading: As can be noticed, I have finished Heart Shaped Box, and decided to progress to the often discussed (but, admittedly, I've actually never read) The Great Gatsby. Not too bad, so far (at two chapters through)...
Admittedly, I went with it due to its length - having only read eight books (ideally, I should be through at least ten if I were staying on target with my reading goal... through thirteen by the end of June to be on even pace. I figured a bit of a shorter work could help me catch up a bit before the end of the month.
Sorting: I go back many years with some things. Not the least of which is card collecting, although I have gotten out of quite a bit of it (I have loads of basketball cards that are just sitting in boxes, languishing in their idleness, remembering days when I could actually tell someone who the players were, or the rough value for the better cards.
My senior year of High School, a friend named Jon got me into these other cards. They were collectible, but they were also designed to have games played with them. This was 1994, and the fledgling craze that would become Magic: The Gathering was in the Revised set. He had stacks of cards, and we put some decks together (stacks, actually, since the rules were rather open - plus we were still green to the idea of a finely tuned, themed deck)... and I was hooked. I played somewhat regularly in college with some other guys in ROTC, and it became amusing for me to discover folks (after I had weened myself from buying boxes and boxes of cards) that were just getting into the game.
I remember one time, when I was working at a furniture store, that a couple of the electronics staff had "discovered" the game. At one point, when I was walking to the back of the store for some reason (check on something in the warehouse, get a drink... who knows, now). At this point, the game was in its fourth or fifth edition. I commented on the game, and they looked at me with the surprised expression of, "Oh, you know about this?" I offered to bring my cards, if they wanted to look through them for possible trade/purchase, and they were even more surprised when I brought back a box - not just any box (for those of you that know card storage boxes), but a "paper" box. Get a case of printer paper from an office supply store, then fill that with various size count boxes... THAT was my collection (some eight years ago).
Well, I've always picked up a pack here, and a pack there from newer sets, just to see some of what was going on, but recently, I slipped back into some old habits, and got a box from each set of the most recent expansion (Time Spiral)... After they had been staring at me from under my desk for over a month, I finally decided to start breaking open packs and see what was there... I sorted (completely) through two of the boxes, and managed to make it most of the way through the third over the weekend (sorted by color, but I still need to finish, to discover how many of what cards I ended up with. And, coming soon, the "Tenth" edition...
The Party: I had been thinking about it for weeks... After Jenn passed, one of the things her mother mentioned was that she still wanted there to be parties and fun stuff going on up at the house - to open things up and have fun... a great way to honor Jenn.
I had folks over for dinner last Sunday - 10 June- (and I feel like a heel, not having mentioned it before) - a former coworker and his wife, and a lady-friend that I've been seeing/hanging-out-with *gasp* for almost two months (who also happens to be the couple's neighbor). Things went well, then, and I am crediting that as my "reopening" of the house...
Anyway, I had an "old friends" party this past Saturday (16 June) for "the gang" - the folks that Jenn and I (mostly Jenn's people from high school) would run with. We had dinner and just hung out, talked, watched movies, and just chilled out. Of course, the other side to my planning for the party was as a mini-birthday party for Jenn...
Sitting: The previously mentioned lady-friend has a dog - a cute cocker-pomeranian mix that is the right size to be a lap dog - and has the good temperment of a lap dog as well. While the friend was in Raleigh for a wedding, I was taking care of her dog... and the dog became very popular - the in-laws liked her, and everyone at the party was talking about her. I kept her seperated from the rest of "the brood", to make sure there would be no issues. All in all, a very easy keep for the weekend.
So that's my weekend recap... and now the fast-forward section.
This weekend is the Rush concert (going to the Virginia Beach show) - marking my third Rush show (all of them in Virginia Beach). I'm also taking my sister and nephews (it will be my sister's 2nd show - she last saw them on the Roll the Bones tour, and my nephew's first real concert). Busch Gardens on Saturday, and then I get to help my sister-in-law move to Raleigh from Virginia next Monday. Fun, fun! But I have three more days to chill, and then I get to kick into some summer fun!!!
But enough depression - each day is a new day (even if it is a Monday) - and there's no way (yet) to turn back the sands of time... reflecting is ok, but dwelling can get dangerous.
Time for the recap: I dog-sat this weekend, threw a party, and did some sorting (and reading).
Reading: As can be noticed, I have finished Heart Shaped Box, and decided to progress to the often discussed (but, admittedly, I've actually never read) The Great Gatsby. Not too bad, so far (at two chapters through)...
Admittedly, I went with it due to its length - having only read eight books (ideally, I should be through at least ten if I were staying on target with my reading goal... through thirteen by the end of June to be on even pace. I figured a bit of a shorter work could help me catch up a bit before the end of the month.
Sorting: I go back many years with some things. Not the least of which is card collecting, although I have gotten out of quite a bit of it (I have loads of basketball cards that are just sitting in boxes, languishing in their idleness, remembering days when I could actually tell someone who the players were, or the rough value for the better cards.
My senior year of High School, a friend named Jon got me into these other cards. They were collectible, but they were also designed to have games played with them. This was 1994, and the fledgling craze that would become Magic: The Gathering was in the Revised set. He had stacks of cards, and we put some decks together (stacks, actually, since the rules were rather open - plus we were still green to the idea of a finely tuned, themed deck)... and I was hooked. I played somewhat regularly in college with some other guys in ROTC, and it became amusing for me to discover folks (after I had weened myself from buying boxes and boxes of cards) that were just getting into the game.
I remember one time, when I was working at a furniture store, that a couple of the electronics staff had "discovered" the game. At one point, when I was walking to the back of the store for some reason (check on something in the warehouse, get a drink... who knows, now). At this point, the game was in its fourth or fifth edition. I commented on the game, and they looked at me with the surprised expression of, "Oh, you know about this?" I offered to bring my cards, if they wanted to look through them for possible trade/purchase, and they were even more surprised when I brought back a box - not just any box (for those of you that know card storage boxes), but a "paper" box. Get a case of printer paper from an office supply store, then fill that with various size count boxes... THAT was my collection (some eight years ago).
Well, I've always picked up a pack here, and a pack there from newer sets, just to see some of what was going on, but recently, I slipped back into some old habits, and got a box from each set of the most recent expansion (Time Spiral)... After they had been staring at me from under my desk for over a month, I finally decided to start breaking open packs and see what was there... I sorted (completely) through two of the boxes, and managed to make it most of the way through the third over the weekend (sorted by color, but I still need to finish, to discover how many of what cards I ended up with. And, coming soon, the "Tenth" edition...
The Party: I had been thinking about it for weeks... After Jenn passed, one of the things her mother mentioned was that she still wanted there to be parties and fun stuff going on up at the house - to open things up and have fun... a great way to honor Jenn.
I had folks over for dinner last Sunday - 10 June- (and I feel like a heel, not having mentioned it before) - a former coworker and his wife, and a lady-friend that I've been seeing/hanging-out-with *gasp* for almost two months (who also happens to be the couple's neighbor). Things went well, then, and I am crediting that as my "reopening" of the house...
Anyway, I had an "old friends" party this past Saturday (16 June) for "the gang" - the folks that Jenn and I (mostly Jenn's people from high school) would run with. We had dinner and just hung out, talked, watched movies, and just chilled out. Of course, the other side to my planning for the party was as a mini-birthday party for Jenn...
Sitting: The previously mentioned lady-friend has a dog - a cute cocker-pomeranian mix that is the right size to be a lap dog - and has the good temperment of a lap dog as well. While the friend was in Raleigh for a wedding, I was taking care of her dog... and the dog became very popular - the in-laws liked her, and everyone at the party was talking about her. I kept her seperated from the rest of "the brood", to make sure there would be no issues. All in all, a very easy keep for the weekend.
So that's my weekend recap... and now the fast-forward section.
This weekend is the Rush concert (going to the Virginia Beach show) - marking my third Rush show (all of them in Virginia Beach). I'm also taking my sister and nephews (it will be my sister's 2nd show - she last saw them on the Roll the Bones tour, and my nephew's first real concert). Busch Gardens on Saturday, and then I get to help my sister-in-law move to Raleigh from Virginia next Monday. Fun, fun! But I have three more days to chill, and then I get to kick into some summer fun!!!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Sites and Sounds on a Wednesday...
Ah, the sweet smell of Wednesday. After my bummer weekend (a really bad Friday night, and an equally lost Saturday - low grade fever and general "blah" feeling with aches that kept me in bed for most of the day), the new one is on the horizon, ready for more cleaning, reading and writing... among other things if time permits!
I will be leaving early today, so there will be much rejoicing in a few hours :)
Funny thing about the internet... you get used to bookmarks, and visiting sites, but when you KNOW that things are going on, it is easy to get a little frustrated at a lack of change on the sites (a point I try to defuse by aiming for at least some form of schedule... it helps for readers to know there is a plan, sometimes).
Within the last couple of days, I tried going to my friend Ben's site, off of my bookmark/favorites list, and I got the generic "good idea for a site name" garbage page. But today, I manage to get through... probably a server issue at the time I was trying to pull up the page.
Being a music fan, I have my preferences - I'm a rock guy by initial preference, but I want things with variety. (Example - I like AC/DC, but after a while I have to find something else because it all starts sounding the same... same key/chords/range, vocals hardly change so I just get bored and start tuning it out.) One of my prefered groups is Rush, and I am happy to see that there is a new album due out in a couple of months, with tour to follow (yeah!)...
Anyway, I have been regularly checking Neil Peart's site for any other updates on the album's process & progress, only to see his words from December. The Rush site has a teaser sample of the first single that should be out this month, but otherwise little news. Of course, when things ARE finally posted, I'm sure the rest us us rabid fans will be right there listening to each other and reading the information, foaming at the mouth as we plan which shows to attend.
On a side note, Neil also lists a "recommended reading" section on his site, which could be a useful place to discover some new works to explore.
I will be leaving early today, so there will be much rejoicing in a few hours :)
Funny thing about the internet... you get used to bookmarks, and visiting sites, but when you KNOW that things are going on, it is easy to get a little frustrated at a lack of change on the sites (a point I try to defuse by aiming for at least some form of schedule... it helps for readers to know there is a plan, sometimes).
Within the last couple of days, I tried going to my friend Ben's site, off of my bookmark/favorites list, and I got the generic "good idea for a site name" garbage page. But today, I manage to get through... probably a server issue at the time I was trying to pull up the page.
Being a music fan, I have my preferences - I'm a rock guy by initial preference, but I want things with variety. (Example - I like AC/DC, but after a while I have to find something else because it all starts sounding the same... same key/chords/range, vocals hardly change so I just get bored and start tuning it out.) One of my prefered groups is Rush, and I am happy to see that there is a new album due out in a couple of months, with tour to follow (yeah!)...
Anyway, I have been regularly checking Neil Peart's site for any other updates on the album's process & progress, only to see his words from December. The Rush site has a teaser sample of the first single that should be out this month, but otherwise little news. Of course, when things ARE finally posted, I'm sure the rest us us rabid fans will be right there listening to each other and reading the information, foaming at the mouth as we plan which shows to attend.
On a side note, Neil also lists a "recommended reading" section on his site, which could be a useful place to discover some new works to explore.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Busy... Baseball and the world around us...
Well, it has been a busy couple of days... For some strange reason, I was sidetracked during work yesterday so I spent very little time writing, mostly just reading. Recently, there was debate was sparked over cheating in baseball - did the Tigers pitcher truly only have dirt on his hand, or was there something else? So, I spent most of my downtime (read - moments between phone calls) reading up on past Baseball events - the World Series in particular.
In addition to the World Series history in general, I also spent a good bit of the afternoon reading about the infamous 1919 Series. I'm sure you've heard about it... the "Black Sox" scandal - the basis for the movies "Eight Men Out" and partial influence for "Field of Dreams". I've always been drawn to "EMO" since I first saw it years ago... maybe it was the setting in a lost age, or just how the story was told more from Bucky's point of view.
One thing I found interesting in the reading from yesterday, though, is some of the information on how the league setups were back then - fundamentally no heirarchal establishment (when compared to today's system). No brainer, right? Remember, though, that when we grow up in an age where things are constant, that is all we know, and we have to stretch to understand how things used to be.
Nowadays - there would be no outlet for playing professional ball if a player were blacklisted (unless I am missing a technicality). Minor league teams are considered extensions of the Major league teams; a proving ground for cultivating their future talent.
Then - farm leagues were available and players could still make decent money playing the game. Granted, they would still be working "day jobs" sometimes, and definitely during the off-season (and that is just based on the economy of the times).
It was also entertaining (even, unfortunately, a bit depressing) to read about the "old" fields... the storied homes of baseball that I had heard about (mostly from old movies, or films set in those times) but didn't realize were gone - Comisky and Ebbits, among others. Places designed for the game, but eventually cast away for the sake of progress.
I find myself being sentimental over lost architecture in general though. I'm due to travel to New York in a few weeks, travelling by train. Our arrival - the storied Penn Station, but not the real Penn Station - that mythical building was gone before I was born, another victim of progress. (The underground station and rails are still there, but above ground is now home to Madison Square Gardens.)
Weird how I start on baseball and end up on architecture, but not really. Progress is enevitable. The only constant is change. ("Changes aren't permanent, but change is." - Rush, Tom Sawyer) We look around us today and dream about living in other times - being able to see these great players, or go to those wonderful buildings. It's that longing for our perceptions of times beyond our grasp, of creating mental images in our dreams that likely pale to the reality.
We spend a lot of time in the moment criticizing individuals, judging quicker in the court of public opinion than evidence and investigations warrant. History, however only judges based on the evidence. Great buildings and great players fade with age and are eventually forgotten, replaced by the "now" things, or compared with those that are decades apart.
While cheating is not condoned, we lose sight of the human perspective - that players may have been justified to engage in misconduct (in 1919 there was no player's union to ensure pay). Unfortunately, any truth that may have been found, any vindication that may have been sought has likely passed into the footnotes of history. Players seeking redemption, buildings seeking occupants and a world begging to be seen - constantly being ground under the heels of progress.
In addition to the World Series history in general, I also spent a good bit of the afternoon reading about the infamous 1919 Series. I'm sure you've heard about it... the "Black Sox" scandal - the basis for the movies "Eight Men Out" and partial influence for "Field of Dreams". I've always been drawn to "EMO" since I first saw it years ago... maybe it was the setting in a lost age, or just how the story was told more from Bucky's point of view.
One thing I found interesting in the reading from yesterday, though, is some of the information on how the league setups were back then - fundamentally no heirarchal establishment (when compared to today's system). No brainer, right? Remember, though, that when we grow up in an age where things are constant, that is all we know, and we have to stretch to understand how things used to be.
Nowadays - there would be no outlet for playing professional ball if a player were blacklisted (unless I am missing a technicality). Minor league teams are considered extensions of the Major league teams; a proving ground for cultivating their future talent.
Then - farm leagues were available and players could still make decent money playing the game. Granted, they would still be working "day jobs" sometimes, and definitely during the off-season (and that is just based on the economy of the times).
It was also entertaining (even, unfortunately, a bit depressing) to read about the "old" fields... the storied homes of baseball that I had heard about (mostly from old movies, or films set in those times) but didn't realize were gone - Comisky and Ebbits, among others. Places designed for the game, but eventually cast away for the sake of progress.
I find myself being sentimental over lost architecture in general though. I'm due to travel to New York in a few weeks, travelling by train. Our arrival - the storied Penn Station, but not the real Penn Station - that mythical building was gone before I was born, another victim of progress. (The underground station and rails are still there, but above ground is now home to Madison Square Gardens.)
Weird how I start on baseball and end up on architecture, but not really. Progress is enevitable. The only constant is change. ("Changes aren't permanent, but change is." - Rush, Tom Sawyer) We look around us today and dream about living in other times - being able to see these great players, or go to those wonderful buildings. It's that longing for our perceptions of times beyond our grasp, of creating mental images in our dreams that likely pale to the reality.
We spend a lot of time in the moment criticizing individuals, judging quicker in the court of public opinion than evidence and investigations warrant. History, however only judges based on the evidence. Great buildings and great players fade with age and are eventually forgotten, replaced by the "now" things, or compared with those that are decades apart.
While cheating is not condoned, we lose sight of the human perspective - that players may have been justified to engage in misconduct (in 1919 there was no player's union to ensure pay). Unfortunately, any truth that may have been found, any vindication that may have been sought has likely passed into the footnotes of history. Players seeking redemption, buildings seeking occupants and a world begging to be seen - constantly being ground under the heels of progress.
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