| Track by Track Review
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CD – Disc 1
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Tom Sawyer
This was the first time I saw a name other than Lee, Lifeson or Peart for songwriting credits on a Rush song. Max Webster lyricist Pye Dubois was given a writing credit for this synth heavy track. As Rush’s second release in the 1980s, they were quickly moving more towards synthesizers but still had plenty of guitar around to keep this firmly in the hard rock category. There are parts that border on bombastic, but there is a great laid-back feel about the whole track. I also enjoy the amazing drum fills from Peart right after the guitar solo. |
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Red Barchetta
Although this was not a hit single, it became a fan favorite. Peart’s lyrics paint a very clear picture of a red car (a barchetta) and taking it out for a fast drive. Musically, this is a mid paced rocker that starts off slow but builds into a cinematic roller coaster ride with a number of parts that tell the story of man and machine. |
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YYZ
Throwing an instrumental so early on the record would be suicide for some bands, but for Rush it works perfectly. A few years earlier, they released “La Villa Strangiato” on Hemispheres, but for this piece the band take things into a more concise format with this composition being half as long. I might also venture to say that his is the heaviest tune on the record. While Lee and Peart gets their solo spots, I would say that Lifeson is the member who truly shines. There is some phenomenal guitar work and the solo is perfect. |
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Limelight
This was the first single trotted out from Moving Pictures, and once you hear it, you know exactly why. Rush did occasionally write songs with the basic song structure (verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc) and “Limelight” is just one of those tunes. The riffing and feel of this piece has a very uplifting vibe, but lyrically it deals with a difficult subject. Peart’s struggles with fame are well documented now, but he gave us a glimpse into his thoughts here. It also contains my favorite guitar solo from Lifeson which creates the prefect mood to break up the seriousness of the track. |
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The Camera Eye
Clocking in at almost eleven minutes long, Rush gives us old fans some of their prog wizardry. This is broken up into two parts, one referencing New York and the other London. The sound effects of a city start the track as it builds into a bit of a jazzy rocker. Keyboards feature heavily but more to give the track ambiance instead of taking over the guitar work. There are a lot of instrumental passages throughout, but all of the music returns to the main chord pattern that starts off the track. |
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Witch Hunt (Part III Of “Fear”)
Rush decided that they were going to release parts of an idea called “Fear” but in reverse order. I have no idea why, and none of the interviews I’ve read clue us listeners into why they chose to do it in this fashion. Either way, this number starts off with the sound of a mob like one you might think of from the Salem Witch era. There is an eerie riff that breaks through early that quickly makes way for a very moody part. At its core, this is a short prog piece with many different parts showcasing Rush’s ability to keep their prog elements without needing to take up a whole side of a record. |
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Vital Signs
The disc closes with a song that shows that Rush were influenced by modern music and bands, most notably here, The Police. The reggae style riffing was very new to Rush, but somehow feels natural for the band. As the track fades, there is a haunting section that makes the listener want more. |
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CD – Disc 2
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2112-Overture
Before the big intro tapes and videos, Rush started their concerts with just songs. Since they were looking to showcase new material, they only performed the first two suites from the “2112” track. You can sense the band is hyped to be playing in their home country because they are playing the track note perfect. There is sense of urgency in the performance. |
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2112-The Temples Of Syrinx
I don’t think you could really play the “Overture” piece and not follow it with this short but classic track. Even five years on, Lee screams out this tune like it was brand new. |
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Freewill
Moving forward to more recent material, this tune from Permanent Waves sounds just like the studio version. It is one of the more straightforward songs from this prog outfit, but they still manage to slip in this cool groove in the idle with the guitar solo. |
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Limelight
The big hit from Moving Pictures makes its way early in the set and it sounds a bit heavier than the studio version. This track was made for the concert stage and, as I mentioned earlier, this song has my favorite Lifeson solo. |
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Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres-Prelude
As the band continued to release more material, it got harder for them to play their long tracks completely. They would break them up into their suites just like on “2112,” so here were get the opening suite from "Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres.” This is their prog metal masterpiece (in my opinion), and they perform it perfectly. This is only the four-minute first part of the song but they fit so much material into that small amount of time. It definitely has Yes elements, but when you take it in completely, it is quintessential Rush. |
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Beneath, Between & Behind
This Fly By Night ditty flows in directly from the previous tune. This was the record where the band started to reach for something other than being a Led Zeppelin clone and finding their own sound. It is a frantic rocker that captures the hard rock vibe of their early catalogue. |
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The Camera Eye
You can hear the enthusiasm coming from the members in this prog song off their (at the time) latest release. It is also performed note perfect, but there is an additional vibe that makes this version sound more organic. You can almost hear the fun the band were having while performing this new material. |
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YYZ
Lee must have needed a bit of a breather so they not only trotted out this new (at the time) instrumental but they included Peart’s drum solo within it. Unlike previous tours where his drum solo was at the end of a track, here it is smack dab right in the middle during the mini solo sections between Lee and Peart. The solo flows effortlessly back in to the song for the band to finish it just like they did on record. |
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Broon’s Bane
If my research is accurate, this classical guitar piece that gave Lifeson his solo spot first emerged on this tour. There is no studio version of this song, as it was only performed in concert and was later considered as an intro to “The Trees.” |
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The Trees
This rocker off the Hemispheres record is a great live song. It starts off with a mellow acoustic part (and in this case with the intro “Broon’s Bane”) but quickly morphs into a hard-hitting prog metal track. There is a cool mid-section where Lee gets to showcase some synth, but for the most part, it rocks pretty solidly. |
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Xanadu
Rush have written many classics, but this has to be on the top of everyone’s list. There is a mystical intro that builds into a prog rock masterpiece. There are many parts to this song, and they all weave effortlessly from part to part making the eleven plus minutes go by very quickly. If you happened to catch the band playing this track during this time, both Lee and Lifeson strapped on double neck guitars making for the ultimate prog rock visual experience. |
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CD – Disc 3
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The Spirit Of Radio
Since the release of this track (which came out at the beginning of the 80s), “The Spirit Of Radio” has been in their set list for every concert. I don’t think they could leave the stage without performing this fan favorite. Starting with an infectious guitar lick, the song has a very positive bouncy feel. It has a bit of prog thrown in for good measure but ultimately, it is a pretty straight ahead rock tune that was made for FM radio. |
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Red Barchetta
Capitalizing on the success of Moving Pictures, the band continued to play more material from that recent record. This is pretty much performed like the studio version, but if you happen to catch the video version of this song, there are some cool (but rudimentary) visuals during the show. Back in the day when I saw this tour, this was one of the many highlights. |
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Closer To The Heart
This is one of the few Rush songs where the crowd sings along. On this particular night, the crowd was very vocal and added their voices to this short piece from A Farwell To Kings. Like a number of their pieces, it starts off with a mellow acoustic guitar part but instead of building, the band launch bombastically into the heavy section. Again, it is a short tune but impactful when performed in front of an audience. |
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Tom Sawyer
I keep mentioning that the band plays the songs like the studio versions, but the material from Moving Pictures was so new that they hadn’t been able to improvise any sections. This version is extremely close to the studio version with only the crowd noise making it different (although Lifeson does flub a note during the solo). |
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Vital Signs
From my recollection, I don’t recall them playing this hit off of Moving Pictures on their stop in Chicago in 1981. Either way, I’m really happy they decided to put this track in the set as I think it is a great transition from their prog rock sound to a more streamlined reggae song that was all the rage during that time period. They play this one just like the studio version, but instead of fading out, the version here ends with your typical rock crescendo. |
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Natural Science
This song has been a staple in their set list throughout the years and back in 1981, they were still playing it without repeating the “Wheels within wheels in a spiral array” section as they did on later tours. I don’t know why they did that and I have to admit, I like this original version better. It builds slowly with some mellow guitar and vocals but builds into a regular prog rocker that Rush was so good at presenting. There are many twists and turns along the way but it never quite returns back to that beginning mellow section. Along with “Xanadu,” this is a quintessential Rush tune. |
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Medley: Working Man / Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres-Armageddon: The Battle of Heart and Mind / By-Tor & The Snow Dog / In The End / In The Mood / 2112-Grand Finale
Rush must have loved that reggae style they came upon because they rearranged “Working Man” to have this new unique reggae beginning but they really only play barely a minute of that first album gem. They slide into a short piece from the first side of Hemispheres, and that, too, quickly disappears and transitions into “By-Tor & The Snow Dog.” Oddly, they play a big chunk of that track before they launch into part of “In The End” off the Fly By Night release. They revisit the first record for a short bit of “In The Mood” before they end this whole medley with all of the last suite of “2112.” As a fan, I love all of the complete versions of the songs, but this was their way of representing a lot of material in a shorter timeframe. |
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La Villa Strangiato
This concert recording ends with this superb instrumental off of Hemispheres. As far as prog metal workouts, “La Villa Strangiato” is one of the best. It starts off with a slow build that moves into a heavy part quite quickly. My favorite portion is the mellow section that comes in about a third of the way in. Lifeson doesn’t get a lot of credit, but the guitar work here is amazing and it really is a fitting way to end a show.
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