Four decades in and the Canadian triumvirate known as Rush are no less relevant today than they were at the height of their success. Their lengthy tour – simply called R40 – is a celebration of the last forty years as perhaps the best-known progressive rock band on the planet. Austin’s sold out show on Saturday night was only the fifth stop on the tour, but you would hardly know it considering the well-oiled machine that is Geddy, Neil and Alex. There was also added significance to the show because the band has mentioned that this may be their last tour ever, although that’s hard to believe after seeing just how sharp and passionate these three master musicians still are when it comes to their music. Adding to the feeling of finality was a career-spanning setlist that touched on 15 of 20 Rush studio albums with some songs that, according to bassist and singer Geddy Lee, have never been played live.
On this tour Rush has opted for a more minimal stage setup, letting the music remain front and center. The crowd was given a few pyrotechnic booms throughout the show, but the lighting rig and stage props were stripped down. When the band first hit the stage they were in front of steampunk props used on their last Clockwork Angels Tour, which was fitting because they opened with three tunes off the 2012 album. “The Anarchist”, “The Wreckers” and “Headlong Flight” are all straightforward rock and roll tunes that let each member flex his instrumental muscles and set the energy level to 11. Over the course of the night the stage crew turned those props into washing machines and eventually a stack of amps. “Far Cry” saw the band venturing into proggier territory while “How It Is” off 2002’s Vapor Trails caught attention with its upbeat bass hook and poppy structure, and also because the band has never played it live until this current tour. By the end of the first set Rush played songs from seven different albums, closing out with the soaring, catchy, synth-laden “Subdivisions”.
#R40ATX @rushtheband – Here’s an album view of tonight’s set list at @AMP_360 pic.twitter.com/CDL6TIUcHy
— Rob (@RobR40Live) May 17, 2015
The second set found the band loosening up and easing into longer, more exploratory jams as they dove deeper into their own history. It didn’t hurt that they got things started with what is easily their best-known song, “Tom Sawyer”, before “The Camera Eye” and a reggae-tinged “The Spirit Of Radio” that led to many a plume of smoke rising from the crowd. Neil Peart’s drum solo during “Cygnus X-1” was deep and tribal as he sampled a mélange of different sounds to ensure a zero boredom factor from the crowd and making for one of the highlights of the night. Following the solo, the crowd joined in for a sing-a-long on the acoustic intro to “Closer To The Heart” before Alex Lifeson took off on his own exuberant guitar solo. The set closed out with a handful of songs off Rush’s landmark conceptual album 2112 that found each member engaging in a full throttle instrumental throw down while simultaneously functioning as one tight unit.
It wasn’t clear if the band was coming back for an encore, but when they emerged to massive applause they gave the audience a dose of tunes from their first three studio albums. Closing out with a snippet from “Working Man” off their first album – a party song to the fullest extent – Rush left their fans salivating in hopes that this won’t be the last time they ever get to see them again. Even if Rush does call it quits after the R40 tour, their timeless progressive sounds will always be some of the most quintessential mega-rock in all the land. Long live Rush!
Note: This article originally appeared on The Horn.
Photos by Nick Kwasny.
