johnhildreth

SPOILERS FOLLOW

I've been going to see Rush for the better part of twenty years, and while I have always got a rush out of their live shows (pun intended), the summer 2007 Snakes and Arrows concert has taken the 'best Rush show ever' spot (previously held by the spring 1994 Counterparts concert). First, the Snakes and Arrows setlist:

FIRST HALF

limelight
digital man
entre nous
mission
freewill
the main monkey business
the larger bowl
secret touch
circumstances
between the wheels
dreamline

(intermission)

SECOND HALF

far cry
workin' them angels
armor and sword
spindrift
the way the wind blows
subdivisions
natural science
witch hunt
malignant narcissism
drum solo
hope
distant early warning
the spirit of radio
tom sawyer

ENCORE

one little victory
a passage to bangkok
yyz

The band played a three-hour show (including a 20-minute intermission). There were several GREAT films during the show, in addition to the animated visuals and live camera coverage. Bob and Doug MacKenzie, the South Park Boys, a fire-breathing dragon, and the band themselves all make appearances on a trio of rear-projection movie screens. What made this show so great for me was the same thing that made the '94 Counterparts show great: the guys did extensive re-vamping to the setlist, including material that had not made an appearance in many years -- and, the band came off with an energy and vitality I would have expected out of 20-somethings.

Snakes and Arrows is great for these same reasons. The uniqueness of Rush is everything the enthusiasts love them for, and everything detractors can't stand them for. I could go on about how great they are, but you can read infinity of that elsewhere. What I will mention is that it was a beautiful night, next to the Ohio (Riverbend Amphitheater), and from time to time I looked around during the show to see the faces of everyone around me. Given the state of our world right now, it gave me hope to look on the faces of the crowd, smiling and singing and moving.

For three hours, we were able to go somewhere else.

We Hold On.

J

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PS - for posterity, the spring 1994 Counterparts setlist from the Riverfront Colisseum show in Cincinnati:

Dreamline
The Spirit of Radio
The Analog Kid
Cold Fire
Time Stand Still
Nobody's Hero
Roll the Bones
Animate
Stick It Out
Double Agent
Limelight
Bravado
Mystic Rhythms
Closer to the Heart
Show Don't Tell
Leave That Thing Alone >
Drum Solo
The Trees
Xanadu (abbreviated) >
Hemispheres: Prelude >
Tom Sawyer
Force Ten
YYZ >
Cygnus X-1 (abbreviated) >
YYZ