I hope that those of you that do visit will enjoy. Maybe relate. Maybe laugh. Maybe get angry. Maybe even learn something. Whatever.
I've been inspired by my nephew Shawn. (He's the one to blame) I encourage you to read his blog as well.
I intend to post something at least once a week or as needed. I hope it's intelligent and fun at the same time. I intend to cover life's ups and downs. Being the parent of 2 teenagers should give me some things to talk about.
I will cover sports. The place that guys dwell. It's always real and happening right now. It inspires so many opinions. And as we know opinions are like a..holes, every one has one. However here you'll just get mine. Opinion that is.
Be it NHL. NFL or CFL. Maybe even baseball. What you won't get is soccer or basketball. Don't like 'em. I do have an opinion about soccer and basketball but don't watch them.
NBA Basketball is a game played by mutants. Giants from another world. Can't relate. Actually I might watch the last two minutes of a game as that's all that really matters.
Soccer, just don't care. I mean really. How can I watch a game where a player goes down like he was just shot and is carried off on a stretcher THEN comes back on the field. Plus I can't watch a game where only the referee knows how much time is left in the game.
I'm sorry but hockey rules. It is the the COOLEST game on earth.
I actually wanted to begin this blog with my review of a Rush concert that I attended back in September, I''ve been a Rush fan since about 1974. Talk about good Canadian boys. They have been writing and playing excellent prog-rock for more than 30 years. I used to go see them all the time in the late 70's and into the 80's. Lost a little interest during the late 80's and early 90's. The last time I saw them was in 1994. That was good but it just didn't have the magic for me that it used to. I did buy the "Vapor Trails" album (there's a word that dates me) and the R30 DVD. However my friend Tom insisted I go see Rush with him for the new tour suppporting the "Snakes and Arrows" release. I'm so glad he did. So without further adieu here is my review.
(Oh I went with three guys, Tom, Tim and Mike. Just so you understand the references)
The show began with a funny video featuring Alex waking up from a nightmare about snakes and then finding Neil beside him in bed. Then Geddy, playing the role of an old Scottish man. He told the regular Geddy to “Get out there”. With that the band hit the stage with the song "Limelight" The seats, or should I say our location was excellent, as we stood the entire show. Sightlines were good. The set list was great as they pulled out some old songs, for old fans like me, that they had not played in years. The boys even used some old guitars that haven't been used for years. Also on this tour Geddy has replaced the dryers (actually speakers inside) with chicken rotisseries. During the show a girl came out and basted the chickens. Alex had a bunch of Barbie dolls lined up on the floor in front of him. They were dressed like groupies and had signs to match. Things like "My Grampa Says Your Cool" "I Was Conceived While My Dad Was At A Rush Concert", "I'm Not Wearing Any Panties", "My Mom Thinks Your Hot!", "If It's Too Loud You're Too Old"
The new songs with accompanying videos were sharp and sounded great. The lighting was also excellent. Bells and whistles included a blue-and-red-lit lighting rig that impressively lowered like a space-ship during "Between The Wheels", green laser lights that kicked "Dreamline" up a notch, exploding fireworks that literally commanded attention for the new song Far Cry, and really hot fire bursts during "Witch Hunt" Some new standouts for me were "The Larger Bowl" with an filmed introduction provided by Canadian hosers Bob and Doug McKenzie., "A Far Cry", “Armour and Sword” and "The Main Monkey Business" with video showing monkeys doing crazy things like using a hula hoop, shaving a human, riding bikes etc. Geddy said they had to take a short break and "go backstage and get a heart transplant"
During intermission we stood in the hallway and laughed at some of the crowd. We discussed the Leafs, Rush and Tom's non-stop air drumming. As Tim was standing beside Tom during the first half of the show, I asked him if he was worried about losing an eye. During the second half Mike asked Tom to be careful to “not hit him in the nuts" as he had just had his recent Big V surgery
The second half began with a freaky/trippy video. I made me think that in the old days I would have enjoyed it with the help of some sort of psychadelic drug. Only beer and whisky for us these days.
Just as the second half began I looked down to the floor and noticed that some asshole had spilled beer all over my $20 dollar tour book. I went out to the vendors during a quiet, slow song and asked if they could replace it. The guy said no problem and gave me a new one. I shook his hand and gave him a toonie as a tip. I zipped back in to the show and had missed only about 3 minutes.
The show had 3 instrumentals, four if you include Alex's acoustic solo.
The band seemed playful and happy to play for the hometown crowd.
At one point Geddy brought out a video camera and asked us to yell on the count of three "Take Off Eh?". He responded: "That's beauty, Way to go, eh?" Some other standout songs included Between the Wheels, Natural Science, Circumstances, Digital Man, Witch Hunt and one of my old favourites "A Passage To Bangkok". That included video of a train and people getting high.
The show wrapped up with the instrumental with a 3 song encore including One Little Victory (very heavy and a great dragon spewing fire video)) A Passage To Bangkok and "YYZ" which I'm sure you know is the airport code for
We filed out spent from applauding, cheering, singing, punching our fists in the air and oh yeah, air drumming!! We sure got our moneys worth 3 hours of Rush. I sure hope this tour gets filmed for a DVD.
We went to get the van which was parked underground. Tom mentioned he was glad I was with him this late in the empty underground. I said "Don't worry Miss, I will protect you." Tom drove me to Finch Station to retrieve my car. We listened to more Rush on the way up the DVP. I thanked Tom for a great night and I meant it. I have been to many concerts in my life ( I would love to show you guys my ticket book some time)and I must say It was the best concert "experience" (which includes the whole thing-partners food-drinks, seats, show etc) that I have had in a long time. It will stay with me for a very long time.
As Rush shows go it ranks right up there for me. Again many thanks go out to Tom for making it happen. I raise a glass in his honour.
So that was our evening. Anyway enough of my yakking. That' all for now. If you're still reading I thank you and hope you will come back soon.
"I'm so glad we had this time together, just to have a laugh and sing a song. It seems we just get started and before you know it, there comes the time we have to say so long."
Thank you. Good Night. DB has left the building
2 comments:
Awesome dude! You write very well.
oy yoyoy cool
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