Concert Review: Rush drives the Time Machine to Jones Beach

The Rush Time Machine tour blazed into Jones Beach on Saturday night, leaving behind a pair of fire trails (or is that vapor trails?) that would have made Doc Brown proud.

Rush at Jones Beach.
Photo uploaded to RushIsaBand.Com, taken by fvcgosox.

The current tour celebrates the band's past, present and future. Although the set is dominated by a complete performance of their seminal 1981 album Moving Pictures, the 25-song, three-hour show ranges from their very first record to an album that is yet to be completed: the planned-for-2011 opus Clockwork Angels. The two new songs, "BU2B" (Brought Up to Believe) and "Caravan" were received enthusiastically, and continue the pedal-to-the-metal experimentation that marked Rush's 2007 outing Snakes & Arrows.

Highlights of the first set included the return to the set of "Marathon" and the first performances of "Presto", the title track of Rush's 1989 offering. Before this tour, this gorgeous acoustic-driven track had never been played live. The band also broke out "Faithless" (from Snakes & Arrows) for the first time, using it to lead off a short "atheism set" that also included the aforementioned "BU2B" and "Freewill."

The second half led off with Moving Pictures. These songs are always popular and effective when played live, but even more so when heard in the contexto of the whole record. "Tom Sawyer", "Red Barchetta", "YYZ" and "Limelight" are all concert staples, but it was the performance of the rare "The Camera Eye" that floored the audience with the band's flexible power and lightning ensemble technique. Solos by Neil and Alex were followed by the welcome return of a revamped "Closer to the Heart" (not played in North America since the Test For Echo tour) and a thunderous first two parts of 2112. The set ended with "Far Cry" from Snakes & Arrows, one of the finest recent entries in the Rush catalogue.

The Canadian trio opens the encore with…polka. Yes, you read that right. Happily for the gathered, said polka turned into the first chords of a complete "La Villa Strangiato" played with energy, fire, and no middle-of-the-song rant from Alex Lifeson. The band played with exceptional accuracy, clarity and energy throughout the evening, making even their war-horses sound fresh and organic beside the new material. If the 2010 Time Machine tour is any indication, the band's planned 2011 outing in support of Clockwork Angels should really be something to look forward to.






Rush performing "The Camera Eye" at Jones Beach.
Set List:
First Set:
Video Intro (The Real History of Rush, Part I)
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

Second Set:
Video Intro (The Real History of Rush Part II)
Moving Pictures:
Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, Limelight, The Camera Eye, Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear), Vital Signs
Caravan; Drum Solo (with "Love For Sale"); Acoustic Guitar Solo/Closer To the Heart
2112: I. Overture, II. The Temples of Syrinx; Far Cry

Encore:
Polka Intro/La Villa Strangiato
Reggae Intro/Working Man