RUSH-Time Machine Tour 2011

RUSH
April 8, 2011
GIANT CENTER, HERSHEY PA

If you ever get an email saying, 'I just got offered 2 tickets to see Rush with VIP parking and seats in a private box. Do you want to go with me?' Reply 'YES' immediately and be thankful you have such good friends. I was on the receiving end of such an email and consider myself a lucky person. RUSH have always been one of those bands that I always liked but for some reason was never a huge fan. Like many people, I own a copy of their compilation 'Chronicles' and every so often I listen to it and always find myself thinking I should listen to this Rush more often. I was a teenager in the mid 80's and if you listened to rock or so called classic rock stations back then, you were never far from a Rush song. This tour was a walk down memory lane with an emphasis on their classic album 'Moving Pictures'.

Now, I'm not one for paying big money to watch old geezers sleep walk thru an abbreviated greatest hits set in a massive arena. Tonight is a different story. The price was right and even though this band formed before I was born, their set lists proves their is no sleepwalking involved.

Fueled By Moosehead:

On this rainy night in early April, we drove to show in a custom van from the 80's, got warmed up on cold Moosehead's and chased them down with Canadian Club. Classic Rock Canadian style! Two sets made up the show with hilarious intro videos to each set called 'The Real History of Rush'. A total of 26 songs that stretched the show over 3 1/2 hours. Like I said, they may be old but these dudes aren't geezers. Geddy Lee on bass and lead vocal, Alex Lifeson on lead guitar and Neil Pert on drums are rock gods. Geddy looked and sounded half his age and while Alex and Pert have filled out a bit over the years, their is no slow down in their game as was evident in their extended guitar and drum solos (yes it was a classic rock show). Perts drum kit is a monster that probably needs its own tractor trailer to transport it to the next venue.

First set stand outs were 'Time Stand Still', 'Free Will' and 'Subdivisions'. The special of the second set was a song for song playing of 'Moving Pictures', which is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Any band would be so lucky to have four songs as good as 'Tom Sawyer', 'Red Barchetta', 'YYZ' and 'Limelight'. These just happen to be the first four songs from this album. This should give you an idea of just how great the night was.

To say this show was amazing would not be doing them justice. Here's hoping you get and email from a friend like I did and when you go, keep an eye out for air drummers. They are everywhere and it is a little added bonus to the show.

'The Spirt of Radio' started off the show: