For as long as the band has existed, there's been a rumour circulating around music circles that Rush are not cool. This is fundamentally untrue. Rush are so uncool that they have become very cool indeed.
Sampling the pre-concert atmosphere makes that abundantly clear. It's almost poetic that Vancouver is hosting the penultimate show of the yearlong Time Machine Tour the night before a Canada Day long weekend. The crowd, stoked to near-frenzy, contains hundreds of dual-generation family units.
"Son, one day all this Rush vinyl will be yours." Canadian parents raising their children the Canadian way. Beautiful.
The three-hour show begins with a short video titled The Real History of Rush. It's a great excuse for the three members of the band, including guitarist Alex Lifeson in a terrific fat suit, to ham it up and make some jokes at their own expense.
The video leads into "The Spirit of Radio," the first song in an hour-long opening set spanning the band's mighty back catalogue. "Time Stand Still" is suitably epic, "Leave That Thing Alone" produces the first bass pyrotechnics from Geddy Lee and "Freewill" contains the first genuine Lifeson shred of the evening. An unexpected highlight is "BU2B," from their forthcoming "Clockwork Angels" album, an ultra-heavy blast of prog metal (very much in the style of Tool) that proves that Rush aren't mellowing with age.
They do acknowledge that they're no spring chickens though.
"Due to the fact that we're about a hundred," smiles Lee, "we have to take a short break."
Interval over, Part Two commences with another video, even funnier than the first, which segues into "Tom Sawyer." Not that many fans were surprised by this revelation. It was widely advertised that Rush would be playing their 1981 "Moving Pictures" album in full. In fact, the set list has remained the same for the entire tour. This has driven fine bands (Metallica included) crazy in the past, but Rush are made of sterner stuff. They are totally into it.
Great musicians supposedly make what they do look easy. Drummer Neil Peart defies that rule. He is a picture of concentration throughout, his stone-face never changing even when he's doing the oldest drum trick in the book, throwing the stick in the air and catching it on the beat. Tonight's count, a solid two catches to only one drop.
Lifeson is an anomaly. Lead guitarists are meant to be sexy and showy. Dressed in a black t-shirt and black suit, it's the perfect outfit for perhaps the most modest guitarist in rock and roll. Even when he's soloing furiously on "YYZ," it's always about the notes, never the pose.
The star is the sensationally sprightly Geddy Lee. His bass playing is impeccable and his voice, note perfect. Any time he's not chained to his keyboard he's bouncing around the stage firing up the faithful. Most importantly, he looks exactly like Geddy Lee has always looked. For a 58-year-old man, this is awesome.
"Moving Pictures" completed, there's still room for an insane Peart drum solo, "Closer To The Heart," and an encore of an ultra-prog "La Villa Strangiato" and a white hot "Working Man," hands down the best song of the night.
Encore over, the final touch is the third (and best) video of them all, Jason Segel and Paul Rudd reprising their Rush-loving roles from "I Love You Man" in the band's dressing room. The best joke of all comes from Peart.
"Seven females at a Rush concert. Must be some kind of a world's record."
Rush have kept going this long by proving themselves smarter, funnier and tougher than their competition. Above all, they still rock. That's the coolest thing about them.
