This wasn't just a Thursday night for them. They were completely drinking in the incredible energy that only 70,000 Brazilians singing an instrumental song back to them can bring. No matter how many times I see this video it still gives me chills and surges of adrenaline.
Hey! As a Brazilian, I can say that we are very proud of this show and it's been really cool to see you discover these Rush treasures! By the way, I love your smile and I look forward to seeing your next videos! 😊
That was one the best concerts and one of the very best concert recordings in existence. You should be proud of that. It was insane! And I’m a lifelong RUSH fan who’s seen them on 18 tours! I can’t imagine the energy of those nights. Really a once in a lifetime experience. Very impressive. You guys did it right! RUSH ARMY!
Geddy used to have bass amps, similar to what Alex has for his guitars. But Geddy eventually just went straight into the board, so he didn't need the amps. However, this left a large visual "hole" behind him. Geddy decided to put dryers in behind as a joke. This eventually evolved into chicken rotisseries and other things. Alex, in turn, during the chicken phase put a bunch of barbie dolls out on top of his amps and around his foot pedals to be his "chicks".
True. Geddy didn't need the amps behind him due to the introduction of good in-ear monitors. However, he thought he needed something to balance the stage and he needed something for Neil's drum tech to hide behind on that side of the stage. I was at a show, maybe the Clockwork Angels tour, where my seat was directly to the right (facing the stage) of Geddy and I was far enough back that I could see behind the dryers or whatever was on the stage then. It was cool, and rather surprising, to see everything that went on back there. It's no surprise they needed something on that side of the stage if for nothing else than to just block the view of 99% of the people watching the show.
@@scottallen6160 At some point during the show, someone actually comes on stage to take clothes out of the dryer. They'd also keep some band shirts in there and toss them into the crowd at the end of the show.
@@robertkennedy5414 Yep, I bought the dvd of the concert. I like the three that come out with long hair and guitars, sticks like their Rush from Wayne’s World.
'YYZ' is the airport code of Toronto, Canada where Rush was from... Rush put out the odd instrumental track in their catalog and 'YYZ' was one of their most popular ones from the 1981 album 'Moving pictures'... The track came together when Rush were in the studio in Canada; Alex Lifeson (guitar) decided to take a break to go fly his remote-controlled toy airplane... Geddy Lee and Neil Peart decided to jam without him in the studio... So, when Alex came back, they had already finished the track. Neil played the morse code for 'Y - Y - Z' on drums at the start of the instrumental. The Rio shows of 2002 were the first time Rush had played Brazil... part of the last run of dates to tour for the 'Vapor trails' album... It had been 5 years since Rush had played live in 1997 on the 'Test for Echo' album tour and Neil had lost his daughter Selena to a car accident... his wife Jackie to cancer only months later... Rush was on hiatus for years while Neil Peart took off on his motorbike and traveled for 2 yrs. Neil eventually settled w/ his new wife in California by 2001 and the 3 started talking about working on a new Rush album... But it was difficult; Neil was still struggling and wasn't sure if he could 'return to form' on drums... so, Alex Lifeson decided to co-produce the 'Vapor trails' album and the album was the heaviest of their career and also sounded raw... Released in 2002, Vapor trails' charted in the top 10. Rush decided to take it slow on touring... but the fans came back in full force and welcomed them back. The tour was a huge success. The band was booked to play Brazil in the Fall of 2002 and had no idea what to expect nearing the tour's end ... They arrived to find out that they were going to play the biggest shows of their career. The biggest show was when 60K fans showed up in Sao Paulo... then, 40K showed up in Rio ... and 25K in Porto Alegre... And the crowd was SINGING to 'YYZ' when they played. The Rio show was filmed for live CD & DVD 'Rush in Rio' - it is considered one of their best live albums.
The Xanadu you watched was live. They were actually playing their instruments and that is what you were hearing. They just didn't have an audience. You really need to check out the exit stage left tour of that same song. An absolute musical masterpiece that will go down history
Nah, they were just miming extremely well to the studio version in the 'Xanadu' clip she was reacting to. The pitch-shifting tubular bells sounds in the intro are a dead-giveaway, as that's something that could only be done in a recording studio at that time. The later, similar-looking clips of songs from 'Hemispheres' _were_ played live, though 🙂
@@kevinmcfarlane2752 - Yes, very cool! 🤩👍 That's my favourite guitar solo of them all, too! 😊 I like 'The Trees' also, mainly for Alex's solo sounding even weirder than usual 😅 The 'Exit...Stage Left' album version can't be beaten, though 😉
@@kevinmcfarlane2752 - 😊👍 By the way, I just listened to the 'Different Stages' live version of 'Xanadu' from '78 for the first time; I loved it for its rawer sound, compared to the studio and also the 'Exit...' version 🤩
Brazil loves their soccer and Rush. There are no lyrics to YYZ, but the fans are singing along to the music. It's the greatest honour to Geddy, Neil and Alex.
I'm Australian, they never toured here one single time in almost half a century of existence, so I saved my pennies and flew to North America three times just to see them. That's the kind of dedication that band inspired in their fans. (Oh, and they're Canadian, so it's YY ZED)
That’s fricken awesome. I’d of done the same thing. This is my band since I discovered them at 14. 57 now. Dream Theater is my 2nd fav. Being a drummer, you must of heard of them?!
@@scottlaughlin9897 The great Canadians, Rush and Devin Townsend (heard of him?) are my two favourite artists on the planet. DT are among a whole bunch of bands one small rung down in equal second.....
I was fortunate to live in one of their favorite U.S. cities, San Antonio, TEXAS. For real! They loved it here and said so many times. We were one of the first places to play them on the radio from the very beginning of their career. They came here on almost every single tour. We assumed that they toured everywhere in the world, they’re RUSH you know? Of course they play everywhere! I was shocked to find out that this wasn’t true. I learned this when RUSH in RIO came out. Wow, just wow. You guys even freaked the band out with your enthusiasm! You guys put the American fans to shame and we’re pretty damn good. The pure joy was fantastic to watch. Not bad live, are they? Ha Ha! 😆 RUSH ARMY!
Hello from Brasil! My favorite band! I was at that show, but a few days before when they played in another city in my country. Nice reaction, you have a lot of sympathy!
You gotta do La Villa Strangiato. It’s Alex’s Magnum Opus. And eventually 2112 ( twenty one twelve ) side one. When doing 2112, be sure to do it with the VEVO Video. It really helps first timers follow the story.
It’s fun alright! The positive energy is off the charts when you are there. That’s another thing, RUSH are 3 very silly men! Their sense of humor is legendary.
Rush hails from Toronto, ON Canada and YYZ is the airport code for Toronto Pearson International Airport. The Arabic inspired passages in the middle of the song is inspired by the multitude of middle eastern passegers at the airport and the intro of the song is morse code for "YYZ."
No words but the crowd still sang the main melody. Amazing. Thanks for Rushmas! You should totally do the more current video of 2112, it's a good story. And lastly, my guess for the next video is "Time Stands Still".
"The Garden" is amazing live. The last song on their last album... also very fitting with the passing of Neil. Incredibly powerful, can't recommend enough.
When Exit Stage Left came out, the drum solo happened during YYZ. I think the current crowd might have expected the same. They were not denied later into the concert
I saw them on their last tour. They played songs from their discography in reverse order. So they started out with with a big stage presence, and for every album switch, some mime looking guys would come out and take things away and rearrange the stage so it matched the live setup from that album. By the time they finished, the drum kit was a quarter size of the beginning of the show and up front they had 2 combo amps sitting on kitchen chairs. Killer show.
I’m guessing La Villa Strangiato You should consider reacting to 2112. As a theatre person I’m guessing you would strongly connect to that song as Geddy uses his voice to great effect to portray different characters in the story. There’s an animated version which helps understand the story, if you wan the best musical version, however, I would suggest their live performance from 1997. Stickhits UA-cam channel has a remastered version of this performance which is very good. I think it is the only time they performed the entire piece live. Enjoying your reaction Charis! Loving Rushmas! Hahaha!
How many other masses of people would be singing along to an INSTRUMENTAL??? Rush concerts are an experience unto itself. Been to four. Loved every second of all of them.
thats funny, i was just thinking this morning that I hope you will react to this version of the song. Glad you did! It's funny you mention the driers. When I saw Rush live in 2007, they had rotisserie chicken ovens set up as stage props where the driers would be here. I'm guessing the next song you're reacting to is Fly By Night
I can't even imagine what it's like to play in front of 100,000 people, but I'll say that years ago when I was in a band, it gave me a HUGE buzz to play in tiny bars when the 30 people there were into the music. The feedback you get from a crowd can be like a drug. Not sure if anyone else has said this, but YYZ is the airport code for Toronto; this song was written as as a tale of their travels and their love of returning home.
The dryers were done by the guys because Alex had a massive wall of Marshall amps on stage right and Geddy had nothing on his side to balance it out. So they brainstormed something they could put on the stage as a prop to balance out the look. In other tours they have used huge ovens roasting rotisserie chickens and if you go down the rabbit hole on this topic, apparently they cooked real chickens that went to local shelters.
Notice the teddy bear on the dryer behind Geddy? Rush is so awesome. I am falling in love with them again in my 50s. I was a HUGE fan in the 80s,my high school years. Saw them 5 times in concert, and while no crowds were as into it at Rio. 😁 Love seeing new, young people getting to know and love the greatest band of all time. 12:23
The only other time I can remember is in a live version of The Cure's song 'Play For Today', where the Parisian audience sings along with the lead synth parts - but not with the actual vocals! 😄
The three-word Rush songs that immediately came to mind for me are: Fly By Night Time Stand Still The Big Money Turn the Page The latter two are among many Rush songs that beg the question "How does he play that baseline and sing at the same time?!"
@skovol007 - Yes, Geddy had once said that 'Turn The Page' was one of the most demanding songs, in regards to that 😅 (By the way it's 'bass', not 'base' 😉)
@@mightyV444 I typed it as bassline, but apparently auto-correct doesn't understand the lingo. (Of course, I'll double-check THIS post now!) I imagine Marathon would be another of those difficult ones. The first Rush song I learned on bass was "Distant Early Warning." Though it's not that hard of a part, the verse parts are phrased so that it's hard to sing a play simultaneously. The chorus is just pumping straight 8th notes so that's pretty easy.
@@skovol007 - Naughty cell-phone! 😆 I play the bass myself, and 'Marathon' and 'Distant Early Warning' are fun to play! 🤩 I never tried to also sing them, though 😅 'Distant Early Warning' had actually been my very first impression of Rush's music (in '89 and after having known them only by name already for 5 years) when the 'Grace Under Pressure' album was among the LP's a friend had lent me to check out - and I was instantly hooked, too! 😁 And 'Marathon' is my 17-year-old Son's favourite Rush song 😊 Season's greetings from NZ! 🎅🌲
@@andrewlindenfeld6222Time Stand Still, Distant Early Warning, The Enemy Within, La Villa Strangiato, The Camera Eye...lots of good options there. Watch it be Roll The Bones, though 😂
The dryer tour was weird, but even better was the chicken roasting tour. Rush realized that venues gave them access to way more power than they needed, so they brought in rotisserie ovens to roast chickens during the show, and donated them to food banks when the show was over. There was a massive wall of rotisserie ovens at the back of the stage, and the show smelled terrific.
@@CharisSellick it was chickens not sausages😆. On a serious note they were fake chickens. Yes someone some nights wouls come out to "baste" them but it was all for entertainment purposes.
The enthusiasm of the crowd is palpable. RUSH never toured Brazil because they didn't know they had such a big following there. They ended up playing three shows at sold out soccer stadiums, and at every show, the crowds erupted like volcanoes as decades of admiration finally poured out of them when seeing them live for the first time. The only other place where the fans get this crazy is probably Cleveland. That was the first American city that put them on the radio and gave them their first 'viral' hit. Their hometown crowd in Toronto can also get pretty wild. But the Rush in Rio videos stand alone where the audience stands out as much as the band itself.
On the concert DVD, there are bonuses where you can see this song with each guy isolated, so no, Neil did not catch the stick. That's why they cut away here. 😊
For the RUSH fans out there, my first concert was Hemispheres (1978) Austin Texas 13 years old. It was an amazing show. I had seen them many times since then and had truly developed so much appreciation for them, their music, their ability to change their image and styles over the decades. Their live performance is on another level, because unlike many groups that sound great on recordings, they had put in the practice to play/perform their music to a live audience that also included comic elements and all kinds of visuals (like Dryers and Rotisseries) truly a Entertainment experience of amazing music and virtuosity. I am so grateful to have had a childhood with their music as my soundtrack and inspiration. Thank you for sharing these videos, being a fan
Just FYI, from the RUSH concerts I've been to in Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦, with the washing machines, towards the end of the concert, they open the dryers and take out some Rush shirts and throw them into the crowds, which was so fun to see! Thanks for reviewing their songs. It's been a blast! My favorite RUSH song has always been Spirit of Radio, and thier most under rated song is LOSING IT. Thanks and keep smiling! Happy holidays 🙂👍🇨🇦
I remember the first time I saw the DVD, probably not long after it came out twenty years ago. Loved the crowd singing along to an instrumental at the top of their voices. Geddy's face was fantastic :D
Ok, I’m going to go ahead and say it. This RUSH concert is Fucking Badass! I’ve gotten to experience it up close and personal too! It’s just, 😳🤯 Those dudes live, will Fucking Kick your Ass!!! Can’t say enough about them live. Just phenomenal. Truly one of the funnest things you can do. It’s an excellent recharge!⚡️
Great reaction! As a Canadian I'll always have a special spot in my heart for rush. If you want to hear a newer rock band bringing old school hard rock vibe back today, I recommend reacting to three young women from Mexico, the Villareal sisters, and their band The Warning. Like Rush they are a three piece band that packs huge sound with just bass, drums, and guitar. All three sing, they write their own music, and are incredible song writers. They just had their 10 year anniversary as a band, and the youngest member, Alejandra, just turned 19. Any song of their would be good, but I recommend the songs Choke, Disciple, Evolve, Dust to Dust, or Z as good places to start. They mainly sing in English, but also have a couple of songs in Spanish, Martirio and Narcisista.
Nice reaction,never heard of you but glad you popped up lol. Anyway thing with Rush..in one band you have arguably the best guitarist,bassist,andrummer all in one group..RIP Neil. And for 3 guys they made some noise..people love them to. They have a strong following and for a band that started in the late 1960s they also have a young following and they still bring it live. Not every older band can say that..
"Working Man - Live in Cleveland" is incredible live. Rush fans are as loyal to them as they are to us. Some people travel from city to city & has seen them more than 50 times. I've seen them twice (1981 & 2012)- they were amazing live! There are so many great songs!
"YYZ" is the 'call sign' for the Toronto airport which is broadcast in Morse code and at the root of this song. "The piece's introduction, played in a time signature of 10 - 8, repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse Code using various musical arrangements". On the studio version Peart is said to have used pieces of wood to 'crack' punctuate the code. The dryers are because Alex had a huge stack of amps and speakers and Geddy didn't because he was using more electronics to get his sound. They needed something to balance the look and hide the crew behind on his side of the stage, so one day a crew member picked up a dryer on the side of the road, and so the stacks of used appliances began. He talks about it in interviews.
As you're finding out, 70s Rush is different from 80s Rush is different from 90s Rush and beyond. They're truly a progressive rock band and have consistently refused to be pigeon-holed. My favorite era is 70s so here are my initial suggestions: Working Man - suggested by many many people. This was pre-Neil Peart but it's the song that put Rush on the map. Fly By Night - this is the song from their second album that put Rush on MY radar back in the mid-80s. 2112 (the Album) - this is the seminal album that gave Rush the license to do as they pleased with regards to record companies. Might be a cool "Christmas treat" kinda thing to react to the entire album. It's very much worth it.
In the album 2112, the opening song 2112 is a 20 minute 7 piece song/suite, but it's so great that it goes by quickly. To me, it's one of those must listen to Rush songs as it launched them into huge popularity so to speak. That entire album is epic.
there is so many songs you could do with 3 words especially live Time stand still, Fly by night, Distant early warning, new world man I mean it just don't stop. We have 10 days till xmas let's see how many reactions you can do in 10 days I am sure the Rushheads will be happy. Lets go Kid get to work lol! \/ 🎁
U can checkout a live performance of 'Xanadu' by Rush from the 1981 live release 'Exit stage left'... One of their most challenging instrumentals was 'La villa Strangiato' from 1978 - musicians have said that if a drummer could play the track beat for beat, they could play anything... Rush has so many live clips that u can check out for songs. I suggest these: 'Natural Science' ... 'Red Barchetta' ... 'Closer to the heart' ... 'The Weapon' ... 'Far cry'... 'Force Ten'... 'Dreamline'... 'Mystic rhythms'... 🔥🔥🤘🤘
they did different stage setups on Geddy"s side to even up the stage because of Alex's sound system on the other side. Dryers, washing machines ovens... u need to see all the different live shows..
This concert happened soon after they got back together after they took a 4 to 5 year break after Neil's 18 year old daughter was killed in a one car accident driving herself to college in August og 1999. It was so devastating that his wife came down with cancer and died 11 months later the following July at the age of 40...they had been married about 20 years. At that point he could not play music anymore...the joy was gone from his life. So Geddy and Alex just tried to be the best friends they could be and Neil went on a 3 year 55k mile motorcycle journey alone. After about 4 years since his daughter had passed he told Geddy and Alex he was ready to try and play again...and this show in Rio was a couple years after they had started playing again and had released their new album Vapor Trails. These 3 guys were best friends throughout their 45 year journey as RUSH. Neil wrote 5 books about various parts of his life after the personal devastation he dealt with, touring etc. I think there were 60k fans in Rio... the boys said it was the largest crowd they ever played to. They said they didn't even know they were very big in Brazil but apparently they were. The Brazilian people loved their song called "Closer to the Heart"+ so they played it just for them on that tour
Two more Rush songs waiting for your reaction - Closer to the Heart from the Different Stages tour video, and Entre Nous from Snakes and Arrows tour. Keep up the outstanding work. You can't go wrong with Rush!!
Charis, the clothes driers held and spun Rush concert T-shirts. During several performances, stage hands would run behind the band, open the dryer doors, and throw the shirts into the audience. It was so fun. Yes, I was there. I've seen Rush 17 times, and man, do I have many stories 😅
YYZ is the international call letters for the Toronto international Airport. On the very beginning Neil is playing YYZ in Morse code. Also those are actual dryers with band t-shirts inside; which the band would throw out to the crowd during the show
Check out 'Working Man' from the Time Machine tour live in Cleveland which shows their musicianship on another level. Trust me. My guess for the 3 word song is Time Stand Still
Neil Peart playing the Morse Code for YYZ (Zed) on the crotale. Then Gary (Geddy) Lee and Alex Lifeson join in. Their musicianship won't be outmatched. So many 3 worded song titles to choose from.
Rush Live in Toronto 2015 "Spirit of Radio" drew a huge crowd. It was on day time concert outdoors.
10 місяців тому
I don’t think any band had as much fun on stage as Rush. This is the perfect video, the people of Rio, who know how to enjoy music, sang in unison to a song that has no lyrics.
Imagine living thousands of miles away, even decades in the past, and then hearing tens of thousands of fanatical people “singing” in glorious unison to a song that has no, none, zero lyrics?!? THAT, is the power of RUSH(.) 🤘🏼
You should react to La Villa Strangiato next. It's another instrumental, although longer than YYZ. I believe there are several live versions that can be found on UA-cam.
You know you're doing something special when you have that many people singing along with an instrumental song. For another live Rush, watch Spirit of Radio in Toronto for the SARS benefit concert back in 2003 That was a massive crowd in their home town. Also, on the "feeling like a god in front of a crowd" watch Metallica For Whom the Bell Tolls or Enter Sandman live in Moscow circa 1991. You'd have to see that crowd to believe it
The dryers aren't amps. There was one show I saw where they grabbed t-shirts from the dryers and tossed them out to fans. Just part of the fun they'd have. If they played it in a studio they played it live. Played it the same way too.
For your next Live Rush video, I recommend one of the following: Between the Wheels, Live in Germany Working Man, Live in Cleveland The Weapon, Live in Toronto 1984 For Live Rush Videos I cannot emphasize enough LOOK FOR THE STICK HITS VERSION. These remastered videos are amazing!
I wholeheartedly second your _StickHits_ recommendation! I always cringe when people react to clips like that live 'Xanadu' one with the wrong picture ratio; The music's still great, of course, but the picture is stretched sideways 😏
For a while, instead of dryers, they had big, industrial rotisseries, cooking a whole bunch of chickens. A roadie would come out periodically on stage, in a chicken costume, and, baste the chickens.
New subscriber from Rushmas! I've been thoroughly enjoying your journey into this amazing band's discography. My guess for your next react: Time Stand Still. That one is really heartfelt and thoughtful. As for further recommendations: I'd say that, now that you've explored a pure instumental piece in YYZ and a longer epic in Xanadu, that two songs are upcoming that would be fantastic ones to check out: 2112 and La Villa Strangiato. 2112 is Rush's magnum opus: it's sort of *the* Rush song, especially for the more operatic side of the band's catalogue. Given that you've heard Xanadu, you'll likely adore 2112. La Villa Strangiato is a longer, more complicated instrumental than YYZ, but it's utterly captivating. It feels far more like an orchestral piece of music than a rock song. Those are only 2 of the *many* tracks that I could recommend. There are literally 50 others I could recommend to you easily. So, if you *want* to do Rushmas 2024, you absolutely could!
I'm sure you have your list of Rush songs you plan to react to. I hope Everyday Glory is on that list. While it may not be as popular as the others, there is something magical in its positivity in the face of such dark themes. The lyrics are impactful.
Rush put out a number of instrumental tracks; most albums had one. Many of them are fan favs, including this one. La Villa Strangiato is an earlier one that is incredible. I love that they all get their moments to shine in these tracks. Cheers!
YYZ is on Moving Pictures La Villa Strangiato is on Hemispheres, in my opinion definitely their peak period.. The 2 best instrumentals they did.There are others, but not on every album, and none are a patch on YYZ or La Villa.
I wouldn't say "most" albums had them. Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Roll the Bones, Counterparts, Test for Echo, and Snakes and Arrows are their only albums with instrumentals.
Among other things, as the "rear gear" got smaller and more sparse, there needed to continue be areas where the stage techs could move around without being distracting. The dryers and whatnot provided cover.
Sorry if already covered, but the reason for the dryers is, I understand: Most guitar or bass players run their instrument through pedals, then to their amp and cabinets. Those cabinets are miked, which runs to the board. Geddy runs his bass from the pedals right to the board, so no huge amps and cabinets needed, so his humor was to replace them with other stuff, like drying machines on this tour.
And yay, finally someone's using the word 'base' in the right context! As opposed to associating it with a musical instrument, which many, many people around YT have been doing.
Please PLLEEEEEEAAASSEEE do Working Man Live in Cleveland, you will NOT regret it! Especially if you decide to do it as like the finale to this series. It’s practically like a live jam session where they are trying to out play each other and it’s absolutely incredible!
Highly suggest checking out Xanadu from their R30 official concert. It's abridged but you get some fantastic views of things that mostly go unseen... foot pedals!
A Rush concert, where air drumming is not only acceptable, it's encouraged.
Nope mandatory
This wasn't just a Thursday night for them. They were completely drinking in the incredible energy that only 70,000 Brazilians singing an instrumental song back to them can bring. No matter how many times I see this video it still gives me chills and surges of adrenaline.
I believe it was 45,000 this show, and 65,000 the previous show. But hell, 45 is crazy too
Agree 💯
Hey! As a Brazilian, I can say that we are very proud of this show and it's been really cool to see you discover these Rush treasures! By the way, I love your smile and I look forward to seeing your next videos! 😊
That was one the best concerts and one of the very best concert recordings in existence. You should be proud of that. It was insane! And I’m a lifelong RUSH fan who’s seen them on 18 tours! I can’t imagine the energy of those nights. Really a once in a lifetime experience. Very impressive. You guys did it right! RUSH ARMY!
Brazil was fucking awesome. Great concerts!!
Are you aware of the Rush covers album by your compatriots Fleesh? Worth checking out. They are here on YT.
It's great. like the crowd is the fourth band member. as a canadian we never listened to them like this, but I'm thinking we should have.
@@andrewlamb7012You freaking Brazilian know how to rock man. Brazilian crowds are always such an incredible thing to watch during live shows!
Geddy used to have bass amps, similar to what Alex has for his guitars. But Geddy eventually just went straight into the board, so he didn't need the amps. However, this left a large visual "hole" behind him. Geddy decided to put dryers in behind as a joke. This eventually evolved into chicken rotisseries and other things. Alex, in turn, during the chicken phase put a bunch of barbie dolls out on top of his amps and around his foot pedals to be his "chicks".
True. Geddy didn't need the amps behind him due to the introduction of good in-ear monitors. However, he thought he needed something to balance the stage and he needed something for Neil's drum tech to hide behind on that side of the stage. I was at a show, maybe the Clockwork Angels tour, where my seat was directly to the right (facing the stage) of Geddy and I was far enough back that I could see behind the dryers or whatever was on the stage then. It was cool, and rather surprising, to see everything that went on back there. It's no surprise they needed something on that side of the stage if for nothing else than to just block the view of 99% of the people watching the show.
The dryers also became a place for the stage techs to hide during the shows.
@@scottallen6160 At some point during the show, someone actually comes on stage to take clothes out of the dryer. They'd also keep some band shirts in there and toss them into the crowd at the end of the show.
@@robertkennedy5414 Yep, I bought the dvd of the concert. I like the three that come out with long hair and guitars, sticks like their Rush from Wayne’s World.
@TheFingerFrame - Weren't they dinosaur figures on top of Alex's amps, though?! 🙂
Here's a great Rush live video... "Best intro EVER!!!!!!!!!!"
'YYZ' is the airport code of Toronto, Canada where Rush was from... Rush put out the odd instrumental track in their catalog and 'YYZ' was one of their most popular ones from the 1981 album 'Moving pictures'... The track came together when Rush were in the studio in Canada; Alex Lifeson (guitar) decided to take a break to go fly his remote-controlled toy airplane... Geddy Lee and Neil Peart decided to jam without him in the studio... So, when Alex came back, they had already finished the track. Neil played the morse code for 'Y - Y - Z' on drums at the start of the instrumental.
The Rio shows of 2002 were the first time Rush had played Brazil... part of the last run of dates to tour for the 'Vapor trails' album... It had been 5 years since Rush had played live in 1997 on the 'Test for Echo' album tour and Neil had lost his daughter Selena to a car accident... his wife Jackie to cancer only months later... Rush was on hiatus for years while Neil Peart took off on his motorbike and traveled for 2 yrs.
Neil eventually settled w/ his new wife in California by 2001 and the 3 started talking about working on a new Rush album... But it was difficult; Neil was still struggling and wasn't sure if he could 'return to form' on drums... so, Alex Lifeson decided to co-produce the 'Vapor trails' album and the album was the heaviest of their career and also sounded raw... Released in 2002, Vapor trails' charted in the top 10. Rush decided to take it slow on touring... but the fans came back in full force and welcomed them back. The tour was a huge success.
The band was booked to play Brazil in the Fall of 2002 and had no idea what to expect nearing the tour's end ... They arrived to find out that they were going to play the biggest shows of their career. The biggest show was when 60K fans showed up in Sao Paulo... then, 40K showed up in Rio ... and 25K in Porto Alegre... And the crowd was SINGING to 'YYZ' when they played.
The Rio show was filmed for live CD & DVD 'Rush in Rio' - it is considered one of their best live albums.
The Xanadu you watched was live. They were actually playing their instruments and that is what you were hearing. They just didn't have an audience. You really need to check out the exit stage left tour of that same song. An absolute musical masterpiece that will go down history
Nah, they were just miming extremely well to the studio version in the 'Xanadu' clip she was reacting to. The pitch-shifting tubular bells sounds in the intro are a dead-giveaway, as that's something that could only be done in a recording studio at that time.
The later, similar-looking clips of songs from 'Hemispheres' _were_ played live, though 🙂
@@mightyV444In particular La Villa Strangiato. 👍😊
@@kevinmcfarlane2752 - Yes, very cool! 🤩👍 That's my favourite guitar solo of them all, too! 😊
I like 'The Trees' also, mainly for Alex's solo sounding even weirder than usual 😅 The 'Exit...Stage Left' album version can't be beaten, though 😉
@@mightyV444 Excellent solo! 👍
@@kevinmcfarlane2752 - 😊👍 By the way, I just listened to the 'Different Stages' live version of 'Xanadu' from '78 for the first time; I loved it for its rawer sound, compared to the studio and also the 'Exit...' version 🤩
Brazil loves their soccer and Rush. There are no lyrics to YYZ, but the fans are singing along to the music. It's the greatest honour to Geddy, Neil and Alex.
The rabbit hole is so deep, the legacy over so many decades, the level of musicianship, I'm going to really enjoy your Rushmas !!!
Cheerz!!!
I'm Australian, they never toured here one single time in almost half a century of existence, so I saved my pennies and flew to North America three times just to see them. That's the kind of dedication that band inspired in their fans. (Oh, and they're Canadian, so it's YY ZED)
That’s fricken awesome. I’d of done the same thing. This is my band since I discovered them at 14. 57 now. Dream Theater is my 2nd fav. Being a drummer, you must of heard of them?!
@@scottlaughlin9897 The great Canadians, Rush and Devin Townsend (heard of him?) are my two favourite artists on the planet. DT are among a whole bunch of bands one small rung down in equal second.....
Aussie here too….
@@vincetripodi1016 Ever see them?
I was fortunate to live in one of their favorite U.S. cities, San Antonio, TEXAS. For real! They loved it here and said so many times. We were one of the first places to play them on the radio from the very beginning of their career. They came here on almost every single tour. We assumed that they toured everywhere in the world, they’re RUSH you know? Of course they play everywhere! I was shocked to find out that this wasn’t true. I learned this when RUSH in RIO came out. Wow, just wow. You guys even freaked the band out with your enthusiasm! You guys put the American fans to shame and we’re pretty damn good. The pure joy was fantastic to watch. Not bad live, are they? Ha Ha! 😆 RUSH ARMY!
geddy used the dryers because he liked their warm, dry tones
they are also filled with one-off shirts that they throw into the crowd
Hello from Brasil! My favorite band! I was at that show, but a few days before when they played in another city in my country. Nice reaction, you have a lot of sympathy!
Porto Alegre or Sao Paulo?
@@JoeVideoed Porto Alegre
You gotta do La Villa Strangiato. It’s Alex’s Magnum Opus. And eventually 2112 ( twenty one twelve ) side one. When doing 2112, be sure to do it with the VEVO Video. It really helps first timers follow the story.
Your next live RUSH HAS to be "Working Man, Live in Cleveland". Mind Blowing.
La Villa Strangiato Live in Rio
Is another instrumental that features Neil, Geddy and Alex changing their identities for the Rio fans.
"Earthshine" from the Rush in Rio album is also fantastic. This whole concert is full of amazing performances.
It’s fun alright! The positive energy is off the charts when you are there.
That’s another thing, RUSH are 3 very silly men! Their sense of humor is legendary.
Rush hails from Toronto, ON Canada and YYZ is the airport code for Toronto Pearson International Airport. The Arabic inspired passages in the middle of the song is inspired by the multitude of middle eastern passegers at the airport and the intro of the song is morse code for "YYZ."
No words but the crowd still sang the main melody. Amazing. Thanks for Rushmas! You should totally do the more current video of 2112, it's a good story. And lastly, my guess for the next video is "Time Stands Still".
"The Garden" is amazing live. The last song on their last album... also very fitting with the passing of Neil. Incredibly powerful, can't recommend enough.
Exactly
When Exit Stage Left came out, the drum solo happened during YYZ. I think the current crowd might have expected the same. They were not denied later into the concert
I saw them on their last tour. They played songs from their discography in reverse order. So they started out with with a big stage presence, and for every album switch, some mime looking guys would come out and take things away and rearrange the stage so it matched the live setup from that album. By the time they finished, the drum kit was a quarter size of the beginning of the show and up front they had 2 combo amps sitting on kitchen chairs. Killer show.
If you look close, the dryers are mic'ed up. They did this at most concerts.. I saw them 6 times - amazing.
I’m guessing La Villa Strangiato
You should consider reacting to 2112. As a theatre person I’m guessing you would strongly connect to that song as Geddy uses his voice to great effect to portray different characters in the story. There’s an animated version which helps understand the story, if you wan the best musical version, however, I would suggest their live performance from 1997. Stickhits UA-cam channel has a remastered version of this performance which is very good. I think it is the only time they performed the entire piece live.
Enjoying your reaction Charis! Loving Rushmas! Hahaha!
How many other masses of people would be singing along to an INSTRUMENTAL??? Rush concerts are an experience unto itself. Been to four. Loved every second of all of them.
2112 is an absolute must.... The animated version please.... Great story.... You'll love it!
You are now officially a RUSH girl. Welcome sister, your status has been elevated and approved. 😁👍
The Garden live is Geddy's favorite performance
thats funny, i was just thinking this morning that I hope you will react to this version of the song. Glad you did!
It's funny you mention the driers. When I saw Rush live in 2007, they had rotisserie chicken ovens set up as stage props where the driers would be here.
I'm guessing the next song you're reacting to is Fly By Night
I can't even imagine what it's like to play in front of 100,000 people, but I'll say that years ago when I was in a band, it gave me a HUGE buzz to play in tiny bars when the 30 people there were into the music. The feedback you get from a crowd can be like a drug.
Not sure if anyone else has said this, but YYZ is the airport code for Toronto; this song was written as as a tale of their travels and their love of returning home.
Glad you did an instrumental. Great reaction as always....thanks for the Duck on the shelf
The "A Show Of Hands" version of this song is the best and has the most iconic drum solo in it.
My favorite part of this is probably the crowd "singing" to an instrumental. South American crowds are awesome! 🤘
The dryers were done by the guys because Alex had a massive wall of Marshall amps on stage right and Geddy had nothing on his side to balance it out. So they brainstormed something they could put on the stage as a prop to balance out the look. In other tours they have used huge ovens roasting rotisserie chickens and if you go down the rabbit hole on this topic, apparently they cooked real chickens that went to local shelters.
Notice the teddy bear on the dryer behind Geddy? Rush is so awesome. I am falling in love with them again in my 50s. I was a HUGE fan in the 80s,my high school years. Saw them 5 times in concert, and while no crowds were as into it at Rio. 😁 Love seeing new, young people getting to know and love the greatest band of all time. 12:23
Excellent!!!🎸🤘RUSH!!!!
This is the only time I've seen a crowd sing a melody.
The only other time I can remember is in a live version of The Cure's song 'Play For Today', where the Parisian audience sings along with the lead synth parts - but not with the actual vocals! 😄
The three-word Rush songs that immediately came to mind for me are:
Fly By Night
Time Stand Still
The Big Money
Turn the Page
The latter two are among many Rush songs that beg the question "How does he play that baseline and sing at the same time?!"
@skovol007 - Yes, Geddy had once said that 'Turn The Page' was one of the most demanding songs, in regards to that 😅
(By the way it's 'bass', not 'base' 😉)
@@mightyV444 I typed it as bassline, but apparently auto-correct doesn't understand the lingo. (Of course, I'll double-check THIS post now!) I imagine Marathon would be another of those difficult ones.
The first Rush song I learned on bass was "Distant Early Warning." Though it's not that hard of a part, the verse parts are phrased so that it's hard to sing a play simultaneously. The chorus is just pumping straight 8th notes so that's pretty easy.
@@skovol007 - Naughty cell-phone! 😆
I play the bass myself, and 'Marathon' and 'Distant Early Warning' are fun to play! 🤩 I never tried to also sing them, though 😅
'Distant Early Warning' had actually been my very first impression of Rush's music (in '89 and after having known them only by name already for 5 years) when the 'Grace Under Pressure' album was among the LP's a friend had lent me to check out - and I was instantly hooked, too! 😁
And 'Marathon' is my 17-year-old Son's favourite Rush song 😊
Season's greetings from NZ!
🎅🌲
I'm all in for Rushmas.... Good job girl! Keep it up!
I was thinking to myself "wait until she sees that Brazil crowd singing along...... TO AN INSTRUMENTAL!!" when I saw your previous Rush reactions ;-)
The amazing thing is that so many people are reacting like that for an instrumental.
I'm so happy that you did this song! My guess for your next one is Fly By Night. The Sushi cameo was awesome.
Good guess. The two that popped into my head first were "The Big Money" and "The Larger Bowl" as far as 3 word songs.
@@andrewlindenfeld6222Time Stand Still, Distant Early Warning, The Enemy Within, La Villa Strangiato, The Camera Eye...lots of good options there.
Watch it be Roll The Bones, though 😂
The dryer tour was weird, but even better was the chicken roasting tour. Rush realized that venues gave them access to way more power than they needed, so they brought in rotisserie ovens to roast chickens during the show, and donated them to food banks when the show was over.
There was a massive wall of rotisserie ovens at the back of the stage, and the show smelled terrific.
Link?
@SylviusTheMad - Oh wow! I'd always believed those ovens plus chickens were just stage props and not actually real! 😅
@@CharisSellick it was chickens not sausages😆.
On a serious note they were fake chickens. Yes someone some nights wouls come out to "baste" them but it was all for entertainment purposes.
The enthusiasm of the crowd is palpable. RUSH never toured Brazil because they didn't know they had such a big following there. They ended up playing three shows at sold out soccer stadiums, and at every show, the crowds erupted like volcanoes as decades of admiration finally poured out of them when seeing them live for the first time. The only other place where the fans get this crazy is probably Cleveland. That was the first American city that put them on the radio and gave them their first 'viral' hit. Their hometown crowd in Toronto can also get pretty wild. But the Rush in Rio videos stand alone where the audience stands out as much as the band itself.
Analog kid live. You must not miss out on the masterpiece that is 2112. (The animation video)
On the concert DVD, there are bonuses where you can see this song with each guy isolated, so no, Neil did not catch the stick. That's why they cut away here. 😊
For the RUSH fans out there, my first concert was Hemispheres (1978) Austin Texas 13 years old. It was an amazing show. I had seen them many times since then and had truly developed so much appreciation for them, their music, their ability to change their image and styles over the decades. Their live performance is on another level, because unlike many groups that sound great on recordings, they had put in the practice to play/perform their music to a live audience that also included comic elements and all kinds of visuals (like Dryers and Rotisseries) truly a Entertainment experience of amazing music and virtuosity. I am so grateful to have had a childhood with their music as my soundtrack and inspiration. Thank you for sharing these videos, being a fan
Just FYI, from the RUSH concerts I've been to in Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦, with the washing machines, towards the end of the concert, they open the dryers and take out some Rush shirts and throw them into the crowds, which was so fun to see!
Thanks for reviewing their songs. It's been a blast! My favorite RUSH song has always been Spirit of Radio, and thier most under rated song is LOSING IT.
Thanks and keep smiling! Happy holidays 🙂👍🇨🇦
Gotta love the singing along with the guitar and bass
I remember the first time I saw the DVD, probably not long after it came out twenty years ago. Loved the crowd singing along to an instrumental at the top of their voices. Geddy's face was fantastic :D
☃️ Merry Rushmas! 🥰 Let's Go! 😁🐰
Ok, I’m going to go ahead and say it. This RUSH concert is Fucking Badass! I’ve gotten to experience it up close and personal too! It’s just, 😳🤯
Those dudes live, will Fucking Kick your Ass!!!
Can’t say enough about them live. Just phenomenal.
Truly one of the funnest things you can do.
It’s an excellent recharge!⚡️
Also, if you want to have your heart broken, as your final Rushmas song do "The Garden" live. It's their last song also.
Great reaction! As a Canadian I'll always have a special spot in my heart for rush. If you want to hear a newer rock band bringing old school hard rock vibe back today, I recommend reacting to three young women from Mexico, the Villareal sisters, and their band The Warning. Like Rush they are a three piece band that packs huge sound with just bass, drums, and guitar. All three sing, they write their own music, and are incredible song writers. They just had their 10 year anniversary as a band, and the youngest member, Alejandra, just turned 19. Any song of their would be good, but I recommend the songs Choke, Disciple, Evolve, Dust to Dust, or Z as good places to start. They mainly sing in English, but also have a couple of songs in Spanish, Martirio and Narcisista.
Best band Eva… RIP Neil Peart long live the mighty Rush!
Nice reaction,never heard of you but glad you popped up lol. Anyway thing with Rush..in one band you have arguably the best guitarist,bassist,andrummer all in one group..RIP Neil. And for 3 guys they made some noise..people love them to. They have a strong following and for a band that started in the late 1960s they also have a young following and they still bring it live. Not every older band can say that..
"Working Man - Live in Cleveland" is incredible live. Rush fans are as loyal to them as they are to us. Some people travel from city to city & has seen them more than 50 times. I've seen them twice (1981 & 2012)- they were amazing live! There are so many great songs!
This is probably the only song that can’t be reacted to too much.
"YYZ" is the 'call sign' for the Toronto airport which is broadcast in Morse code and at the root of this song. "The piece's introduction, played in a time signature of 10 - 8, repeatedly renders "Y-Y-Z" in Morse Code using various musical arrangements". On the studio version Peart is said to have used pieces of wood to 'crack' punctuate the code. The dryers are because Alex had a huge stack of amps and speakers and Geddy didn't because he was using more electronics to get his sound. They needed something to balance the look and hide the crew behind on his side of the stage, so one day a crew member picked up a dryer on the side of the road, and so the stacks of used appliances began. He talks about it in interviews.
As you're finding out, 70s Rush is different from 80s Rush is different from 90s Rush and beyond. They're truly a progressive rock band and have consistently refused to be pigeon-holed. My favorite era is 70s so here are my initial suggestions:
Working Man - suggested by many many people. This was pre-Neil Peart but it's the song that put Rush on the map.
Fly By Night - this is the song from their second album that put Rush on MY radar back in the mid-80s.
2112 (the Album) - this is the seminal album that gave Rush the license to do as they pleased with regards to record companies. Might be a cool "Christmas treat" kinda thing to react to the entire album. It's very much worth it.
In the album 2112, the opening song 2112 is a 20 minute 7 piece song/suite, but it's so great that it goes by quickly. To me, it's one of those must listen to Rush songs as it launched them into huge popularity so to speak. That entire album is epic.
One of my favorite Geddy vocal performances came from an early album The Necromancer from Caress of Steel.
I like The Fountain of Lamneth better off that album too much talking in the Necromancer to me.
@@Fred-vy1hmI like both! 😊
there is so many songs you could do with 3 words especially live Time stand still, Fly by night, Distant early warning, new world man I mean it just don't stop. We have 10 days till xmas let's see how many reactions you can do in 10 days I am sure the Rushheads will be happy. Lets go Kid get to work lol! \/ 🎁
U can checkout a live performance of 'Xanadu' by Rush from the 1981 live release 'Exit stage left'... One of their most challenging instrumentals was 'La villa Strangiato' from 1978 - musicians have said that if a drummer could play the track beat for beat, they could play anything... Rush has so many live clips that u can check out for songs. I suggest these:
'Natural Science' ... 'Red Barchetta' ... 'Closer to the heart' ... 'The Weapon' ... 'Far cry'... 'Force Ten'... 'Dreamline'... 'Mystic rhythms'... 🔥🔥🤘🤘
they did different stage setups on Geddy"s side to even up the stage because of Alex's sound system on the other side. Dryers, washing machines ovens... u need to see all the different live shows..
This concert happened soon after they got back together after they took a 4 to 5 year break after Neil's 18 year old daughter was killed in a one car accident driving herself to college in August og 1999. It was so devastating that his wife came down with cancer and died 11 months later the following July at the age of 40...they had been married about 20 years. At that point he could not play music anymore...the joy was gone from his life. So Geddy and Alex just tried to be the best friends they could be and Neil went on a 3 year 55k mile motorcycle journey alone. After about 4 years since his daughter had passed he told Geddy and Alex he was ready to try and play again...and this show in Rio was a couple years after they had started playing again and had released their new album Vapor Trails. These 3 guys were best friends throughout their 45 year journey as RUSH. Neil wrote 5 books about various parts of his life after the personal devastation he dealt with, touring etc. I think there were 60k fans in Rio... the boys said it was the largest crowd they ever played to. They said they didn't even know they were very big in Brazil but apparently they were. The Brazilian people loved their song called "Closer to the Heart"+ so they played it just for them on that tour
One of the most intense Rush live vidoes. The band is in top form and the audience is amazing!!!
I'm a 62 year old RUSH Fan! I just Helped you get Closer to 30K Subs!!! Luv Ya, Keep the Cool Personality!!!
Two more Rush songs waiting for your reaction - Closer to the Heart from the Different Stages tour video, and Entre Nous from Snakes and Arrows tour.
Keep up the outstanding work. You can't go wrong with Rush!!
Charis, the clothes driers held and spun Rush concert T-shirts. During several performances, stage hands would run behind the band, open the dryer doors, and throw the shirts into the audience. It was so fun. Yes, I was there. I've seen Rush 17 times, and man, do I have many stories 😅
YYZ is the international call letters for the Toronto international Airport. On the very beginning Neil is playing YYZ in Morse code.
Also those are actual dryers with band t-shirts inside; which the band would throw out to the crowd during the show
Loved your reaction, you're too kind. 🥰
Excellent reaction. My suggestion for an excellent live song by Rush is Natural science from Toronto 1997.
Check out 'Working Man' from the Time Machine tour live in Cleveland which shows their musicianship on another level. Trust me. My guess for the 3 word song is Time Stand Still
There is a video on UA-cam called best outro ever that has both encores, La Villa and Working Man from that Cleveland show. 😊
I have several possible guesses: "Time Stand Still", "Roll The Bones", "Test For Echo", "Half The World", "New World Man" :)
Neil Peart playing the Morse Code for YYZ (Zed) on the crotale. Then Gary (Geddy) Lee and Alex Lifeson join in. Their musicianship won't be outmatched. So many 3 worded song titles to choose from.
Rush Live in Toronto 2015 "Spirit of Radio" drew a huge crowd. It was on day time concert outdoors.
I don’t think any band had as much fun on stage as Rush. This is the perfect video, the people of Rio, who know how to enjoy music, sang in unison to a song that has no lyrics.
Imagine living thousands of miles away, even decades in the past, and then hearing tens of thousands of fanatical people “singing” in glorious unison to a song that has no, none, zero lyrics?!? THAT, is the power of RUSH(.) 🤘🏼
People just don't understand
Rush are in a class by themselves
You should react to La Villa Strangiato next. It's another instrumental, although longer than YYZ. I believe there are several live versions that can be found on UA-cam.
There are several 3 word song titles by Rush, but my guess for the next song you react to is La Villa Strangiato.
You know you're doing something special when you have that many people singing along with an instrumental song.
For another live Rush, watch Spirit of Radio in Toronto for the SARS benefit concert back in 2003 That was a massive crowd in their home town.
Also, on the "feeling like a god in front of a crowd" watch Metallica For Whom the Bell Tolls or Enter Sandman live in Moscow circa 1991. You'd have to see that crowd to believe it
The dryers aren't amps. There was one show I saw where they grabbed t-shirts from the dryers and tossed them out to fans. Just part of the fun they'd have.
If they played it in a studio they played it live. Played it the same way too.
For your next Live Rush video, I recommend one of the following:
Between the Wheels, Live in Germany
Working Man, Live in Cleveland
The Weapon, Live in Toronto 1984
For Live Rush Videos I cannot emphasize enough LOOK FOR THE STICK HITS VERSION. These remastered videos are amazing!
I wholeheartedly second your _StickHits_ recommendation!
I always cringe when people react to clips like that live 'Xanadu' one with the wrong picture ratio; The music's still great, of course, but the picture is stretched sideways 😏
I'm guessing 'La Villa Strangiato' for the next reaction, I have no idea how many three word songs do rush have in their discography though.
This is 100% live. You can tell be the difference from the studio version.
For a while, instead of dryers, they had big, industrial rotisseries, cooking a whole bunch of chickens. A roadie would come out periodically on stage, in a chicken costume, and, baste the chickens.
New subscriber from Rushmas! I've been thoroughly enjoying your journey into this amazing band's discography. My guess for your next react: Time Stand Still. That one is really heartfelt and thoughtful.
As for further recommendations: I'd say that, now that you've explored a pure instumental piece in YYZ and a longer epic in Xanadu, that two songs are upcoming that would be fantastic ones to check out: 2112 and La Villa Strangiato.
2112 is Rush's magnum opus: it's sort of *the* Rush song, especially for the more operatic side of the band's catalogue. Given that you've heard Xanadu, you'll likely adore 2112.
La Villa Strangiato is a longer, more complicated instrumental than YYZ, but it's utterly captivating. It feels far more like an orchestral piece of music than a rock song.
Those are only 2 of the *many* tracks that I could recommend. There are literally 50 others I could recommend to you easily. So, if you *want* to do Rushmas 2024, you absolutely could!
I'm sure you have your list of Rush songs you plan to react to. I hope Everyday Glory is on that list. While it may not be as popular as the others, there is something magical in its positivity in the face of such dark themes. The lyrics are impactful.
It could be Fly by Night. Or could be New World Man. Either one would be nice to see.
Rush put out a number of instrumental tracks; most albums had one. Many of them are fan favs, including this one. La Villa Strangiato is an earlier one that is incredible. I love that they all get their moments to shine in these tracks. Cheers!
Their best instrumental imo.
YYZ is on Moving Pictures La Villa Strangiato is on Hemispheres, in my opinion definitely their peak period.. The 2 best instrumentals they did.There are others, but not on every album, and none are a patch on YYZ or La Villa.
I wouldn't say "most" albums had them. Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, Roll the Bones, Counterparts, Test for Echo, and Snakes and Arrows are their only albums with instrumentals.
Among other things, as the "rear gear" got smaller and more sparse, there needed to continue be areas where the stage techs could move around without being distracting. The dryers and whatnot provided cover.
Three words? La Villa Strangiato!
Sorry if already covered, but the reason for the dryers is, I understand: Most guitar or bass players run their instrument through pedals, then to their amp and cabinets. Those cabinets are miked, which runs to the board. Geddy runs his bass from the pedals right to the board, so no huge amps and cabinets needed, so his humor was to replace them with other stuff, like drying machines on this tour.
My guess is Time Stand Still. Love your reactions to my beloved band, Rush. 2112 is awesome! I love your cat as well.
Brazil was a surprise for them - they had no idea the fan base there was so huge and rabid!
And yay, finally someone's using the word 'base' in the right context! As opposed to associating it with a musical instrument, which many, many people around YT have been doing.
Best live perf: The Garden from Clockwork angel tour, and Working man live in Cleveland two opposite but both masterpiece
Please PLLEEEEEEAAASSEEE do Working Man Live in Cleveland, you will NOT regret it! Especially if you decide to do it as like the finale to this series. It’s practically like a live jam session where they are trying to out play each other and it’s absolutely incredible!
Highly suggest checking out Xanadu from their R30 official concert. It's abridged but you get some fantastic views of things that mostly go unseen... foot pedals!