Guitarist Alex Lifeson and bassist Geddy Lee of Rush perform Monday, June 20, 2011 at Gibson Amphitheatre. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA Daily News)
Classic rock favorites Rush performed Monday at Gibson Amphitheatre for the first of a two-night stand that concludes Wednesday, as a crowd of more than 6,000 baby boomers paid big bucks to see the Canadian trio that's always been noted for its musical perfection.
Of course, the band played great, as Rush always does. And though Rush's long series of concerts that began last year is called the Time Machine tour, it's obvious bassist/singer Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart are vital forces in today's world -- and not just a bunch of geezers trudging through a greatest-hits set and happily selling $40 t-shirts like so many of
Drummer Neil Peart of Rush performs Monday, June 20, 2011 at Gibson Amphitheatre. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA Daily News)
This is band that gives the audience what they want -- exactly what they want -- and on this go, it was nearly three hours of rock highlighted by a start-to-finish performance of Rush's storied 1981 album, "Moving Pictures."
For a few moments, all of us were back in our Camaros with the Alpine blasting, cruising chicks and talking about the teachers that we hate. The band sounded exactly as they did the last time I saw them at the Forum back when tickets were $12.50 with no extra fees.
The lights went down, and "Spirit of Radio" kicked in, and there was Geddy Lee, singing in that soaring high-tenor voice, there was Lifeson, moving around and enjoying himself a bit more than he used to, and of course there was Peart, generally considered the greatest drummer in rock, bashing away for all he was worth.
In the old days, concerts were a surprise. You never knew what to expect. With the Internet, just about everyone in the house knows what's coming by the second night of a tour. There would be a set of old classics and a few twists and new songs thrown in, then after intermission would come "Moving Pictures" starting off with the unmistakable chords of "Tom Sawyer."
Every massively successful band has loyal followers, but Rush fans are fanatical in the true sense of the word, even following the band across the country like the Grateful Dead.
The vibe was a lot different than the Motley Crue/Poison show a few evenings earlier at Hollywood Bowl.
Steve Cantos, 45, an El Camino Real High graduate, has seen Rush about 100 times through the years, never missing a show within a 500-mile radius, and this time he brought his wife and children Chelsea, 13, and Sam, 9, who happen to know the words to just about every Rush song.
I didn't want to ask Cantos how much he has invested from the beginning to be such a loyal fan, but tickets were $180 on Monday, so that was a cool $720 right there, not counting souvenirs,
Guitarist Alex Lifeson of Rush performs Monday, June 20, 2011, at Gibson Amphitheatre. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA Daily News)
"It's not a sacrifice at all. It's a remarkable thrill every time I see the band," Cantos said. "My wife understands. It's even more exciting to bring my kids. It's my son's first Rush show -- and my daughter's second show."
It was getting late by the time Peart busted out his drum solo -- the guy's massive kit must have about 35 things to hit -- and the event was stretching toward three hours when "2112 Overture/Temple of Syrinx" rolled around.
The band still had energy, and so did the crowd. Everyone was going crazy. For an encore, the instrumental "La Villa Straniato" was performed -- Rush is one of the few bands that can keep your attention without vocals -- and finally "Working Man," a fitting ending to a sweaty night of rock that saw Rush give it everything they had.
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18325430?source=rss
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