Review: Rush at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Photo by Kris Knowles, The Kansas City Star

You could tell several things from Rush's show Thursday at Verizon:

* Rush’s fans are mostly older men who grew up in the band’s heyday in the late 70s/early 80s. At some concerts, it's hard to spot many people over 40. This show was the opposite. Not surprisingly, the band’s older classics brought the biggest response.

* The band members may be getting old, but on this night it certainly didn’t detract from their enthusiasm, virtuoso musical skills and especially stamina. They started shortly after 8 p.m. and played until 11:15, with a 20-minute intermission.

* Verizon Amphitheater needs a bigger stage and — this is old news — better video screens. Rush brought an outstanding stage setup with three of their own large video-screens and a variety of great lights. But it was apparent that the height of the Verizon stage was a real limitation, as the band’s lighting had to hang so low that some of it got in the way of the video screens. It wasn’t a problem for people in the lower-level front seats, but farther up the hill the view was partially blocked.

This show didn’t seem to be close to a sell-out. Both sections of reserved seats seemed full, but the lawn area was pretty sparse.

Still, for a band that doesn't get much radio play of its most recent music, it was a solid crowd. Rush still has plenty of drawing power as a sort of Led Zeppelin of a certain generation.

The band inflicted a few too many songs from its new album, but considering that the show was nearly three hours, there was plenty of time for favorites. Songs that really got the crowd moving and brought the biggest responses included “The Spirit of the Radio,” “Tom Sawyer,” “YYZ,” “Witch Hunt,” and “Subdivisions.”

Another standout was the instrumental “Malignant Narcissism.” But a string of other songs from the new album created a lull in the middle of the show. People in the front section mostly stayed standing but with less rocking, and a lot of people in the second tier were sitting. The show felt a little leisurely during that stretch.

The video screens were put to great use, with one or two screens devoted at times to close-ups of guitar or drum handiwork. This was especially valuable during Neil Peart’s drum solo, when the viewing angles included views from the front, top, over the shoulders and side, with closeups on the snare and even a bass-drum foot. I can’t think of a better use of technology to fully appreciate one of rock’s greatest drummers.

The screens were also used for graphics, videos and lighting effects to go with the music, and they showed a video of “Lil Rush” which had the characters of “South Park” performing “Tom Sawyer.”

This show continued Rush's tradition of great lighting, including some green lazers from the 1980s. (Why did those go away? It's still cool to watch the beams soar through the sky. )

Sound quality at the sound board was mostly great, sometimes superb. Better than most Rush albums, especially the live ones. It's odd that they can never seem to capture how good they really are live.

| Kris Knowles, The Kansas City Star

Comments

[Magna1100]

Did anyone else notice an opening-note snafu, as Alex stuttered a second before launching into "Limelight"? Geddy and he made light of it by plodding about the stage...

Reviewer neglected to mention "The Main Monkey Business," the new instrumental that kicked things into high gear after "Freewill" and an ill-placed re-working of "Entre Nous."

Surely those of us who grew up in the late-70s and early-80s cheered nostalgically when Geddy made the "hitting-a-roach" hand symbol while announcing a "short break."....

[Haskell535]

the opening 'snafu' was on purpose. as if Alex ran out prematurely and found no band on stage....then Geddy and Neil come running out and he launches into the song for real.

[EdRad]

Yep.. the "opening snafu" has been done every show of the tour. Thier own little joke of sorts

[EdRad]

Yep.. the "opening snafu" has been done every show of the tour. Thier own little joke of sorts

[Trog]

The opening to Limelight was no snafu, or even a little joke of sorts....would anyone be paying attention to the videos on the screen if the band members walzted on stage while the video was running? When the video stops, Alex plays the note to give Neil and Geddy time to get on stage. Either way...spectacular show!!!!

[MarkJ]

I was at the St. Louis show, and there was a rumor going around where I was sitting that the fans in K.C. were throwing bottles at the band for playing too many new songs. Is this true?

[Karl Hungus]

Some bottles flew, but it's hard to know why the hoopleheads were throwing them. Could have been the interminable new songs. Or the price of beer. Or the bad sound. Or just being that close to Missouri.

[Karl]

It was my first RUSH concert , and i loved it . I just wish they would have played all of their commercial hits like New World Man , Time Stand Still , Trees , and Big Money .............

[IRAGOSS]

It was my 6th time. They were the first concert at Kemper after the roof collasped due to the snow on it. Permenent Waves tour. Then Moving Pictures, Test For Echo, Vapor Trails and R30. Had a great time this year, but the what has kept me coming back to see them is songs like Bastille Day, Fly By Night, By Tor and the Snowdog. Closer To The Heart. Xanadu. 2112. Anthem, Working Man. Red Barchetta. I guess after you tour for 30 years playing those songs, they wanted to play new songs. I cant fault them for playing thier latest release to promote it, but we miss the classics.

[Jax]

St Louis was what I was looking for. Geddy and the boys were magnificent! Geddy still does my favorite jump in the air trick. I took my 9 year old granddaughter and my daughter. They both loved it. I want to see them in Canada. You can count on another 3 year dry spell when they are done with this tour.

[Pat]

I saw them at the Starlight Theatre here in KC on June 7th and they were nothing less than fantastic!! Have also seen them at Sandstone and Irvine Meadows and they were just as good then!!
I would pay double to see them again!!