Rush has not suffered the indignities visited upon many of its contemporaries: The Canadian trio has not resorted to performing an evening of greatest hits with a local symphony orchestra, has not partnered with a younger, hipper, but completely inappropriate act with the hope of regaining some of its former glory, and the classic version of the band, the one forged in 1974, remains intact.
Moreover, Rush keeps getting better.
The 2010-11 Time Machine tour, which saw the trio perform the classic 1981 album Moving Pictures in its entirety, remains one of Rushâs best. Drawing heavily from its considerable back catalog the trio covered virtually every desirable stopping point in its history and a few from its future. Opening with âThe Spirit of Radioâ from 1980âs Permanent Waves and closing with a revamped version of âWorking Manâ (which appeared on the 1974 self-titled release, the only one in the groupâs history not to feature drummer Neil Peart) the intensity of the performance captured on this single disc set never falters.
Cleveland was the first market in the US to embrace Rush, and thus itâs appropriate that the trio would return to record a DVD meant to chronicle its status as one of the most loved progressive rock band of all time. All the hallmarks of a Rush gig are there: Fans with t-shirts that proclaim enthusiasm for a particular member, air drumming, hands hoisted high in the air, throngs who know all the words to every song or who sing the riffs to instrumental passages, a scarcity of women.
The Moving Pictures segment lives up to expectations: Longtime live staples âRed Barchettaâ, âLimelightâ, and âTom Sawyerâ are paired with âThe Camera Eyeâ, âVital Signsâ, and âWitch Huntâ, three tracks far less familiar to the concert stage. Whatâs remarkable about the material is how well it has aged and how seamlessly the band blended its progressive rock ambitions with its basic rock roots. Guitarist Alex Lifeson even dons period garb for the segment!
Two tracks from the groupâs upcoming album Clockwork Angels appear here, âBU2Bâ and âCaravanâ and both suggest that the group continues to move into heavier musical territory at a time when many of its contemporaries are seeking mellower pastures. Of course those new numbers cannot compare to the time-tested âCloser To The Heartâ, âMarathonâ and âSubdivisionsâ. At least not yet. But newer material, including âWorkinâ Them Angelsâ and âFaithlessâ (both from 2007âs Snakes and Arrows) hold their own against those staples, which is a good sign.
Rush has long been known for its sense of humor and this set doesnât disappoint those eager for a dose of wry. Three short films made for the Time Machine tour appear here, two as introductions, âThe âRealâ History of Rush: Episode No.2 âDonât Be Rashââ and âNo.17 ââŠand Rock and Roll is my nameâ, and one as a farewell to fans. Outtakes from these shorts are featured in the bonus materials as are an early version of âAnthemâ and a clip of the group performing âNeed Some Loveâ recorded at Laura Second Secondary School with original drummer John Rutsey. Thereâs also a version of âTom Sawyerâ featuring the cast of âHistory of Rush, Episode 17.â (One has to wonder if glimpses of roughly 20 women in the audience at a Rush show count as bonus features. Probably.)
Members of the Rush tribe will embrace this wholeheartedly. The rest? Well, Geddy, Alex, and Neil seem to be getting along just fine without you.