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Time Machine 2011: Live In Cleveland (DVD)
by xBorgx
In 2010 Rush decided to undertake a world tour in which their album Moving Pictures was played in its entirety. The album is quite possibly, alongside 2112, Rush's most famous album, containing songs such as Tom Sawyer and YYZ. The first show was performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June and the tour ended in Washington in July 2011. ... The tour was named The Time Machine Tour and this DVD was released having been recorded in Cleveland, the city in USA that first played their music on radio. For reasons I won't go into, I did not get a chance to see this tour, so once the DVD was released, I quickly asked Father Christmas if he would get it me for Christmas. Like a good old geezer, Mr Christmas did as I requested and I promptly put it on the DVD player on Christmas day.
What has always impressed me about Rush is their stamina. Their sets are long, with a break halfway through, as you will see with the amount of songs listed below. Another thing about a Rush concert is the fact they are far from boring. For one thing, they have great light shows and screens behind for added pleasure and between songs play short clips. It is a whole experience to go to a show and this DVD captures this well. I will not go in to deeply and in-depth for each song, but will just give an overall 'feel.' I know that many will not have heard of Rush, so to give a quick overview: they were formed in Toronto, Canada in the late sixties. They consist of Geddy Lee - Vocals, Bass and Keyboards, Alex Lifeson - Guitars and Neil Peart - Drums. It is hard to describe their music style, as they have gone through different varieties over the years. Let us just say Rock, shall we? Classic, Hard, Heavy, sometimes Soft. They are, simply put... RUSH.
The Gig
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The show begins with Episode 2 of a mock History of Rush 'Don't be Rash.' This features all members of the band acting as a group of people in a sausage café while 'Rash' are on a small stage in the café performing a strange version of their hit Spirit of Radio. It is all rather silly. I guess it appeals more for Rush fans, but my two kids who are ages 12 and 8 and are not big Rush fans found it funny. We then join the concert and the real 'Spirit of Radio' ensues. It is followed by the rather different 'Time Stand Still.' Next up is the bright 'Presto,' followed by the dark 'Stick it out.' Then we have the new-ish and rather great 'Working them Angels.' This shows that Rush still have a lot to give as this is fresh and new. Rush as musicians are highly regarded as being one of the best in their own respective fields, and Geddy shows this off pretty much so in 'Leave that thing Alone.' What he does with his bass towards the end is just incredible. 'Faithless' is next, followed by a new song from their forthcoming album. 'BU2B,' was released as a double single with Caravan, which is played later on in the show. Next we have the old classic 'Freewill' from Permanent Waves album. Set one is rounded off with two toe-tappers 'Marathon' and 'Subdivisions.' The band then take a break.
Set Two begins with the mock History of Rush part 17 ' ...and Rock and Roll is my name.' Here the mock Rush are recording a video for Tom Sawyer and being directed by Geddy in the guise of an English director. We join the concert and the real Tom Sawyer begins, and we have the whole of Moving Pictures. 'Tom Sawyer' is probably Rush's best known song: it has featured on films and TV shows such as South Park and Chuck. Even my daughter has heard it! 'Red Barchetta' is one of my favourite Rush songs, and this is followed by 'YYZ' and 'Limelight.' We than have 'Camera Eye,' the creepy 'Witch Hunt' and 'Vital Signs.' It is then a case of from old to new as next up is 'Caravan' from their forthcoming album, possibly titled Clockwork Angels. Moto Perpetuo is next, which is a drum solo from Peart. 'O'Malley's Break' is an acoustic number that blends nicely into 'Closer to the Heart.' 'Overture/Temples of Syrinx' is next from the classic album 2112, this sounds chunkier than ever! We then have the new-ish 'Far Cry.' There are two encores: The instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato' with a fun new intro... this song just keeps getting better and better! We round things off with 'Working Man,' which features a surprise reggae intro. And a nice but brief nod towards Cygnus X1 at the end
Bonus Material
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Outtakes from History of Rush parts 2 and 17
This features a few mistakes and a bit of extra stuff which did not make the final cut.
'Tom Sawyer' - featuring the cast of History of Rush part 17
Here we have the full song with the cast of the clip. It includes chimpanzees and the band playing each other's instruments.
'Need Some Love' Live from Laura Secord Secondary School
This is very early footage of Rush performing one of their earliest songs, when they all had long hair. It also features John Rutsey, the band's first drummer.
'Anthem' Live from Passaic New Jersey
This is more early footage of Rush, of the song from the 1975 album Fly By Night. The picture quality is quite dark here, but it is okay for the nostalgic....
So...
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Overall this is a great DVD which captures Rush in fine form. Although there are some songs which are not amongst my favourites, it is a good balance between old and new. I have always thought marathon was an 'okay' song, but played live it is just awesome. It was especially nice to see the 1980 album Moving Pictures played in full. Seeing the History of Rush clips was fun, too, and shows that they have a good sense of humour and are not afraid to take them micky out of themselves. This is a well put together DVD and well directed, no Rush fan will be disappointed.
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U2 360° At The Rose Bowl (DVD)
by jj1977
U2 360 at the Rosebowl was the film of the 2009 360 tour on the back of their last album 'No Line on the Horizon'. Filmed in front of an audience of nearly 100,000 it was also shown live across the globe on Youtube, the first time such a feat had been attempted. At the conclusion of the event, it was estimated over 10 million people had ... viewed the show, making it the largest audience to this day.
Filmed on 0ctober 25th 2009 at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California, using 27 cameras from evry viewpoint and angle imaginable. It has the impact of affording the viewer a unique view, certainly not one that anyone who attended the concert, no matter how much they may have paid.
The release contains 23 tracks, the majority of which from their extensive back catalogue, whilst carefully selected only a few of the last album, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Old favourites like 'One', 'Where the Streets...' and 'Beautiful Day' make their customary appearance with very little deviation from the tried and trusted.
It lasts 131 minutes and comes on one disc which you can pick up for a little over £6 at amazon.co.uk at time of writing. However, there is a problem if you already have previous releases of U2 live concerts. This release adds nothing to the U2 experience. The live DVDs of Australia and Mexico demonstrated the concepts that the band were using at the time, giant lemons and TV walls galore. This time round it's just a big rocket in the middle of a circular stage.
The performance is professional enough to be enjoyed but you can't help but get the feeling it is just being phoned in. In summation, this release will appeal to someone who wants to see U2 for the first time or someone who wants to complete their collection. The sound and picture quality are magnificent, taking the event beyond a live event to a polished performance. It is just a shame that the event itself is not as memorable as it should have been.
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