Rush Live in Hartford, CT
By
Sefany Jones,
Contributing Editor
Monday, July 15, 2002 @ 9:31 PM
Rush Leave Vapor Trails In Har
REVIEW BY: Fake111
Rush opened their first tour in five years at Hartford’s CTNOW.COM Meadow Music Center Friday night June 28th. And what a show it was. With no need for an opening act, the band took the stage promptly at 8pm.
Leading off the first set oddly enough with “Tom Sawyer,” they danced along the years playing songs like “New World Man,” “YYZ,” “Roll The Bones,” “Distant Early Warning,” “Big Money,” and one song “Earthshine,” from their latest record Vapor Trails, released this May. They even pulled a few rabbits out of the hat with some songs not heard live in a few tours, such as “The Pass,” “Vital Signs,” and “Between Sun and Moon” off 1994’s Counter Parts. That last one has never been played live before this tour and was dedicated to “a fallen comrade,” The Who’s John Entwistle, who passed away just days before the show. “Natural Science” from the record Permanent Waves brought the first half of the show to close in a stunning performance. During that song, I saw Alex Lifeson do something I’ve never seen him do before -- Not only did he walk off the stage in front of the barrier from the crowd, but he kicked a security guard in the back to get his attention. He handed the pick he was using to him and pointed to a girl in a wheel chair by the front of the stage, but the dope he handed it to tried to just hand it off to the first kid in front of him, which got him another kick in the back and a stern look as he pointed repeatedly to the girl in the chair. Nice touch Lerxst, very cool…
The second set had more surprises than Christmas morning. Their latest single, “One Little Victory,” punched opened the second set with a flurry of pyrotechnics (musically and visually for that matter), and was followed by 1996’s Test For Echo>’s “Driven.” Then on to two more from the new record, “Ceiling Unlimited” and “Secret Touch” (my personal favorite). But now things got interesting. It’s been at least 10 years or more since they’ve played Grace Under Pressure’s “Red Sector.” Complete with the revolving drum riser switching to Neil Peart’s Electronic kit that sits two-faced to his standard DW’s as Geddy dropped his bass for ye old keyboard rig. Next up was the instrumental “Leave That Thing Alone,” which of course always leads to the other main attraction of Rush shows, The Drum Solo, or to those of us in the know, the Rhythm Method. Nobody should do drum solos but Neil. If you don’t believe me, pick up any of their live records and see for yourself. He even out did himself this time, playing a complete jazz style musical piece, from programmed samples of horns and the likes triggered from his drum kit. That man is not just a drummer, he’s a whole friggin’ band for Christ Sakes…Yet the best was still yet to come.
Giving “The Professor” a break after his awesome display, Alex and Geddy came out for an acoustic version of “Resist” before rolling the sleeves up and getting back to work blowing minds. It was now that the classics started to rain from the stage. 2112’s “Overture into Temples Of Syrinx” led into “Limelight,” and what I believe to be one of the finest instrumental rock songs ever written, “La Villa Strangiato” off 1978’s Hemispheres (My favorite album on the PLANET!), and of course, “Spirit Of Radio.” I was speechless and goosebumped at this point.
But they still weren’t done. They came out for their encore call and ripped right into Fly By Night’s “Bytor and the Snowdog.” This song is almost 30 years old!!! But the thing about Rush that separates them from 98% of the recording industry, is the fact that if you closed your eyes in this or any song in the set for that matter, you’d hardly know the difference between now and back then. Not many bands can say that. Next was “Cygnus X-1” from A Farewell To Kings, and after that they closed the show with their first album jam, “Working Man.” Just simply amazing. As always, virtually flawless, and all the while making it look so easy. It was a pleasure to watch every one of the 27 songs they played that night, and I look forward to at least 2 more shows on this tour.
Brought to you by the letter “3.”
SETLIST:
Tom Sawyer
Distant Early Warning
New World Man
Roll The Bones
Earthshine
YYZ
The Pass
Bravado
Big Money
Between Sun and Moon
Vital Signs
Natural Science
One Little Victory
Driven
Ceiling Unlimited
Secret Touch
Dreamline
Red Sector
Leave That Thing Alone
The Rhythm Method
Resist (Acoustic)
Overture 2112-Temples of Syrinx
Limelight
La Villa Strangiato
Spirit Of Radio
PrattsPal - 4/2/2003 11:17:47 PM I agree Sefany, "Rush" is the greatest act to ever hit the stage. I'm 27, & have been a "Rush" fan/collector since I was 12. The "Vapor Trails" Tour 2002 was my 4th Tour seeing them. I was able to get 2 "V.T." shows in ( which is good for my work schedule ). 6/29/02 @ Scranton, PA ( where I live ), & 10/25/02 @ Hershey, PA( had front row tickets for that one ). This was, by far, the best tour that I saw because they brought out the more obscure material. This tour seperates the "Rush" main-stream fans from the REAL fans. When they broke into "Vital Signs" & "Natural Science", I almost had a heart attack ! As a drummer, I couldn't take my eyes off of Pratt. He outdid himself. I almost died when they tore into "Ghost Rider". Well, the tour was terriffic & I hope that there's more to come. "A Show Of Hands" is finally on DVD & I cannot wait for "Rush In Rio"" ! See 'ya.
Urukai - 8/2/2002 1:12:29 AM I just saw them in KC and they played this very set. Amazing. Possibly better than the T4E Tour. Lifeson does prolonged shredding on Working Man. Cygnus X-1 was heavier than the planet. Imagine, they are doing songs from 15 of their 17 albums. Has anyone noticed how many songs on this set are the last song on an albums. I got so baked during Vital Signs I thought I would fall over. Intense.
trendkill67 - 7/22/2002 9:55:27 PM I would KILL to see them play BY TOR AND THE SNOWDOG live!!!!!!!!!!! That is one of my top 5 favorites. THE LAND OF THE OVERWORLD>> IS SAVED AGAIN!!!!!!!!!! IS SAVED AGAIN!!!!!! I think thats how the song ends...if i'm wrong fellow ranters feel free to correct me...at least i am quoting from a killer tune right??????
dltf90 - 7/22/2002 1:15:44 PM For those of you that actually like Rush, don't forget to visit the Digital Rush Newsgroup at http://pub66.ezboard.com/bdigitalrushexperience where you might just find a copy of the show if you ask. Tons of details on the current tour as well as details on the previous tours. Nearly 500 live performances notated on cd/cdr.
i_love_taz - 7/22/2002 7:55:21 AM Damn, I woulda wanted to see this! This should show those teeny-bopper nu-metal and mallcore bands what it means to put on a show. That security dude is a dope...c'mon!
Scarath - 7/20/2002 9:56:26 AM Amazing how just 5-10 years of maturity makes such a big difference on a "rant" board, doesn't it? I thought Test for Echo was an outstanding album, balanced & diverse and easier on the keyboards. I'm not really a full-time RUSH fan, so I don't have Counterparts (sp?) to compare by . . . T4E was great, and perhaps underappreciated during that gray period in the Music Scene.
Vatchies_Wife - 7/19/2002 7:46:46 PM We just saw our boys play here in their native Toronto, Canada!!!...It was wonderful to see Neil Peart playing his heart out. The crowd was on their feet throughout his entire drum Solo/ OMG they played BY-TOR AND THE SNOWDOG!!!!
virtualpoopspecs - 7/19/2002 12:44:06 PM In my opinion, Test For Echo is much better than Counterparts. Keyboards are very few and far between, more guitar texturing. Some pretty heavy stuff(considering who it is, it's not going to sound like Slayer). Definatly check it out.
leroidesrois - 7/19/2002 9:23:12 AM Trendkill: i'm not the best to tell you if test for echo is better than Counterparts beacause i start listening to rush Juste before the release of Test for Echo so at that times , i bought almost all the albums previously release ans i didn't listen closely enough to Counterparts but i would say that right now, i prefer Test for echo. And yes there is lot of guitar on that album but on Counterparts also.
trendkill67 - 7/19/2002 8:15:41 AM I have to admit I have never heard Test For Echo. The songs I have heard have been really good...from what I remember...lots of guitar. Am I correct? Is it worth getting? Better than Counterparts(this one I have)? Hey leroiderosis, maybe you can help me on this one...by the way, thanks for agreeing with me reguarding the first Rush album...
leroidesrois - 7/18/2002 8:02:27 PM I agree with you trendkill. Rutsey was really good on the debut album. Really fun to listen to.
Blackhaart : I read back my message that i wrote for you and i feel like i was a little arrogant so i'm glad that you're not like 80% of the ranters who write shit to each other all day long.
And for everybody : i ask myself a question. Why people always say that the old albums from a band are the best?? It's like artists now could never top those past albums. I'm sure there were people when Permanent waves came out who tought that this album was poor and now it is a classic?
Personnally, i really really love test for echo and now vapor trails. It's like every other band. Motley Crue is nothing after shout at the devil, Megadeth nothing after Rust in peace, Metallica after justice, and now Rush after Signals? so it's imposible to those bands to top those albums?
the_looney - 7/18/2002 6:20:25 PM I'm gonna kill meself if I don't see this show.Anyway.......
trendkill67 - 7/18/2002 4:43:19 PM Although Peart was not on the first album, It was a kick-ass debut!!! Don't you guys agree??!?!??!! Rutsy was no Peart, but he did a decent job. He had that 70's style drumming that bands like Grand Funk and BTO had....once again, a GREAT album!
The_Space_Lord - 7/18/2002 1:46:54 PM I also haven't seen Rutsey's name listed along the musicians that Pat Travers has worked with and I own three Travers albums already.
virtualpoopspecs - 7/18/2002 12:23:24 PM If they would ever start selling tickets for Portland.
For those who say they don't like the album, wait until you see some of the songs live. There are a few of their songs that I didn't really care for until I saw them performed live. Plus keep in mind what the band & Neil in perticular have been through in recent years. I'm glad they didn't go the Staind, Papa Roach route and start going "Poor Me". But then again, people that actually have something bad happen uually don't try and exploit it. I saw Rush on their Test For
Echo Tour, and they played Red Sector A (that was in 97). Grace Under Pressure isn't one of their better ones, but when you have as many albums out as they do
you are bound to tank one here and there. I can't wait to see them. If I could afford it, I'd go to every show on the tour.
Leading off the first set oddly enough with “Tom Sawyer,” they danced along the years playing songs like “New World Man,” “YYZ,” “Roll The Bones,” “Distant Early Warning,” “Big Money,” and one song “Earthshine,” from their latest record Vapor Trails, released this May. They even pulled a few rabbits out of the hat with some songs not heard live in a few tours, such as “The Pass,” “Vital Signs,” and “Between Sun and Moon” off 1994’s Counter Parts. That last one has never been played live before this tour and was dedicated to “a fallen comrade,” The Who’s John Entwistle, who passed away just days before the show. “Natural Science” from the record Permanent Waves brought the first half of the show to close in a stunning performance. During that song, I saw Alex Lifeson do something I’ve never seen him do before -- Not only did he walk off the stage in front of the barrier from the crowd, but he kicked a security guard in the back to get his attention. He handed the pick he was using to him and pointed to a girl in a wheel chair by the front of the stage, but the dope he handed it to tried to just hand it off to the first kid in front of him, which got him another kick in the back and a stern look as he pointed repeatedly to the girl in the chair. Nice touch Lerxst, very cool…
The second set had more surprises than Christmas morning. Their latest single, “One Little Victory,” punched opened the second set with a flurry of pyrotechnics (musically and visually for that matter), and was followed by 1996’s Test For Echo>’s “Driven.” Then on to two more from the new record, “Ceiling Unlimited” and “Secret Touch” (my personal favorite). But now things got interesting. It’s been at least 10 years or more since they’ve played Grace Under Pressure’s “Red Sector.” Complete with the revolving drum riser switching to Neil Peart’s Electronic kit that sits two-faced to his standard DW’s as Geddy dropped his bass for ye old keyboard rig. Next up was the instrumental “Leave That Thing Alone,” which of course always leads to the other main attraction of Rush shows, The Drum Solo, or to those of us in the know, the Rhythm Method. Nobody should do drum solos but Neil. If you don’t believe me, pick up any of their live records and see for yourself. He even out did himself this time, playing a complete jazz style musical piece, from programmed samples of horns and the likes triggered from his drum kit. That man is not just a drummer, he’s a whole friggin’ band for Christ Sakes…Yet the best was still yet to come.
Giving “The Professor” a break after his awesome display, Alex and Geddy came out for an acoustic version of “Resist” before rolling the sleeves up and getting back to work blowing minds. It was now that the classics started to rain from the stage. 2112’s “Overture into Temples Of Syrinx” led into “Limelight,” and what I believe to be one of the finest instrumental rock songs ever written, “La Villa Strangiato” off 1978’s Hemispheres (My favorite album on the PLANET!), and of course, “Spirit Of Radio.” I was speechless and goosebumped at this point.
But they still weren’t done. They came out for their encore call and ripped right into Fly By Night’s “Bytor and the Snowdog.” This song is almost 30 years old!!! But the thing about Rush that separates them from 98% of the recording industry, is the fact that if you closed your eyes in this or any song in the set for that matter, you’d hardly know the difference between now and back then. Not many bands can say that. Next was “Cygnus X-1” from A Farewell To Kings, and after that they closed the show with their first album jam, “Working Man.” Just simply amazing. As always, virtually flawless, and all the while making it look so easy. It was a pleasure to watch every one of the 27 songs they played that night, and I look forward to at least 2 more shows on this tour.
Brought to you by the letter “3.”
SETLIST:
Tom Sawyer 
Vital Signs
