Saw them live a slew of times through 70's and 80's.. They do stray sometimes but for the most part they stick pretty close to the albums.. You should listen to the studio versions of all their stuff because there are nuances that just won't come through live and not just a few. I am in no way being negative because I've been with them from the start.. They are my favorite band..
Imagine, just for a second, if the best bass player, best guitar player, and best drummer were all in the same band. Imagine them being down-to-earth regular guys who were always as normal as you. Imagine that silly idea happening and lasting for about half a century.
Geddy/Alex: We have this song finished, YYZ. Neil: Sorry, I got the drum parts down, but don't have any lyrics that fit. Rock In Rio crowd: We got this, Neil.
They were begging for Hush (as they pronounce it) to play there for 20 years, so they definitely knew they had a fan base there. And Brazilians will always chant at any opportunity. All of my favorite performances seem to be at Rock in Rio @@MrProveyron
From someone who has seen then more than 100 times, normally 10 times per tour the last 5 tours they reproduced faithfully ever show. As for Neil I met him twice randomly while traveling. Once we shared a stall side by side at a BMW motorcycle shop in Salt Lake City and another time at a Rest Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Knowing he was so private I never acknowledged I knew he was we simply talked about our trips. I am pretty sure he knew we were fans as we were ultimately invited to a private tour of the next to last concert by the band. It was quite memorable and we showed all the respect we could. We got to wander on the stage with all their gear and his drum set on full display. We never touched anything but got some amazing pics up close of everything. We were later allowed to stay for the pre-show warm up and were even allowed to park backstage. It was a memorable evening. I eventually sent a thank you note to Neil and he sent a reply back. But that will remain private. RIP N.P.
I always though that it would have been cool to meet Neil and say, “hey aren’t you the guy that played drums for JR Flood? Whatcha been doing with yourself since then?”
The thing about these Brazil performances that separates them from any other Rush concert/tour throughout their entire existence is that every single person at these shows was seeing Rush for the absolute first time. Years of pent up emotion all exploding at the same time with the same intensity.
The washing machines started as a joke from Geddy about Alex's stacks of amps. Alex insisted on having his huge stacks of Hughes & Kettner amps behind him (you can see them in the shots taken further out), even though weren't necessary with the technology of stage sound systems improving and speaker systems getting smaller and better. Geddy had the washing machines to "balance out the stage" with Alex's stacks. The joke continued on the next tour, where Geddy had banks of rotisserie chickens cooking behind him. The backgrounds eventually became more produced with a popcorn machine and other fake props when Alex finally got rid of his amps.
The crew would actually do there laundry during the show. You would see different crew members getting clothes out of the washers and putting them into the dryers through out the show also on the your were they had the rotisseries chicken ovens they actually cooked a shit load of chickens and they would feed the crew and we'll anyone who wanted chicken they had alot. Lmao but through out the show you would see different crew put on a TOQUE! aka Chef hat & open the ovens and basted the chickens through out the show! Lmao it was truly fantastic . I was lucky enough to see RUSH & Mr. Peart live 24 times on 4 different tours the erliest being 1986 "Power Windows Tour" changed my life & my whole music appreciation. Thank you Niel. RIP Niel Peart...Cheers
Imagine a crowd, about 100,000 strong, who know all the lyrics to an instrumental track by a Canadian rock band, and will happily deliver that lyric on a show
Yes, that is, in fact, the Rio crowd singing the melody line of an instrumental. What a bonkers crowd. Fun fact: YYZ is the airport code for Toronto International, which is sent out in Morse code as a beacon to incoming pilots. The rhythm in that intro lick is "YYZ" in Morse code, like pilots hear when flying into Toronto. As for improvisation, Alex and Geddy might play a bit loose from night to night, but Neil famously wrote every drum part he ever played, and religiously played them the same way every night, every show, for decades. He said he was proud to do that on a song like "Tom Sawyer," because he had written himself a difficult drum part and was proud to be able to execute it properly. Now that you've reacted to "YYZ" live, and you've reacted to Neil's live drum solo, you must put the two together by listening to one of the most crucial live tracks in rock music: "YYZ" live from "Exit Stage Left," 1981, with Neil's solo in the middle.
Just think it’s so cool how they took the Morse code from their home airport code and turned it into a starting song rhythm. It was also the secret knock to the card room in college.
I'm not sure if it was always the case, but on the last few tours, Neil would actually write his drum solos. And the videos that played during his drum solos would be synchronized to his solo during tour rehearsals. The road crew said that Neil would be in time, to the second, every night.
A little late, but in response to your question about meeting Neil, my friends and I tracked down the band when we were dumb teens on the Power Windows tour (1986). We went to their hotel and happened to bump into Neil in the elevator. We were holding several Rush albums and asked him to sign, but we didn't bring a pen! He was very patient and kind, but almost..."annoyed" isn't the right word, but... shy. OTOH we bumped into Geddy and Alex later that day and they greeted us with smiles, like old friends (we DID remember a pen this time). It perfectly matches the band dynamic that you hear so often. Neil is a kind soul who just doesn't want to be part of the *ahem* Limelight. RIP, Professor.
"It's not just Neil." Truer words were never spoken. All three of them a the top their crafts. I was fortunate to see them 49 times. I wish it could have been much more.
Answer: Not much improvised, because this is actually how the songs were written. Though Neil does reserve a small section of his drum solo that is improv, in the middle. Not many have met Neil. Very, very private person... His story is complicated. See the documentary "beyond the lighted stage". It covers much of their history, but was done years before Neil's tragic death last January from brain cancer.
Indeed, that Rio performance was very close to the recording on Moving Pictures. It was a touch slower (maybe 10-12 bpm) and there were a few small changes to the melodic lines, which frankly are to be expected after HOW many years of performing it and thinking, "man, I wish I had done THIS here..."? Also, can't recommend that documentary highly enough. Fantastic look at these guys and their music.
I have been a fan since very early in their career. I started listening to Rush in 75 after their first album released. I have seen them live at least twenty times. As Dana said not much is improvised, but (and I emphasize but) as they got older they became more and more 'free' to experiment with the individual solos. They kept the basic sound intact but you can hear that they like to experiment. Alex and Geddy's solos became different. They maintained the same basic structure but they started experimenting more during live performances. They just liked to just play live. For instance if you listen to them play during the "Exit Stage Left" tour the performance was as close as anyone could possibly come to what was on the album recording. However, when you get to the "R40" tour they were all much more free to express themselves. I would also say that in many ways some of their later tours were some of the best live performances they ever did. For instance the song "The Garden" during the "Clockwork Angels" tour is an amazing performance that really showcases how much they had matured during their career, which really says something because they were always amazing.
@@EvanWeeks that was his solo, at the time... It's pretty much the same as it was on all the world's a stage. It was only in since Rio that he actually created a new solo, intentionally leaving spaces for improvisation. Neil was very compositional... Every hit was orchestrated and practiced meticulously before being recorded or performed live. Steve Vai is the guitar equivalent... Very little improv, if any at all, where Eric Johnson never plays a song the same way twice. But I digress... Neil was an amazing drummer, lyricist, and human being. He will be missed by legions of fans for decades to come, and even future generations who will say "I wish I could have been born earlier, so I could have seen him perform live"
This instrumental is Geddy's nod to his local airport; Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and the relief he felt coming home, and the RUSH of leaving for tour, and the caphonic sound is the buzz of the airport, the comings and goings, the frantic nature of life (both regular and rock band), no words were ever necessary...
Comment from Canada here: Geddy (bass) has said that Alex (guitar) was ",,,the funniest human being I've ever met" so when Ged got tired of feeling diminished by Alex's amp stacks, he (Geddy) and some roadies decided to "balance" the stage by adding mass to Geddy's side. It was a joke that became a staple with the fans, having been replaced over the years by: Industrial rotisserie fryers, (3) refrigerators, (which I recall being the 1st "appliance") and others I can't remember. In later tours, as tech got more sophisticated, Geddy's "side" became more esoteric. For the Time Machine Tour they all were early adopters of Steam-Punk ethics, with Geddy having Edison LED bulbs and motorcycle mirrors mounted to his keyboard setup, (to catch cues from Neil without turning around? Arthritis gets us all, you know) and the gear riser behind him was adorned with light up letters that switched from "Present" to "Past" and other "settings." Neil had custom drums made for every tour by DW, one set being made of 1500 year old "Romanian River Oak" about which DW made a documentary about entitled "Masters Of resonance" No longer available to view here, DW's site has a 4 minute piece with Neil talking about that kit. Alex was once amused by a roadie having put a Barbie doll on his foot control board (or whatever its called) so, naturally, Alex being the "funniest human being" Geddy had ever met, that became a collection of 60 or so, accompanied by model dinosaurs which I believe had something to do with his kids, but I might be wrong about that. Even Alex's amps were eventually replaced by round Steam-Punky screens which resembled bare, cabinet-less speaker drivers flashing to the music. They were all freaking NUTS! And their fans wouldn't want them any other way. If you watch lots of their live performances, what impresses isn't just the unbelievable virtuosity but the sight of how much fun they had! As for the "mystery" of having had a 40+ year career with, as you are becoming aware, a rabid global fan-base that went unheard-of by even pro musicians for all that time, many attribute this to American Music Journalistic bias. If you dig out some early Rolling Stone pieces, you;ll get the idea. Finally, watch (for your own edification) their R-&-R-H-O-F induction announcement (Grohl went NUTS!) and performance. Speaking of virtuosity, YES was inducted BY RUSH, with Geddy playing Squire's bass part to perfection. Cheers.
If you've never seen the Beyond the Lighted Stage movie, I'd highly recommend the dinner with Geddy, Alex and Neil. Just three friends enjoying - and in every sense of the word, enjoying - a meal together.
You're right, all 3 members are masters of their instruments. Neil & Geddy tended to get the most kudos, both winning many polls in music magazines for Best drummer/Best bass player. Alex, for me, seemed to be in a much more competitive field - in Rock music I think the guitar gets the most scrutiny & glamour - & he is up against some true masters. That said I believe he is up there with the very best - Page, Clapton, Van Halen. Maybe not as flashy as some, but Alex's work with Rush truly stands up against the best in the world in my opinion.
I definitely put him above Clapton. And he managed to have his own distinct sound in the way that Van Halen and Page did. I think where he really shines is that he was able to also take a step back and let the other two guys in the band be flashy in a way that few guitarists did. Just playing arpeggiated chords or echoy chorus stuff in the '80s to flesh out a sound while Geddy went crazy is something that you rarely saw other similarly talented guitarists do. I don't know if it puts him above those other greats, but it definitely shows a dimension in which there is no competition between them.
@@HollowGolem - But it is also known that Alex often played rather simple stuff especially in the mid to late 80's because the keyboards had already taken up so much of the sonic space that used to be his, and he was getting more and more frustrated with this, too! I think it was also thanks to producer Rupert Hine (along with Alex putting his foot down) that the keyboards were taken back in favour of more guitar again from 'Presto' onwards, in the early 90's; Rupert Hine says in the docu movie 'Beyond The Lighted Stage' (which I recommend) he couldn't understand how one of the last and longest-going Power Trios could be "smothered in keyboards". Alex is definitely in my Top-5 Guitarists list 🙂
As mentioned, once the guys started plugging in directly to the board and the wall of amps was no longer necessary, Alex chose to keep them for aesthetics. Geddy's response was "Well if he's going to have a lot of useless machinery up there, so am I. " There were washers, rotisserie fryers, vending machines - he just had fun.
One thing that surprises a lot of people after getting familiar with Rush music - I know it surprised me - is that despite their staggering musicianship and sometimes complicated material, the three of them were actually complete goofballs with an extremely silly sense of humor.
@@dleasman I mean, you hear a highbrow song like "Natural Science," and you totally don't expect the same band to open their concert with a ridiculous short film featuring Geddy portraying a Scottish character named Harry Satchel. 😆
@@joeday4293 Those guys are just plain silly. It saddens me to think there is no more Rush. At this point, I doubt Geddy and Alex will do anything together, musically. And there is nothing like them today, and I don't think there ever will be again. But, we still have the vast amounts of their music, and many hours of live recordings as well. I have been listening to them since fly by night came out (their 2nd album, first with Peart). Much of their music is timeless. But, like most fans, I like the 2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures era the best. Though I still listen to them all.
Not to mention the Barbie fans that the roadies & tech’s leave behind Alex’s pedalboard with post-it signs in their hands! Pretty funny but if you heard Alex serenade them during sound check, you’d know why.
I stomped my Power Windows cassette because I thought Neil had used overdubs on Mystic Rhythms. Imagine how stoked I was to see him play it live, in real time, at the Roll The Bones tour. As for meeting Neil, he was sitting at a hotel bar writing in his notebook when I walked in. I bought him a double of The Macallan and mouthed the words, “thank you”, when he looked at me as he accepted it with a smile and a nod. That was as close as I would ever get to ‘meeting’ him and it was enough. 🤘🏻🥁✌🏻
That's hilarious, because "Mystic Rhythms" is my single favorite "electric" drum part he ever played. And hats off to you for handling your encounter with Neil *exactly right*.
Trying to recall the story (and which magazine I first read it in), but Neil once recounted how he'd heard a particular, insanely difficult beat played in a song, and practiced literally for *years* until he was able to play it. Later, he met the drummer from that band, and asked how he'd figured out how to play that piece. The other drummer's response: "Oh, that's impossible. We recorded it at a reasonable speed, then played it back faster."
@@DeaconBlues117 that was from a CBC show with Stephonopolous where he recounted all the work he’d done and then the other guys said “ah, we just sped it up”
When Geddy is standing still on stage, that usually means he is playing keyboards with his feet while playing bass (or vice-versa). Sometimes he is also singing.
in Xanadu, he plays 12 string on his 4080/12 during Alex's solos and uses his feet to play the bass part but you are right, mostly added keys by feet Insanely versatile.
I have to comment that: 6:09 the best pause moment ever! Besides that, crowd singing yyz, could only happen in Brazil!. Even the beans were impressed by it.
My Rush story. Just before Rush's first album, I was at a party and met this guy who was an illustrator. He said, this is the next great Canadian band. He showed me the first Rush album cover that he illustrated. I thought, how does he know they're going to be great if they're not even out yet. I guess he heard the album.
I was there! Was amazing! And that crowd was different of everything the guys of rush had seen. In Brazil and South America the passion for the music (and the Rush) it's huge. As Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson once said about shows in South America : “The audience here, not only from Brazil, but mainly from Brazil, is incredible, they are the best in the world. I avoid saying that, because I think they will be jealous, but it's true”
Its not random that the morse code is used. When they flew as private pilots they always knew that they where closing in to toronto when listening to the VOR station(google it).
I remember when this album came out. XYZ always stood out to me because the band was amazing as individuals but out of this world combined. I would have given anything to be around during a jam session.
I grew up in the Toronto area and RUSH played my high school for a school dance. A couple of years before I got there - but all the same. On their farewell tour - the R40 tour (one of the 10 RUSH concerts I saw live) - they played at least one track from every album, backwards in time and dressed the set and appearance suitable to the time they played each song when they originally toured it. When they did Tom Sawyer they had lasers etc. When they played Working Man at the end of the night, the set was dressed as a high school gymnasium.
When they played our high school, Jeff Jones was the bass player. It's his picture that is in one of the year books. He's still playing including with Tom Cochrane I think. I'm pretty sure they returned to play with the signature line up we know now but I must have been out taking a whiz, as the saying goes. Back then they were really just another band made up of "some guys" who went to one of the high schools I played football against.
Geddy runs his bass directly into the mixer and doesn’t use amps. Alex still runs his guitar through amps. They have used various props over the years behind Geddy to balance the stage, dryers, chicken ovens, all sorts of things.
I was lucky enough to be at this gig - I can't even begin to describe how wild the crowd were - beyond anything I've ever experienced - wave after wave of euphoria.
From a mutual friend I spent a entire day at DW drums in Camarillo, CA with John Good. My teenage son and I were his friends for the day. Tour of the entire factory and meet Louie the guy who does all the artwork for his drums. This would have been around the Snakes and Arrows tour. John gave me a autographed Remo drum head that Neil Autographed for him that I am sure is priceless as they are non existent on the market. I never met Neil but heard all the stories about him from John first hand. Neil is shy, hates hero warship and is very grounded and polite. When he does interviews they are so fun to watch with his passion and love of the craft. RIP NP & I will have your drumhead for the rest of my life to remember you and how you and your bandmates shaped my life.
The songs are always note for note (perfect) on every tour. Now, they may change up a song or two for each tour, but it will be played the same for the entire tour. Neil rarely did interviews. He didn't meet fans. He wasn't comfortable being in the spotlight. If you do the song "Limelight", it explains his feeling.
They had all sorts going on during shows, they had a rotisserie and a chap occasionally came on in a chicken suit and basted it all, then left again They had a sausage machine Alex had a macabre collection of barbie dolls arrayed on his pedal board.... Amazing Worth watching a full show
Hey Andrew. Thanks for doing YYZ from Rio !! Yes , the crowd are insane in this. The DVD of this show is just fantastic. I think the reaction of the crowd is partly due to the fact that Rush had never played there before , and had no official releases in South America ! The band were very surprised with the reaction , but South America had been waiting many years to see them , and Rush had no idea of that. A special mix indeed ! As for Neil as a person , he is a very good writer , with a number of books to his credit. Ghost Rider will tell you all you need to know about him. Written by Neil about how he managed to cope with the loss of his daughter , and then his wife , by just riding endlessly on his motorbike from Canada to South America and back again. This tour was subsequent to that journey , and was probably Neil's idea , having been there , and wanting to ride there some more , as he always came to do , between shows on tour. His website has some links to books etc , and also some tour diary stuff. I hope it is still up and running , as it is a treasure trove of Neil's life. I think he loved to share his thoughts , but was an introvert who only felt comfortable with people he knew , or wanted to know. RIP to Neil. An extraordinary man. Cheers Andrew , all the best mate 👍👍
I can't recommend "Ghost Rider" strongly enough for anyone grieving a loss - I read it in the shambles of my first marriage, and Neil's talk of carefully protecting and nourishing what was left of his "little pink baby soul" spoke volumes to me. The part where he went to his parents' house, and the moment his dad opens the door, he collapses in his arms, sobbing "It's just SO BAD!" Ugh. It is somehow simultaneously comforting and mind-blowing that the famously stoic Neil Peart could feel that way too. 1998 was basically Neil Peart's 2020.
Another Kiwi Rush fan here. Rush in Rio was my first Rush DVD and when I used to work in the old 24 hour Mt Albert Video Ezy, I played that DVD in the store all the time! That Brazilian crowd was INSANE! Also was lucky to see them 4 times in the US 10 years ago too! So happy I got to catch them before Neil's unfortunate passing...
I was lucky enough to crew for them on the Vapor Trails Tour. It was the absolute highlight of my career. All three are incredibly friendly, funny, and welcoming. They included everyone as equals including an open door to their dressing room. Neil was a bit of an introvert who didn't really enjoy fame. He enjoyed the band and the 3 were like brothers. There was a little improv during the tour but not a lot, other than Alex's rants. Geddy doesn't like a lot of amplifiers behind him so to balance the stage, he chose driers to fill the space. They still had the timers too so the crew would wander on to load coins during the performance. It was an incredible moment to do it as it always got a smile from Geddy. There is a YT video of the guys having dinner and that is exactly what they are like. Lots of humor and humility. YYZ was inspired by the Morse code for the Toronto VHF navigation radio, which is loosely interpreted in the song intro. CYYZ is Toronto LBP Airport.
"Its YY Zed! And Peart stands alone." Krieger. Very privelidged I was able to see them 3 times - Bones Angels and R40. La Villa Strangliato in concert is even more impressive. And every time I hear this I always wait for the intro to Limelight.
I have to agree. The La Villa Strangiato from RIO-live is a work of musical art. If you do anything next, that's a must. There's a segment on the concert DVD that has Neil's drums isolated on camera, I believe.
Oh, thank you for the Holy Grail clips! The Rio crowd is by far the most vocal of any of their live releases...they create their own vocal melody in every song, it's awesome!
I was there !😊 They played the parts JUST like the Record ( that IS a compliment, in terms of How difficult ist to reproduce live...) . Me as a Jazz mudician, love improvisation, but the point of Rush ( and YES, EL&P, and those chaps) is the precision um playing... NEVER Will forget that show, in the greatest soccer Stadium of the World ( Maracanã) totally packed. Was a real experience. Peace 👍😊. I like a lot your analysis.
Question: "What was Neil Peart like?" Nobody really knew Neil. He was a very quiet and introverted person that liked to read and loved his family very much. I never met him, but I (as well as most of his fans) felt like we knew him through his lyrics. The lyrics in every song spoke to me in a way that I can't explain. I felt connected to him as a person. That is why when he died I mourned as though he was a family member. I still cry every time I hear "The Garden". But as I and most other Rush fans can attest, we felt that way about him, but he was unable to return the sentiment. He explained his feelings in the song "Limelight". It is an amazing song in which he discussed the difficulties he felt dealing with fame. Perhaps one of his greatest lines in a song ever is "I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend." You can also get a glimpse into who Neil was as a person in the documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage." Or you can just watch one of the many postings on RUclips of the video named "Dinner with Rush". It really shows all of them in a way that words cannot convey.
He was a very quiet and reserved individual when it came to the public. He was highly intelligent but was sometimes quick to anger. I see him as a world-class songwriter, percussionist and philosopher. To him, his music was his job and he was both anxious and perplexed concerning relations with fans. He really wasn't one to absorb the fanfare.
The thing with the dryers on stage is because, as others have pointed out here, Alex's side of the stage has his amp stacks set up and mic'ed. Geddy uses a Sansamp pre-amp to plug straight into the venue's PA system, so no big amp cabinets to mic. So it looked lopsided. I don't remember hearing how they decided on dryers, but they were full of concert tee shirts that a roadie would throw out to the crowd at intermissions. When asked about it, Ged said he had them up there because they gave him a nice, "warm, dry tone." In the next big tour, Geddy replaced the dryers with big, restaurant-sized rotisserie chicken cookers. Seriously. And they were entirely real. At the end of the show when everything was done and packed up, the crew would have them for dinner, and what the crew didn't eat was donated to the local homeless shelters.
If they improvise, they tend to have arranged that prior to the tour; special features, effectively. The proof of that pudding is the Rio crowd, singing along to an instrumental. That's not learned from the previous night...that's from the studio album! Alex does vary solos slightly - phrasing and so on - but they're thoroughly recognisable from the studio album version...unlike Jimmy Paige, letting rip. It used to take me a few minutes - or Plant starting to sing - before I knew what LZ were playing! I've heard that the washing machines etc are due to them using the PA rather than on-stage cabinets, and yet still wanting 'boxes' behind them. I don't know how true that is. Alex is the joker, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with it. Occasionally, road crew will walk on stage and put their washing in them (or gorillas will throw chickens into other appliances. It is the way of things! 😉😊 P.S. Probably should have added, YYZ (that's zed, btw), is the Toronto airport code; and the opening of the track is based on the morse code for YYZ.
Geddy stop using Amps and pluged directing into the "board" so they put a washer and dryer to fill out his side of the stage lol.. It was a stage gag and they staged laundry being done during the show.. Its was a testament to the goofy fun personalities these guys had with each other to the fans..
hey thanks! will repeat: Rush is what you get when you combine 6 very talented musicians into 3 extraordinary musicians. "virtuosos" is also extremely fitting.
Neil writes the lyrics. Geddy and Alex put them to music. They are excellent live....but they do deviate with different performances. Most their songs are so tight and the transitions so iconic and distinctive that they do stick to those important parts they’re known for. Improvisation is creativity. You can’t get any more creative than this group.
Okay so here’s my take. Introduced to rush by my cousin in 1979 80 ish I was about 10 years old and already had been learning drums. All of my drummer buddies in marching band through school was trying to learn this stuff. I got to see them live four times in my life. Every show absolutely amazing. The generally nail the record every time. Some small live performance stuff added but mostly they nail the record. At lease to the point that most ppl would not notice the difference. Add the energy and yeah some of the crowd and the general energy and excitement from the band make these live shows some of the best on the planet.!!! I watched a ton of interviews I watch the channel live videos. It is well known that Neil Peart was always a private guy really didn’t enjoy a ton of attention believe it or not. But I have heard some stories and people said he’s rather shy but it’s very respectful to the fans all three of those guys are. it’s usually Getty who’s out front with the fans in public. There much to learn about these guys as Missions musicians and people. They’re amazing guys are very different from a lot of the rock stars that they were around in the 70s highly recommend you watch some of the documentaries you’ll get a better understanding how truly unique and special they were.
@@AndrewRooneyDrums sorry there a few typos in there. Love your Vedio thanks for what you do it keeps me thinking about drums more and music and les about world news lol
Yes! Exactly! Why do all these reaction videos only do the song without the HUGE drum solo of the Exit Stage Left version. That's the best part and the best version of the song. Especially as a drummer or drum teacher. It should be a staple song of the craft. Like how could you be a drummer without hearing that solo... Disappointed! Lol...
I agree with you guys. But I think what he was looking for was a live video version of YYZ. There is no video of YYZ that matches the recorded version that you hear on the Exit Stage Stage Left album. I understand how you guys feel. The version, recorded on ESL, is the best version on this song.
If you want to get the real skinny on Rush, the documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage" is a great primer. The drawback is, the music is heavily sampled, so if you'd rather get more of a feel for the music, do some more videos first. This particular concert is discussed in that film.
The docu 'The Boys In Rio' from the 'Live In Rio' DVD also is worth a watch; I think it's actually here on YT, but it's a bit annoying that the sound cuts out (for Copyright reasons) whenever there's a song playing in the background.
That crowd was LIT! On a side note, I got to see Rush quite a few times from 1996 to 2015, and the show on their 2002 tour that I saw was, BY FAR, my favorite.
For fun check out Alex Lifeson's acceptance speech for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rush had been passed over so many times; Alex's whole speech consist of the words 'Blah-Blah', but conveys everything.
lived in canada for a while. it was part of your diet to listen to rush. ill be listening to them the rest of my day's. so sad Neil is gone. But never forgotten. A serious rock band.
I'm so happy to have seen them live. To me they always stand for freedom. Three dudes having a blast being creative and showing it to the world... God, I fucking love them :D
If you want a wonderful insight into the band, look up "Dinner With Rush" on RUclips where the three of them meet over a long dinner talking, drinking and having fun. You get a real intimate understanding of the three friends. While they would play the same from night to night, they wouldn't shy away from throwing in a little Reggae or even Polka just for fun. For us Canadians, it is YYZed but it's OK if you call it YYZee.
I think each of the members of Rush has spent the time perfecting their songs for their studio albums so much, that all of the screwing around they do in rehearsals gives them alternative riffs that fits within the confines of every song they fool around with. They personally joke around with each other like great friends will, and finding something different to play that doesn't diminish their songs show how comfortable they are to change things up. You can see it in their expressions how fun it is to take liberties once in a while.
Geddy’s bank of driers to visually balance Alex’s bank of speakers. At the end of the gig they were emptied and the t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc, inside were thrown into the audience.
Once Rush went to IEMs and no longer really need a "wall of sound" onstage, Geddy Lee decided to have fun with it. His "amps" were washers and dryers for this period. He also endorsed "Henhouse rotisserie ovens" and used them live for a while - chickens turning over and over under infrared lamps behind him, and at one point in the show a chef would come out and baste them. LOL
I watched the laundry being thrown to fans at the NEC in Birmingham, England during the R30 tour. My brother and I were awestruck by the R30 Overture and were “is there anything left to play?” We watched chicken being passed down from the stage in Sheffield during the Snakes and Arrows tour. During R30 the mixing desk ran up a Jolly Roger before Geddy got into “we are the pirates of the temples of Syrinx.” So much fin to watch.
@@joeday4293 if you watch the videos from Snakes and Arrows on one of them the guy comes out to baste the chickens wearing a chicken suite. Neil couldn't stop smiling.
For those that haven't figured it out..."YYZ" is the Airport Code for Toronto's Pearson International Airport, near their hometown. Peart and Geddy Lee have both said "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags". RIP Neil.
All three members of Rush were masters of their craft! I always liked their songs but went to their concerts, time and time again, to appreciate their talent on their instruments in person. Very amazing!!
there's a 5 part interview of Neil Peart being interviewed by Pamala Wallin.. on You tube. you will see the real Neil Peart. also there's a you tube video. called Dinner with Rush.. it's hillarious.
YYZ was initially a warm up between Neil and Geddy but then it became a part of the album. One reason Rush fans are so passionate because critics were never kind to Rush. They became our favorite band by putting in the time on tour. I've been listening to them for 45 years. My friends brother bought 2112 and I've been listening every since. They've always sold out their shows when they came to Houston but it was so cool that my nephew 16 years younger than me loved Rush as well. I took to see Rush twice when he was 11 and then 13. We always looked forward to hearing Neil's solo but more importantly was they,Rush, never treated their fans as dumb. They all held up they're side of the trio. I never heard anyone say they saw Rush and that they sucked. Loved them from the start
Iron Maiden Rock in Rio from 2001. They aren’t purely instrumental songs but they sing the guitar parts to the band. My favorite Iron Maiden album of all time. Those South American fans are incredible
Late in coming to this, but you asked a question in this video that I'm not seeing if anyone answered. About the dryers on stage: Geddy found some other way to tie his bass into the sound system, and so didn't need the big amps that usually sat on stage right behind him. Alex still had his guitar amps behind him however, so to balance out the stage, they brought dryers onto the stage behind Geddy, turned them on so they would constantly tumble, and loaded them with band/tour shirts. At points during the performance, someone in the band, usually Geddy or Alex, would grab a shirt from the dryers and toss them into the audience. In later tours they would add popcorn machines to the dryers, or just replace them with popcorn alone, and toss bags of popcorn out as well. This was toward the end of the Vapor Trails tour, the first album/tour after the band took five years off because Neil's first daughter and wife died.
Hey! Check out my REACTION PLAYLIST...
ruclips.net/p/PLqspKksRqaUURy8K34sBSKvuGo3ApmLC2
Yes the appliances are their amps! :)
Note for note every night.
Sorry! Checking it out now! Love your channel! Cheers from Germany!
May I suggest watching interview videos about Rush.
Cheers from 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Saw them live a slew of times through 70's and 80's.. They do stray sometimes but for the most part they stick pretty close to the albums.. You should listen to the studio versions of all their stuff because there are nuances that just won't come through live and not just a few. I am in no way being negative because I've been with them from the start.. They are my favorite band..
Imagine, just for a second, if the best bass player, best guitar player, and best drummer were all in the same band. Imagine them being down-to-earth regular guys who were always as normal as you. Imagine that silly idea happening and lasting for about half a century.
Well said.
One of the best comments I've ever heard!!!
and imagine if those guys started playing together in high school!
You could say that for the Red Hot Chili Peppers when John preshante is with them. Chad flea John are great together
Frusciante
It warms every Canadian's heart when someone new realizes how great Rush is.
Best thing to ever come out of Canada, and don't @ me with maple syrup.
@@reliantncc1864 Maple whiskey...? 😎
American's heart too! They're the best! Love them, ever since I first heard them, decades ago...
@@reliantncc1864 Agreed!Rush and Devin Townsend for me.
The greatest thing Canada ever made is RUSH. We are a special group, not a huge group but we are here and we are here to stay! RUSH HEADS
RUSH RULES!
Why yes. The crowd is singing along. To an instrumental.
Unreal.
close to 60,000 people, best rush crowd ever, and they didnt even knew if they had fans in brazil that time
BADASSERY!!! 💪🤘👊😍
Geddy/Alex: We have this song finished, YYZ.
Neil: Sorry, I got the drum parts down, but don't have any lyrics that fit.
Rock In Rio crowd: We got this, Neil.
They were begging for Hush (as they pronounce it) to play there for 20 years, so they definitely knew they had a fan base there. And Brazilians will always chant at any opportunity. All of my favorite performances seem to be at Rock in Rio @@MrProveyron
i'm brazilian and i was in this show, i always come on RUclips to remember these canadian masters of music.
It was a landmark show for the band. They really had no idea the following they had in Brazil. The crowd brought the best out of them.
I just made a comment on how great the crowd reaction was. Must have been a treat to see it live.
Love Brazilian fans!!
You're lucky for being there! 🏴
If I were in a band, Rio would be a must-play city. Amazing crowd.
From someone who has seen then more than 100 times, normally 10 times per tour the last 5 tours they reproduced faithfully ever show. As for Neil I met him twice randomly while traveling. Once we shared a stall side by side at a BMW motorcycle shop in Salt Lake City and another time at a Rest Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Knowing he was so private I never acknowledged I knew he was we simply talked about our trips. I am pretty sure he knew we were fans as we were ultimately invited to a private tour of the next to last concert by the band. It was quite memorable and we showed all the respect we could. We got to wander on the stage with all their gear and his drum set on full display. We never touched anything but got some amazing pics up close of everything. We were later allowed to stay for the pre-show warm up and were even allowed to park backstage. It was a memorable evening. I eventually sent a thank you note to Neil and he sent a reply back. But that will remain private. RIP N.P.
Wow. WOW. You are indeed a lucky man. I could not possibly be more jealous. What a memory to cherish.
@@joeday4293 It was one of those moments. Even parked my Aston Martin next to his :).
He inspired many of us in more ways than words can express.
Great story man thanks for sharing
Great story, thanks for sharing!
I always though that it would have been cool to meet Neil and say, “hey aren’t you the guy that played drums for JR Flood? Whatcha been doing with yourself since then?”
The thing about these Brazil performances that separates them from any other Rush concert/tour throughout their entire existence is that every single person at these shows was seeing Rush for the absolute first time. Years of pent up emotion all exploding at the same time with the same intensity.
The washing machines started as a joke from Geddy about Alex's stacks of amps. Alex insisted on having his huge stacks of Hughes & Kettner amps behind him (you can see them in the shots taken further out), even though weren't necessary with the technology of stage sound systems improving and speaker systems getting smaller and better. Geddy had the washing machines to "balance out the stage" with Alex's stacks.
The joke continued on the next tour, where Geddy had banks of rotisserie chickens cooking behind him. The backgrounds eventually became more produced with a popcorn machine and other fake props when Alex finally got rid of his amps.
Also, I was told that at the end of some concerts, Geddy would go to the dryers and pull out RUSH t-shirts and throw them into the audience.
The crew would actually do there laundry during the show. You would see different crew members getting clothes out of the washers and putting them into the dryers through out the show also on the your were they had the rotisseries chicken ovens they actually cooked a shit load of chickens and they would feed the crew and we'll anyone who wanted chicken they had alot. Lmao but through out the show you would see different crew put on a TOQUE! aka Chef hat & open the ovens and basted the chickens through out the show! Lmao it was truly fantastic . I was lucky enough to see RUSH & Mr. Peart live 24 times on 4 different tours the erliest being 1986 "Power Windows Tour" changed my life & my whole music appreciation. Thank you Niel. RIP Niel Peart...Cheers
They used to hide a rabbit on all the album covers does anybody remember that that was the first thing you could do is try to find the rabbit
@@shanemccormick6072 was this pre PRESTO or post? I don't remember that being a thing and I've been a huge fan since '86?
@@tracyrbrandau1062 its spelled toque ;)
Imagine a crowd, about 100,000 strong, who know all the lyrics to an instrumental track by a Canadian rock band, and will happily deliver that lyric on a show
AMAZING. Truly special
Yes, that is, in fact, the Rio crowd singing the melody line of an instrumental. What a bonkers crowd. Fun fact: YYZ is the airport code for Toronto International, which is sent out in Morse code as a beacon to incoming pilots. The rhythm in that intro lick is "YYZ" in Morse code, like pilots hear when flying into Toronto.
As for improvisation, Alex and Geddy might play a bit loose from night to night, but Neil famously wrote every drum part he ever played, and religiously played them the same way every night, every show, for decades. He said he was proud to do that on a song like "Tom Sawyer," because he had written himself a difficult drum part and was proud to be able to execute it properly.
Now that you've reacted to "YYZ" live, and you've reacted to Neil's live drum solo, you must put the two together by listening to one of the most crucial live tracks in rock music: "YYZ" live from "Exit Stage Left," 1981, with Neil's solo in the middle.
Best drum solo imo ever
Just think it’s so cool how they took the Morse code from their home airport code and turned it into a starting song rhythm. It was also the secret knock to the card room in college.
Neil didn't play each part religiously. There are in fact some variations and spontaneous flourishes here and there.
Yes!!! That version is phenomenal from start to finish 💯
I'm not sure if it was always the case, but on the last few tours, Neil would actually write his drum solos. And the videos that played during his drum solos would be synchronized to his solo during tour rehearsals. The road crew said that Neil would be in time, to the second, every night.
"No vocals?" No, the audience provided the vocals !
HAHA. Yup!
That's Rush fans for ya. We even sing along with the instrumentals! :)
A little late, but in response to your question about meeting Neil, my friends and I tracked down the band when we were dumb teens on the Power Windows tour (1986).
We went to their hotel and happened to bump into Neil in the elevator. We were holding several Rush albums and asked him to sign, but we didn't bring a pen! He was very patient and kind, but almost..."annoyed" isn't the right word, but... shy.
OTOH we bumped into Geddy and Alex later that day and they greeted us with smiles, like old friends (we DID remember a pen this time).
It perfectly matches the band dynamic that you hear so often. Neil is a kind soul who just doesn't want to be part of the *ahem* Limelight. RIP, Professor.
Great story Mike!
"It's not just Neil." Truer words were never spoken. All three of them a the top their crafts. I was fortunate to see them 49 times. I wish it could have been much more.
Answer: Not much improvised, because this is actually how the songs were written. Though Neil does reserve a small section of his drum solo that is improv, in the middle. Not many have met Neil. Very, very private person... His story is complicated. See the documentary "beyond the lighted stage". It covers much of their history, but was done years before Neil's tragic death last January from brain cancer.
Indeed, that Rio performance was very close to the recording on Moving Pictures. It was a touch slower (maybe 10-12 bpm) and there were a few small changes to the melodic lines, which frankly are to be expected after HOW many years of performing it and thinking, "man, I wish I had done THIS here..."?
Also, can't recommend that documentary highly enough. Fantastic look at these guys and their music.
Came back to add: if you REALLY wanna hear Neil go nuts in YYZ... listen to the Exit... Stage Left live album version. It is inSANE.
I have been a fan since very early in their career. I started listening to Rush in 75 after their first album released. I have seen them live at least twenty times. As Dana said not much is improvised, but (and I emphasize but) as they got older they became more and more 'free' to experiment with the individual solos. They kept the basic sound intact but you can hear that they like to experiment. Alex and Geddy's solos became different. They maintained the same basic structure but they started experimenting more during live performances. They just liked to just play live. For instance if you listen to them play during the "Exit Stage Left" tour the performance was as close as anyone could possibly come to what was on the album recording. However, when you get to the "R40" tour they were all much more free to express themselves. I would also say that in many ways some of their later tours were some of the best live performances they ever did. For instance the song "The Garden" during the "Clockwork Angels" tour is an amazing performance that really showcases how much they had matured during their career, which really says something because they were always amazing.
He did let us in in his books.
@@EvanWeeks that was his solo, at the time... It's pretty much the same as it was on all the world's a stage. It was only in since Rio that he actually created a new solo, intentionally leaving spaces for improvisation. Neil was very compositional... Every hit was orchestrated and practiced meticulously before being recorded or performed live. Steve Vai is the guitar equivalent... Very little improv, if any at all, where Eric Johnson never plays a song the same way twice. But I digress... Neil was an amazing drummer, lyricist, and human being. He will be missed by legions of fans for decades to come, and even future generations who will say "I wish I could have been born earlier, so I could have seen him perform live"
This instrumental is Geddy's nod to his local airport; Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and the relief he felt coming home, and the RUSH of leaving for tour, and the caphonic sound is the buzz of the airport, the comings and goings, the frantic nature of life (both regular and rock band), no words were ever necessary...
Amazing info Noah!
The bell lyre rhythm Neil plays to kick the song off is Morse Code for
Y Y Z
Comment from Canada here: Geddy (bass) has said that Alex (guitar) was ",,,the funniest human being I've ever met" so when Ged got tired of feeling diminished by Alex's amp stacks, he (Geddy) and some roadies decided to "balance" the stage by adding mass to Geddy's side. It was a joke that became a staple with the fans, having been replaced over the years by: Industrial rotisserie fryers, (3) refrigerators, (which I recall being the 1st "appliance") and others I can't remember. In later tours, as tech got more sophisticated, Geddy's "side" became more esoteric. For the Time Machine Tour they all were early adopters of Steam-Punk ethics, with Geddy having Edison LED bulbs and motorcycle mirrors mounted to his keyboard setup, (to catch cues from Neil without turning around? Arthritis gets us all, you know) and the gear riser behind him was adorned with light up letters that switched from "Present" to "Past" and other "settings." Neil had custom drums made for every tour by DW, one set being made of 1500 year old "Romanian River Oak" about which DW made a documentary about entitled "Masters Of resonance" No longer available to view here, DW's site has a 4 minute piece with Neil talking about that kit. Alex was once amused by a roadie having put a Barbie doll on his foot control board (or whatever its called) so, naturally, Alex being the "funniest human being" Geddy had ever met, that became a collection of 60 or so, accompanied by model dinosaurs which I believe had something to do with his kids, but I might be wrong about that.
Even Alex's amps were eventually replaced by round Steam-Punky screens which resembled bare, cabinet-less speaker drivers flashing to the music. They were all freaking NUTS! And their fans wouldn't want them any other way. If you watch lots of their live performances, what impresses isn't just the unbelievable virtuosity but the sight of how much fun they had!
As for the "mystery" of having had a 40+ year career with, as you are becoming aware, a rabid global fan-base that went unheard-of by even pro musicians for all that time, many attribute this to American Music Journalistic bias. If you dig out some early Rolling Stone pieces, you;ll get the idea. Finally, watch (for your own edification) their R-&-R-H-O-F induction announcement (Grohl went NUTS!) and performance. Speaking of virtuosity, YES was inducted BY RUSH, with Geddy playing Squire's bass part to perfection. Cheers.
Love your story. From another Canuck.
If you've never seen the Beyond the Lighted Stage movie, I'd highly recommend the dinner with Geddy, Alex and Neil. Just three friends enjoying - and in every sense of the word, enjoying - a meal together.
I love watching someone becomming a Rush fan. Cheers mate.
Thanks for watching Joe!
You're right, all 3 members are masters of their instruments. Neil & Geddy tended to get the most kudos, both winning many polls in music magazines for Best drummer/Best bass player. Alex, for me, seemed to be in a much more competitive field - in Rock music I think the guitar gets the most scrutiny & glamour - & he is up against some true masters. That said I believe he is up there with the very best - Page, Clapton, Van Halen. Maybe not as flashy as some, but Alex's work with Rush truly stands up against the best in the world in my opinion.
I definitely put him above Clapton. And he managed to have his own distinct sound in the way that Van Halen and Page did.
I think where he really shines is that he was able to also take a step back and let the other two guys in the band be flashy in a way that few guitarists did. Just playing arpeggiated chords or echoy chorus stuff in the '80s to flesh out a sound while Geddy went crazy is something that you rarely saw other similarly talented guitarists do. I don't know if it puts him above those other greats, but it definitely shows a dimension in which there is no competition between them.
Alex Lifeson - not a bad player for someone who was basically self taught, no?
And yet, when Eddie Van Halen was asked what it was like to be the greatest guitar player in the world, he said, "I don't know. Ask Alex Lifeson."
@@HollowGolem - But it is also known that Alex often played rather simple stuff especially in the mid to late 80's because the keyboards had already taken up so much of the sonic space that used to be his, and he was getting more and more frustrated with this, too! I think it was also thanks to producer Rupert Hine (along with Alex putting his foot down) that the keyboards were taken back in favour of more guitar again from 'Presto' onwards, in the early 90's; Rupert Hine says in the docu movie 'Beyond The Lighted Stage' (which I recommend) he couldn't understand how one of the last and longest-going Power Trios could be "smothered in keyboards". Alex is definitely in my Top-5 Guitarists list 🙂
@@OneVoiceMore I had heard that on more than one occasion. Pretty high praise!
When they sing along to your instrumental, you know you did it right.
Yup!
As mentioned, once the guys started plugging in directly to the board and the wall of amps was no longer necessary, Alex chose to keep them for aesthetics. Geddy's response was "Well if he's going to have a lot of useless machinery up there, so am I. " There were washers, rotisserie fryers, vending machines - he just had fun.
One thing that surprises a lot of people after getting familiar with Rush music - I know it surprised me - is that despite their staggering musicianship and sometimes complicated material, the three of them were actually complete goofballs with an extremely silly sense of humor.
@@joeday4293 They were that way from the beginning. Always goofing off on stage, yet never missing a beat.
@@dleasman I mean, you hear a highbrow song like "Natural Science," and you totally don't expect the same band to open their concert with a ridiculous short film featuring Geddy portraying a Scottish character named Harry Satchel. 😆
@@joeday4293 Those guys are just plain silly. It saddens me to think there is no more Rush. At this point, I doubt Geddy and Alex will do anything together, musically. And there is nothing like them today, and I don't think there ever will be again. But, we still have the vast amounts of their music, and many hours of live recordings as well. I have been listening to them since fly by night came out (their 2nd album, first with Peart). Much of their music is timeless. But, like most fans, I like the 2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures era the best. Though I still listen to them all.
Not to mention the Barbie fans that the roadies & tech’s leave behind Alex’s pedalboard with post-it signs in their hands! Pretty funny but if you heard Alex serenade them during sound check, you’d know why.
I love it that when Geddy switched to keyboards, your mind was officially blown.
Yup!
I stomped my Power Windows cassette because I thought Neil had used overdubs on Mystic Rhythms. Imagine how stoked I was to see him play it live, in real time, at the Roll The Bones tour. As for meeting Neil, he was sitting at a hotel bar writing in his notebook when I walked in. I bought him a double of The Macallan and mouthed the words, “thank you”, when he looked at me as he accepted it with a smile and a nod. That was as close as I would ever get to ‘meeting’ him and it was enough. 🤘🏻🥁✌🏻
That's hilarious, because "Mystic Rhythms" is my single favorite "electric" drum part he ever played. And hats off to you for handling your encounter with Neil *exactly right*.
Joe Day I thought he was playing with an overdub which is beneath him.
Trying to recall the story (and which magazine I first read it in), but Neil once recounted how he'd heard a particular, insanely difficult beat played in a song, and practiced literally for *years* until he was able to play it. Later, he met the drummer from that band, and asked how he'd figured out how to play that piece. The other drummer's response: "Oh, that's impossible. We recorded it at a reasonable speed, then played it back faster."
@@DeaconBlues117 that was from a CBC show with Stephonopolous where he recounted all the work he’d done and then the other guys said “ah, we just sped it up”
LOL we all felt that way about Power Windows then. Now we all wish we had more of it.
No lyrics and the crowd still sings along. RIP Neil and therefore RIP Rush.
Yes Ramsey!
When Geddy is standing still on stage, that usually means he is playing keyboards with his feet while playing bass (or vice-versa). Sometimes he is also singing.
in Xanadu, he plays 12 string on his 4080/12 during Alex's solos and uses his feet to play the bass part but you are right, mostly added keys by feet Insanely versatile.
he said in an interview he liked the steinberger because it took up less room as he was surrounded by gear. he uses it in the weapon
I have to comment that: 6:09 the best pause moment ever! Besides that, crowd singing yyz, could only happen in Brazil!. Even the beans were impressed by it.
Sth American crowds are impossible to beat
They're also singing along to some of the instrumental bits in 'Natural Science' 😀
My Rush story. Just before Rush's first album, I was at a party and met this guy who was an illustrator. He said, this is the next great Canadian band. He showed me the first Rush album cover that he illustrated. I thought, how does he know they're going to be great if they're not even out yet. I guess he heard the album.
And that was when John Rutsey was still handling percussion!
I was there! Was amazing! And that crowd was different of everything the guys of rush had seen.
In Brazil and South America the passion for the music (and the Rush) it's huge.
As Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson once said about shows in South America : “The audience here, not only from Brazil, but mainly from Brazil, is incredible, they are the best in the world. I avoid saying that, because I think they will be jealous, but it's true”
From every live show I've seen recorded in South America, the crowd becomes a member of the band for that show.
it's cool, when you see a Rush fan born.
In case you're curious, YYZ is the international airport from their hometown of Toronto Canada, and the intro riff is morse code for YYZ.
Its not random that the morse code is used. When they flew as private pilots they always knew that they where closing in to toronto when listening to the VOR station(google it).
That meme at the beginning with Neil and Kanye 🤣🤣🤣
HAHA!
The crowd are the vocals, singing along to an instrumental. 😂 Cheers from🇨🇦🤘 oh more Rush please 😁
I remember when this album came out. XYZ always stood out to me because the band was amazing as individuals but out of this world combined. I would have given anything to be around during a jam session.
I got chills just by watching the crowds reaction. RUSH were ( and still are ) so powerful on the senses.
Along with singing, playing the bass, and playing the keyboard, Geddy Lee also does the bands laundry while performing.
I know this band since 1984 .... "spirit of the radio" My favorite song
I grew up in the Toronto area and RUSH played my high school for a school dance. A couple of years before I got there - but all the same.
On their farewell tour - the R40 tour (one of the 10 RUSH concerts I saw live) - they played at least one track from every album, backwards in time and dressed the set and appearance suitable to the time they played each song when they originally toured it. When they did Tom Sawyer they had lasers etc. When they played Working Man at the end of the night, the set was dressed as a high school gymnasium.
When they played our high school, Jeff Jones was the bass player. It's his picture that is in one of the year books. He's still playing including with Tom Cochrane I think. I'm pretty sure they returned to play with the signature line up we know now but I must have been out taking a whiz, as the saying goes. Back then they were really just another band made up of "some guys" who went to one of the high schools I played football against.
Geddy runs his bass directly into the mixer and doesn’t use amps. Alex still runs his guitar through amps. They have used various props over the years behind Geddy to balance the stage, dryers, chicken ovens, all sorts of things.
BRILLIANT!
I was lucky enough to be at this gig - I can't even begin to describe how wild the crowd were - beyond anything I've ever experienced - wave after wave of euphoria.
From a mutual friend I spent a entire day at DW drums in Camarillo, CA with John Good. My teenage son and I were his friends for the day. Tour of the entire factory and meet Louie the guy who does all the artwork for his drums. This would have been around the Snakes and Arrows tour. John gave me a autographed Remo drum head that Neil Autographed for him that I am sure is priceless as they are non existent on the market. I never met Neil but heard all the stories about him from John first hand. Neil is shy, hates hero warship and is very grounded and polite. When he does interviews they are so fun to watch with his passion and love of the craft. RIP NP & I will have your drumhead for the rest of my life to remember you and how you and your bandmates shaped my life.
After all these years it's still amazing to see that many people singing to an instrumental.RIP Niel. God bless Geddy and Alex. Thanks for everything.
Absolutely David!
I’ve watched other reaction videos but they don’t like comments made in their channel. You do and that’s the difference. So thank you Andrew Rooney.
Thank you!!
The songs are always note for note (perfect) on every tour. Now, they may change up a song or two for each tour, but it will be played the same for the entire tour. Neil rarely did interviews. He didn't meet fans. He wasn't comfortable being in the spotlight. If you do the song "Limelight", it explains his feeling.
Canadian ambassadors of music…
Seen em six times live always note for note every time R.I.P. Neil 🤘😀🤘
Awesome Tim! 🙌
in regards to the washing machines, Rush were listening to a lot of Primus at the time
They had all sorts going on during shows, they had a rotisserie and a chap occasionally came on in a chicken suit and basted it all, then left again
They had a sausage machine
Alex had a macabre collection of barbie dolls arrayed on his pedal board....
Amazing
Worth watching a full show
Hey Andrew. Thanks for doing YYZ from Rio !! Yes , the crowd are insane in this. The DVD of this show is just fantastic. I think the reaction of the crowd is partly due to the fact that Rush had never played there before , and had no official releases in South America ! The band were very surprised with the reaction , but South America had been waiting many years to see them , and Rush had no idea of that. A special mix indeed !
As for Neil as a person , he is a very good writer , with a number of books to his credit. Ghost Rider will tell you all you need to know about him. Written by Neil about how he managed to cope with the loss of his daughter , and then his wife , by just riding endlessly on his motorbike from Canada to South America and back again. This tour was subsequent to that journey , and was probably Neil's idea , having been there , and wanting to ride there some more , as he always came to do , between shows on tour.
His website has some links to books etc , and also some tour diary stuff. I hope it is still up and running , as it is a treasure trove of Neil's life. I think he loved to share his thoughts , but was an introvert who only felt comfortable with people he knew , or wanted to know. RIP to Neil. An extraordinary man.
Cheers Andrew , all the best mate 👍👍
I can't recommend "Ghost Rider" strongly enough for anyone grieving a loss - I read it in the shambles of my first marriage, and Neil's talk of carefully protecting and nourishing what was left of his "little pink baby soul" spoke volumes to me. The part where he went to his parents' house, and the moment his dad opens the door, he collapses in his arms, sobbing "It's just SO BAD!" Ugh. It is somehow simultaneously comforting and mind-blowing that the famously stoic Neil Peart could feel that way too. 1998 was basically Neil Peart's 2020.
Another Kiwi Rush fan here. Rush in Rio was my first Rush DVD and when I used to work in the old 24 hour Mt Albert Video Ezy, I played that DVD in the store all the time! That Brazilian crowd was INSANE!
Also was lucky to see them 4 times in the US 10 years ago too! So happy I got to catch them before Neil's unfortunate passing...
You immediately get a like from me, just for the fact that you pronounced Neil’s last name correctly, lol.
Even Jack Black still pronounced it wrong in the Rush docu movie 'Beyond The Lighted Stage'!! 😆
I was lucky enough to crew for them on the Vapor Trails Tour. It was the absolute highlight of my career. All three are incredibly friendly, funny, and welcoming. They included everyone as equals including an open door to their dressing room. Neil was a bit of an introvert who didn't really enjoy fame. He enjoyed the band and the 3 were like brothers. There was a little improv during the tour but not a lot, other than Alex's rants.
Geddy doesn't like a lot of amplifiers behind him so to balance the stage, he chose driers to fill the space. They still had the timers too so the crew would wander on to load coins during the performance. It was an incredible moment to do it as it always got a smile from Geddy. There is a YT video of the guys having dinner and that is exactly what they are like. Lots of humor and humility.
YYZ was inspired by the Morse code for the Toronto VHF navigation radio, which is loosely interpreted in the song intro. CYYZ is Toronto LBP Airport.
Great memories right there!
"Its YY Zed! And Peart stands alone." Krieger.
Very privelidged I was able to see them 3 times - Bones Angels and R40.
La Villa Strangliato in concert is even more impressive.
And every time I hear this I always wait for the intro to Limelight.
Nice Eric!!
I have to agree. The La Villa Strangiato from RIO-live is a work of musical art. If you do anything next, that's a must. There's a segment on the concert DVD that has Neil's drums isolated on camera, I believe.
We don't say "alpha" nor "beta" so "Z"! :)
@@ItsLoriK I agree......Aeeee, Beeee, Ceeee, Deeee, Zed? As in Zedbra? Noooo, it's Zeeeebra. How it's pronounced, depends on the country you live in.
YYZ is the airport code for Pearson Airport near Toronto Canada where the band is from?
The two concerts I saw they played all the songs spot on....incredible followed by incredible...
Oh, thank you for the Holy Grail clips! The Rio crowd is by far the most vocal of any of their live releases...they create their own vocal melody in every song, it's awesome!
That Monty Python movie was the first DVD I bought after moving from Germany to NZ, now more than 17 years ago 😀
I was there !😊 They played the parts JUST like the Record ( that IS a compliment, in terms of How difficult ist to reproduce live...) . Me as a Jazz mudician, love improvisation, but the point of Rush ( and YES, EL&P, and those chaps) is the precision um playing... NEVER Will forget that show, in the greatest soccer Stadium of the World ( Maracanã) totally packed. Was a real experience. Peace 👍😊. I like a lot your analysis.
Question: "What was Neil Peart like?" Nobody really knew Neil. He was a very quiet and introverted person that liked to read and loved his family very much. I never met him, but I (as well as most of his fans) felt like we knew him through his lyrics. The lyrics in every song spoke to me in a way that I can't explain. I felt connected to him as a person. That is why when he died I mourned as though he was a family member. I still cry every time I hear "The Garden". But as I and most other Rush fans can attest, we felt that way about him, but he was unable to return the sentiment. He explained his feelings in the song "Limelight". It is an amazing song in which he discussed the difficulties he felt dealing with fame. Perhaps one of his greatest lines in a song ever is "I can't pretend a stranger is a long awaited friend." You can also get a glimpse into who Neil was as a person in the documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage." Or you can just watch one of the many postings on RUclips of the video named "Dinner with Rush". It really shows all of them in a way that words cannot convey.
He was a very quiet and reserved individual when it came to the public. He was highly intelligent but was sometimes quick to anger. I see him as a world-class songwriter, percussionist and philosopher. To him, his music was his job and he was both anxious and perplexed concerning relations with fans. He really wasn't one to absorb the fanfare.
Keep coming with Rush reactions!! Cheers from Florida..USA
Love the old Monty Python clip LOL
Cue Triplets on Timpani
@@landonpeckham7752 HAHA!!!!
the synchronicity is not just with the band . but also with the crowd. This symbiotic relation is superb.
Rush on top of being outstanding musicians they have an awesome sense of humor
The thing with the dryers on stage is because, as others have pointed out here, Alex's side of the stage has his amp stacks set up and mic'ed. Geddy uses a Sansamp pre-amp to plug straight into the venue's PA system, so no big amp cabinets to mic. So it looked lopsided. I don't remember hearing how they decided on dryers, but they were full of concert tee shirts that a roadie would throw out to the crowd at intermissions. When asked about it, Ged said he had them up there because they gave him a nice, "warm, dry tone." In the next big tour, Geddy replaced the dryers with big, restaurant-sized rotisserie chicken cookers. Seriously. And they were entirely real. At the end of the show when everything was done and packed up, the crew would have them for dinner, and what the crew didn't eat was donated to the local homeless shelters.
Alex and Geddy both play keyboards with their feet while playing their guitars!
Rush live a ‘winner every time’. Genuine awesomeness! Only in Rio will they sing along to an instrumental, love it.
If they improvise, they tend to have arranged that prior to the tour; special features, effectively. The proof of that pudding is the Rio crowd, singing along to an instrumental. That's not learned from the previous night...that's from the studio album! Alex does vary solos slightly - phrasing and so on - but they're thoroughly recognisable from the studio album version...unlike Jimmy Paige, letting rip. It used to take me a few minutes - or Plant starting to sing - before I knew what LZ were playing!
I've heard that the washing machines etc are due to them using the PA rather than on-stage cabinets, and yet still wanting 'boxes' behind them. I don't know how true that is. Alex is the joker, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with it. Occasionally, road crew will walk on stage and put their washing in them (or gorillas will throw chickens into other appliances. It is the way of things! 😉😊
P.S. Probably should have added, YYZ (that's zed, btw), is the Toronto airport code; and the opening of the track is based on the morse code for YYZ.
The fans know every note....every note.
Geddy stop using Amps and pluged directing into the "board" so they put a washer and dryer to fill out his side of the stage lol.. It was a stage gag and they staged laundry being done during the show.. Its was a testament to the goofy fun personalities these guys had with each other to the fans..
And also because Alex's side was a wall of Amps and Geddy didn't want to look inferior
Also Neil's drum tech, Lorne Wheaton, hides behind Geddy's rig and changes Neil's electronic drums
I was also told that at the end of some concerts, Geddy would pull RUSH t-shirts out of the dryers and throw them into the audience.
@M 40 Well considered they actually had relationships with the band I think they dealt with it.
Good explanation.
most amazing crowd reaction EVER
hey thanks! will repeat: Rush is what you get when you combine 6 very talented musicians into 3 extraordinary musicians. "virtuosos" is also extremely fitting.
I had the priveledge to see them 4 times in my life. Memories for a life time. RIP Neil Peart
Great Glen!
Rush sounds exactly like their albums. They stick to the song. Neil writes 90% of Rushes songs too
Rush play - and sounded - BETTER than their albums, consistently since the early 80s at least.
Neil writes most of the lyrics. Alex and Geddy write most of the music.
Neil writes the lyrics. Geddy and Alex put them to music. They are excellent live....but they do deviate with different performances. Most their songs are so tight and the transitions so iconic and distinctive that they do stick to those important parts they’re known for. Improvisation is creativity. You can’t get any more creative than this group.
The original lineup wrote songs about being a working man. Neil comes in: "fuck it. I'm writing songs about snow dogs and wizards."
Exactly. I saw them in Hamilton-Ontario, 10 years after the Rush in. Rio and just like when I first heard of them back in Brazil in the 90’s
Okay so here’s my take. Introduced to rush by my cousin in 1979 80 ish I was about 10 years old and already had been learning drums. All of my drummer buddies in marching band through school was trying to learn this stuff. I got to see them live four times in my life. Every show absolutely amazing. The generally nail the record every time. Some small live performance stuff added but mostly they nail the record. At lease to the point that most ppl would not notice the difference. Add the energy and yeah some of the crowd and the general energy and excitement from the band make these live shows some of the best on the planet.!!! I watched a ton of interviews I watch the channel live videos. It is well known that Neil Peart was always a private guy really didn’t enjoy a ton of attention believe it or not. But I have heard some stories and people said he’s rather shy but it’s very respectful to the fans all three of those guys are. it’s usually Getty who’s out front with the fans in public. There much to learn about these guys as Missions musicians and people. They’re amazing guys are very different from a lot of the rock stars that they were around in the 70s highly recommend you watch some of the documentaries you’ll get a better understanding how truly unique and special they were.
Great info Joe!
Thank you
@@AndrewRooneyDrums sorry there a few typos in there. Love your Vedio thanks for what you do it keeps me thinking about drums more and music and les about world news lol
Rush plays the album note for note pretty much every night. The fans expect it.
Saw Rush at Wembley Arena in London in the mid 80's. Never forgotten the concert, probably the best I ever went to. Fabulous band.
Wow! That would've been something special
You need to hear the Exit Stage Left version with the drum solo. My favorite solo of Neil's by far
Yes! Exactly! Why do all these reaction videos only do the song without the HUGE drum solo of the Exit Stage Left version. That's the best part and the best version of the song. Especially as a drummer or drum teacher. It should be a staple song of the craft. Like how could you be a drummer without hearing that solo... Disappointed! Lol...
I agree with you guys. But I think what he was looking for was a live video version of YYZ. There is no video of YYZ that matches the recorded version that you hear on the Exit Stage Stage Left album. I understand how you guys feel. The version, recorded on ESL, is the best version on this song.
I love the true depth of appreciation you have discovered for the greatest band in history!
If you want to get the real skinny on Rush, the documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage" is a great primer. The drawback is, the music is heavily sampled, so if you'd rather get more of a feel for the music, do some more videos first.
This particular concert is discussed in that film.
The docu 'The Boys In Rio' from the 'Live In Rio' DVD also is worth a watch; I think it's actually here on YT, but it's a bit annoying that the sound cuts out (for Copyright reasons) whenever there's a song playing in the background.
That crowd was LIT! On a side note, I got to see Rush quite a few times from 1996 to 2015, and the show on their 2002 tour that I saw was, BY FAR, my favorite.
This was the most active crowd I've ever seen
.......ever
It's amazing William!
For fun check out Alex Lifeson's acceptance speech for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rush had been passed over so many times; Alex's whole speech consist of the words 'Blah-Blah', but conveys everything.
If you really want to see how big and dedicated Rush's fan base is watch their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
I will!
Blah, bla bla bla. Best acceptance speech ever imo. Long overdue induction.
lived in canada for a while. it was part of your diet to listen to rush. ill be listening to them the rest of my day's. so sad Neil is gone. But never forgotten. A serious rock band.
Excellent John
@@AndrewRooneyDrums there are two levels of music Andrew. rock music, then Rush. it's a 3 man orchestra just layer upon layer of music masterclass
YYZ is instrumental.
Rio: Hold our caipirinhas!
HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
YES!
I'm so happy to have seen them live. To me they always stand for freedom. Three dudes having a blast being creative and showing it to the world... God, I fucking love them :D
If you want a wonderful insight into the band, look up "Dinner With Rush" on RUclips where the three of them meet over a long dinner talking, drinking and having fun. You get a real intimate understanding of the three friends. While they would play the same from night to night, they wouldn't shy away from throwing in a little Reggae or even Polka just for fun. For us Canadians, it is YYZed but it's OK if you call it YYZee.
That sounds amazing Don!
@Don Hadfield - We actually do also pronounce it "Zed" here in NZed (Hah! 😉 ) and even once had a band with that name! 😀
I think each of the members of Rush has spent the time perfecting their songs for their studio albums so much, that all of the screwing around they do in rehearsals gives them alternative riffs that fits within the confines of every song they fool around with. They personally joke around with each other like great friends will, and finding something different to play that doesn't diminish their songs show how comfortable they are to change things up. You can see it in their expressions how fun it is to take liberties once in a while.
Geddy’s bank of driers to visually balance Alex’s bank of speakers. At the end of the gig they were emptied and the t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc, inside were thrown into the audience.
Once Rush went to IEMs and no longer really need a "wall of sound" onstage, Geddy Lee decided to have fun with it. His "amps" were washers and dryers for this period. He also endorsed "Henhouse rotisserie ovens" and used them live for a while - chickens turning over and over under infrared lamps behind him, and at one point in the show a chef would come out and baste them. LOL
I caught one or those t-shirts once!!
I watched the laundry being thrown to fans at the NEC in Birmingham, England during the R30 tour. My brother and I were awestruck by the R30 Overture and were “is there anything left to play?” We watched chicken being passed down from the stage in Sheffield during the Snakes and Arrows tour. During R30 the mixing desk ran up a Jolly Roger before Geddy got into “we are the pirates of the temples of Syrinx.” So much fin to watch.
@@joeday4293 if you watch the videos from Snakes and Arrows on one of them the guy comes out to baste the chickens wearing a chicken suite. Neil couldn't stop smiling.
@@patrickq7489 You know how hard it is to get Neil."The Professor" Peart to break concentration? LOL
Greatest rock instrumental of all time. Rush will always be one of the best ever.
For those that haven't figured it out..."YYZ" is the Airport Code for Toronto's Pearson International Airport, near their hometown. Peart and Geddy Lee have both said "It's always a happy day when YYZ appears on our luggage tags". RIP Neil.
Excellent Dan!
I've never heard a RUSH song I didn't love, but, their instrumentals are truly something special!!
Read Neil's first book Ghost Rider. You will then really start to learn about the legend behind the drums. RIP Neil.
Thanks Joe!
All three members of Rush were masters of their craft! I always liked their songs but went to their concerts, time and time again, to appreciate their talent on their instruments in person. Very amazing!!
there's a 5 part interview of Neil Peart being interviewed by Pamala Wallin.. on You tube. you will see the real Neil Peart. also there's a you tube video. called Dinner with Rush.. it's hillarious.
Favourite band since I was a teeny bopper in the 70's. Love YY ZED!!!!!!
No, Here in Canada, We say Zed for Z. So it would be said like YYZed.
YYZ was initially a warm up between Neil and Geddy but then it became a part of the album. One reason Rush fans are so passionate because critics were never kind to Rush. They became our favorite band by putting in the time on tour. I've been listening to them for 45 years. My friends brother bought 2112 and I've been listening every since. They've always sold out their shows when they came to Houston but it was so cool that my nephew 16 years younger than me loved Rush as well. I took to see Rush twice when he was 11 and then 13. We always looked forward to hearing Neil's solo but more importantly was they,Rush, never treated their fans as dumb. They all held up they're side of the trio. I never heard anyone say they saw Rush and that they sucked. Loved them from the start
where else have you ever heard the audience sing the melody to a instrumental in concert...back to the band thats performing...
Iron Maiden Rock in Rio from 2001. They aren’t purely instrumental songs but they sing the guitar parts to the band. My favorite Iron Maiden album of all time. Those South American fans are incredible
Bohemian Rhapsody guitar solo
Late in coming to this, but you asked a question in this video that I'm not seeing if anyone answered. About the dryers on stage: Geddy found some other way to tie his bass into the sound system, and so didn't need the big amps that usually sat on stage right behind him. Alex still had his guitar amps behind him however, so to balance out the stage, they brought dryers onto the stage behind Geddy, turned them on so they would constantly tumble, and loaded them with band/tour shirts. At points during the performance, someone in the band, usually Geddy or Alex, would grab a shirt from the dryers and toss them into the audience. In later tours they would add popcorn machines to the dryers, or just replace them with popcorn alone, and toss bags of popcorn out as well. This was toward the end of the Vapor Trails tour, the first album/tour after the band took five years off because Neil's first daughter and wife died.
On that song in particular, they play it note for note from the record. Neil did not do meet and greets, he hated adulation.
Hence the line "I can't pretend the stranger is a long-awaited friend" in the amazing 'Limelight' 🙂
In all of the years, that I Saw RUSH live, every time was breathtaking!!
FANTASTIC
Geddy likes to have the dryer for that warm, dry sound.
HAHA!
this was also Rush’s very first show in Rio. this is one of the most important shows the they have ever played.
omg i know too many comments but when he says "no vocals?" 6:55 i just have to laugh. i mean, REALLY?