Alex's shift from 12 to 6 string at 9:44 is so quick and smooth most reviewers miss it but it's understandable with everything that's going on in this song which is why it requires several views to see it all.
People also miss that Geddy is playing 12 string guitar at the end when Alex is winding down with that softer lick so that the music stays full. Geddy has to jump between the 12 string and the keys at the end of the song.
I watched them perform it live, like, every tour since it was released, and saw the video soooo many times, and I never actually noticed that quick transition. He's so quick it's like the camera barely caught it. Wow!
@@IAmGRX indeed, although you can tell a bit at the end when he is playing the last keys in the synth where his hands are... Even better vid would is the All the World is a Stage version....
I was a 15 year old school band drummer in 1982 and my first concert ever was Rush….my life changed forever that night. 41 years later and I’m still obsessed.🤘🏻🔥
I remember going to the Signals concert! It wasn't my first concert (black Sabbath was) but it was a concert that changed my view on what a concert should be
Sounds like me. I was the drummer for the high school jazz band in 1978 and my fave band was Chicago. Then another drummer turned me on to 2112 and my life (and my drumming style) totally changed.
I was the kid hanging around with the older guys in the neighborhood in the early 70s. I was a middling guitar and keys player. In '74 (I was 12) my "buddies" snuck me into the Aragon in Chicago and I had my first experience with Rush. Talk about "changing my world"... Have been on this ride all the way through R40 and beyond! RIP Neil rl 🤘👹🤘
@@roblaw4554 lucky dog. we're the same age but i had no cool buddies like you i guess. i saw 'em first in 77. i was already hooked on them from hearing a guy play 2112. yep, changed my life and saw them a dozen times or more since then till Clockwork Angels
Have you seen the new clip Geddy and Alex put on youtube 2 days ago, where they are enjoying mugs of Rush Canadian Golden Ale while eating hotdogs with Rush Mustard on them? The cool thing is, Rush Canadian Golden Ale and Rush Mustard are actually real and you can purchase them. It's great to see Geddy and Alex still hanging out together and having fun: ua-cam.com/video/481kX-gpGUk/v-deo.html
Alex has a 12 string on top, 6 string below and Geddy has a 4 string bass on top, and a 12 string guitar below, which he played during Alex's solo and at the end of the song.
Right , and each have their own pickups and can be put through different effects. Don't think of them as 2 double guitars but as both Alex and Geddy each having 2 separate guitars.
ua-cam.com/video/SEuOoMprDqg/v-deo.html Not to be a know it all or anything, I believe Geddy is using a 4 Bass/6 string guitar. At 10:38 while playing with Neil they pick the same notes. Although a 12 string would sound really cool, it is a 6 string. 🎵🎼😎🎼🎵 Have a great day.
@@MrBassPlayer1 Look closer. Geddy's 12-string has the other six tuning keys on the back of the head. You can see them at around 8:20 and again around 9:12. There are other places they can be seen as well.
Just to clarify an error, that is constantly being repeated, Geddy's double-neck is a Rickenbacker 4080/12-String Double Neck. The top neck is a standard four-string bass with the same pickups as his 4001. The bottom neck is a 12-string guitar, complete with two humbuckers. A quick internet search should confirm this, if anyone doubts it.
Hope this finally puts it to rest: "Geddy Lee’s iconic double-neck guitar was a black Rickenbacker 4080. The body was modeled after his favorite Ric, the 4001, except, obviously, it has two necks. The top neck is a standard four-string bass with the same pickups as his 4001. The bottom neck is a 12-string guitar, complete with two humbuckers. This famous guitar made its first appearance in the Rush song “Xanadu.” To make it even cooler, bandmate Alex Lifeson also plays a double-necked Gibson SG on the same song. Two iconic rockers both shredding double-necked guitars, what could be better!?" All three are exceptionally talented musicians, together they are pure poetry and a magical combination of musicianship, friendship and relentless hard work. Simply the best.
I've watched this video a hundred times and it still amazes me. Love RUSH for decades now, something so special about them and their music. I never tire of them as their music has so many levels to it.
Rush is a deep hole to wander down. Incredible musicians. I was never a huge fan of Rush, but I always appreciated their skill. They're just undeniably incredible.
This concert was from my hometown of Montreal Canada, I was there, this would have been my fourth Rush concert, I saw one show from every single tour since 1978, so I saw them 19 times !
Getty and Alex grew up to gether and are the best of friends on and off the stage. Neil the new guy they always say was a good friend till his passing. Extremely tight trio 🤘RUSH🤘.Smiles 😃 from Canada 🇨🇦
These were 3 genuine people. Just typical nice guys, deep thinkers, and practical jokers. Rush was never a generic sex, drugs, Rock & Roll kind of band. They were soft spoken, and even shy geeks that could blend in with a crowd and went home to their families at the end of the day. That whole phrase about "never meet your heroes" doesn't and didn't apply to these guys (except Neil who was extremely shy and anxious around people). You can see their chemistry when Alex and Geddy are goofing off on stage; that wasn't fake or just for show. That's why Rush fan's aren't just like, "Oh, cool music" but are die hard, life long fans. It's almost a certain mark of character to be a Rush fan; not only do you have great taste in music, but you're an alright person too! Compared to bands like Korn, or Red Hot Chili Peppers, where their fans are people you keep a very safe distance from!
I agree. Just want to fill in that it was primarily crowds and in-your-face fans who Neil found intimidating. People who approached expecting to be received as his dearest friend, who he didn't know. Casual conversation with individuals who didn't know who he was, was different. In Canada and the US, he would often ride a motorcycle through the countryside separately from the tour bus to see the more natural scenery, what and who was out there, and he would strike up conversations with random strangers at convenience stores at little crossroads communities. It gave him points of contact with the people and world outside the music business and helped him feel more balanced, with the "peopling" in bitesize amounts he could handle.
The song Limelight on Moving Pictures is Neil’s description of his reaction to fame and fans: “Cast in this unlikely role, ill-equipped to act, With insufficient tact, I can’t pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend.”
Let’s not forget they were both 28 when they played this. Astonishing musicianship at that age, plus they’re Canadian which makes them really cool!👍✌️🇨🇦
It's hard to put "The Greatest" label on someone or something but I think Rush is The Greatest live band ever. I had the pleasure of seeing them twice and it's hard to describe how amazing they were. I used to describe it as seeing tons of pictures and videos of the Grand Canyon but until you actually stand there and look out at it in person you have no idea how unreal it actually is.
Saw them 4 times in Uk from Roll The Bones onwards. I've seen most of the big 70's prog bands (Yes, Genesis, Tull, Floyd) many times but Rush were definitely the best. So tight but what I loved most was that Geddy and Lerxt were always clearly having as much fun as the audience. Neil was just Neil, RIP.
Very unique band. Their musical soundscape is exceptionally immersive. I am 57 years old. Know and love them since 1981, i was 15 then. I still get goose bumps listening to them. Always happy to see other people discovering and liking them. Nice!
Alex Lifeson (guitarist) and Geddy Lee (vocals, bass and Keyboards) have been best friends since they were 13 and started playing together when Alex formed the band in 1968. Consequently they have great chemistry on stage. Fantastic performance of a masterpiece.
You should never worry about being over dramatic when talking about Rush. You're not saying or thinking anything that us die-hard Rush fans haven't already said and thought. Love your reaction. There's always something satisfying about witnessing another music lovers appreciation for three of the greatest.
Alex also plays the moog floor synthesizer In the beginning of the song. Also in La Villa Strangiato. You don't often see the camera pan to his feet, but he is also filling in sound to give Geddy a break. Sometimes they are playing the floor pedals together playing different parts.
Rush was my first concert when I was 16, and my music appreciation just blossomed from there. I saw them 4 more times over my lifetime. Your reaction is the same reaction I had when I saw Paco de lucia, John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola live.
Right around the 10:00 minute mark, you can see Geddy and Alex back-to-back, just relaxed and confident, up there having fun. I think that is one of the things I LOVE about this band. They know their stuff, but they have fun doing it !! Those are 2 guys I would love to meet and have a beer with. So inspirational !!
We are none of us worthy. What can you say about Rush live. When you look at the pantheon of rocks gods these guys sit right up there for me. Great reaction by the way. So good to see someone who appreciated the unbelievable level of musicianship but gets the passion too.
10:25 You saw it here, and I think it's one of the things that made them so good live: they were having fun. Sure, it was a job, they were performing the stuff they'd written and recorded, they had grueling nonstop tour schedules at this point away from their families, but they were enjoying themselves. They were old friends, Geddy and Alex for more than a decade at this point, so the rapport really shines through in their chemistry.
Absolutely. They were, at their hearts, a bunch of guys who liked making music and goofing around. They may not have partied as hard as say, Motley Crue, but it seems like they had a hell of a lot more fun.
Xanadu is their magnum opus. La Villa Strangiato, which you already reacted to, is the song I think that balances and highlights each member of the band more than most other of their songs. But this one ... it's their most impressive, IMHO.
My friend, I also saw this very tour in Birmingham, Alabama in 1981; senior in high school. Those were good, and vastly different times... dare I say better times. Enjoyed your reaction.
Geddy is playing a 4 string bass and 12 string Rickebacker. THis instrument from this video and is now part of the collection in the Candian Museum of History - it is a national treasure - although not on permanent display - but it should be!!!
The double neck Alex is playing is a 12 string on top and regular 6 string lead guitar on the bottom. Geddy has a regular bass on top, and rhythm guitar on the bottom neck. Geddy only plays the rhythm for the last minute or so during Alex's solo.
Enjoyed very much your thoughful comments after the video. With a musician's ear & knowledge of composition, your appreciation and enjoyment watching felt good. Thank you for spreading that positive.
Pleeease check out Rush in Rio, in particular the song YYZ , one of the most powerful live videos ever! Cheers from Alberta Canada! Keep up the good work! 🇨🇦
The greatest 3 rock composers of our lifetime, performing at virtuoso levels for our enjoyment and amazement. Priceless, dozens of views later, this still gives me chills.
I'm always impressed by these guys. They're playing one of the most challenging pieces of music ever written, each person playing multiple instruments, and they're so masterful that they can have fun onstage while keeping in perfect synchronization. It's as if they're one giant instrument expressing several aspects at once.
This show was recorded in Montreal about a week after the three nights they played in Toronto, two of which I was at. Right down to the same clothes and the Eraserhead button Geddy is wearing.
Alex has a Gibson 12/6 doubleneck, Geddy has a Rickenbacker 4080/12 which is 4 string bass and 12 string guitar. There are 12 tuners on that compact headstock. Look up images of Rickenbacker 12 string guitar headstocks, they are quite unique.
Total available instruments: Neil 1,529 piece drum set ( approx ) Alex 2 guitars and foot pedals ( 3 total ) Geddy 2 guitars , foot pedals , keyboards , voice , (5 total )
Fun Fact; on the 2015 tour, a friend and I visited with our friend Skully in the arena in Vancouver in the afternoon. He showed us all around the gear and let us gawk at will, and showed us his favorite piece of gear, a Roland tuner that he paid $60 for and after all the dates so far on the tour, it still had 2 bars of battery power. He was very pleased. 🙂 Prominently featured in the guitar racks was the black and white Rick doubleneck, I took a few photos of that, as well as the red one in a different rack. Skully consulted his notebook and said that the red one was in rotation for tonight, as well as for the next weekend in Vegas, where my friend and I were headed to see them in Vegas. 😔 Before doors in Vegas, I got a text from Skully, "surprise in Xanadu." I showed it to my friend, he said, "kimonos....?" That was better than any guess I could come up with... So they start Xanadu and Geddy had on the black doubleneck. After the show, Skully texted me, "I switched in the black one because I know you and Tim wanted to see that one." I replied, "you can do that? 😂" "I control everything."
Alex's Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck is basically an SG double neck, the top neck is a 12 string and the bottom is a standard 6 string. Geddy's double neck is a Rickenbacher 4 string bass top and 6 string guitar bottom that he plays during Alex's solos in some songs
I love La Villa Strangiato, but this song truly shows the virtuosity of the members of the band. Yes, Alex Lifeson plays with effects and plays 6- and 12-string in this song, and Neal Peart's kit os over the top, but Geddy Lee blows me away, playing bass, guitar, and keyboards, often more than 2 at time and all while singing. Yes, towards the end, Geddy picked up playing the rhythm guitar to free Alex up to play melodies. They killed this live and were so practiced that they could joke and play around on stage while they did it... amazing. If you have time for a LONG song, check out 2112, which is an absolute epic.
They will move you musically and lyrically throughout their 45-year career together. To echo some other comments, a big piece of why I love this band, passionately, is because of their friendships... and seeing them live, they always shared that piece of themselves in several ways... they always took their musically seriously but never themselves.. Just magic..
As I said in your last video, I have great admiration for classical guitar music. The genre enlarged my appreciation for other forms, I started listening to symphonic and chamber music. My rock interests are wide ranging: prog, metal, punk, etc. I am so glad you bring your professional experience to some rock music reactions.
I’ve watched this epic performance at least a hundred times. Every time Alex starts that guitar solo I always get goosebumps. Just something about that sludgy guitar sound effects me. 😁
I did see Rush play live but that was in the past. It's true that I have my memories but once I'm nothing more than ash, my memories will be dust, which is how it ever goes, but Rush? They and their music will forever last.
Thank you for your honesty and enjoyment. We (the "Rush Army") all bring different elements to our enjoyment. But it is always enjoyment. There is lots of analysis out there; those reactions are great. But another finding the same joy we do in their music is always precious.
Jone, Just listen to the music and enjoy. That is all we could ask for. We just love Rush and we want others to learn how great they are too. There are many reactors out there breaking down Rush's music because they are composers and singers and such. But we just love to watch others experiencing them for the first time. I have seen Rush live over ten times over their 40-year career. They are an experience that cannot be met by most bands. Their albums are composed in an amazing way with live performances in mind. Mind bogglingly complex and with lyrics that connect with many people in a very deep way. That is why I believe Rush was the greatest rock band in history. Geddy is actually playing a double necked guitar that was a bass and a guitar. He helps out on guitar in this song when Alex is tied up.
Glad you liked this one. It is maybe their best showcase of the talent they each have taken to the fullest measure. And the double guitar, the top is a 12 string and the lower a standard 6 string, both setup to do different things. Alex is a very underrated artist, not sure why. His talent in manifest, certainly in this song. Truly phenomenal track by one of the worlds greatest bands. If you have the time, take a listen to the seminal rock opera 2112, and you will be treated to Geddy's voice in all it's glory!
Alex has played keys live and Geddy has (obscurely) played a nylon string guitar in studio. Try The Garden Clockwork Angels Tour when you are ready to skip to what is basically their farewell song. The musicianship is all there. Rivendell for the obscure 1975 studio experience of Geddy pretty much solo. Did I forget: Alex also sings backup live.
You know that the guitarist was playing pedals too… great review, love it, would like more of a guitarist aspect, however you offer a great overview. Thanks, more Rush please!
Alex is playing a 12 string (top) and a 6 string. Geddy has his Bass on top and a 6 string underneath which he plays while Alex is doing his solo near the end. The camera is on Geddy for a couple of seconds then it's all Alex so you don't actually see him play it. He's great at multi-tasking. I have a picture (slide) of them with the Dbl necks doing this song. I took it when I saw them live in 1980. Got to see them 9 times.
I've been into Rush since I was 14.. Heard The Spirit of Radio on late night radio show (thanks John Peel RIP) and loved it instantly.. chatted about it to someone at school who was already into them and he introduced me to Archives (the 1st 3 albums in one big gatefold vinyl set) and I was blown away.. nothing like I'd every heard before.. then 2112.. thought I'd found God at that point lol.. anyway, followed them ever since.. caught up with all the albums released at that time and waited patiently for each new album every year.. point is, Rush became kinda the soundtrack of my life.. each album reminds me of a specific point in my life. I played the albums to death of course and while the music itself is so meaningful and enjoyable to me, it's easy to forget just how good they were as musicians.. so talented and yet so effortless. As you said in the vid, watching them being amazing but at the same time still having the mind space to link with each other while performing? quite something. Such a shame that as talented as they still are, can never be the same without Neil Peart *sighs* such a tragic loss :(
On the Exit..Stage Left live album that transition from "The Trees" (Alex on classic guitar) to "Xanadu" always gives me goosebumps. Amazing. Shame the edited it in the VHS (lol)/DVD. Also, one can never get tired of such phenomenal track as "Xanadu"
this song is from a farewell to kings released in 1977 . It is also a story about searching for Xanadu becoming the last immortal man & after a thousand years wanting it to end -------- Kubla Khan poem
Rush fans, particularly Canadian Rush fans, love to see a new Rush fan being born. We're extremely proud of these boys, and appreciate every single person who comes to see them as we do: brilliant musicians, artists in their craft, and some of the greatest to ever pick up an instrument. To hear Geddy's voice in the next one, I would suggest the studio version of Working Man, and then compare it to the live in Cleveland version, both of which are fantastic and I think you'll really enjoy.
All three of them are multi instrumentalists and genius musicians. During this live performance everything you hear, the entire soundscape is being played live by these 3 musicians…. Neil Peart is playing drums, cowbells, chimes, triangles, tubular bells, glockenspiel and bell tree Alex Lifeson is playing double neck guitar, top neck is 12 string “jingly” sound and bottom neck is traditional heavier 6 string lead guitar Geddy Lee is playing double neck guitar, top neck bass, bottom neck 6 string rhythm guitar, keyboards, moog pedals with his feet and vocals Amazing live performance from 3 guys in 1981
Great reaction and I am glad you enjoyed it! I love seeing anyone experience their songs and performances but I especially enjoy seeing the reactions of other musicians. The main reason I like to see musician's reactions to Rush, whatever their area of experience, is that they tend to pick up more quickly on some of the things that makes Rush unique as a band. For example you picked up on Geddy Lee playing the keyboards with pedals while playin the bass and singing. Geddy's double neck guitar has a bass on the top and a guitar on the bottom (I am not sure if it is a six or twelve string). They don't show it on camera but toward the end of the song Geddy switches from the bass to the guitar. I am sure you probably saw that Alex Liefson the lead guitarist was playing a double neck guitar with a six and a twelve strings. Their are a couple of great shots in the video of him making extremely smooth transitions from on to the other. In addition to several effects pedals Alex also uses a volume swell pedal to achieve some of the sounds. I some songs he also plays keyboards with foot pedals while playing the guitar. Neil Peart has a huge drum set and a ton of auxiliary percussion. Chimes, Glockenspiel, tonal wood blocks and tubular bells just to name a few. I wouldn't worry too much about expectations of the viewer's'. Just keep your reactions authentic and I think most people will appreciate your comments especially if you discuss the reasons behind your opinions. Here are a few other Rush recommendations: "The Sprit Of Radio", Limelight" and "Natural Science" Take care
At one point in the song you can see Neil Peart the drummer drop a drum stick at 11:10 and continued without missing a beat. Great song greatest rock band of all time
Akex Lifeson is playing a Gibson EDS-1275 12 string on top 6 string on the bottom in Alpine white, Geddy is playing a Rickenbacker 4080 double neck 4001 bass on top and 400 series 12 string guitar on the bottom in jetglo (Black)
As a classical guitarist I think that Jone might appreciate listening to a story about a guitar. And, what the hell, it's also the 20 minute plus opera that launched Rush to stardom. '2112'' is a must listen for Rush fans. The best format for understanding the 2112 story is the comic book style video. Jone should do an extended video, as 2112 is best to sample in one sitting. Enjoying these reactions.
Alex plays the pedals with his feet too!! All the way thru the beginning in LaVilla. I think they switch it up for different performances to fit the songs. Be well and God bless… from Texas!!
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I’m curious if you like electric guitar? Any interest in playing it?
The guitar player, Alex, also plays synth with his feet.
The double-neck guitars: 6 string and 12 string for Alex and Bass and Guitar for Geddy.
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Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush. A rock instrumental masterpiece.
I think you are the first reactor to spot the fact Geddy is playing the synth pedals the same time he is singing and playing bass. Good job.
I was going to say this:)
was at the Hold Your Fire tour and just 3 rows from the front, right in front of him watching him do that live.. something to see!
Alex is also using the Taurus pedals at points during the song intro and ending.
exactly... I have watched Geddy play a few times. Nobody comes close to the raw talent of RUSH.
This one song feels like a whole concert!
Alex's shift from 12 to 6 string at 9:44 is so quick and smooth most reviewers miss it but it's understandable with everything that's going on in this song which is why it requires several views to see it all.
People also miss that Geddy is playing 12 string guitar at the end when Alex is winding down with that softer lick so that the music stays full. Geddy has to jump between the 12 string and the keys at the end of the song.
I watched them perform it live, like, every tour since it was released, and saw the video soooo many times, and I never actually noticed that quick transition. He's so quick it's like the camera barely caught it. Wow!
Wow, never have noticed that moment before.
@@IAmGRX indeed, although you can tell a bit at the end when he is playing the last keys in the synth where his hands are... Even better vid would is the All the World is a Stage version....
Also note, switching between two guitars, especially a 12 to a 6, like that is NOT EASY!
I was a 15 year old school band drummer in 1982 and my first concert ever was Rush….my life changed forever that night. 41 years later and I’m still obsessed.🤘🏻🔥
I remember going to the Signals concert! It wasn't my first concert (black Sabbath was) but it was a concert that changed my view on what a concert should be
Sounds like me. I was the drummer for the high school jazz band in 1978 and my fave band was Chicago. Then another drummer turned me on to 2112 and my life (and my drumming style) totally changed.
I was the kid hanging around with the older guys in the neighborhood in the early 70s. I was a middling guitar and keys player. In '74 (I was 12) my "buddies" snuck me into the Aragon in Chicago and I had my first experience with Rush. Talk about "changing my world"... Have been on this ride all the way through R40 and beyond!
RIP Neil
rl
🤘👹🤘
Power Windows was my first concert. RUSH fan 4 life. The music that changed my life forever.
@@roblaw4554 lucky dog. we're the same age but i had no cool buddies like you i guess. i saw 'em first in 77. i was already hooked on them from hearing a guy play 2112. yep, changed my life and saw them a dozen times or more since then till Clockwork Angels
Alex and Geddy are childhood friends and you can tell all three members actually like each other and have a good time performing.
Have you seen the new clip Geddy and Alex put on youtube 2 days ago, where they are enjoying mugs of Rush Canadian Golden Ale while eating hotdogs with Rush Mustard on them? The cool thing is, Rush Canadian Golden Ale and Rush Mustard are actually real and you can purchase them. It's great to see Geddy and Alex still hanging out together and having fun: ua-cam.com/video/481kX-gpGUk/v-deo.html
Alex has a 12 string on top, 6 string below and Geddy has a 4 string bass on top, and a 12 string guitar below, which he played during Alex's solo and at the end of the song.
Right , and each have their own pickups and can be put through different effects. Don't think of them as 2 double guitars but as both Alex and Geddy each having 2 separate guitars.
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Not to be a know it all or anything, I believe Geddy is using a 4 Bass/6 string guitar. At 10:38 while playing with Neil they pick the same notes.
Although a 12 string would sound really cool, it is a 6 string.
🎵🎼😎🎼🎵
Have a great day.
@@MrBassPlayer1 Look closer. Geddy's 12-string has the other six tuning keys on the back of the head. You can see them at around 8:20 and again around 9:12. There are other places they can be seen as well.
@@MrBassPlayer1 - No... It's a 12-string. Six tuning pegs stick out the sides, but there's another six sticking out the back.
@@jodonnell64 - Sorry, just noticed you'd already responded 👍🏽
Just to clarify an error, that is constantly being repeated, Geddy's double-neck is a Rickenbacker 4080/12-String Double Neck. The top neck is a standard four-string bass with the same pickups as his 4001. The bottom neck is a 12-string guitar, complete with two humbuckers.
A quick internet search should confirm this, if anyone doubts it.
👍👍
Saw them 1981 in D.C., then Long Beach in '83. Epic.
9:43 Alex's transition from the 12 string (upper) to the 6 string (lower) neck is just flawless.
It's almost like a dance movement with his arms & hands.
Hope this finally puts it to rest:
"Geddy Lee’s iconic double-neck guitar was a black Rickenbacker 4080. The body was modeled after his favorite Ric, the 4001, except, obviously, it has two necks. The top neck is a standard four-string bass with the same pickups as his 4001. The bottom neck is a 12-string guitar, complete with two humbuckers. This famous guitar made its first appearance in the Rush song “Xanadu.” To make it even cooler, bandmate Alex Lifeson also plays a double-necked Gibson SG on the same song. Two iconic rockers both shredding double-necked guitars, what could be better!?"
All three are exceptionally talented musicians, together they are pure poetry and a magical combination of musicianship, friendship and relentless hard work. Simply the best.
I've watched this video a hundred times and it still amazes me. Love RUSH for decades now, something so special about them and their music. I never tire of them as their music has so many levels to it.
Same here!
Cheers!!😊🌌☕✨
Welcome to Rush. A fan base like no other!
Rush is a deep hole to wander down. Incredible musicians. I was never a huge fan of Rush, but I always appreciated their skill. They're just undeniably incredible.
They are the kings of multitasking. Three sounds more like 5. They are the best three piece band that ever walked onto a stage. Mind blowing.
Worlds smallest orchestra 😉
This concert was from my hometown of Montreal Canada, I was there, this would have been my fourth Rush concert, I saw one show from every single tour since 1978, so I saw them 19 times !
Getty and Alex grew up to gether and are the best of friends on and off the stage. Neil the new guy they always say was a good friend till his passing. Extremely tight trio 🤘RUSH🤘.Smiles 😃 from Canada 🇨🇦
Instrumentals are flowing together beautifully 💛💚💜
These were 3 genuine people. Just typical nice guys, deep thinkers, and practical jokers. Rush was never a generic sex, drugs, Rock & Roll kind of band. They were soft spoken, and even shy geeks that could blend in with a crowd and went home to their families at the end of the day. That whole phrase about "never meet your heroes" doesn't and didn't apply to these guys (except Neil who was extremely shy and anxious around people). You can see their chemistry when Alex and Geddy are goofing off on stage; that wasn't fake or just for show.
That's why Rush fan's aren't just like, "Oh, cool music" but are die hard, life long fans. It's almost a certain mark of character to be a Rush fan; not only do you have great taste in music, but you're an alright person too! Compared to bands like Korn, or Red Hot Chili Peppers, where their fans are people you keep a very safe distance from!
I agree. Just want to fill in that it was primarily crowds and in-your-face fans who Neil found intimidating. People who approached expecting to be received as his dearest friend, who he didn't know.
Casual conversation with individuals who didn't know who he was, was different. In Canada and the US, he would often ride a motorcycle through the countryside separately from the tour bus to see the more natural scenery, what and who was out there, and he would strike up conversations with random strangers at convenience stores at little crossroads communities. It gave him points of contact with the people and world outside the music business and helped him feel more balanced, with the "peopling" in bitesize amounts he could handle.
The song Limelight on Moving Pictures is Neil’s description of his reaction to fame and fans:
“Cast in this unlikely role,
ill-equipped to act,
With insufficient tact,
I can’t pretend a stranger is a long-awaited friend.”
Let’s not forget they were both 28 when they played this. Astonishing musicianship at that age, plus they’re Canadian which makes them really cool!👍✌️🇨🇦
It's hard to put "The Greatest" label on someone or something but I think Rush is The Greatest live band ever. I had the pleasure of seeing them twice and it's hard to describe how amazing they were. I used to describe it as seeing tons of pictures and videos of the Grand Canyon but until you actually stand there and look out at it in person you have no idea how unreal it actually is.
Saw them 4 times in Uk from Roll The Bones onwards. I've seen most of the big 70's prog bands (Yes, Genesis, Tull, Floyd) many times but Rush were definitely the best. So tight but what I loved most was that Geddy and Lerxt were always clearly having as much fun as the audience. Neil was just Neil, RIP.
One of the best Xanadu reaction videos I have seen. Great job.
Very unique band. Their musical soundscape is exceptionally immersive. I am 57 years old. Know and love them since 1981, i was 15 then. I still get goose bumps listening to them. Always happy to see other people discovering and liking them. Nice!
The bass player & the guitar player were best friends since middle school. The drummer came along soon after. These 3 guys are like brothers.
Alex Lifeson (guitarist) and Geddy Lee (vocals, bass and Keyboards)
have been best friends since they were 13 and started playing together when Alex formed the band in 1968. Consequently they have great chemistry on stage. Fantastic performance of a masterpiece.
You should never worry about being over dramatic when talking about Rush. You're not saying or thinking anything that us die-hard Rush fans haven't already said and thought. Love your reaction. There's always something satisfying about witnessing another music lovers appreciation for three of the greatest.
The dexterity of Neil and that precise and hard on a drum kit the size of a car and an orchestra of percussion. And he gave it his all when on stage.
Alex also plays the moog floor synthesizer In the beginning of the song. Also in La Villa Strangiato. You don't often see the camera pan to his feet, but he is also filling in sound to give Geddy a break. Sometimes they are playing the floor pedals together playing different parts.
The guitarist Alex, and the bassist Geddy, have been friends since middle school. All 3 guys were friends and it shows when they're on stage.
Rush was my first concert when I was 16, and my music appreciation just blossomed from there. I saw them 4 more times over my lifetime. Your reaction is the same reaction I had when I saw Paco de lucia, John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola live.
Right around the 10:00 minute mark, you can see Geddy and Alex back-to-back, just relaxed and confident, up there having fun. I think that is one of the things I LOVE about this band. They know their stuff, but they have fun doing it !! Those are 2 guys I would love to meet and have a beer with. So inspirational !!
I can listen to this live version on repeat and never get tired of it.
We are none of us worthy. What can you say about Rush live. When you look at the pantheon of rocks gods these guys sit right up there for me. Great reaction by the way. So good to see someone who appreciated the unbelievable level of musicianship but gets the passion too.
You’re one of the few I’ve watched who have picked up Geddy playing with his feet. Don’t know how he does it. Thanks. Good reaction.
You see a lot! And I see the joy this performance is bringing you!
Always good to see a new RUSH fan be created!
ive played bass as a studio musician since 1976 and these rush always impresses me
so nice to see people of different cultures enjoying the music I grew up with
10:25 You saw it here, and I think it's one of the things that made them so good live: they were having fun. Sure, it was a job, they were performing the stuff they'd written and recorded, they had grueling nonstop tour schedules at this point away from their families, but they were enjoying themselves. They were old friends, Geddy and Alex for more than a decade at this point, so the rapport really shines through in their chemistry.
Absolutely. They were, at their hearts, a bunch of guys who liked making music and goofing around. They may not have partied as hard as say, Motley Crue, but it seems like they had a hell of a lot more fun.
Xanadu is their magnum opus.
La Villa Strangiato, which you already reacted to, is the song I think that balances and highlights each member of the band more than most other of their songs. But this one ... it's their most impressive, IMHO.
My favorite band this version is a beast!
masterpiece , tnks from brazil
Alex once said he goal is always to create the "goosebump effect" He has succeeded in that for me his entire career!
My friend, I also saw this very tour in Birmingham, Alabama in 1981; senior in high school. Those were good, and vastly different times... dare I say better times. Enjoyed your reaction.
Geddy is playing a 4 string bass and 12 string Rickebacker. THis instrument from this video and is now part of the collection in the Candian Museum of History - it is a national treasure - although not on permanent display - but it should be!!!
The double neck Alex is playing is a 12 string on top and regular 6 string lead guitar on the bottom. Geddy has a regular bass on top, and rhythm guitar on the bottom neck. Geddy only plays the rhythm for the last minute or so during Alex's solo.
Enjoyed very much your thoughful comments after the video. With a musician's ear & knowledge of composition, your appreciation and enjoyment watching felt good. Thank you for spreading that positive.
I was actually at this concert totally AWESOME! RIP NEIL PEART!
I enjoy Rush of course because of their musical talents, but they are true friends off stage like brothers actually and they have fun playing.
Gettys bass playing always blows my mind even after 40 years.
Pleeease check out Rush in Rio, in particular the song YYZ , one of the most powerful live videos ever!
Cheers from Alberta Canada! Keep up the good work! 🇨🇦
If you do 2112 you should do the animation story video.
🤗 Agreed! 🥰🐰
agree!
help to understand the story
Unfortunately Vevo tends to block that video in reactions so blurring may help.
The greatest 3 rock composers of our lifetime, performing at virtuoso levels for our enjoyment and amazement. Priceless, dozens of views later, this still gives me chills.
I'm always impressed by these guys. They're playing one of the most challenging pieces of music ever written, each person playing multiple instruments, and they're so masterful that they can have fun onstage while keeping in perfect synchronization. It's as if they're one giant instrument expressing several aspects at once.
Alex's guitar is a 12-string on top and 6-string below. Geddy's is a 4-string bass on top and a 6-string guitar below.
Que Rico senior.
Psychedelic. Gracia's...Verdad
Saw this tour...most amazing experience musically..period...Just WOW.
Cheers! 🍄🌲🍄✨💥🌈😍
This show was recorded in Montreal about a week after the three nights they played in Toronto, two of which I was at. Right down to the same clothes and the Eraserhead button Geddy is wearing.
Alex has a Gibson 12/6 doubleneck, Geddy has a Rickenbacker 4080/12 which is 4 string bass and 12 string guitar. There are 12 tuners on that compact headstock. Look up images of Rickenbacker 12 string guitar headstocks, they are quite unique.
Total available instruments:
Neil 1,529 piece drum set ( approx )
Alex 2 guitars and foot pedals ( 3 total )
Geddy 2 guitars , foot pedals , keyboards , voice , (5 total )
one of the best live performances by any prog rock band ever👍.
Magic ✨
Fun Fact; on the 2015 tour, a friend and I visited with our friend Skully in the arena in Vancouver in the afternoon. He showed us all around the gear and let us gawk at will, and showed us his favorite piece of gear, a Roland tuner that he paid $60 for and after all the dates so far on the tour, it still had 2 bars of battery power. He was very pleased. 🙂
Prominently featured in the guitar racks was the black and white Rick doubleneck, I took a few photos of that, as well as the red one in a different rack. Skully consulted his notebook and said that the red one was in rotation for tonight, as well as for the next weekend in Vegas, where my friend and I were headed to see them in Vegas. 😔
Before doors in Vegas, I got a text from Skully, "surprise in Xanadu."
I showed it to my friend, he said, "kimonos....?"
That was better than any guess I could come up with...
So they start Xanadu and Geddy had on the black doubleneck.
After the show, Skully texted me, "I switched in the black one because I know you and Tim wanted to see that one."
I replied, "you can do that? 😂"
"I control everything."
Great reaction! The top guitar is a 12-string and the bottom one is a 6-string.
Alex's Gibson EDS-1275 Double Neck is basically an SG double neck, the top neck is a 12 string and the bottom is a standard 6 string. Geddy's double neck is a Rickenbacher 4 string bass top and 6 string guitar bottom that he plays during Alex's solos in some songs
I love La Villa Strangiato, but this song truly shows the virtuosity of the members of the band. Yes, Alex Lifeson plays with effects and plays 6- and 12-string in this song, and Neal Peart's kit os over the top, but Geddy Lee blows me away, playing bass, guitar, and keyboards, often more than 2 at time and all while singing. Yes, towards the end, Geddy picked up playing the rhythm guitar to free Alex up to play melodies. They killed this live and were so practiced that they could joke and play around on stage while they did it... amazing. If you have time for a LONG song, check out 2112, which is an absolute epic.
They will move you musically and lyrically throughout their 45-year career together. To echo some other comments, a big piece of why I love this band, passionately, is because of their friendships... and seeing them live, they always shared that piece of themselves in several ways... they always took their musically seriously but never themselves.. Just magic..
Wake-up call. This was 1981. 42 years ago now. Guess we're old. haha Thanks Jone!
This song has it all, truly incredible what the 3 of them achieved
As I said in your last video, I have great admiration for classical guitar music. The genre enlarged my appreciation for other forms, I started listening to symphonic and chamber music. My rock interests are wide ranging: prog, metal, punk, etc. I am so glad you bring your professional experience to some rock music reactions.
I’ve watched this epic performance at least a hundred times. Every time Alex starts that guitar solo I always get goosebumps. Just something about that sludgy guitar sound effects me. 😁
I did see Rush play live but that was in the past. It's true that I have my memories but once I'm nothing more than ash, my memories will be dust, which is how it ever goes, but Rush? They and their music will forever last.
Thank you for your honesty and enjoyment. We (the "Rush Army") all bring different elements to our enjoyment. But it is always enjoyment. There is lots of analysis out there; those reactions are great. But another finding the same joy we do in their music is always precious.
I appreciate your comment but this "Rush Army" stuff? There was the "Kiss Army" but Rush army was never a "thing".
@Alpha Sixty the "Rush Army" is a remark listed in many reaction replies. Nothing like the Kiss ARMY.
😉
Jone,
Just listen to the music and enjoy. That is all we could ask for. We just love Rush and we want others to learn how great they are too. There are many reactors out there breaking down Rush's music because they are composers and singers and such. But we just love to watch others experiencing them for the first time.
I have seen Rush live over ten times over their 40-year career. They are an experience that cannot be met by most bands. Their albums are composed in an amazing way with live performances in mind. Mind bogglingly complex and with lyrics that connect with many people in a very deep way. That is why I believe Rush was the greatest rock band in history.
Geddy is actually playing a double necked guitar that was a bass and a guitar. He helps out on guitar in this song when Alex is tied up.
Glad you liked this one. It is maybe their best showcase of the talent they each have taken to the fullest measure. And the double guitar, the top is a 12 string and the lower a standard 6 string, both setup to do different things. Alex is a very underrated artist, not sure why. His talent in manifest, certainly in this song. Truly phenomenal track by one of the worlds greatest bands. If you have the time, take a listen to the seminal rock opera 2112, and you will be treated to Geddy's voice in all it's glory!
Alex has played keys live and Geddy has (obscurely) played a nylon string guitar in studio. Try The Garden Clockwork Angels Tour when you are ready to skip to what is basically their farewell song. The musicianship is all there. Rivendell for the obscure 1975 studio experience of Geddy pretty much solo.
Did I forget: Alex also sings backup live.
You know that the guitarist was playing pedals too… great review, love it, would like more of a guitarist aspect, however you offer a great overview. Thanks, more Rush please!
Alex is playing a 12 string (top) and a 6 string. Geddy has his Bass on top and a 6 string underneath which he plays while Alex is doing his solo near the end. The camera is on Geddy for a couple of seconds then it's all Alex so you don't actually see him play it. He's great at multi-tasking. I have a picture (slide) of them with the Dbl necks doing this song. I took it when I saw them live in 1980. Got to see them 9 times.
Geddy's black Rickenbacker doubleneck is actually bass and 12 string, it's well documented in his Book of Bass.
I've been into Rush since I was 14.. Heard The Spirit of Radio on late night radio show (thanks John Peel RIP) and loved it instantly.. chatted about it to someone at school who was already into them and he introduced me to Archives (the 1st 3 albums in one big gatefold vinyl set) and I was blown away.. nothing like I'd every heard before.. then 2112.. thought I'd found God at that point lol.. anyway, followed them ever since.. caught up with all the albums released at that time and waited patiently for each new album every year.. point is, Rush became kinda the soundtrack of my life.. each album reminds me of a specific point in my life. I played the albums to death of course and while the music itself is so meaningful and enjoyable to me, it's easy to forget just how good they were as musicians.. so talented and yet so effortless. As you said in the vid, watching them being amazing but at the same time still having the mind space to link with each other while performing? quite something. Such a shame that as talented as they still are, can never be the same without Neil Peart *sighs* such a tragic loss :(
On the Exit..Stage Left live album that transition from "The Trees" (Alex on classic guitar) to "Xanadu" always gives me goosebumps. Amazing. Shame the edited it in the VHS (lol)/DVD. Also, one can never get tired of such phenomenal track as "Xanadu"
Saw them the next night on Ottawa. Drove from NJ to Ottawa
best trio ever
this song is from a farewell to kings released in 1977 . It is also a story about searching for Xanadu becoming the last immortal man & after a thousand years wanting it to end -------- Kubla Khan poem
Rush fans, particularly Canadian Rush fans, love to see a new Rush fan being born. We're extremely proud of these boys, and appreciate every single person who comes to see them as we do: brilliant musicians, artists in their craft, and some of the greatest to ever pick up an instrument.
To hear Geddy's voice in the next one, I would suggest the studio version of Working Man, and then compare it to the live in Cleveland version, both of which are fantastic and I think you'll really enjoy.
The drum tech/roadies had their hands full with Neil's kit.
All three of them are multi instrumentalists and genius musicians.
During this live performance everything you hear, the entire soundscape is being played live by these 3 musicians….
Neil Peart is playing drums, cowbells, chimes, triangles, tubular bells, glockenspiel and bell tree
Alex Lifeson is playing double neck guitar, top neck is 12 string “jingly” sound and bottom neck is traditional heavier 6 string lead guitar
Geddy Lee is playing double neck guitar, top neck bass, bottom neck 6 string rhythm guitar, keyboards, moog pedals with his feet and vocals
Amazing live performance from 3 guys in 1981
Geddy Lee has a six-string guitar on the bottom. He plays the final little guitar solo at the end, while Leifson plays a backing accompaniment.
Great reaction and I am glad you enjoyed it! I love seeing anyone experience their songs and performances but I especially enjoy seeing the reactions of other musicians. The main reason I like to see musician's reactions to Rush, whatever their area of experience, is that they tend to pick up more quickly on some of the things that makes Rush unique as a band.
For example you picked up on Geddy Lee playing the keyboards with pedals while playin the bass and singing. Geddy's double neck guitar has a bass on the top and a guitar on the bottom (I am not sure if it is a six or twelve string). They don't show it on camera but toward the end of the song Geddy switches from the bass to the guitar.
I am sure you probably saw that Alex Liefson the lead guitarist was playing a double neck guitar with a six and a twelve strings. Their are a couple of great shots in the video of him making extremely smooth transitions from on to the other. In addition to several effects pedals Alex also uses a volume swell pedal to achieve some of the sounds. I some songs he also plays keyboards with foot pedals while playing the guitar.
Neil Peart has a huge drum set and a ton of auxiliary percussion. Chimes, Glockenspiel, tonal wood blocks and tubular bells just to name a few.
I wouldn't worry too much about expectations of the viewer's'. Just keep your reactions authentic and I think most people will appreciate your comments especially if you discuss the reasons behind your opinions.
Here are a few other Rush recommendations: "The Sprit Of Radio", Limelight" and "Natural Science"
Take care
Great reaction video.
All the bells and whistles 😳😉😀
At one point in the song you can see Neil Peart the drummer drop a drum stick at 11:10 and continued without missing a beat. Great song greatest rock band of all time
A band I regret every day that I did not see them live. Phenomenal band, cream of the crop. 3 sounds like 30.
Fuck yeah, RUSH! 🔥
Alex, 12 & 6 string while playing foot pedals, Geddy, Bass with rhythm guitar, synthesizers, pedals, and Neil with an entire percussion section.
So much content from these guys for you to explore. Looking forward to seeing your journeys. All the best!
You say you got a "shiver" thru the whole song... Another word for "shiver" would be..... "rush". ;)
Great .I love this song and video
Akex Lifeson is playing a Gibson EDS-1275 12 string on top 6 string on the bottom in Alpine white, Geddy is playing a Rickenbacker 4080 double neck 4001 bass on top and 400 series 12 string guitar on the bottom in jetglo (Black)
As a classical guitarist I think that Jone might appreciate listening to a story about a guitar. And, what the hell, it's also the 20 minute plus opera that launched Rush to stardom. '2112'' is a must listen for Rush fans. The best format for understanding the 2112 story is the comic book style video. Jone should do an extended video, as 2112 is best to sample in one sitting. Enjoying these reactions.
Since you're a classical guitarist, you will also likely enjoy the first song from that same album: the title track "A Farewell to Kings".
Alex plays the pedals with his feet too!! All the way thru the beginning in LaVilla. I think they switch it up for different performances to fit the songs. Be well and God bless… from Texas!!