(This one really belongs in a journal instead of a blog as its utility is mostly limited to moi, so it won’t get publicized with a FB link. In a couple of years, by which time I will have completely lost my mind and my memory, I will need all the help I can get to recall this sort of data. So without further adieu, an inventory of the four Rush concerts attended over the last thirty years – and what I can remember of them.)
Venue: Civic Arena, Pittsburgh PA
Ticket Price: $11.50
Age 20. Junior year at Pitt, right at the start of Finals for the Winter Semester. The same Monday evening that NC State shocked Phi Slamma Jamma in the NCAA 1983 Final. Went to show with a bunch of guys, most of whom at I met as a freshman (Dutch, Hoagie, Joe Long, Bob P, et al). Pre-concert “Arn City” brews (enjoyed responsibly, albeit underage) in the dorms at Litchfield Towers C before moving our party to an apartment in South Oakland and then hopping on the PAT 61C Bus for the four-mile trek from Oakland to “Dahntahn”. Awesome set list. Was already hooked completely on the band by then, but, like about 8 gazillion other fans, completely related to “Subdivisions”. Ged subbed in “One likes to believe in the freedom of baseball” in TSOR (Bucs opening day was the next day – the golden days of Johnny Ray and Jose DeLeon). Sat in section C8 at the Igloo (roughly center ice) on Alex’s side. Opening Act: Jon Butcher Axis.
Venue: Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, NC
Tour: Counterparts (Set List)
Ticket Price: $24.50
Age 31. Sunday evening. Life would get a bit challenging over the next year or so. No surprise on the set list as the Internet and Usenet were well-established by then. Was an avid follower of alt.music.rush and was fully reconnected with the band after a bit of a break from 1989 to 1993. Went with ex and colleague from work who acquired tickets. Unrelated-to-the-concert spousal squabble the night before and had to work all day that Sunday, so things didn’t get off to a good start. Then we ran out of beer in pre-concert tailgate (poor planning) and I recall buying a six-pack at extreme markup after surveying Dean Dome parking lot for any sellers. “No, I want to buy beer, not weed, dude!” Other than that, it was a great tailgate. Really good seats. Section 108 on Geddy’s side. After this show, I felt an inner peace knowing that I could go the grave having heard “Hemispheres (Prelude)” live. Opening Act: Candlebox.
Venue: Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek, Raleigh, NC
Tour: Vapor Trails (Set List)
Ticket Price: $47.50
Age 39. Evening Fourth of July concert. Hot as Hell that day. 99 degrees in Raleighwood that afternoon, but things cooled down by the time that growling synth from Tom Sawyer kicked things off. Dragged the three stooges along and they were good sports, but Rush is sort of a binary love/hate thing. Actually, Joe, Jr was and is a pretty big “Rush fan”, so at least two of us enjoyed ourselves. Alex sang Happy Birthday to America during his traditional rant during La Villa Strangiato. Highlight was Natural Science at the end of the first set. Sat in the upper reaches of the pavilion in Section 6.
Venue: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
Tour: Clockwork Angels (Set List)
Ticket Price: $72.00
Age 50. Tuesday evening. Took half-day of work, picked up kid, and left around 1:30. Pulled into lot across from arena at 3:30. Absolutely no traffic. Didn’t get back to Hillsborough around 1:30 AM that evening so next day at work was a long one. Much more diverse audience nowadays – must be that documentary that is always on VH1-Classic. Gotta love these guys – with a catalog as deep as the Pacific Ocean, they play four tracks from synth-heavy mid-80s Power Windows and nine from their latest – and it all works. The new material features the trio joined on-stage by an eight-piece string orchestra. Too many highlights to list them all. Big Al’s solo on Analog Kid. All of Headlong Flight and YYZ. Section 102 Row L in the lower level of the arena.
