Rush - R40 Tour discussion (SPOILERS)

[Lucien]

Damn, for the second concert the first two songs are The Anarchist and The Wreckers 

Rumors that OLV is replaced by How It Is and Distant Early Warning is replaced by Between the Wheels

[KevShmev]

Tonight so far:

The Anarchist
The Wreckers
Headlong Flight
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
How It Is

I have to admit, I did not see How It Is coming.

[Nick]

I love One Little Victory, but I'm thrilled with any other song (not named Secret Tough) from Vapor Trails being played instead. That's a really cool choice. Surprised CA got the axe and not Anarchist.

[KevShmev]

Agreed, all-around.

I love The Anarchist like crazy, but I will be a little sad if we do not get Clockwork Angels on Thursday.  That's my favorite Rush song of the last 20 years.

Definitely cool to see something new from VT, although I would have preferred Vapor Trail or Freeze, but How It Is has always been a fun little song.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I love The Anarchist like crazy, but I will be a little sad if we do not get Clockwork Angels on Thursday.  That's my favorite Rush song of the last 20 years.

Same here, I hope Chicago gets CA as the opener. Much better opening song

[Nick]

Definitely cool to see something new from VT, although I would have preferred Vapor Trail or Freeze, but How It Is has always been a fun little song.

Complete agreement here, especially on Vapor Trails.

Next big surprise, DEW got dropped, but not for Big Money... instead for the much better Between the Wheels, which I'm thrilled about. Wish they would have pulled out Afterimage or Enemy Within, but I'll take it.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Roll The Bones needs to go. Maybe swap it for Show Don't Tell(?)

[KevShmev]

The Camera Eyes is getting played right now in the slot Red Barchetta had on Friday.

[Anguyen92]

Hmmm, How It Is.  All right, that's a fine alternative for the token Vapor Trails song.  I would have loved it if they did Ceiling Unlimited, Freeze, Earthshine, or Out Of the Cradle but that's just wishful and naive thinking on my part.

[Lucien]

CAMERA EYE REPLACES RED BARCHETTA

edit: oops I can't read two posts above me apparently

[Nick]

Wow, sat A got a slight win on the first swap, but since then set B has been on a big roll.

[Nick]

And this should be obvious as Kev just recently posted about it, but now The Anarchist is the THIRD non-album starting track to open up a Rush concert, joining Clockwork Angels and Limelight.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the first Rush tour in recent times that doesn't open with a hit?

[jammindude]

Wow!!  The Camera Eye, Jacob's Ladder and Xanadu in a single night!!!   

[The Letter M]

Wow!!  The Camera Eye, Jacob's Ladder and Xanadu in a single night!!!

The first time all three have ever been played in one night. Wrap your mind around that!

-Marc.

[jammindude]

Wow!!  The Camera Eye, Jacob's Ladder and Xanadu in a single night!!!

The first time all three have ever been played in one night. Wrap your mind around that!

-Marc.

They were all on ESL...but I've never seen the source material.  ESL didn't all come from the MP tour?

EDIT:  I know CE was not on ESL...but I also just assume it was played on the MP tour...that's what everyone has said.   But you seem to be implying that one of the other two weren't.   That's what I meant.

[The Letter M]

Wow!!  The Camera Eye, Jacob's Ladder and Xanadu in a single night!!!

The first time all three have ever been played in one night. Wrap your mind around that!

-Marc.

They were all on ESL...but I've never seen the source material.  ESL didn't all come from the MP tour?

EDIT:  I know CE was not on ESL...but I also just assume it was played on the MP tour...that's what everyone has said.   But you seem to be implying that one of the other two weren't.   That's what I meant.

IIRC, "Jacob's Ladder" was ONLY played on the PEW Tour and the MP Warm-Up Tour, so not since then. On the MP-Tour proper, TCE was played, then for a couple more tours after (ESL Tour, Signals Warm-Up Tour, and the Signals Tour).

So yes, this is the first time JL, TCE and Xanadu have all been played in one night. And as for the ESL live album, tracks are MOSTLY from the MP Tour, but several were taken from the PEW Tour (off the top of my head, at least Jacob's Ladder and A Passage To Bangkok).

Also, another mind-blowing revelation I had today was that between Xanadu, CTTH, and most of Cygnus X-1, they're playing about half of the AFTK album each night (about 20-22 minutes). They haven't done that since the PEW Tour.

Nice to see BTW swapped out with DEW, as well as TCE replacing RB and nothing else! "How It Is" is a great surprise, too, and with these two songs, our supposed song count is up to 30 different songs (counting both nights and the 5 not-yet-played listed in the tour book). Seems like we may have up to 6 different set lists if they still have 5-7 more songs that they haven't revealed!

-Marc.

[Nick]

The other possibility is that they printed up the tourbook in advance of finalizing the set, and some of those songs might not actually be played.

[theseoafs]

Amazing setlist.  In one night, all of The Camera Eye, Jacob's Ladder, and Xanadu, along with the prelude of Hemispheres and a significant chunk of Cygnus X-1?  What is this band? 

I really hope all of those songs are in place for the Chicago show; it'll be a bummer if JL is swapped out for Natural Science, as much as I do love the latter.

[The Letter M]

Not sure if anyone else brought this up, but despite playing the whole intro and both verses to Xanadu, they still cut out ONE bit - the part just before the final chord where Neil plays a melody on bells with Geddy doubling on synth. I wonder why they cut this serene and beautiful part out after going through the trouble of playing nearly everything else in the song? Hmmm...

-Marc.

[jjrock88]

This setlist is all win!!

[sfam2112]

Which version of TCE did they play? Time Machine or Signals tour?

[?]

I've never found How It Is too memorable or great, but it's cool that they are premiering some unplayed stuff. Between the Wheels and The Camera Eye are awesome, though, and I'm shocked that the opening song won't be the same throughout the tour. The fact that Big Money, YYZ and Natural Science still haven't been played makes me think the rumor about 6 different setlists might be true, or at least there'll be a lot of songs in rotation. Hopefully the remaining albums (T4E, Presto, HYF) will be represented at some point!

The entire show is now up on You Tube...  Lakeside Park is at 2:18:45   

Geddy sounds pretty strained...but it is really cool to hear it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewuD3eplXVw

Yeah, he sounds a bit shaky there, but that's understandable considering that he had sung for over 2 hours already. He pulled off Hemispheres surprisingly well, though. I'm also glad Animate is played in full and not slowed down - now I only wish I could see a video of the RTB rap!

[Mladen]

Dang, this one is even better. 

[Polarbear]

I've never found How It Is too memorable or great, but it's cool that they are premiering some unplayed stuff. Between the Wheels and The Camera Eye are awesome, though, and I'm shocked that the opening song won't be the same throughout the tour. The fact that Big Money, YYZ and Natural Science still haven't been played makes me think the rumor about 6 different setlists might be true, or at least there'll be a lot of songs in rotation. Hopefully the remaining albums (T4E, Presto, HYF) will be represented at some point!

How It Is, is pretty much the worst song from VT. Ghost Rider, Secret Touch or Nocturne would be cool.

I would also love to hear them play: Red Tide from Presto, and Open Secrets from HYF.

Im still hoping that they come to Europe before they quit, but chances of that happening are pretty much nonexistent.

[Ben_Jamin]

Wow....I must be the black sheep, I don't really care for Jacobs Ladder much.

Now I'm more sad they skipped New Mexico these past two tours.

[KevShmev]

How It Is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oVZXXnabD0

[The Letter M]

I listened to bits of the Tulsa show (posted earlier in this thread) and is it me, or is "Hemispheres Prelude" down-tuned? The signature "Hemispheres Chord" sounds....wrong, and lower. I can totally understand the need to down-tune the song just so Geddy can at least ATTEMPT to sing it, especially considering the last time he sang the song was over 20 years ago.

-Marc.

[mikemangioy]

To my knowledge, yes, it was. Also, guys, I've found a youtube channel with nearly the whole show:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9vO8AAD6N9jqn4eD5VRR-w

[KevShmev]

The appearance of How It Is last night actually got me listening to Vapor Trails today in the car.  While not one of my favorites, I still like it.  Definitely some really good, maybe even great, tunes on there.

[fadetoblackdude7]

While I like Between The Wheels more than Distant Early Warning, I prefer the first setlist so far - Clockwork Angels is my fav from that album and a way better opener, and Red Barchetta is a top 5 Rush tune for me (nothing against The Camera Eye). I don't care what song from Vapor Trails is played, as it's one of my least favorite albums from them.

[TAC]

The appearance of How It Is last night actually got me listening to Vapor Trails today in the car.  While not one of my favorites, I still like it.  Definitely some really good, maybe even great, tunes on there.

Took a loooooong time for anything to click on VT, but I really love at least half of it. Some definite suckage, but some really cool stuff as well.

[Phoenix87x]

That is bad ass that they have neil's old school drum set with the double kick bass w/ starman logo. Awesome.

[theseoafs]

I listened to bits of the Tulsa show (posted earlier in this thread) and is it me, or is "Hemispheres Prelude" down-tuned? The signature "Hemispheres Chord" sounds....wrong, and lower. I can totally understand the need to down-tune the song just so Geddy can at least ATTEMPT to sing it, especially considering the last time he sang the song was over 20 years ago.

-Marc.

Definitely down-tuned.  A sensible choice given how Geddy sang the verse.

[?]

I've never found How It Is too memorable or great, but it's cool that they are premiering some unplayed stuff. Between the Wheels and The Camera Eye are awesome, though, and I'm shocked that the opening song won't be the same throughout the tour. The fact that Big Money, YYZ and Natural Science still haven't been played makes me think the rumor about 6 different setlists might be true, or at least there'll be a lot of songs in rotation. Hopefully the remaining albums (T4E, Presto, HYF) will be represented at some point!

How It Is, is pretty much the worst song from VT. Ghost Rider, Secret Touch or Nocturne would be cool.

I would also love to hear them play: Red Tide from Presto, and Open Secrets from HYF.

Im still hoping that they come to Europe before they quit, but chances of that happening are pretty much nonexistent.

I've been listening to How It Is and it isn't that bad after all. It's just that Vapor Trails is such a samey and long album that few songs are memorable and stand out, which makes it one of my least favorite albums. There are good moments though, like the songs that have been played live, Peaceable Kingdom and Freeze.

From Presto I'd prefer to hear Chain Lightning or Available Light (Geddy could alter the melody at the end of the chorus), but Open Secrets is really good. Prime Mover would be my #1 choice from HYF - I can't believe a fantastic song like this never got any live play after 1988! Totem would also be a good pick from T4E.

My cousin is a huge Rush freak and he's sure they'll come to Europe next year, so I trust his instict and keep my fingers crossed. Hopefully they (Neil, in particular) enjoy this tour enough to continue it next year!

I listened to bits of the Tulsa show (posted earlier in this thread) and is it me, or is "Hemispheres Prelude" down-tuned? The signature "Hemispheres Chord" sounds....wrong, and lower. I can totally understand the need to down-tune the song just so Geddy can at least ATTEMPT to sing it, especially considering the last time he sang the song was over 20 years ago.

-Marc.

I like the way 2112 sounds in D tuning and in general have no problem at all with songs being played in lower keys, but I agree that Hemispheres sounds kind of wrong downtuned because the opening chord is so iconic. But yeah, I can't imagine Geddy's vocals sounding good if they played it in the original key now.