Rush Recreate 'Moving Pictures' on Tour in Toronto

Posted on Jul 14th 2010 5:00PM by Jason MacNeil
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Legendary rock trio Rush brought their Time Machine Tour to Toronto's Molson Canadian Amphitheatre Tuesday night. And while the three-hour show had plenty of highlights and fine musicianship, the biggest payoff was the trio's rendition of their 1981 album, 'Moving Pictures,' in its entirety.

The tour, which began last month in New Mexico, isn't supporting a new studio album -- although one is on the way -- but thankfully the band have mixed up their setlist, carrying over just a few songs from their 2007-2008 Snakes & Arrows world tour. Few bands with more than four decades of music behind them can avoid a predictable set of hits, but Rush aren't your typical classic rock nostalgia act.

The first half of the show featured a little bit of everything, including 'The Spirit of Radio' and the heavy, hard new single 'BU2B (Brought Up To Believe).' Following the intermission, Bassist Geddy Lee, drummer Neil Peart and guitarist Alex Lifeson struck gold with 'Tom Sawyer' and 'The Camera Eye,' the latter a winding, challenging and nearly 10-minute deep cut from 'Moving Pictures.' Here, Rush sounded as strong and polished as they ever have.

With a series of short comedic vignettes which described the history of 'RASH' -- not to mention the natural humour unearthed in the recent concert doc 'Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage' -- it's quite apparent the band do not take themselves too seriously. Yet effortlessly bringing to life intricate tunes like 'Leave That Thing Alone,' '2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx' and 'Freewill' proved that, when it comes to delivering a memorable show, they're all business.

The only ruts the band hit were 'The Spirit Of Radio' and particularly 'Time Stand Still' -- the opening two songs of the set -- which came out flat as Peart seemed to have a few kinks to work out. The drummer showed off his impressive chops near the homestretch with a blazing drum solo entitled 'Love 4 Sale,' with his drum kit rotating so he could play his myriad snares and cymbals.

Rush continues the tour with a handful of Canadian dates, including a return visit to Toronto this weekend at Air Canada Centre. The tour hits the U.S. in August and September before concluding in Brazil in October. The band is expected to release a new studio album in 2011 entitled 'Clockwork Angels.'

Set List:

The Spirit Of Radio
Time Stand Still
Presto
Stick It Out
Workin' Them Angels
Leave That Thing Alone
Faithless
BU2B (Brought Up To Believe)
Freewill
Marathon
Subdivisions

Tom Sawyer
Red Barchetta
YYZ
Limelight
The Camera Eye
Witch Hunt
Vital Signs
Caravan
Love 4 Sale
Closer to the Heart
2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx
Far Cry

La Villa Strangiato
Working Man