TheDrumland.Com

                     Rush Live in Milano, Italy

              PalaMazda, September 21 2004

Sometimes it’s better to wait… Wait, let the emotions going and start to write when you’re able to do it… Well, this is not the case. What I’ve witnessed last night was really unbelievable and unique. Rush came to play in Italy for the very 1^st time in their thirty years career and they did it in the best way you can imagine… or you don’t... This was also the 1^st time for me, being a long time Rush Fan and loving their music and not only the highly influential drumming of Neil Peart. The show was really great and a lot of people gave their contribution coming to the show and filling the place with so much love and reverence for the three guys and really letting them know how great is the love for them. Neil, Geddy and Alex answered with a superb concert (over three hours and ten minutes of music!) where they played music from the memory and the present as well. The guys were in an unbelievable shape and it seemed they had thirty years less of what they have now considering the way they played the music. The attitude was great and they were always smiling and looking at each other and I can tell you how they were happy to be there last night. I saw Neil looking at Alex very often and that big smile on his face made me think about all that happened to him (especially after what I’ve read in his beautiful book titled “Ghost Rider”) and finding him this way made me feel really great and so happy. Anyway, the show started with a funny movie (there were a lot throughout the show) with an old man looking for the guys and when he start screaming their names Neil, Alex and Geddy were on stage and all of a sudden the light were on and the boys started playing with an impact that is very difficult to imagine and to explain, both musically and emotionally. I was looking at them in complete disbelief and with a lot of bumps on my skin… Do I have to tell you what really meant for me to listen to these live renditions of stuff like Subdivisions, Red Sector A, YYZ, Limelight…? No, because I don’t think I’m able to give you an idea of the feelings I had… Speaking of Neil… He played with such a great energy, taste and really drove the band with his unbelievable personality. He played also a great drum solo, very similar to the one on the “Rush in Rio” DVD/CD, with superb musicality but with some different ideas. Alex Lifeson is really a great guitar player and has a great personality with a sound that makes Rush’s music highly identifiable from the very first note. Looking at Geddy Lee was really emotional due to his attitude with the crowd, his enthusiasm, his bass sound and that incredible voice… really unique. The alchemy between these three guys is still here, so special and so hard to explain. Last night I found myself also thinking about the way they have influenced a lot of so–called progressive bands of today that really stole a lot of their ideas and that would never had the chance to exist without them.

Rush made history and they’re still doing it…

Thanks Alex, Neil and Geddy for thirty years of unlimited emotions.

Peace

Robertopeland

Copyright © 2001-2005 Robertopeland. All rights reserved.
Best viewed in IE5+ 800x600 32bit colors.


		Rush Live in Milano, Italy PalaMazda, September 21 2004 Sometimes it’s better to wait… Wait, let the emotions going and start to write when you’re able to do it… Well, this is not the case. What I’ve witnessed last night was really unbelievable and unique. Rush came to play in Italy for the very 1^st time in their thirty years career and they did it in the best way you can imagine… or you don’t... This was also the 1^st time for me, being a long time Rush Fan and loving their music and not only the highly influential drumming of Neil Peart. The show was really great and a lot of people gave their contribution coming to the show and filling the place with so much love and reverence for the three guys and really letting them know how great is the love for them. Neil, Geddy and Alex answered with a superb concert (over three hours and ten minutes of music!) where they played music from the memory and the present as well. The guys were in an unbelievable shape and it seemed they had thirty years less of what they have now considering the way they played the music. The attitude was great and they were always smiling and looking at each other and I can tell you how they were happy to be there last night. I saw Neil looking at Alex very often and that big smile on his face made me think about all that happened to him (especially after what I’ve read in his beautiful book titled “Ghost Rider”) and finding him this way made me feel really great and so happy. Anyway, the show started with a funny movie (there were a lot throughout the show) with an old man looking for the guys and when he start screaming their names Neil, Alex and Geddy were on stage and all of a sudden the light were on and the boys started playing with an impact that is very difficult to imagine and to explain, both musically and emotionally. I was looking at them in complete disbelief and with a lot of bumps on my skin… Do I have to tell you what really meant for me to listen to these live renditions of stuff like Subdivisions, Red Sector A, YYZ, Limelight…? No, because I don’t think I’m able to give you an idea of the feelings I had… Speaking of Neil… He played with such a great energy, taste and really drove the band with his unbelievable personality. He played also a great drum solo, very similar to the one on the “Rush in Rio” DVD/CD, with superb musicality but with some different ideas. Alex Lifeson is really a great guitar player and has a great personality with a sound that makes Rush’s music highly identifiable from the very first note. Looking at Geddy Lee was really emotional due to his attitude with the crowd, his enthusiasm, his bass sound and that incredible voice… really unique. The alchemy between these three guys is still here, so special and so hard to explain. Last night I found myself also thinking about the way they have influenced a lot of so–called progressive bands of today that really stole a lot of their ideas and that would never had the chance to exist without them. Rush made history and they’re still doing it… Thanks Alex, Neil and Geddy for thirty years of unlimited emotions. Peace *Robertopeland* Copyright © 2001-2005 Robertopeland. All rights reserved. Best viewed in IE5+ 800x600 32bit colors.