I’m in Minnesota visiting family and then performing a wedding for two of my parishioners who hail from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Today was our planned excursion to the Minnesota State Fair. I’d been lamenting my inability to attend the Rush concert in Maryland in September. What are the odds that they would be playing the MN State Fair the day I attend?
I bought the only thing left – obstructed view – but I could see almost the entire stage. I’d seen Rush twice before, but despite their age—Geddy can’t hit the high notes as easily as before—they are better than ever. My past impression of their concerts was technical perfection but an almost mechanical approach to their complex music. This show outshone my past experiences in every way. The trio has aged well, not only honing their craft but playing more loosely, almost with abandon – yet losing none of their precision.
The band opened their second set by playing the entire Moving Pictures album, and it was incredible.
It is hard for me to see how Rush is not one of the best two bands of the modern era (the other being Yes). They transcend their genre – Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neal Peart are world-class musicians who have an uncanny musical symmetry. The show’s encore finished with an entirely reworked “Working Man,” which was pure joy to listen to. If you can see them on this tour, do it – it could be your last chance.
I didn’t keep track of the songs in the first set, so that is from memory:
Rush Time Machine tour
Spirit of Radio
…
Faithless
BU2B
Freewill
…
Subdivisions
…
(Amazing instrumental that I was not familiar with – the woman next to me said it was from Counterpoint)
Stick It Out
…
Set 2
Moving Pictures in its entirety
Caravan
Peart Drum solo
Lifeson guitar solo
Closer to the Heart
Temples of Syrinx (2112)
Far Cry
Encore: La Villa Strangiato
Working Man
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