R40: RUSH Concert Review

I went to my second RUSH concert Monday night in Columbus.

They are currently on their 40th Anniversary Tour, calling it R40.

Although, they’ve actually been a band for 47 years, but have been making albums for 40 years.

Either way, who’s counting?

They are still an amazing band, and for anyone who has yet to see them and wants to, I highly recommend checking them out (Edit: this ended up being their last tour.).

As usual, since the late 90s, they did an “Evening With” concert, with no opening act, and two sets.

They started off with their newer music, and throughout the rest of the concert, they played songs on earlier albums, going all the way back to their first album.

Geddy Lee, their singer/bassist/keyboardist is amazing, as always.

His voice is still great, he’s my favorite bass player of all time, and it’s amazing that he can play keyboards with his feet while playing bass.

However, there are songs that he plays keyboards with his fingers, too, but still, I love the multitasking of playing different instruments at once.

Alex Lifeson, the guitarist, is one of the most underrated guitarists out there.

His tone is amazing.

Neil Peart, the drummer/lyricist, is one of the greatest drummers in history.

Period.

Watching and listening to him play is a thing of beauty.

In fact, watching all three of these guys (yes there are only three guys in the band) play is a thing of beauty.

They also have a great sense of humor.

Throughout the show, they showed funny videos of themselves, along with some famous actors.

One example of this is at the end of the show, where there’s a video on the screens where the band is walking back to the dressing room talking about the show, and once they get to their dressing room, it’s locked.

When they bang on the door, a guy answers and all you see are people and animals from their album covers having a party, and the guy at the door will not let the band in because they are not on the guest list.

If you can find it on YouTube, I recommend checking it out.

Anyway, I can’t say enough good things about RUSH.

One of my favorite bands ever.

I have to thank my brother Christopher for turning me on to them several years ago.

I’m glad he made me listen to them one day after school.

I’ve been a die hard fan ever since.

Edit: RIP Neil Peart. He passed away in 2020. Forever missed.

RUSH Set Lists:

Set 1:

Intro Video (The World Is…The World Is)
The Anarchist
Clockwork Angels
Headlong Flight (w/Drum Solo)
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
One Little Victory
Animate
Roll The Bones
Distant Early Warning
Subdivisions

Set 2:

Intro Video (No Country For Old Hens)
Tom Sawyer
Red Barchetta
The Spirit Of Radio
Jacob’s Ladder
Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres Part 1: Prelude
Cygnus X-1 The Voyage Parts 1 and 3 (with Drum Solo)
Closer To The Heart
Xanadu
2112 Part 1: Overture, Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx, Part IV: Presentation, Part VII: Grand Finale
Encore Break Video
Lakeside Park
Anthem
What You’re Doing
Working Man