REAL REVIEWS Concerts

It’s been five years since the last time I saw Rush perform live.   In that time the Canadian trio has had to contend with solo projects and personal tragedies.  But after the three-hour showcase last night, they put to rest any doubt that they still know how to rock.

The Evening with Rush concert featured no supporting act and began promptly on time, catching late arriving fans off guard.  The band wisely has upgraded their signature visuals to state of the art digital video.  Always ones to include some interesting stage props, the stack of amplifiers behind bassist/singer Geddy Lee were replaced by three spinning dryers with illuminated tumblers.  The lights got more fantastic as the darkness came over the outdoor theater.  The computer-generated art that played behind the band was engaging and perfectly matched to the music.

Then there is the music.  Even in a concert that lasts 3 hours it is difficult to play everything from a 30 year catalog but Rush managed to touch on all but 2 of their studio releases in the 26 songs they performed.  Classics like Tom Sawyer, YYZ, and Roll The Bones blended with fan favorites like Natural Science, Vital Signs and The Pass.  The current Rush release, which has sold very well, was not left out either with songs like Earthshine and Secret Touch.  Rush also played a song from the Counterparts album that they have never performed on tour before, the questioning Between the Sun & Moon.

Thankfully for the sake of the band and the fans, who intensely get into the show, there was a brief intermission to replace some fluids and catch their collective breaths.  The second half began with the sound of crickets and a digital rendering of a sunrise over a mountainous landscape.  This then gives way to some wonderfully done computerized fire breathing dragons complete with pyrotechnics synchronized on the stage as the band rips into the first single from the current one, One Little Victory.

From there the ride continues with a display of lasers during several songs including, Red Sector A and Dreamline.  More computerized characters bounced their way through the instrumental Leave That Thing Alone culminating in a blistering drum solo by the masterful Neil Peart, which featured his spinning drum kit and a jazz swing style finish to archive images of dancers.

The surprise of the evening was guitarist Alex Lifeson and Geddy performing an acoustic version of Resist while Peart took a break after his solo.  Lifeson also blazed on his electric guitar during the instrumental La Villa Strangiato as well including a pause where he hams it up in a character voice before blasting back to the finish.  The time tested Overture and Temples of Syrinx from 2112 along with The Spirit of Radio closed the set.

Fans still not satisfied rose to their feet and cheered the lads back to the stage for an encore that included By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Cygnus X-1, and Working Man.  Rush left the arena to a standing ovation by fans who despite having endured a 3 hour show would gladly have stood through another 3 hours to hear the numerous favorites that didn’t make it into the set list.  Nobody heard everything they liked but they liked everything they heard.  Rush is back beyond any shadow of a doubt.

CONCERT:: THE X-FEST-Greenville, NC-9/30/00

THE X-FEST-GREENVILLE, NC-9/30/00

THEY ADVERTISED IT AS A “BIG-ASS CONCERTIN A BIG-ASS FIELD” AND THEY WEREN’T KIDDING!THE SHOW , SPONSORED BY WXNR OF GREENVILLE AND SEVERAL AUXILIARY SPONSORS(I’M NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM ANY ADVERTISING HERE UNLESS THEY PAY US!), FEATURED SIX BANDS:

FENIX, TX; COWBOY MOUTH, SR-71, 2 SKINNEE J’S, EVE 6 AND DAYS OF THE NEW. ALL FOR $9.99 ADVANCE, $14.99 DAY OF THE SHOW.A PERFECT DAY TOO, SUNSHINE BUT NOT TOO HOT.

ALTHOUGH THE GATES OPENED AT 10 AM, IT WAS ALMOST 11 BY THE TIME I ACTUALLY GOT IN.

FENIX, TX CAME ON FIRST, AND PLAYED AN ENTERTAINING, SHORT SET. THEY DID COMPLAIN A LOT-”WE’RE NOT USING OUR GEAR”, “IT’S TOO EARLY”, “WE DON’T HAVE ANY WEED” (LIKE THAT’S MY PROBLEM-YOU GUYS ARE THE BIG ROCK STARS!).THEIR MUSIC WAS BASIC PUNK/THRASH-PENNYWISE AND FACE TO FACE (AND A LOT OF OTHERS) DO IT BETTER AND LOUDER. BUT THEY GOT THE DAY OFF TO A PRETTY GOOD START.

COWBOY MOUTH CAME UP NEXT AND ROCKED! THEY HAVE 3 GUITARS, BASS AND THE DRUMMER SINGS LEAD VOX. HE PUTS HIS KIT RIGHT UP FRONT AND SITS HIGHER THAN MOST ROCK DRUMMERS. THEY STARTED SLOW-THE FIRST 2 SONGS DIDN’T IMPRESS ME AT ALL. BUT THEY TIGHTENED UP AT THE THIRD SONG AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. THEY DID THE TWO SINGLES “LET IT GO” (OR IS IT CALLED “JANIE SAYS”-I’M NOT SURE) AND THE NEW ONE “HARD TO TRY”. MY PERSONAL FAVORITE WAS THE BLUESY “ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE”.  THEY WERE TIGHT, ENERGETIC AND FUN. CHECK THESE GUYS OUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE.

SR-71 WAS BAND #3, TO TAKE US HALWAY THRU THE SHOW. THE SINGER KEPT TALKING ABOUT HOW HE “LEFT HIS THROAT IN TOKYO”, AND LEFT IT UP TO THE AUDIENCE TO SING THE CHORUS OF THEIR MONSTER SINGLE “RIGHT NOW”. THEY THREW IN AN INCONGRUOUS COVER OF AMERICA’S “SISTER GOLDEN HAIR” WHICH ACTUALLY SOUNDED QUITE GOOD.I WAS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE CROWD DIDN’T REALIZE THAT WHAT THEY WERE HEARING AT THAT MOMENT WAS A COVER OF A 70’S SONG! THEIR SET WAS PRETTY SHORT, THE SOUND WAS GOOD-BUT LESS IMPRESSIVE THAN COWBOY MOUTH.

I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT I PAID LITTLE ATTENTION TO 2 SKINEE J’S. THEY RAP MORE THAN THEY ROCK AND IT’S HARD TO TAKE A BAND SERIOUSLY WHEN THEY ARE WEARING MATCHING PINK OUTFITS AND HAVE A GUY IN A RABBIT SUIT ONSTAGE. WHAT THE F**K WAS THAT ABOUT !.

ON TO THE BIG NAMES EVE 6 AND DAYS OF THE NEW. I GOT CAUGHT IN THE BEER GARDEN WHEN EVE 6 CAME ON AND NEVER MADE IT CLOSE TO THE STAGE LIKE I WAS FOR MOST OF THE ACTS. THEY STARTED OFF KIND OF SLOPPY-BUT TIGHTENED UP PRETTY QUICKLY AND PLAYED A LONG (BY THIS SHOW’S STANDARDS, THAT IS) SET OF AN HOUR PLUS. I HEARD TWO “RADIO SONGS”, THE CURRENT “PROMISE” AND ANOTHER SONG WHICH I HAD HEARD BUT DON’T KNOW THE NAME OF. I HAVE TO SAY PERSONALLY THAT ALTHOUGH THEY ROCKED AND SOUNDED PRETTY GOOD-I COULD TAKE OR LEAVE THEM.

FINALLY DAYS OF THE NEW CAME OUT AS THE DAYLIGHT WAS WANING. RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR WHY THEY WERE THE HEADLINE ACT. THEY CAME OUT AND BLEW EVERYONE ELSE AWAY IN INTENSITY, MUSICIANSHIP, AND SOUND.THEY DID “SHELF IN THE ROOM”, “DOWNTOWN”, AND A SONG THAT TRAVIS MEEKS SAID IS FROM THE UPCOMING 3RD CD.UNFORTUNATELY THEY ONLY PLAYED FOR ABOUT 30-35 MINUTES.WHICH IS WRONG-WE HAD STAYED OUT IN THE SUN ALL DAY, DRINKING OVERPRICED ($4) BEERS, WAITING FOR THESE GUYS.AND THEN THEY ONLY PLAY 6-7 TUNES!NEXT TIME, WXNR, GET A HEADLINER THAT WANTS TO ROCK OUT FOR AT LEAST 90 MINUTES.THERE ARE PLENTY OF BANDS OUT THERE WHO WOULD BE GLAD TO DO THAT.

OVERALL IT WAS STILL A GREAT DAY.  I WOULD HAVE LIKED:

1. HEAVIER ACTS (NOT FREAKIN’ LIKELY SOON-IT IS SPONSORED BY A RADIO STATION!)

2.LONGER SETS! (ESPECIALLY FROM THE MAIN ACTS)

3 REASONABLY PRICED BEER/WATER/FOOD.  COME ON GUYS-YOU NEED TO MAKE MONEY, BUT $3 FOR WATER?

$4 FOR 16 OZ. OF BAD BEER (ICEHOUSE OR MILLER LITE, SIR?) HASN'T BEEN TO A NJ OR NY CONCERT-JES

THEY WILL DEFINITELY DO THIS GIG AGAIN NEXT YEAR-MAYBE EVEN IN THE SPRING.COME DOWN FOR THE NEXT ONE-I DON’T THINK YOU’LL BE DISAPPOINTED.

-FREE (PRINCIPAL WRITER FOR THEREALROCK.COMCOPYRIGHT 01OCT00)

CONCERT: SR71 with Collapsis and American Hi Fi

The Attic in Greenville, NC Jan 9, 2001

THE FIRST BIG ROCK SHOW OF 2001 IN GREENVILLE WAS AT THE ATTIC AND IT ROCKED HARD. THERE WERE NO ADVANCE TICKETS FOR THIS ONE-BUT THE DOOR CHARGE WAS ONLY $5. I GOT THERE BEFORE 8 PM, ANTICIPATING A HUGE LINE. THERE WERE FIVE PEOPLE STANDING THERE SHIVERING IN THE COLD! WE GOT IN A FEW MINUTES PAST 8. THE CONCERTS IN THE ATTIC ARE UPSTAIRS (HENCE THE NAME). I WALKED UP, GOT A DRINK AND A SEAT AND SETTLED DOWN WITH A PACK OF DUNHILLS TO WAIT FOR THE FIRST BAND.
AMERICAN HI FI HAILS FROM BOSTON, MASS. THEY HAD TWO GUITARS (WITH ONE GUITARIST AS LEAD VOCALIST), BASS AND DRUMS. THEIR DEBUT CD WILL BE IN STORES THE LAST WEEK OF FEB. (THERE'S A FREE PLUG GUYS-YOU OWE US ONE!)
THE CD IS CALLED "FLAVOR OF THE WEAK"-WHICH IS ALSO A SONG ON THE CD. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THESE GUYS DID NOT KNOCK ME OUT. THEY DID PLAY ENTHUSIATICALLY, AND THEY WERE TIGHT ENOUGH. THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY RIFFS OR MELODIES THAT BOWLED ME OVER (OR STUCK IN MY HEAD, MORE IMPORTANTLY). HOWEVER, A FEW PEOPLE THERE (THE NEXT BAND AND THE 99.5 FM DJ) SEEMED CONVINCED THAT THESE GUYS ARE THE NEXT BIG THING. THE GUITARIST/SINGER MIGHT BE THE KEY-HE HAS THE PRETTYBOY LOOKS OF A GAVIN ROSSDALE (BUSH FRONTMAN) WITH BLONDE HAIR. SO GOOD LUCK GUYS, AND IF YOU ARE THE NBT, WELL I SAW YOU BEFORE YOU MADE IT BIG!
COLLAPSIS WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE IMPRESSIVE TO ME. THEY ARE A TRIO OUT OF CHAPEL HILL, NC. INTERESTINGLY, WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THESE GUYS ONLINE THEY WERE REFERRED TO AS A FOUR PIECE BAND. SO, EITHER ONE GUY HAS DROPPED OUT, OR WAS TEMPORARILY MIA FOR THIS GIG. THEY HAD A BASSIST/LEAD VOCALIST, GUITARIST AND DRUMS FOR THIS SHOW. SINCE THEY DIDN'T ANNOUNCE THE NAMES OF MANY (IF ANY) OF THEIR SONGS, I CAN'T TELL YOU ANY TITLES. BUT THEY HAD THOUGHTFUL, EMOTIONAL LYRICS BACKED WITH GOOD CHOPS. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE SET, THE GUITARIST AND BASS PLAYER SWITCHED INSTRUMENTS. THEY HAVE A CD OUT-WHICH I SAW LISTED IN MY CD CLUB CATALOG. THESE GUYS WERE MORE TALENTED THAN AMERICAN HI FI AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED-BUT THEY DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE ANY "PRETTYBOY ROCK STAR" CANDIDATES-SO THEY MAY NOT GO AS FAR!
THE HEADLINERS WERE SR71, RIDING HIGH ON THE STRENGTH OF THEIR 2 HIT SINGLES "RIGHT NOW" AND "POLITICALLY CORRECT". THEY OPENED WITH "PC". THEY BLAZED THROUGH EIGHT MORE SONGS, INCLUDING AN EXCELLENT POWER CHORD VERSION OF AMERICA'S "SISTER GOLDEN HAIR" BEFORE CLIMAXING THE SHOW WITH "RIGHT NOW". AND I HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT-THESE GUYS MUST HAVE PLAYED THIS SONG ABOUT 1000 TIMES LIVE BY NOW-BUT THEY STILL THRASHED IT OUT WITH GUSTO-AND THEY SEEMED TO REALLY ENJOY PLAYING IT AND THE CROWD RESPONSE. (MAYBE THEY WERE JUST THINKING ABOUT THE LUSCIOUS ECU COEDS WAITING FOR THEM BACKSTAGE-THAT HAS TO HELP!). THEY DID A COVER OF CHEAP TRICK'S "I WANT YOU TO WANT ME" NEXT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE LAST SONG-BY THEN THE HEAT, SMOKE, AND LONG DAY HAD GOTTEN TO ME. SO I FOUGHT MY WAY THRU THE PACKED HOUSE TO THE EXIT, SMILING ALL THE WAY OUT THE DOOR. THANKS FOR A GREAT SHOW, SR71, COLLAPSIS, AND AMERICAN HI FI!

-FREE (PRINCIPAL WRITER FOR THEREALROCK.COMCOPYRIGHT ..01/11/01)

Event: XFest2 in Greenville, NC
May 5, 2001

    This was the second version of what will probably become a huge Greenville annual event. The first one had 10,000 people and this one did at least that well as far as I could see. The lineup: Cold, American HiFi, Our Lady Peace, Collective Soul and Fuel. Gates opened at 10 AM (supposedly)-I got in around 11 AM. The music was supposed to start at 11 AM-that didn't happen. The first band was not Cold, but a local DJ's band. They were terrible. Fortunately they didn't play long.

    Cold did not impress me, although a lot of people liked them. I admit I was in the Beer Garden when they came out-but I did try to listen closely to their set, and I just didn't hear anything that impressed me much. American HiFi did impress me though. I'd seen these guys open for SR71 last year and wasn't that knocked out. But with their single "Flavor of the Weak" climbing the charts and seeing them again, I revised my opinion. They play hard, have a great time, and try to make the audience have a great time with them!

    On to the big guys. Our Lady Peace was very impressive. One friend of mine felt that these guys stole the show from Collective Soul and Fuel, although I didn't agree with that. But they did rock hard. Their sound was bigger and cleaner than either Cold or American HiFi. I guess it's just the extra years of touring experience. I was also surprised at how many of their tunes I recognized, although I didn't know any of them by name except "Life".
The singer has a very distinctive voice and they played with impressive intensity.

    Collective Soul might have been the best set of the day. They have an impressive lineup of hit songs to pick from-so almost everyone knew almost every song in their set. But the two guitarists, Ross Childress and Dean Roland, tore up that stage-as did Dean's brother Ed on vocals/guitar. They were tight, the sound was great, and these guys showed what it takes to be a top-draw rock band. Cold, American HiFi and even Our Lady Peace could learn from this Atlanta-based quintet. Although I recognized most of the songs, I couldn't tell you the name of any of them except "Why" from the current CD, Blender.

    The mighty FUEL finally took to the stage about 6:15 PM for a 45 minute set. These guys are ruling the FM airwaves with 4 hit singles from their two Platinum CDs, Sunburn and Something Like Human. They played three of the 4 big hits: "Shimmer", "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" and "Innocent". They omitted "Bittersweet" from their set, to my great disappointment. Other tunes included "Jesus or a Gun", "Last Time" and "Prove". Carl Bell (guitarist/songwriter) seemed to enjoy himself immensely, as did vocalist Brett Scallions. They closed with "Innocent" and I left the big dusty field with my ears ringing and a big smile on my face.





Free, Principal Writer
Copyright 5/9/01 TheRealRock.com