Concert Reviews

I hadn't seen a thread mentioning concerts in here, so I thought I'd start one. Feel free to pass along details about who you saw, when & where, how the show was, etc.

I'll start things off with my most recent concert - Rush at Verizon Amphitheater in St. Louis, on 8/22. We got the cheapest priced regular seats, which were $65 ($80 including tax & all fees). Met some friends in the parking lot for a little pre-party to avoid the $12 beers inside, then got to our seats about 10 minutes prior to showtime.

First off, I have to admit that Rush is my all time favorite band, and this was my 13th or 14th time seeing them. They began with a 5 minute or so video setting up the 'Time Machine' theme. It was interesting how they played bits of "The Spirit of Radio" in different genres - polka, disco, and country. Then it switched to Rock and the show truly started. Geddy Lee's voice was a little off early on, but he warmed up soon enough and the sound was incredible after that. They played about 10 songs then had about a 25 minute intermission.

They started the 2nd part of the show with another short video continuing the theme. This one wasn't as good though. They played all of the songs from 'Moving Pictures' in sequence, followed by drum and guitar solos. They finished with the classics "Closer to the Heart" and "2112", and "Far Cry", off of their last release. For the encore, they played 'La Villa Strangiato'. Alex Lifeson totally shredded his guitar parts on this song, and the cameraman got some great close ups of his detailed finger work on it. Then they started playing "Working Man" with a reggae style! It worked very well, then they cleanly switched back to the traditional rock style. They ended with a 3rd video with the band members and the actors from the 'I Love You Man' movie that they were in last year. It was rather lame. It was a good show overall though.

My son's friend went to the Rush concert in Vegas about a week ago. He enjoyed it, but echoed what you said about Geddy Lee's voice being off.

I saw the Rush concert just Wednesday night. I thought the entire production was one of the best I've ever seen. The opening after the video really blew me away. I also noted Geddy Lee was not hitting the high notes at first, but later on he did. Maybe that's just part of the show.

My first Rush concert was in late 1982 and I've been to a few since. I've always enjoyed them and when the voice starts to go, it doesn't bother me as long as they give it their best. Rush always does exactly that.

I went to one of the annual Labor Day fairs in my area today and they had the usual concert. Between the tractor pull and the chain saw demonstrations, fair goers were treated to the music of -wait for it- Fabian, The Chiffons, Bobby Vee, Danny & The Juniors, Brian Hyland and Chris Montez-collectively billed as The Original Stars of American Bandstand. Chris Montez didn't make it so the show ended 5 minutes early.

I won't give a review except to say that everyone got their money's worth because the concert was free. All it took was a $9.00 ticket to get into the fair.

Actually, it was kind of entertaining.

I saw Heart at the state fair just 4 days after seeing Rush. They were AWESOME. Ann Wilson has a one in a million voice. My personal top 100 rock songs includes two Heart songs, Crazy on You and Barracuda, and zero Rush songs.

Anyway, Heart played Magic Man, Crazy on You and Barracuda in succession to end the show. I did not expect an encore; what could they do? Well, they did Led Zeppelin's What is and What Should Never Be and The Who's Reign O'er Me. I thougt that was really cool to pay tribute to two of the three greatest rock bands of all time.

Rush was my first major concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1985. Fantastic concert by a great band. Art rock at its best. Geddy's been singing since the 70s and not a surprise that his voice was off.

Saw Foreigner at Mohegan Sun Pocono a week ago; it was like right out of 1974. They went on 45 minutes late with a rear light show, bloozy guitars, and a new lead singer who struck all the old cawkrawk poses and attitudes: "So some of you here think that a slow, serious song is the right time for a photo opportunity, huh?" during "I Don't Want To Live Without You". Oh, shut up and sing.

It's not my kind of music, and the show as a whole didn't really light up the mostly near-social-security aged crowd: "ARE YOU READY? WE'RE GONNA RAWK YER WORLD!!!!!" followed by desultory scattered clapping. But they caught on at the end, and finished nicely with "Dirty White Boy", "Hot Blooded", and "Juke Box Heroes" (the encore). And there was a spacey interlude in the middle, with a song that sounded kind of Pink-Floydy, and the light show had some guy traveling the cosmos; "Starrider", I looked it up. "Don't eat the blue acid," the next to me leaned over and said when it was done. I nodded sagely.

I'll take it, for free. Heinekens were only $4, same as Coors Lights. Afterward we played a little and got some good cards and spins, and left up $300.

Quote: Headlock

I saw Heart at the state fair just 4 days after seeing Rush. They were AWESOME. Ann Wilson has a one in a million voice. My personal top 100 rock songs includes two Heart songs, Crazy on You and Barracuda, and zero Rush songs.

Anyway, Heart played Magic Man, Crazy on You and Barracuda in succession to end the show. I did not expect an encore; what could they do? Well, they did Led Zeppelin's What is and What Should Never Be and The Who's Reign O'er Me. I thougt that was really cool to pay tribute to two of the three greatest rock bands of all time.

Hear is and always will be awesome, cutting their own path through the best straightforward rock that can be played.

The Decemberists actually paid tribute to Heart in the encore on their 2009 tour; IMO it kicks ass, and also reminds you just how hard it is to sing "Crazy On You":

The Decemberists

Quote: Mosca

Hear is and always will be awesome, cutting their own path through the best straightforward rock that can be played.

The Decemberists actually paid tribute to Heart in the encore on their 2009 tour; IMO it kicks ass, and also reminds you just how hard it is to sing "Crazy On You":

The Decemberists

Seconded, thirded, whatever. Glad to see other Heart fans on here. They've constantly been one of my favorites, underrated a bit methinks. Nobody, but NOBODY has or has had a sound like them. I also like Alone and These Dreams, although Crazy on You is a absolute classic.

I am getting into Rush a bit more but a lot of their songs sound the same. Geddy Lee's voice can get tiresome after three or four songs. I do like Limelight, Freewill, and Spirit of Radio is a great song.

Quote: teddys

I am getting into Rush a bit more but a lot of their songs sound the same. Geddy Lee's voice can get tiresome after three or four songs. I do like Limelight, Freewill, and Spirit of Radio is a great song.

Try side A of 2012, however it is you get it online...

So, Heart has songs other than "Allies" and "These Dreams"? Wow!