Alex has stacks of amps behind him on his side of the stage. Geddy began pluggin in directly to the board, so his side of the stage looked empty. So to balance the stage behind Geddy they just put anything up there. One tour it was stacks of washers and dryers, another tour it was rotisseries, another tour it was vending machines. That was just part of their humor. They were a fun bunch of just ordinary guys.
When it was dryers they had t-shirts in them and guys looking like them (hair, clothes similar, guitars) would come out during the concert and pull the shirts out of the dryer and throw to the crowd.
This was Sarstock Toronto and there were a number of bands playing to 500,000 people. The Rolling Stones put on the event and to honour them Rush played paint it black at the beginning before they went into Spirit of Radio. The washers,dryers ,vending machines etc were to to balance out the stage after Geddy started plugging into the house sound system and Alex still had his stack of amps. These guys have a great sense of humour. The hat Neil wears is something he adopted after his bicycle trip through west Africa. There is a story he tells about him being in an African village where a drummer was trying to teach a young missionary how to drum and the poor fellow was at a loss. Neil was watching and then asked to join in. Neil sat in and in no time was picking up the beat and the women started dancing. The missionary was amazed and all Neil said was I'm in the business. To see their comradery and their goofiness please react to Dinner with Rush. Cheers
You can also find video of Neil meeting Charlie Watts just minutes before going on stage. He says in his book he gets into his own world just before going on, and someone (Geddy, or Geddys brother) got Neil's attention that Charlie was there to say hi, (one of Neil's idols) you see them shake hands and I think Charlie said 'I'm going g to be watching you' Neil Commented in his book that he didn't even recognize him, thought he was just a random elderly guy 😂😂. Was a good story
Neil's hat is called a Kufi hat - wirn by Africans. When he was younger, he bicycled through parts of Africa and picked up African percussion rhythms. His kufi hats are specially built as they have removeable foam inside to absorb the sweat from his head. Between sets, the foam was removed and replaced.
Neil is wearing a Kufi which is often worn by Muslims (Neil wasn't at all religious). He started wearing them after a month-long bicycle tour he took through Cameroon in 1988. (He wrote a book about his travels titled The Masked Rider - excellent read). While in Cameroon, he learned African beats from some of the local legends - wearing the hat may be a tribute to the friends he made (and/or to cover his thinning hair). The song: Alex beginning riff gives the feeling of tunes going into your car antenna. Reggae and other changes give the experience of changing radio stations. Metal songs are often in E because it allows the open E string to be rung out at the lowest note regularly. The low E acts as a pedal tone in many rock and metal compositions. As a trio, it allows RUSH to create a thicker sound.
Church Boy. Thnx for the shout out and great reaction. If you listen to the studio version of the song, the lyrics are clear and quite profound. It's about the integrity of the music industry and the joy of music.
What some call the "Devil Horns" hand symbol has been a way for rockers to show their appreciation or enjoyment of a performance for a while now. It was popularized by the singer Ronnie James Dio when he joined Black Sabbath in the early 1980s, as he had often seen his grandmother use it. It is actually called the "maloik," and has Italian roots. It was used as a way to give someone the "evil eye," or conversely as protection from it, which is how Dio intended his use - protection from evil. Dio used this throughout his career, and it was picked up by many hard rock fans as a way to show their enthusiasm for an act. I would highly recommend anything that Dio is connected with (he sang for Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his namesake band Dio), and suggest Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" as a great place to start. After you finish your Rush journey, that is. 🤘 FYI, the brief instrumental intro here is from the Rolling Stones "Paint it Black."
Probably the best song, ever...from the best band...ever. Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto, also known as SARSStock, was a benefit rock concert that was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2003. An estimated 450,000 and 500,000 people attended the concert, making it is the largest outdoor ticketed event in Canadian history and one of the largest events in North American history.
They were opening for The Rolling stones and AC DC in this concert. This was a benefit concert put on by the Stones to help people in Toronto after the Sars epidemic . I believe there was close to a half million people there. I've heard higher numbers but I don't know for certain. They had a wicked sense of humour. The tee-shirts will be thrown to the audience later. They put out a new video for this song in memory of Neil Peart who passed in 2020.
I was there! Amazing concert. AC-DC, Stones, Rush, Justin Timberlake, Tea Garden, Burton Cummings, and more! About 400K people at an old airport. CRAZY!
If you want to see a crowd that LOVES Rush, check out YYZ Live in Rio...be sure to look for the remastered version in 1080. And..."manipulating his instrument" sounds kinky...LOL...I am sure Alex himself would appreciate that, and agree. 😂
This intro is a STONES cover. They once did a tour of nothing but covers! I couldn’t believe it! I thought it was a joke when my friend told me about it because he saw the tour before I did. And I’ll be damned if that entire show wasn’t covers! I think it was the 30th anniversary tour so they played the bands that influenced them.
Listening to Rush for the amazing musicality… and then eventually understanding that the lyrics might eclipse the music. I love Yes.. but Jon Anderson doesn’t even understand his own lyrics. I love Genesis, some of the lyrics are great.. but some of them might have taken inspiration from Jon Anderson. Rush, and Neil’s lyrics, are next level.😊
You want to hear Geddy's bass work in all its glory? You will appreciate the bass riffs on "Digital Man" by Rush (listen to the studio version to hear it clearly).
The appliances on stage because in the 70's & 80's, Alex (guitar) and Geddy (bass) each had a big stack of amplifiers, but when Ged switched to a direct to P.A. & monitors, and stopped using amps on stage, they started putting all kinds of crazy things there to balance the stage, because Alex always kept his amps. They did something different each tour !
"How many people ... ?" Well, for the Vapor Trails tour stop in Rio de Janiero, they did two shows over two consecutive nights in the largest venue in Rio - and filled the place with over 42,000 fans both nights. Unlike this video which was a multi-band set of shows, the Rio concerts were just Rush. Check out the crowd in any of the videos from the "Rush In Rio" DVD.
Neil wears that to keep the sweat out of his eyes, 😅..who we kidding. I've seen him dozens of times and I don't think I've seen him barely break a sweat by the end of a 3hr show. I had Front row once, Blew my mind! So happy your enjoying and appreciating them.
Geddy Sings in the key of E. That's why they stay there. Laundry is a tour theme prop.This is one for the studio version. The music video is pretty cool!!
I have seen Rush every tour since the Grace Under Pressure tour. When I see videos of them playing live i get sad knowing I will not see them live again. But at the same time they ended on a musical high note. Not a band of "once was" like some out there now.
If you look closely you'll find the dryers are mic'ed up as well. Geddy no longer needed his gear throughout the show, tied directly into stage stacks - but didn't want the stage to feel off center, so decided to put dryers (vending machines, time machines, rotisserie chicken - fed to stage crew after concert, etc) with t-shirts they gave out at the end usually. But basically Geddy just wanted something on his side too. lol
The chickens and laundry are because Geddy stopped using on stage amps, and uses house amps. He uses the props to fill the stage where his amps would be.
Neil Peart’s hat is a Nigerian Kufi Cap. It’s kind of a ceremonial or traditional hat worn by people all over the world but mostly in African countries
It was a giant crowd, but they weren't all there just to see Rush, there was a lot of great bands playing that day, including AC/DC & The Rolling Stones
Molson Canadian Rocks Toronto festival to mark the end of the SARS epidemic. 480,000 tickets issued plus an estimated 15,000 service and set up people. This was the afternoon show and they were the highlight of it, according to my co-workers who went. The evening show was topped by The Rolling Stones and AC/DC. The Stones management company helped the city organize the whole thing which was held at the old Downsview Airport. Charlie Watts made a special point of introducing himself to Neil Peart just before he went on. The Stones' connection was why they inserted the Paint It Black intro.
Geddy would always tease Alex about all his Marshall stacks so he would have everything from dryers to rotisserie chicken machines on his side of the stage Their love for one another shines through in their shows Alex loves to experiment with what kinds of sounds he can pull out of his guitar an he never overreaches, he is always so freakin melodic An the grooves that Geddy an Neil pull off are insane I think it’s time for you to do 2112 a 23 min rock opera that defined exactly who Rush wanted to be, it was their big F U to the record label who wanted them to do 4 min radio friendly songs Do the studio (comic book) version, it will help you with the whole journey the song takes you on
This means 🤘 Long live rock and roll 🤘 It's creation is mostly credited to singer/ song writer, Ronnie James Dio (DEE- oh), who is a legend in heavy metal. Consistently named best metal singer of all time. status! Massive career and then taken too soon by cancer - same with our brother Neil. And speaking of our brother Neil - I think we're getting close to giving him the flowers he deserves and playing his solo in Frankfurt. You said you love jazz. Oh please buckle up bc it's gonna get fabulous. He was obviously a student of jazz, (as were most rock drummers from the 60s and 70s) - it's the music they grew up on. His solo includes some great jazz and the entire performance will leave you in awe. Have a blessed week, my brother in Christ! ✝
Notice many Rush fans are telling you to react to live renditions, because they sound so nice live. True, agreed, they do sound great live, but for your very first listen and introduction to a song, personally think it should be the studio version. Studio versions help you get a better understanding of how they intended for the music to sound in a controlled environment with the mixing precisely they way they wanted for the song. You can aways react to the live versions at a later date. Plus, in many of these live versions, Geddy is older and his voice is no longer in prime condition. Just my two cents. Thanks, love your reactions.
I really suggest you react to the studio version first, so you can appreciate the live versions. I am a lifetime musician in Wisconsin. I have a home studio and play all guitars, bass, and vocals. I program my drum tracks. These Rush songs are the only songs where I can’t deviate from the studio versions when recording. This is my favorite band of all time. I’m 56, seen them live. Love every album they have released. There is no other band in the world like Rush 🙌🏻 Welcome to my lifetime of memories with Rush🤩
RUSH ARMY HERE! For a different, poetic human experience of a Rush song may I humbly suggest that you react to THE TREES. Having the lyrics are crucial. I am loving your reactions.
I was at this event! Can't believe it's been 20+? Years Flaming lips, Rush, the guess who, the isley brothers, AC/DC, the stones... Amazing memory 🤘 Universal symbol for metal
When Van Halen made it big in the 80’s a Rolling Stone reporter asked Eddie what it was like to be the greatest guitar player ever, Eddie said: I don’t know, go ask Alex Lifeson.
There's another 3 piece band from Canada 🇨🇦 I think you would really enjoy called Triumph - their music is always positive and uplifting & are definitely worth a look
The reason Rush play a lot in E is probably because of Geddy's vocal range. Also, Neil wears the head ware because it keeps the sweat out of his eyes, and in the studio it keep the headphones from slipping when recording.
Alex Lifeson, gets overlooked too often, so I'm glad you pointed him out. This version is actually a little stripped down. it's without the keyboard parts, and there were a lot of muffled notes - maybe because of the wind. Thanks, for another excellent reaction.
500 000 people as it was a concert in Toronto for Sars with Rolling Stones a d AC DC.They used to have alot of Marshall amps but downsized and used dryers to fill in space.They filled in space with the rotisserie to also fill in space and feed the crew after each show.Luv your reaction. Enjoy the Rush ride. God Bless. It's about the spirit of the radio about how they pushed back against the record labels and radio stations to play the music that they wanted to produce and play.
I think it’s time for a Neil Peart drum solo. Live in Frankfurt…it was recorded for his Anatomy of a Drum Solo instructional dvd, so it’s the best one to start with ❤
I mean.....I've been a fan since 83 or so.....and obviously I know their greatness...but it's so hard to wrap your brain around how just these 3 guys could come up with all this music...and sound....and 5 different parts in their songs and mix it all in, and do this for 40 years!! People can say there are "better" bands out there, but they truly don't understand this band or really know them well enough. Or they're just being spiteful and ignorant
The "Devil Horn" fingers is attributed to Ronnie James Dio. His Italian grandmother did it. Dio did it at his shows and people grifted it as a cliche thing to do at rock shows.
Church Boy a suggestion of next Rush song is Malignant Narcissism live version from Snakes & Arrows tour as you will get to see Neil Peart drum solo. God Bless.
The washing machines are a joke. Getty's amps were so big, they were compared to appliances, and being Canadian, they're always down for a good joke. It's been a staple of their shows for years. Just some good clean fun.
Well...the joke did not happen until Geddy did away with his stacks of amps, and ran his sound through the house sound system...and so there was big empty space behind him but still giant stacks behind Alex. 👍
7:40 - That's the Metal (and to a little lesser extent) Rock sign. Rush isn't a Metal band, but it's thrown up for Rock, too. They don't move their fingers, though. You should check out "Red Barchetta", too. I think you'd really like it. The song that they started with, as an introduction to "Freewill" is "Paint It Black", by The Rolling Stones.
As a life-long Rush fan, I respectfully disagree. Is he mentioned in the same breath as guys like EVH? No but he is a respected guitarist. The most underrated? Not by a long shot. He’s listed in the top 100 of all time. There is some guitarist in your home town right now who is probably amazing that no one has ever heard of. Perspective.
Every show I had the blessing to see, started with this song. "One likes to believe in the freedom of music but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusion of integrity." Is my favorite verse. 2112 was their make or break middle finger to the music industry at the time. It worked for them. After that, full steam ahead!
I love this line in this song- "One likes to believe in the freedom of music But glittering prizes and endless compromises Shatter the illusion of integrity" Very true. The Spirit of Radio (and money in music) is inherently corruptive, unfortunately. Even the existence of professional touring creates a lot of ethical problems with no clear solutions. PS- Laundry on stage is just for fun, I think cause Geddy Lee no longer needed amps on stage
RUSH sheet music scores are on the internet and Geddy has a book “The Big Beautiful Book of Bass”. His musical talent is undeniable and Geddy was the one involved with all the concert stage design and production for their tours too!
definitely check out the lyrics - it's about the commercialization of the radio / music industry.... and yes, that was reggae, it's more pronounced in the studio version too... a couple easter eggs in the song...
If you feel like checking some of their newer songs I strongly suggest these ones, Time stand still, Manhattan Project, Nobody's hero. These are just a few of so many.
Church Boy! 👋 I also greatly enjoy Rush’s live performances, and I realize that you prefer live music in general. However, imho, I believe that for first-time listens, Rush’s studio versions are a must. This is because it gives you the opportunity to hear the definitive version, crafted just the way the band intended it to sound like. It also gives you the ability to follow along with the lyrics, if they’re displayed on screen. Once you’ve heard (or reacted to) the studio version of a song, then reacting to a live version is a great way to appreciate their live performances without sacrificing or missing any of the less obvious nuances or tasty details otherwise heard clearly in the studio versions. Not sure how others feel about this, but it’s how I’ve always felt, not only about Rush, but all bands.
Love watching a competent musician get to experience and analyze AND FEEL what they're laying down. Music helps people connect. It's so awesome to hear something vicariously thru fresh ears. Thanks man
This is one of their biggest hits. Certainly in the to 10 (and maybe top 5) for many Rush fans. I HIGHLY recommend the animated retrospective music video th-cam.com/video/g_QtO0Rhp0w/w-d-xo.html with the remastered studio audio and capped by a touching tribute to Neil at the end. The Spirit of Radio is a loving tribute to the medium of FM radio. There's a really great line from Neil in the song that kind of sums up the sentiment... "Invisible air waves crackle with life. Bright antennae bristle with the energy. Emotional feedback on a timeless wavelength bearing a gift beyond price, almost free. All this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted. Not so coldly charted. It's really just a question of your honest, yeah your honesty. One likes to believe in the freedom of music. But glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah..." Then later, during the reggae breakdown, borrowing from Simon and Garfunkel's masterpiece, "The Sound of Silence," Peart continues, "for the words of the profits were written on the studio wall... Concert Hall! E-echos with the sound of salesmen... of salesmen... of salesmen!" and guitar solo. Simon's original line was "For the words of the prophets were written on the subway wall." this line itself is a callback to the Book of Daniel, the prophet from Chapter 5. Neil is making a play on prophets, changing it to "profits", calling out the corrupting influence of the business side of making music/art. And he changes subway to studio wall. Nice touches. And the repetition of the words, "of salesmen" is itself representative of the echo effect and the word "E-echos" the way Geddy sings it, is an example of the literary tool, onomatopoeia. Just some really cool song writing going on here from Neil.
1/2 a million as Geddy needed less amps they used laundry or vending machines to fill the space 1 so it looked even and 2 for the guys to hide behind that were taking care of Neil❤🇨🇦
Since you love Rush especially Gettys bass lines. Highly highly highly recommend Roundabout by Yes. Listen to the remastered album version for the best listen
I always dig your insightfulness for music! Thank you ! And your newfound love for RUSH !! How can you not love RUSH ??? I agree totally with the Alex Lifeson mastery of the guitar. They are all so talented, everyone knows Geddie Lee's bass work and of course Neil Peart. But I honestly think Alex is the best, most technically skilled of the three ! I always have, his tone and ability to change tempo and sounds effortlessly, is second to none. MY three fave giutarist. David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, and Alex Lifeson. Keep digging, we dig u. Peace
think you might be ready for the song that was there FU to the record company in 2112 said twenty-one twelve. if you want to learn about them watch the docmentary about the Beyond the Lighted Stage
Just a quick note to write that I am really enjoying your Rush reactions! They are bringing me so much joy. I love it when you pick up your bass and play, by the way. Here a big ole thank you! 🙏 V
The washers/ rotisserie machines are used to balance out the stage. Alex liked using his stack of amps, whilst Geddy would have his basses and keyboards connected directly to the house amp systems. Otherwise the stage would look weird with the empty space behind him.
Album version of Witch Hunt with words! If you like bass.... The Big Money, Animate, and The Anarchist, which Geddy said was the hardest Rush song to play and sing to. Nearly impossible until he learned the bass by muscle memory
Geddy once said his bass tone is clean and dry. Since he does not use a wall of cabinets he used the dryers for a while to fill in the stage. He uses a small amp/speaker cabinet behind the dryers that go in the main console. Check out Geddy Signature Fender bass guitar.
That track is also worth a lyrics dive. Peart wrote all their lyrics and he was great. The devil horns are a rock thing... invented by Ronnie James Dio ...he sang lead for Black Sabbath, Rainbow and later his own band DIO... it just means 'Lets Rock'
The hand gesture is associated with metal and rock n roll. It started with the band Dio, specifically Ronnie James Dio their lead vocalist. It’s based on fantasy creatures often depicted in their early material. Their album Holy Diver is an example of that. The hand gesture caught on with fans and carried over into other rock and metal bands’ audiences.
The hand signal is courtesy of the late great Ronnie James Dio's grandmother, a sign to ward off evil Dio fans and then all of Metal and then all of Rock and roll adopted to mean Rock Lives. It's Rush. It wouldn't be Ruah without the time signatures going all over the place. And Geddy and Neil driving that. Nothing else like it
This song is inspired by Neil's memory of listening to CFNY in Toronto, whose tag line was "The Spirit of Radio." What's fascinating is the main guitar riff is Alex's interpretation of what it sounded like when scrolling through a radio dial on an old-school analog radio. As with every Rush song, it is worth your time to check out the lyrics.
The lyrics are definitely worth looking into- it was kind of an indictment of the state of the music industry, and an embrace of newer technologies and types of music as well
Alex has stacks of amps behind him on his side of the stage. Geddy began pluggin in directly to the board, so his side of the stage looked empty. So to balance the stage behind Geddy they just put anything up there. One tour it was stacks of washers and dryers, another tour it was rotisseries, another tour it was vending machines. That was just part of their humor. They were a fun bunch of just ordinary guys.
When it was dryers they had t-shirts in them and guys looking like them (hair, clothes similar, guitars) would come out during the concert and pull the shirts out of the dryer and throw to the crowd.
Um, actually, I think it was just laundry day. Oh Geddy. Always multi-tasking…
Or the guy in the chefs hat who would come out and baste the chickens during the show.
The different musical genres represented in this song the feeling of switching back and forth between radio stations
This was Sarstock Toronto and there were a number of bands playing to 500,000 people. The Rolling Stones put on the event and to honour them Rush played paint it black at the beginning before they went into Spirit of Radio.
The washers,dryers ,vending machines etc were to to balance out the stage after Geddy started plugging into the house sound system and Alex still had his stack of amps. These guys have a great sense of humour.
The hat Neil wears is something he adopted after his bicycle trip through west Africa. There is a story he tells about him being in an African village where a drummer was trying to teach a young missionary how to drum and the poor fellow was at a loss.
Neil was watching and then asked to join in. Neil sat in and in no time was picking up the beat and the women started dancing. The missionary was amazed and all Neil said was I'm in the business.
To see their comradery and their goofiness please react to Dinner with Rush.
Cheers
All facts that i have heard and some new ones. Thanks
Kufi is the type of hat I thought I should add
Yeah, reaja ao jantar !!!
You can also find video of Neil meeting Charlie Watts just minutes before going on stage. He says in his book he gets into his own world just before going on, and someone (Geddy, or Geddys brother) got Neil's attention that Charlie was there to say hi, (one of Neil's idols) you see them shake hands and I think Charlie said 'I'm going g to be watching you' Neil Commented in his book that he didn't even recognize him, thought he was just a random elderly guy 😂😂. Was a good story
I always winced at that name!
Neil's hat is called a Kufi hat - wirn by Africans. When he was younger, he bicycled through parts of Africa and picked up African percussion rhythms.
His kufi hats are specially built as they have removeable foam inside to absorb the sweat from his head. Between sets, the foam was removed and replaced.
Neil is wearing a Kufi which is often worn by Muslims (Neil wasn't at all religious). He started wearing them after a month-long bicycle tour he took through Cameroon in 1988. (He wrote a book about his travels titled The Masked Rider - excellent read). While in Cameroon, he learned African beats from some of the local legends - wearing the hat may be a tribute to the friends he made (and/or to cover his thinning hair).
The song: Alex beginning riff gives the feeling of tunes going into your car antenna. Reggae and other changes give the experience of changing radio stations.
Metal songs are often in E because it allows the open E string to be rung out at the lowest note regularly. The low E acts as a pedal tone in many rock and metal compositions. As a trio, it allows RUSH to create a thicker sound.
Church Boy. Thnx for the shout out and great reaction. If you listen to the studio version of the song, the lyrics are clear and quite profound. It's about the integrity of the music industry and the joy of music.
Am I the only one who loves it when Church Boy breaks out the bass and starts playing? It's always the highlight of the videos for me!
What some call the "Devil Horns" hand symbol has been a way for rockers to show their appreciation or enjoyment of a performance for a while now. It was popularized by the singer Ronnie James Dio when he joined Black Sabbath in the early 1980s, as he had often seen his grandmother use it. It is actually called the "maloik," and has Italian roots. It was used as a way to give someone the "evil eye," or conversely as protection from it, which is how Dio intended his use - protection from evil. Dio used this throughout his career, and it was picked up by many hard rock fans as a way to show their enthusiasm for an act. I would highly recommend anything that Dio is connected with (he sang for Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his namesake band Dio), and suggest Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" as a great place to start. After you finish your Rush journey, that is. 🤘
FYI, the brief instrumental intro here is from the Rolling Stones "Paint it Black."
That’s another thing you’ll find out about the band is their legendary sense of humor. They, on top of everything else, are 3 very silly men.
Probably the best song, ever...from the best band...ever. Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto, also known as SARSStock, was a benefit rock concert that was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2003. An estimated 450,000 and 500,000 people attended the concert, making it is the largest outdoor ticketed event in Canadian history and one of the largest events in North American history.
They were opening for The Rolling stones and AC DC in this concert. This was a benefit concert put on by the Stones to help people in Toronto after the Sars epidemic . I believe there was close to a half million people there. I've heard higher numbers but I don't know for certain. They had a wicked sense of humour. The tee-shirts will be thrown to the audience later. They put out a new video for this song in memory of Neil Peart who passed in 2020.
I was there! Amazing concert. AC-DC, Stones, Rush, Justin Timberlake, Tea Garden, Burton Cummings, and more! About 400K people at an old airport. CRAZY!
The intro song was a Rolling Stones song.
I have a Rush and an AC/DC pinball machines sitting next to each other.
What epidemic
I was there too, along with a half million other music lovers.
metal devil horns hand sign this is the one of few prog bands that were accepted into the metal community .
If you want to see a crowd that LOVES Rush, check out YYZ Live in Rio...be sure to look for the remastered version in 1080.
And..."manipulating his instrument" sounds kinky...LOL...I am sure Alex himself would appreciate that, and agree. 😂
I’ve always said there is a sexual nature to Alex’s playing. He absolutely dominates, exploits and ravages his guitar.
@@4randosutube He even has nightmares that inspire him to write songs in which he does unspeakable things with and to his guitars. LOL
@@iKvetch558 Well whatever he does it’s working. 🤘🏽
This intro is a STONES cover. They once did a tour of nothing but covers! I couldn’t believe it! I thought it was a joke when my friend told me about it because he saw the tour before I did. And I’ll be damned if that entire show wasn’t covers! I think it was the 30th anniversary tour so they played the bands that influenced them.
Listening to Rush for the amazing musicality… and then eventually understanding that the lyrics might eclipse the music. I love Yes.. but Jon Anderson doesn’t even understand his own lyrics. I love Genesis, some of the lyrics are great.. but some of them might have taken inspiration from Jon Anderson. Rush, and Neil’s lyrics, are next level.😊
You want to hear Geddy's bass work in all its glory? You will appreciate the bass riffs on "Digital Man" by Rush (listen to the studio version to hear it clearly).
I've seen them five times over the decades" third row center twice, fifth row center once" damn, that was a good time😎😎
The appliances on stage because in the 70's & 80's, Alex (guitar) and Geddy (bass) each had a big stack of amplifiers, but when Ged switched to a direct to P.A. & monitors, and stopped using amps on stage, they started putting all kinds of crazy things there to balance the stage, because Alex always kept his amps. They did something different each tour !
Starting with "Paint It Black" just before the Rolling Stones come on. That's bold.
"How many people ... ?"
Well, for the Vapor Trails tour stop in Rio de Janiero, they did two shows over two consecutive nights in the largest venue in Rio - and filled the place with over 42,000 fans both nights. Unlike this video which was a multi-band set of shows, the Rio concerts were just Rush. Check out the crowd in any of the videos from the "Rush In Rio" DVD.
Neil wears that to keep the sweat out of his eyes, 😅..who we kidding. I've seen him dozens of times and I don't think I've seen him barely break a sweat by the end of a 3hr show. I had Front row once, Blew my mind!
So happy your enjoying and appreciating them.
This song is built as if you are changing RADIO STATIONS - this is why their are different STYLES thru the song...
Geddy Sings in the key of E. That's why they stay there. Laundry is a tour theme prop.This is one for the studio version. The music video is pretty cool!!
I have seen Rush every tour since the Grace Under Pressure tour. When I see videos of them playing live i get sad knowing I will not see them live again. But at the same time they ended on a musical high note. Not a band of "once was" like some out there now.
If you look closely you'll find the dryers are mic'ed up as well. Geddy no longer needed his gear throughout the show, tied directly into stage stacks - but didn't want the stage to feel off center, so decided to put dryers (vending machines, time machines, rotisserie chicken - fed to stage crew after concert, etc) with t-shirts they gave out at the end usually. But basically Geddy just wanted something on his side too. lol
The chickens and laundry are because Geddy stopped using on stage amps, and uses house amps. He uses the props to fill the stage where his amps would be.
Neil Peart’s hat is a Nigerian Kufi Cap. It’s kind of a ceremonial or traditional hat worn by people all over the world but mostly in African countries
It was a giant crowd, but they weren't all there just to see Rush, there was a lot of great bands playing that day, including AC/DC & The Rolling Stones
Molson Canadian Rocks Toronto festival to mark the end of the SARS epidemic. 480,000 tickets issued plus an estimated 15,000 service and set up people. This was the afternoon show and they were the highlight of it, according to my co-workers who went. The evening show was topped by The Rolling Stones and AC/DC. The Stones management company helped the city organize the whole thing which was held at the old Downsview Airport. Charlie Watts made a special point of introducing himself to Neil Peart just before he went on. The Stones' connection was why they inserted the Paint It Black intro.
Alex liked to have stacks behind him. So the washers, vending machines blah blah blah were Geddy making fun of Alex.
Geddy plugged into the venue’s sound system and teased Alex because he wouldn’t do it. So Geddy started using props as a joke!
Geddy would always tease Alex about all his Marshall stacks so he would have everything from dryers to rotisserie chicken machines on his side of the stage
Their love for one another shines through in their shows
Alex loves to experiment with what kinds of sounds he can pull out of his guitar an he never overreaches, he is always so freakin melodic
An the grooves that Geddy an Neil pull off are insane
I think it’s time for you to do 2112 a 23 min rock opera that defined exactly who Rush wanted to be, it was their big F U to the record label who wanted them to do 4 min radio friendly songs
Do the studio (comic book) version, it will help you with the whole journey the song takes you on
Sars concert in Toronto and Neil is playing the xylophone ,you should check out their Hall Of Fame induction
This means 🤘 Long live rock and roll 🤘
It's creation is mostly credited to singer/ song writer, Ronnie James Dio (DEE- oh), who is a legend in heavy metal. Consistently named best metal singer of all time. status! Massive career and then taken too soon by cancer - same with our brother Neil.
And speaking of our brother Neil - I think we're getting close to giving him the flowers he deserves and playing his solo in Frankfurt. You said you love jazz. Oh please buckle up bc it's gonna get fabulous. He was obviously a student of jazz, (as were most rock drummers from the 60s and 70s) - it's the music they grew up on. His solo includes some great jazz and the entire performance will leave you in awe. Have a blessed week, my brother in Christ! ✝
DEFINITELY need to react to YYZ on Rush In Rio. 60,000 fans singing to an instrumental is epic!!!
I also feel you have heard enough Rush that it's time for 2112!
Hold onto you hat
Notice many Rush fans are telling you to react to live renditions, because they sound so nice live. True, agreed, they do sound great live, but for your very first listen and introduction to a song, personally think it should be the studio version.
Studio versions help you get a better understanding of how they intended for the music to sound in a controlled environment with the mixing precisely they way they wanted for the song.
You can aways react to the live versions at a later date. Plus, in many of these live versions, Geddy is older and his voice is no longer in prime condition.
Just my two cents. Thanks, love your reactions.
I agree. Other than Xanadu, I’d always have reactors listen to the studio version of the song, especially one like this, with a lot of intricacies.
I really suggest you react to the studio version first, so you can appreciate the live versions. I am a lifetime musician in Wisconsin. I have a home studio and play all guitars, bass, and vocals. I program my drum tracks. These Rush songs are the only songs where I can’t deviate from the studio versions when recording. This is my favorite band of all time. I’m 56, seen them live. Love every album they have released. There is no other band in the world like Rush 🙌🏻 Welcome to my lifetime of memories with Rush🤩
Similar here, although probably not as aptly as you - trust me. 😅
RUSH ARMY HERE! For a different, poetic human experience of a Rush song may I humbly suggest that you react to THE TREES. Having the lyrics are crucial. I am loving your reactions.
You're into lyrics. Please read the lyrics. You won't regret it. Love your reactions.
I'd highly recommend still reacting to the original studio cut, from their 1980 album Permanent Waves ✌️
"Limelight" and "Fly By Night" are some great tunes to check out also!
I was at this event! Can't believe it's been 20+? Years
Flaming lips, Rush, the guess who, the isley brothers, AC/DC, the stones... Amazing memory
🤘 Universal symbol for metal
🤘"Long live rock and roll"🤘
Ronnie James Dio
Edit: I had commented that it was also a "hang ten" sign for surfers, but then edited as I realized they are similar, but different hand signs.
@@mattbaker5757 🤙🤘 Dio came up with it and has explained its origins many times
Oh man, The Flaming Lips. I saw them in NYC around 1996 and then again in CT around 1999 or 2000. What a great band! Kim's got a watermelon gun.
When Van Halen made it big in the 80’s a Rolling Stone reporter asked Eddie what it was like to be the greatest guitar player ever, Eddie said: I don’t know, go ask Alex Lifeson.
There's another 3 piece band from Canada 🇨🇦 I think you would really enjoy called Triumph - their music is always positive and uplifting & are definitely worth a look
I saw RUSH in 1976 and a song I think you may enjoy is "Anthem". Great live, but the studio version great also.
The reason Rush play a lot in E is probably because of Geddy's vocal range. Also, Neil wears the head ware because it keeps the sweat out of his eyes, and in the studio it keep the headphones from slipping when recording.
Alex Lifeson, gets overlooked too often, so I'm glad you pointed him out. This version is actually a little stripped down. it's without the keyboard parts, and there were a lot of muffled notes - maybe because of the wind. Thanks, for another excellent reaction.
500 000 people as it was a concert in Toronto for Sars with Rolling Stones a d AC DC.They used to have alot of Marshall amps but downsized and used dryers to fill in space.They filled in space with the rotisserie to also fill in space and feed the crew after each show.Luv your reaction.
Enjoy the Rush ride.
God Bless.
It's about the spirit of the radio about how they pushed back against the record labels and radio stations to play the music that they wanted to produce and play.
Alex is such a beast on the guitar
I think it’s time for a Neil Peart drum solo. Live in Frankfurt…it was recorded for his Anatomy of a Drum Solo instructional dvd, so it’s the best one to start with ❤
Rush toured with Kiss and while Kiss were partying with groupies and drugs, etc, Rush were in their rooms reading.
The OPEN was a little homage to The Rolling Stones. I think STONES was also at this concert, so RUSH is tipping their hat, I think.
The song is an ode to the joy of listening to music on the radio. Back in the day when that's how you listened to music & found new songs.
I mean.....I've been a fan since 83 or so.....and obviously I know their greatness...but it's so hard to wrap your brain around how just these 3 guys could come up with all this music...and sound....and 5 different parts in their songs and mix it all in, and do this for 40 years!! People can say there are "better" bands out there, but they truly don't understand this band or really know them well enough. Or they're just being spiteful and ignorant
"Working Man Time Machine Tour live in Cleveland" and "YYZ live in Rio" are a must!
The "Devil Horn" fingers is attributed to Ronnie James Dio. His Italian grandmother did it. Dio did it at his shows and people grifted it as a cliche thing to do at rock shows.
Church Boy a suggestion of next Rush song is Malignant Narcissism live version from Snakes & Arrows tour as you will get to see Neil Peart drum solo.
God Bless.
The washing machines are a joke. Getty's amps were so big, they were compared to appliances, and being Canadian, they're always down for a good joke. It's been a staple of their shows for years. Just some good clean fun.
Well...the joke did not happen until Geddy did away with his stacks of amps, and ran his sound through the house sound system...and so there was big empty space behind him but still giant stacks behind Alex. 👍
7:40 - That's the Metal (and to a little lesser extent) Rock sign. Rush isn't a Metal band, but it's thrown up for Rock, too. They don't move their fingers, though.
You should check out "Red Barchetta", too. I think you'd really like it.
The song that they started with, as an introduction to "Freewill" is "Paint It Black", by The Rolling Stones.
I've always felt like Alex gets overlooked because of how amazing Geddy and Neil are. Easily the most underrated guitar player of all time.
As a life-long Rush fan, I respectfully disagree. Is he mentioned in the same breath as guys like EVH? No but he is a respected guitarist. The most underrated? Not by a long shot. He’s listed in the top 100 of all time. There is some guitarist in your home town right now who is probably amazing that no one has ever heard of. Perspective.
Every show I had the blessing to see, started with this song. "One likes to believe in the freedom of music but glittering prizes and endless compromises, shatter the illusion of integrity." Is my favorite verse.
2112 was their make or break middle finger to the music industry at the time. It worked for them. After that, full steam ahead!
The reason for the washing machines is obvious; Their clothes were dirty and they have a tight schedule on tour.
I love this line in this song- "One likes to believe in the freedom of music
But glittering prizes and endless compromises
Shatter the illusion of integrity"
Very true. The Spirit of Radio (and money in music) is inherently corruptive, unfortunately. Even the existence of professional touring creates a lot of ethical problems with no clear solutions.
PS- Laundry on stage is just for fun, I think cause Geddy Lee no longer needed amps on stage
RUSH sheet music scores are on the internet and Geddy has a book “The Big Beautiful Book of Bass”. His musical talent is undeniable and Geddy was the one involved with all the concert stage design and production for their tours too!
definitely check out the lyrics - it's about the commercialization of the radio / music industry.... and yes, that was reggae, it's more pronounced in the studio version too... a couple easter eggs in the song...
If you feel like checking some of their newer songs I strongly suggest these ones, Time stand still, Manhattan Project, Nobody's hero. These are just a few of so many.
YYZ live in Rio is a must.
There were over 500,000 people there, that's a very small fraction of Rush fans out there.
Don’t be misleading though. This was SARSStock. This wasn’t just a Rush gig.
That hand motion/signal/whatever is simply Devil Horns - ROCK ON BRO!
Church Boy! 👋 I also greatly enjoy Rush’s live performances, and I realize that you prefer live music in general. However, imho, I believe that for first-time listens, Rush’s studio versions are a must. This is because it gives you the opportunity to hear the definitive version, crafted just the way the band intended it to sound like. It also gives you the ability to follow along with the lyrics, if they’re displayed on screen. Once you’ve heard (or reacted to) the studio version of a song, then reacting to a live version is a great way to appreciate their live performances without sacrificing or missing any of the less obvious nuances or tasty details otherwise heard clearly in the studio versions. Not sure how others feel about this, but it’s how I’ve always felt, not only about Rush, but all bands.
Love watching a competent musician get to experience and analyze AND FEEL what they're laying down. Music helps people connect. It's so awesome to hear something vicariously thru fresh ears. Thanks man
The intro was a Rolling stones number called paint it black, then they go into Spirit of Radio.
This is one of their biggest hits. Certainly in the to 10 (and maybe top 5) for many Rush fans. I HIGHLY recommend the animated retrospective music video th-cam.com/video/g_QtO0Rhp0w/w-d-xo.html with the remastered studio audio and capped by a touching tribute to Neil at the end. The Spirit of Radio is a loving tribute to the medium of FM radio. There's a really great line from Neil in the song that kind of sums up the sentiment... "Invisible air waves crackle with life. Bright antennae bristle with the energy. Emotional feedback on a timeless wavelength bearing a gift beyond price, almost free. All this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted. Not so coldly charted. It's really just a question of your honest, yeah your honesty. One likes to believe in the freedom of music. But glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity, yeah..."
Then later, during the reggae breakdown, borrowing from Simon and Garfunkel's masterpiece, "The Sound of Silence," Peart continues, "for the words of the profits were written on the studio wall... Concert Hall! E-echos with the sound of salesmen... of salesmen... of salesmen!" and guitar solo. Simon's original line was "For the words of the prophets were written on the subway wall." this line itself is a callback to the Book of Daniel, the prophet from Chapter 5. Neil is making a play on prophets, changing it to "profits", calling out the corrupting influence of the business side of making music/art. And he changes subway to studio wall. Nice touches. And the repetition of the words, "of salesmen" is itself representative of the echo effect and the word "E-echos" the way Geddy sings it, is an example of the literary tool, onomatopoeia. Just some really cool song writing going on here from Neil.
Key of E. That is the key of GEDDY's voice
1/2 a million as Geddy needed less amps they used laundry or vending machines to fill the space 1 so it looked even and 2 for the guys to hide behind that were taking care of Neil❤🇨🇦
YYZ live in Rio. Brazilians know how to rock !
You’re right, Geddy even plays G# to lead back to E in many bars here.
Since you love Rush especially Gettys bass lines. Highly highly highly recommend Roundabout by Yes. Listen to the remastered album version for the best listen
Alex is having a blast in this one. The official animated video is a must see. Keep it up, bud!
I always dig your insightfulness for music! Thank you ! And your newfound love for RUSH !! How can you not love RUSH ??? I agree totally with the Alex Lifeson mastery of the guitar. They are all so talented, everyone knows Geddie Lee's bass work and of course Neil Peart. But I honestly think Alex is the best, most technically skilled of the three ! I always have, his tone and ability to change tempo and sounds effortlessly, is second to none. MY three fave giutarist. David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, and Alex Lifeson. Keep digging, we dig u. Peace
think you might be ready for the song that was there FU to the record company in 2112 said twenty-one twelve. if you want to learn about them watch the docmentary about the Beyond the Lighted Stage
Subdivisions!!!!!! RUSH.
🤘= "Rock on" 🤟 = I💚U in sign language 🧑🍼
Just a quick note to write that I am really enjoying your Rush reactions! They are bringing me so much joy. I love it when you pick up your bass and play, by the way. Here a big ole thank you! 🙏
V
The washers/ rotisserie machines are used to balance out the stage. Alex liked using his stack of amps, whilst Geddy would have his basses and keyboards connected directly to the house amp systems. Otherwise the stage would look weird with the empty space behind him.
Finally back to covering the hits instead of the obscure videos. Please just focus on more of the album versions of songs.
Album version of Witch Hunt with words! If you like bass.... The Big Money, Animate, and The Anarchist, which Geddy said was the hardest Rush song to play and sing to. Nearly impossible until he learned the bass by muscle memory
The washers and chickens are making Geddy's side not look empty, as he doesn't run his bass through his own amps on stage.
🤗 Woo Hoo! More Rush! ☺️ Cool Beans! 🥰🐰
The hand signal is the sign for “rock on”
Geddy once said his bass tone is clean and dry. Since he does not use a wall of cabinets he used the dryers for a while to fill in the stage. He uses a small amp/speaker cabinet behind the dryers that go in the main console.
Check out Geddy Signature Fender bass guitar.
The hand gesture is an old symbol I first saw the Stones use back in the early seventies
That track is also worth a lyrics dive. Peart wrote all their lyrics and he was great.
The devil horns are a rock thing... invented by Ronnie James Dio ...he sang lead for Black Sabbath, Rainbow and later his own band DIO... it just means 'Lets Rock'
I'm happy you did this song, after watching your other Rush reaction videos I was hoping you would do this. 🙂👍
The hand gesture is associated with metal and rock n roll. It started with the band Dio, specifically Ronnie James Dio their lead vocalist. It’s based on fantasy creatures often depicted in their early material. Their album Holy Diver is an example of that. The hand gesture caught on with fans and carried over into other rock and metal bands’ audiences.
You really need to watch Dinner with Rush. It shows how close they were/are
My favorite song is "Subdivisions". Growing up in a subdivision and having social divisions.
The hand signal is courtesy of the late great Ronnie James Dio's grandmother, a sign to ward off evil Dio fans and then all of Metal and then all of Rock and roll adopted to mean Rock Lives.
It's Rush. It wouldn't be Ruah without the time signatures going all over the place. And Geddy and Neil driving that. Nothing else like it
This song is inspired by Neil's memory of listening to CFNY in Toronto, whose tag line was "The Spirit of Radio." What's fascinating is the main guitar riff is Alex's interpretation of what it sounded like when scrolling through a radio dial on an old-school analog radio.
As with every Rush song, it is worth your time to check out the lyrics.
Can’t wait to see these Rush song reactions.
Xanadu
La Villa Strangiato
2112
The lyrics are definitely worth looking into- it was kind of an indictment of the state of the music industry, and an embrace of newer technologies and types of music as well