Rush - R40 Tour discussion (SPOILERS)

[Ultimetalhead]

Xanadu


Cygnus


Fuck

[KevShmev]

Lost in the chatter of the classics is the fact that The Main Monkey Business is back.  I am happy about that.  They obviously needed an instrumental for the middle of the first set to give Geddy's voice a break there for a bit, and that is an instrumental that is worthy.  I could have seen them slipping OLV up a spot and then playing Limbo instead, which would have given TFE some representation for once, but since TMMB is the better tune, I think it's better this way.

What You're Doing was my favorite song from the debut when I first got into Rush, and still might be, so I am excited about that one.

Lakeside Park stunned me. STUNNED.  I thought Geddy disliked that song.  If I had been a betting man, and someone had told me they would be playing all of one CoS song, I would have bet my life savings on Bastille Day.  What a curveball.

Anthem is obviously a bad ass classic.  I am glad we are getting Rush on the 4th show, since I think Geddy's voice may not hold up over the course of the tour singing that every night.

They had better not even think of rotating Jacob's Ladder.  That needs to be played every night.  Some fans are already speculating that Natural Science will rotate with it, since NS is mentioned in the tour book, but I am not convinced.  I have to think the band is smart enough to know that you can't bring a song like that back and not give it to every crowd.  Then again, after their odd decision to rotate Manhattan Project with Dreamline last tour, you never know...

XANADU.  Thank God I will get to see this performed in full before I die/the band is done.

Scotty, regarding your set 1 swaps, while I'd love to see Cut to the Chase or Kid Gloves, I think those cuts are too deep, and most crowds would stand there wondering "What song is this?" in both cases.  Given that the first set is all "newer" material, you don't want to get the crowd too disengaged early on, so going with the more reliable, predictable "hits" like Roll the Bones and Animate is not only safer, but smarter.  We've gotten a crap load of deep cuts from the post-1981 records over the last 13 years; now it is time to get deep cuts from the 70s.

[jammindude]

So he actually *SANG* Hemispheres...Cygnus...Lakeside Park...Anthem???  All of them? 

[KevShmev]

From what I am reading, the Cygnus parts that were played did not have any vocals.  It sounds like they played the beginning, ala the same section from the VT tour, and then the ending, which I am guessing the rocking part.  They probably just left out the vocals at the end, which is doable since the ROCK there is more than enough.

[Setlist Scotty]

For those who are interested, the first show went up on dimeadozen last night! Talk about fast!

[Mladen]

Oh, so the entire Cygnus medley is actually an instrumental? That's pretty cool, honestly. 

[KevShmev]

I would imagine that Cygnus X-1 might be the most challenging song in the Rush catalogue to sing.  No way can I imagine a 61-year old Geddy screaming...

Spinning, whirling
Still descending
Like a spiral sea
Unending...

Sound and fury
Drown my heart
Every nerve
Is torn apart...

..and doing it justice.  So I am okay with them playing that part as just an instrumental. 

[The Letter M]

Holy crap, you guys. I'm now kicking myself for not saving up to get tickets for this tour. Ugh...

Anyways, I hope we get a decent live album from this with ALL of the A/B'd songs on the tour! No sign of "Natural Science", "YYZ" or "The Camera Eye", which I hope isn't swapped out for "Xanadu" being that both are 10-ish minutes long. That would be a shame since the full "Xanadu" hasn't been played since like 1982.

Nice to see TMMB return, as I enjoy that instrumental very much, as well as the return of "Animate", although I wonder if it's the edited version they did a few tours ago, or the original arrangement?

Also, that second set and encore is MIND-BLOWING and I'm glad they added "Presentation" to "2112" this time! I wonder if it's similar to previous versions where Alex does a bit of the end of "Discovery" before going into "Presentation" or if they just dive right into it after Temples?

Also, I'm betting that "The Wreckers" will alternate with "The Anarchist", and "The Big Money" with either DEW or RTB.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

Given how the new video for the rap for Roll the Bones, I don't see that being rotated.  I think Big Money rotates with DEW, if at all.

The Wreckers/Anarchist swap makes sense, although I'd rather get the latter, and ours if the 4th show, so we will see.

Note: Clockwork Angels now joins Limelight as the only two Rush songs to ever be the opening song at a Rush show despite not being Track 1 from its studio album.

[KevShmev]

Also, to show how lucky we Rush fans have been, in the 21st century, Rush has played 84 of their 164 songs from the studio albums - 78 of them from start to finish at some point, with 6 in some type of abbreviated form (Finding My Way, By-Tor, Bastille, Day, 2112, Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres).  Pretty impressive.

[The Letter M]

Also, to show how lucky we Rush fans have been, in the 21st century, Rush has played 84 of their 164 songs from the studio albums - 78 of them from start to finish at some point, with 6 in some type of abbreviated form (Finding My Way, By-Tor, Bastille, Day, 2112, Cygnus X-1 and Hemispheres).  Pretty impressive.

Nice stats! That is very nice to see, and the rarities on this tour have me very excited. I cannot wait to see what live album package they put together for this tour!

-Marc.

[jammindude]

I still have yet to see Lakeside Park...but someone just posted the last solo from Anthem going into What You're Doing.

Geddy sounds surprisingly AWESOME!!   (but it is only the first night...he may get tired down the line)

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

[KevShmev]

Nice!

Looks like they did omit the final verse of Anthem, the one following the guitar solo, but I won't quibble about that.  I still can't believe they are playing Lakeside Park, Anthem AND What You're Doing. I think most of us would have been thrilled had they played just ONE of those!

[Madman Shepherd]

I'm seeing them tomorrow.  I'm a pretty casual Rush fan.  In fact, I never really got into them until 2 years ago and I splurged and bought all their albums at once pretty much.  Since then, I've listened to them mainly in moderation so I am still not all that familiar with their catalog.  My friends I am going to see them with are as diehard as you can get.  I think my one friend has seen them once per tour since Roll the Bones came out.  He also literally reminded me 4 times that he is not checking out the setlist in advance, in other words, don't fucking spoil it for him. 

Anyway, setlist seems pretty kickass to me but i have to admit I don't get a lot of what people are freaking out about.  I guess those are some deep cuts they never play or people thought they would never play.  I like that they are giving a lot of time to the newer material.  Some of the other bands I am a diehard of like to ignore their newer material and that always pisses me off so even though I am only moderately familiar with a lot of it, I'm sure there are fans of Rush as I am of other bands and will really appreciate it. 

[KevShmev]

Oh, and funny story:

In the last 10 years, every single Rush album has now been represented live...except for Test for Echo.

Take that, jammindude.

[jammindude]

Oh, and funny story:

In the last 10 years, every single Rush album has now been represented live...except for Test for Echo.

Take that, jammindude.

They're saving it for the 20th Anniversary of the album.  A one off show where they play the entire classic album in its entirety!!   

[KevShmev]

I would tell you to lay off the sauce, but it is Saturday night...

[KevShmev]

Listening to the recorded bootleg, the people who said that Lakeside Park and Anthem were played in full were wrong. Lakeside Park and Anthem are kind of medley form, as they played the first 2 minutes or so of Lakeside Park and then go right into Anthem after the 2nd chorus of LP, and again, the last verse of Anthem was omitted, so yeah, not full songs like originally stated, but no matter; it's still freaking awesome that they played both of them!

[jammindude]

Listening to the recorded bootleg, the people who said that Lakeside Park and Anthem were played in full were wrong. Lakeside Park and Anthem are kind of medley form, as they played the first 2 minutes or so of Lakeside Park and then go right into Anthem after the 2nd chorus of LP, and again, the last verse of Anthem was omitted, so yeah, not full songs like originally stated, but no matter; it's still freaking awesome that they played both of them!

So they cut it right at the part where it would go into the bridge?  Or before the guitar solo?

[KevShmev]

Where it would go into the bridge.  The Lakeside Park mp3 from the boot is 2:24.  Anthem is 3:09 (although really about 2:50, since the last 19 seconds is the break after the song and Geddy introducing What You're Doing).  Geddy's vocals are pretty rough on both, but I don't care.  I am just so happy they are playing them, and it will be glorious when I see them play them in five days.

[jjrock88]

wow what a setlist

I'm already looking forward to the cd release of this tour, whenever that will be

[Nick]

They are supposedly filming both Toronto shows.

[jjrock88]

They are supposedly filming both Toronto shows.

great news!

[Lolzeez]

HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT FUCKING SETLIST YOU GUYS BETTER COME TO EUROPE OR TURKEY CAUSE HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT SETLIST IS JUST AMAZING.

[James Mypetgiress]

HOLY SHIT LOOK AT THAT FUCKING SETLIST YOU GUYS BETTER COME TO EUROPE OR TURKEY CAUSE HOLY FUCKING SHIT THAT SETLIST IS JUST AMAZING.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKDeiMD9a7w

[ytserush]

But I'm not looking at this tour as a complete work, but more as an addition to the rest of the tour sets.

Perhaps, but even when the stuff that they've selected to represent specific albums has already been well-represented on live albums, including those within the last 13 years, it's hard not to be frustrated that they're not breaking out a few more unusual choices so that they also have a live representation (Vapor Trail vs. OLV/Cut to the Chase vs. Animate/Kid Gloves vs. DEW/The Weapon vs. Subdivisions). But as I posted earlier, I'll reserve judgment for the future after they've played at least 2 or 3 more shows (and likely, everything they've rehearsed)...but it ain't looking good so far for the first set. I'm sure the second set will be more fun/exciting, but I'm just as interested in the later catalog as I am the early stuff.

I'm as interested in everything equally as well (Though I'd want to hear something they haven't done before or in a long time probably a little more.) I realize this is just me, but I'd pretty much rather hear anything other than a handful of songs that really don't do a hell of a lot for me. (Limelight, Stick It Out, Fly By Night, In The Mood, Working Man (Not dodging that bullet) Closer To The Heart (if there's no sick jam at the end)

As much as I like the 70's stuff, I'd rather not hear it at all if it's not going to come off well. It's just as easy to pull out a choice bootleg and enjoy that. 2112 ALWAYS comes off well, as does Xanadu and La Villa Strangiato.  The Trees too. But beyond those, I can't think of a lot from that period that would.  (By-Tor and Working Man don't much work for me, but it seems to work for them)  I think Lakeside Park would work, so that will be a nice trip to experience.

I suppose at this point, I consider this whole endeavor as a celebration so there isn't a lot I'm going to find fault with (coming from someone who usually can find some fault with just about anything!)  Maybe knowing that this is likely it has changed my point of view somewhat.

I still don't know if the last tour will be topped, but this one so far has come closer than I ever thought it would. I thought this would be more of an R30 thing (I'm so glad that it isn't.)

I know some of them went into this reluctantly, but they've turned on the burners from the word "Go." I shouldn't have doubted that despite that they are all in their 60s.

[ytserush]

Where it would go into the bridge.  The Lakeside Park mp3 from the boot is 2:24.  Anthem is 3:09 (although really about 2:50, since the last 19 seconds is the break after the song and Geddy introducing What You're Doing).  Geddy's vocals are pretty rough on both, but I don't care.  I am just so happy they are playing them, and it will be glorious when I see them play them in five days.

That's going to be one painful encore for me and it's not because I don't like the songs.

[KevShmev]

Now someone is saying from a reliable source, one of the lighting guys, that there are six different set lists for this tour, with 37 songs in total.  The 2nd show tonight should tell us a lot.

[Lolzeez]

Test For Echo from start to finish. 

[KevShmev]

Heh, I think that would have a lot of fans running for the exits.   Slime and Lotion remains their most embarrassing moment ever, thanks to that butt ugly chorus.

[jammindude]

Obvious troll is obvious... 

[Ben_Jamin]

Ahhh. To hear Driven live.

[fadetoblackdude7]

I just got my sweaty hands on 2 last minute tickets to the Chicago show!!   

LOVE the setlist too.....the 2nd half is absolutely insane!! Cygnus X-1 and Xanadu are sure to be highlights, hopefully those are permanent all tour. Encore is interesting too.

Never thought Clockwork Angels would be an opener, can't wait to see that.

[The Letter M]

Now someone is saying from a reliable source, one of the lighting guys, that there are six different set lists for this tour, with 37 songs in total.  The 2nd show tonight should tell us a lot.

Interesting. Well the first show in Tulsa had 23 songs, and the video credits in the tour book also mention 5 other songs not played in Tulsa:
The Wreckers
The Big Money
YYZ
The Camera Eye
Natural Science

"The Wreckers" will likely be swapped with "The Anarchist", "The Big Money" with either "Distant Early Warning" or "Subdivisions" (likely the former than the latter), "YYZ" with "Red Barchetta", but the bigger questions are - what will they swap "The Camera" and "Natural Science" with? I think it stands to reason that "Natural Science" might get swapped with "Jacob's Ladder", which is likely to piss off a lot of Rush fans on alternate nights of the tour, unless they perform the song in its ORIGINAL arrangement, which they haven't done in the early 80's as every performance from the 90's onward has been of a slightly different arrangement that cuts out the guitar solo in the last third of the song. If they keep to the "songs from each of the first 8 albums played in reverse chronological order" concept, they'd have to take out 10 minutes of Moving Pictures material to play "The Camera Eye", which means they'd have to swap it with BOTH "Tom Sawyer" AND "Red Barchetta", which seems unlikely, and I doubt they'd play a show that DIDN'T have "Tom Sawyer" in it, but we'll see after tonight (and maybe a couple more nights).

Either way, that's only 28 songs, and if they have 35-37 songs lined up for this tour, there's 7-9 more songs they have hidden up their sleeves.

Albums not represented by these 28 songs include: Test For Echo, Presto, and Hold Your Fire. I wouldn't mind seeing "Limbo" return in place of "The Main Monkey Business" for a 1st set instrumental, and ANYTHING from Presto would be great. As for Hold Your Fire, they'd likely pull out "Force Ten" or "Time Stand Still" (which works ironically for the tour set concept).

I guess by the end of the 4th or 5th show of the tour we'll know just what they have planned, but up to SIX different set lists?! That's insane and BRAV(AD)O to the boys for pulling out all the stops for this tour!

Now I REALLY hope that the Toronto shows that are being filmed/recorded get ALL of MOST of these supposed 37 songs, and that we get good performances/recordings of ALL of them on the eventual release. Those 2nd set songs are just too good NOT to document on this tour for posterity!

-Marc.

[jammindude]

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