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December 31, 2008
DVD Review: Rush Snakes & Arrows Live
Whether or not you are a Rush fan, there’s no getting away from the fact that those three guys (particularly Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson) have a sense of humor and are not afraid to stretch themselves a bit and try their hand at some comedy routines. Their idea of comedy doesn’t align too well with my personal taste, but seeing Geddy Lee dressed up like a Scotsman complete with kilt and pretty well-executed accent was entertaining nonetheless.
I’ll confess to be a little slow on the uptake since I did not recognize the genie with the spinning noggin as Alex Lifeson until I heard about it later. I’ll give him high marks for his phony accent as well – not bad at all.
There are also appearances of various other comedic talents such as Jerry Stiller, The South Park kids as well as Bob and Doug McKenzie of “Great White North” fame. I’m not sure who many Dutch fans in attendance recognized some of these characters, but with the global nature of entertainment these days, perhaps they were more recognizable than the average North American might suspect.
The real meat (which of course, would be chicken) of this 3-DVD set (1 DVD for the Blu-ray version) is of course the 
concert footage, which was filmed over the course of two nights in Rotterdam, Holland during October of 2007. Employing 21 high-definition cameras certainly provides a very thorough presentation of the show and spends ample time featuring each of the three legendary performers and how they interact, and seem to genuinely enjoy performing for the assembled audience.
In addition to the Rotterdam performance, there are four songs on the “Oh, Atlanta! The Authorized Bootleg” portion of this release.
Sound quality is quite good, although I found the quality of the recently-reviewed David Gilmour CD set, Live in Gdansk more to my liking. This may be due to the open air venue in Gdansk as opposed to the indoor venue in Rotterdam, where recording may present more challenges. I’m no sound technician, and even though I prefer the quality of Gilmour’s recording, Snakes & Arrows Live is about as good as one might expect from a live recording.
Other minor criticisms include some portions of the mix that seem to bury Lifeson’s guitar a bit too far beneath the other instruments and vocals during certain passages.
I honestly don’t know whether Neil Peart’s snare drum malfunctioned or whether he switched to a different one during the performance of “The Trees,” but I thought its muddy, shallow sound really detracted from that performance when compared to the punchier snare sound on during the original recording.
With the group’s decision to perform some of their older material such as “Red Barchetta” and “2112” came some significant vocal challenges for Geddy Lee who is not able to hit the high notes like he once could. He can hardly be blamed, however, since these guys are in their mid-fifties and are still out there putting on great shows and thrilling fans around the globe.
I’ll concede that some, if not all of these criticisms are probably a bit on the nit-picky side given the challenges of presenting a quality recording of a live performance, and none of these criticisms would sway my decision away from adding this release to my collection.
The set list is posted in about a billion other places, so I’ll save some space here and not bother with it. I think its enough to say that this release is a must for inclusion in the collection of any Rush fan. Being one whose somewhat reclusive nature makes me less desirous of standing amidst a few thousand screaming fans, I dare say that watching Snakes & Arrows Live is preferable to actually being there. Many will disagree, but you aren’t going to get close enough to each one of these guys to see the kind of detail you will see with this release, especially the Blu-ray version.
The obligatory drum solo was of course included, and as contradictory as it may seem for an old drummer (strictly amateur, trust me!) like myself to say, I’m not a big drum solo guy. Demonstrating ones technical ability and speed is of course impressive, but I’ve always enjoyed hearing a good drummer accompanied by fellow performers rather than solo.
However, Peart brings an interesting and more entertaining element to his solo by the use of some electronic pads to create a unique melodic interlude before launching into his big band style finale which I thought was very cool. As far as drum solos go, I’d say that was about the most unique and entertaining I have encountered.
In case you haven’t picked up on it by now, if you are a Rush fan and do not already have this release, go get it as soon as you can. I’ve been a fan since the late 70’s myself and for me, the Blu-ray version of this release on a big screen HDTV with a good surround sound system would be as good as being there. Actually, probably better.
Snakes & Arrows Live is available at Amazon.com
I consider myself a pretty dedicated Rush fan, although not quite to the level of a “Trekkie” who might show up at a Star Trek convention wearing a pair of Spock ears, so I’m still a bit mystified with regard to the recurring “chicken” theme that’s referenced on this release.
Maybe I’m just a bit dense or have somehow missed something obvious, but if you are as clueless about the whole poultry thing and how it relates to Rush as I am, the internet – I presume – is at your disposal. Myself, I’ll just enjoy the show and allow the mystery to endure.
December 1, 2008
Finally: Rush Is ‘Cool’
For some of us, the Canadian trio known as Rush has always been cool – there’s no question about that. But fans may be starting to wonder if the group’s newfound coolness may actually make them less cool. Being a Rush fan was kind of like belonging to a secret society, albeit a large one that really wasn’t so secret.
Let’s face it, driving down the street with 2112 cranked to 11 on the car stereo did get a few strange glances from those that just did not “get it” according to us Rush fans. There was a message in a lot of what Rush produced – something that has not changed — and that does not always fall neatly into line with what a lot of rock fans and influential forces in the music industry thought rock and roll was about.
The above was rather starkly demonstrated by Blender magazine’s selection of Neil Peart as the second worst rock lyricist of all time – something that incensed many Rush fans and probably resulted in a tsunami of hate mail directed towards the publishers of Blender.
Although my memory is a bit faded by the decades that have passed since, I believe my first exposure to Rush came in the form of 2112. After the group’s not-so-successful album Caress of Steel, 2112 was the album that really launched the group out of relative obscurity, and perhaps just as importantly, opened the door for them to exercise their independence and create the music they wanted to create and do it they way they wanted to.
With the recent feature in Rolling Stone magazine and an appearance on the popular Comedy Central program The Colbert Report, it’s starting to look like Rush is gathering more mainstream support. It’s taken almost 35 years, but I suppose they might appreciate the additional attention after years of recording and touring for a fiercely loyal collection of fans around the globe.
Some of the group’s music has also made its way into the wildly popular Guitar Hero video game series which is credited with introducing a new generation of fans to their music. This may have a lot to do with the band’s metamorphosis into one that is now considered ‘cool.’
Although certainly not limited to Rush, it seems we have entered a new era when members of some classic groups can gaze out from the stage into a sea of fans who range in age from grade schoolers to folks who may be only 10 or 15 years shy of retirement.
Although I won’t swear to it, I certainly think I would have noticed any middle-aged fans among the attendees at the Rush shows I was at during the early 1980’s. As far as I remember, it just didn’t happen back during that time – it was “our music.”
Whether Rush is actually ‘cool’ or not is obviously a matter of personal taste, but it seems certain that the number of people who agree with that label being associated with Rush is on the increase, and it’s good to see that the group does not appear ready to call it quits just yet.
Look for a review of the recently released Snakes & Arrows Live DVD set coming soon.
For more, including details of the group’s history, visit The Toledo Blade.
Check out some preview video from the new Snakes & Arrows Live DVD set:
“Far Cry”
September 23, 2008
New Live DVD Set Coming From Rush
Not all that long ago, Canadian rock trio Rush wrapped up their Snakes & Arrows tour, and headed home for a well-deserved break from the road. That does not mean that group is done making news, however.
Announced yesterday on the group’s official website was word that a brand-new 3-disk DVD set is in the works, and is set for release on November 25th by Zoë Vision/Anthem Entertainment. Snakes & Arrows Live sounds like a DVD set that no serious Rush fan will want to be without.
Filmed with 21 high-definition cameras in full 16:9 wide screen format, and available on Blu-Ray DVD, the featured concert footage was shot during two nights of the group’s show at the Netherlands’ Ahoy Rotterdam arena during October, 2007. There is also some additional footage in standard-definition that was filmed in Atlanta just a couple of months ago during July.
In addition to the performance footage that one can normally expect with a set like this, there are some extra features that showcase “the still emerging comedic talents of both Alex and Geddy who excel (and revel) in their roles as wild characters,” according to the press release on the group’s website.
Collector’s quality packaging will enclose this new DVD set, and also offers a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound or PCM Stereo for a superior audio experience. It was mixed by frequent collaborator Richard Chycki (who has also worked with Aerosmith and Mick Jagger). The total running time for the set is a little over 3 and-a-half hours, which should provide a very satisfying dose of Rush for their dedicated fans.
The track list for this set is as follows:
Disk 1:
- Limelight
- Digital Man
- Entre Nous
- Mission
- Freewill
- The Main Monkey Business
- The Larger Bowl
- Secret Touch
- Circumstances
- Between the Wheels
- Dreamline
Extras:
- What’s Thats Smell (DVD Content)
- 2007 Tour Outtakes
- What’s That Smell Outtakes
- Far Cry (Alternate cut featuring rear screen footage)
- The Way the Wind Blows (Alternate cut featuring rear screen footage)
- Red Sector A from the R30 Tour
Disk 2:
- Far Cry
- Workin’ Them Angels
- Armour and Sword
- Spindrift
- The Way the Wind Blows
- Subdivisions
- Natural Science
- Witch Hunt
- Malignant Narcissism – De Slagwerker
- Hope
- Distant Early Warning
- The Spirit of Radio
- Tom Sawyer
Encore:
- One Little Passage
- A Passage to Bangkok
- YYZ
Disk 3:
Oh, Atlanta – The Authorized Bootlegs
- Ghost of a Chance
- Red Barchetta
- The Trees
- 2112/The Temples of Syrinx
February 28, 2008
Rush To Release Snakes & Arrows Live
One of my favorite rock groups of all time, Rush, will be releasing a new live CD in early April. The material for this new CD was captured during “Part 1″ of the Snakes & Arrows tour while they performed at the Ahoy Rotterdam arena in The Netherlands last October.
The new live album is scheduled for release on April 8, which is just three days before “Part 2″ of the Snakes & Arrows tour gets underway with a first-ever performance in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Rock radio listeners can also expect to start hearing the live version of the Snakes & Arrows Track “Workin’ Them Angels” beginning on March 10 when the single is released to rock radio stations nation-wide.
I’ve taken a little heat in the past about my lack of interest in live albums and I confess that I have not changed my ways. However, since Rush — as alluded to earlier — is perhaps my favorite rock group of all time, it’s nice to hear that they are coming out with a new CD. I’m quite happy with my studio version, but more power to all the Rush fans who are eager to get their hands on the live version.
I should also point out that my lack of interest in live albums does not reflect on my feelings with regard to attending a live performance. Listening to a live CD and being present at a live performance are vastly different experiences and I might grab the chance to go see Rush live when they pass through my neck of the woods this summer.
Rush is scheduled to be on the road at least into the end of July, which will complete an ambitious tour schedule that will take them to some cities that they have not visited for ten or more years.
