El Cajon, CA and Los Angeles Tickets

[Anguyen92]

Or he's just getting old and is trying to make the proper adjustments needed.

[DTwwbwMP]

Odd reaction from MM at the end of View.  He hit the last couple notes on his floor toms while standing and turning to walk off the stage and threw his sticks over his shoulders in front of his kit, and he looked a bit frustrated.

He did the same thing in Mesa:
https://youtu.be/GZFXbIJC5zA?t=717

But yeah, even though it's part of the show, it's strange and gives the wrong impression. And it's also odd how JP just stood there at the end with his head down when he wasn't even playing guitar at the end and instead was the taped outro.

He did the same thing in El Cajon/San Diego. I think it's a shtick which he probably things look cool or something

It doesn't!

[TAC]

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

[pg1067]

Was the setlist in LA the same as the first two show?  I'm assuming it was, or you guys would have mentioned it, but figured I'd ask to be sure.

Yeah...same setlist.

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

I read somewhere that James might be sick at the moment, but yeah...I think you're right.  JP seemed the same as always.  JM has always looked like he's just there going through the motions.  I wondered last night if the guy really enjoys his job.  JR is always pretty gregarious from his perch, but there was a while last night where he had his keyboard stationary and playing, and you almost couldn't see him behind the two mounted tablets.  MM didn't seem particularly engaged.  JLB definitely seemed out of sorts, so it wouldn't surprise me if he is, in fact, under the weather.  I'll be interested to hear reports as the tour goes on.

[UndercoverMyung]

Was the setlist in LA the same as the first two show?  I'm assuming it was, or you guys would have mentioned it, but figured I'd ask to be sure.

Yeah...same setlist.

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

I read somewhere that James might be sick at the moment, but yeah...I think you're right.  JP seemed the same as always.  JM has always looked like he's just there going through the motions.  I wondered last night if the guy really enjoys his job.  JR is always pretty gregarious from his perch, but there was a while last night where he had his keyboard stationary and playing, and you almost couldn't see him behind the two mounted tablets.  MM didn't seem particularly engaged.  JLB definitely seemed out of sorts, so it wouldn't surprise me if he is, in fact, under the weather.  I'll be interested to hear reports as the tour goes on.

JM enjoys what he does. He's just quiet. This is nothing new, lol

[SeRoX]

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

Songs like TCOT, TMOLS and ES he sounds so powerful to me. But in other some songs, espesically The Alien and View he sounds so out of tune. So maybe he will be fine after couple of dates for the new songs. So I can't call it unpowerful but a bit rusty. 
The thing is I probably watched every songs the first two dates he only seems to use lip synching for Bridges but in LA there is no lip synching (or I couldn't catch it). So it must be some healt issue. And I can definitely say that LA show was better than the first two dates. Not only James, everybody seemed to enjoy. I agree that the first two dates guys were off, especially Mangini and Rudess. I hope this is all because 2 years absence  on the stage and the nervousness.

[KevShmev]

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

I just think they are getting older.  They have never been one of those super active bands that were all over the stage all night, so it is not like they are going to trend that way as they get older.  Heck, even Alex Lifeson was less active on the last couple Rush tours (and he was almost always moving around a lot for most of their touring years), so it's just a part of getting older. 

[Kram]

From my perspective at the El Cajon show, JP, JM and MM were awesome. JR was a bit out of it though. A couple times we caught him actually yawning while he was playing in the middle of a song. And JLB was definitely a bit pitchy at times. Probably not playing live in 2 years has a lot to do with it.  Plus they're getting older as many have already mentioned. Maybe these shows are too late for JR now LOL. I'm kidding (kind of).

[pg1067]

Is it me, or is there just something off with the band? I can't put my finger on what it is. I understand the Mesa show being a bit tentative. Sure, they haven't performed in 2 years. Seems this tour could take a couple of weeks before they are totally comfortable. I don't know...maybe it's me.
Hopefully James rounds into form, because he has zero power in his voice right now.

I just think they are getting older.  They have never been one of those super active bands that were all over the stage all night, so it is not like they are going to trend that way as they get older.  Heck, even Alex Lifeson was less active on the last couple Rush tours (and he was almost always moving around a lot for most of their touring years), so it's just a part of getting older.

The difference -- at least based on my observations is that Alex ALWAYS looked like he was having fun.  Same with Geddy.  And Neil was the equivalent of JM.

[devieira73]

Really good footage from the Microsoft Theater LA:
The Alien: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29dSYAsUdXk