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OT: Rush - May 18, 2015 Dallas R40 Concert Review

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Nebraska Legend
Sep 4, 2004
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Arlington, TX
Like them or not, Rush puts on one of the best shows in the history of rock music. I've been following them for almost 35 years. We all knew this day was coming when they may play their final show. There was talk of band breakup in the 80's when music changed from the AOR format that was dominating the music scene. Then again in the late 90's when drummer Neil Peart had a series of personal tragedies, losing both his daughter and wife within a year's timespan. After a five year hiatus they did finally continue their musical journey.

Fast forward to today, Rush decided to celebrate 40 years of music with their fans. I created a R40 Tour hype thread here. Well, my day finally had come on Monday when the boys of Rush finally visited Dallas. Playing at a sold out crowd of 13,500 at the AAC (American Airlines Center), home of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, you couldn't ask for a better time. We arrived early having taken the train from a station just south of DFW airport to Victory Station in Dallas. This is so much easier than fighting rush hour traffic, finding (and paying) for parking and making our way to the arena. Five bucks round trip is a deal.

Walking to the AAC from Victory Station
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Checking out the floor
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Memorabilia vendors
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Walking around the AAC
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Set 1:

Video Intro (The World is ... The World is)

The Anarchist
Clockwork Angels
Headlong Flight (with Drumbastica mini drum solo)
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
One Little Victory
Animate
Roll The Bones (with celebrity rappers video)
Distant Early Warning
Subdivisions

Intermission (R40 drum kit replaced with throwback replica kit)

Set 2:

Video Intro (No Country for Old Hens)

Tom Sawyer
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
Jacob's Ladder
Cygnus X-1 Book Two: Hemispheres - Prelude
Cygnus X-1 Book One - The Voyage: Prologue
Drum Solo
Cygnus X-1 Book One - The Voyage: Part 3
Closer To The Heart
Xanadu (double neck guitars)
2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Presentation/Grand Finale

Encore:

Video Intro (Mel's Rock Pile starring Eugene Levy)

Lakeside Park
Anthem
What You're Doing
Working Man (Garden Road riff at the end)

Video Outro (Exit Stage Left)

The setlist was the same as St. Paul. A band with 20 studio albums there will always be something left out. They decided to not cover much of the synth era, as that was done fairly extensively on the Clockwork Angels tour. As was said previously, the setlist works it way back in time. The stage crew slowly takes apart the elaborate set as the show goes on. They eventually work their way to a stripped down stage resembling a high school gymnasium, a venue where they played early on in their career.

Early on in the show I thought someone was peeing on my legs. I turned to see a drunk Mexican spilling his beer all over my seat which splashed all over my lower legs. Just great. My other issue was the guy in front of me was a tad bit taller than I am. As I was trying to capture the show with my cell phone, he was doing the same with his phone and professional camera. It's the bane of the modern age. We love the ability to get those shots, but now everyone is doing it. I took a lot of pics and some video.

I was using my Note 3 for the first time for shooting video at a concert. I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I think my older phone took better pics the last time. Bright colors causes the images to wash out and zooming in reduces all sharpness (very pixelated). Wish I could have snuck in my good camera. The security was incredibly lacking. They asked us to remove our phones. I did not and they still wanded me. Nothing went off and I walked in with my phone and external battery (last show phone died halfway through). I took video of seven songs. It's incredibly hard to shoot video on the floor as you get near the stage. You have to hold your arms up high to see over everyone. I almost bought a handheld monopod, but it has it's own problems with stability (as well detection by security). I really wanted to capture Xanadu, but it was the last video I recorded and my arms were shot. Unfortunately, I accidentally stopped the recording towards the end by tapping the back button. I started recording again after a little bit. Oh well.

All in all, a great show. Geddy had one faux pas when he said "Hello Houston" early on. That irked me a little. It's one of the biggest jokes in touring that you just insert the city you are visiting into whatever canned phase you used. The people in Omaha really know how to rock! and We're so happy to be here in Houston! I've read that the band still wants to put out another studio album and that Geddy wants to tour in the future. That makes sense as he's in the best shape of the bunch. Neil has tendinitis in his hands and arms while Alex has arthritis. Thank you for 40 years of awesome music and fantastic shows!

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Roll the bones!
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Actor Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones doing the Roll The Bones rap
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Subdivisions
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Tom Sawyer
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Drum solo
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YYZ
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Xanadu
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Anthem
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Crowd shot
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What You're Doing
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Working Man
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Outro
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Last edited:
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did not make this go round, so thanks for sharing.

watched a documentary about them this past winter on netflix. it was worth it.
 
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Never really been much of a fan, but those vids aren't bad. Still not heavy enough for my taste but world's better than anything on today's radio.
 
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I forgot to mention that I have acquired an audio boot from the Dallas show. I've gotten all the shows except for Austin. Still waiting on that video of the St. Paul show.
 
On a side note I was just checking for the Austin show and there was the St. Paul show on DVD. The taper said that they were gonna upload the BluRay set next! It's only 720p, but that's better than standard def.
 
I was AT the Austin show, it was another great one. Took place at Austin360 area, which is an outdoor venue attached to the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 track.
Front and center, row W. So, great seats.

We had a similar playlist, with no 'Freewill' (!), which I really wanted to hear. Was also hoping for 'The Trees' or 'Red Barchetta', but I know those are longshots.

But we did get 'The Wreckers', which I loved. For those of you that think Rush's best work is a couple decades in the past, check out that song. These guys can still produce.
 
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I was AT the Austin show, it was another great one. Took place at Austin360 area, which is an outdoor venue attached to the Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 track.
Front and center, row W. So, great seats.

We had a similar playlist, with no 'Freewill' (!), which I really wanted to hear. Was also hoping for 'The Trees' or 'Red Barchetta', but I know those are longshots.

But we did get 'The Wreckers', which I loved. For those of you that think Rush's best work is a couple decades in the past, check out that song. These guys can still produce.

Totally agree with everything you said. There will always be something you missed with that much of a music catalog. I so wanted to sing along to Natural Science, but I was recording so I kept quiet. It was hard though! My bud @ the Lincoln show commented on how he loved The Wreckers. I too wanted Red Barchetta, but YYZ ain't no slouch. Not by a longshot. Cool
 
I have not seen Freewill or The Trees on any of the R40 set lists. Red Barchetta is being played at some of the shows.
 
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I went into the show flying blind, had no idea what might be on the playlist. But last Rush concert I saw they played 'The Trees' and it was spectacular. 'Course that was like a thousand years ago, in KC.
 
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