Review: Rush 'Pure Rock Exuberance'

By Ben York
Posted: November 26, 2012

They came. They saw. They rocked. 

Playing to a raucous crowd at US Airways Center this past Sunday, Rush wowed the audience with its nearly three-hour set full of classic songs and new ballads. 

Check out these excerpts from a stellar review of the show by the Phoenix New Times.

On the band's uniqueness:

"But the technical prowess of the three Rush men remains the primary flash, and none disappointed. Lifeson goofed with the crowd and showed off his chops on a black Gibson Les Paul during signature solos in "Analog Kid" and "Force 10"; Peart offered up three (count 'em, three) extended drum solos, including a stint on an electronic kit that led into "Red Sector A"; and Lee, with his distinctive yap and grainy bass manipulation, held the whole thing together, adding quips like Dr. Evil's famous "one million dollars" cackle to the end of "The Big Money" and encouraging the crowd to "raise the roof" during the wonderfully awkward dance section of "Wish Them Well.'"

On the filming of the show for an upcoming DVD:

"Cameramen scurried about during the evening, capturing the detail and pomp of the Canadian power trio for an upcoming live DVD. The fans seemed extra-excited about the possibility of one day seeing their face in an official Rush live release. They unapologetically air-drummed, jumped, and shouted along every lyric. When the band took a breather following the expressive "Far Cry," I heard nearby Rush-philes buzzing about the inclusion of "Middletown Dreams," from 1985's Power Windows. "We got 'Middletown Dreams,'" they excitedly stammered, proving the power of the deep cut."

On the band's closing set:

"The band's closing set was joyful, just pure rock exuberance. Classic instrumental "YYZ" revved up to the band's classic single "Spirit of the Radio." It could have ended there, but band returned to offer up its most popular tune, "Tom Sawyer," and then just to prove indifference to the radio and mainstream popularity, segued into parts of the side A-filling "2112" suite, from 1976's 2112.

"We have assumed control," the loud speakers blared as the Lee, Peart, and Lifeson triumphantly vamped. But the band had control from the moment it took the stage, and the fans couldn't have been more pleased about it."

Read the entire review here.