I’ve seen them multiple times starting in the late 70s. Unbelievable wall of sound. Unbelievable cause it was just three guys, albethey ridiculously talented. Some of the best entertainment I’ve ever seen. Geddy’s voice was in its heyday here but even later he was hella impressive. Favourite Canadian band, hands down.
1978 Syracuse NY. I still have the ticket stub in my wallet. Raised in P.A. and Syracuse a couple hundred miles away but, I was a fifteen-year old H.S.junior at the time but I hung with an older crowd ... and a musician. After that, 32 shows over the decades from their tours wish I kept every ticket stub but I have dozens of concert T's.
Best live band ever. Period. Not just from Canada. Saw all the big named bands. Zeppelin was great great great...but average live. Stones, Who etc. Sabbath was spotty, as much as I love Sabbath immensely. Going to Rush concerts spanning almost 15 years, it's no contest. Some other fantastic live bands definitely. The Police were surprisingly fantastic. As was Triumph, Dire Straits, Scorpions, Lyle Lovett, Blood Sweat and Tears...long list of fantastic live bands (Legs Diamond!!) ... Rush the best. No contest to my ears.
Incredible!!!! All three of these kids were ripping it up!!!! The audio quality is impeccable. The tom Tom's sounded like a machine gun. Alex was shredding Hard!!! Geddy...what can you say. Vocal range was insane. Playing bass, running pedals.... mind blown. Again. Impeccable Thank you Doug!
I love their attitude here. On the verge of their label dropping them & essentially ending their musical careers, while being pummeled by label execs to put out snappy little pop tunes, they had the fortitude to say "if we're going to go out, let's go out our way". This album grew entirely organically, due to word of mouth. I was one of those guys whose friend called & said "come on over; you've GOT to hear this". I couldn't believe that 3 guys were making such an amazing, full sound. That's why RUSH fans were and are so loyal; it's all about the music...
Thank you. FYI 2112 is coded into the word count at the end. “Attention all planets of the solar federation” 7 words repeated 3x = 21 “We have assumed control” 4 words repeated 3x = 12
They were "short on time" because they were opening for Foghat or Montrose. Whoever it was they were blown off the stage. Rush by this point were a well oiled machine. Just watch how in sync Geddy and Neil are throughout. It's scary.
I was at the Minneapolis show for that tour. I was bummed because the sound mix was ridiculous in the nose bleed seats. But heard ALL Alex during 2112 which was pretty cool. lol
The fact that 3 'kids' could recreate such a huge prog epic so faithfully live is just mind blowing. You should do the rest of the concert. It's worth checking out.
Rush always left their guts on the stage! Neil has said that, although they left the ending purposefully vague, the voice at the end is the good guys (the Elder Race) coming to the rescue. Thanks,
That thought is reflected in the animated version of the song released some years ago. The closing image is in the space ship, the "conquerors" are Geddy, Alex and Neil.
I first heard 2112 the day after its release when a classmate of mine in Junior High School got permission to play the entire album in study hall. The teacher was not a fan but was impressed with the vocal range of Geddy and their amazing sense of timing. The study hall class was a bit split on whether they liked it or not. I was hooked, already being a huge fan of Yes and prog rock I loved what I was hearing and went out the same day after school and bought the album for myself. And Doug as you stated it is among the fan bases top 2 or 3 it is my #2 favorite of the band being only second to a Farewell to Kings ( I do have every Rush album in my collection). It is amazing that we have such a good video for 1976 and that the sound on the video is top notch for a 1976 video recording. Thank you for Sharing this Doug!!
I saw this tour in Murray, KY. It was Angel, RUSH, Blue Oyster Cult. My friends and I (some were musicians) were going to see how RUSH would sound live with 2112. They rolled out Peart's drum kit and we were skeptical b/c so many drummers have big kits, but play "Ringo Style". Well, Peart just beat the shit out of us. It was before The Who concert in Cincinnati where a door opened and several concert goers got trampled with all general admission seating. We showed early and had our elbows on the stage. Getty's vocals and Alex's screaming guitar made for quite an evening. Even my musician elitists were impressed. Back in the day, we would buy the album, take it home, put on some headphones and listen to the album while reading the lyrics. I believe this is what was one of the things RUSH had that other bands did not in that one side of the album took us on journeys a hillbilly in KY would never enjoy without RUSH. Thank you Doug!
The lyrics start with the Bible quote of 'the meek...' because the story is about what, to Neil P., the eventual consequences of that philosophy would lead to. A world suited to the meek would be bereft of creativity and achievement, again, according the philosophy of the lyrics. Very Ayn Rand. He left a lot of that perspective behind as the years went by, but still extolled the value of achievement and ability throughout his lyrical career.
2112 Rush song started my Rush journey 45 years ago this month. Doug, "Jacob Ladder" live from the R40 tour or Permanent Waves Tour in 1980 another epic Rush song.
I think they were an opening act during the first half of the tour. Imagine the brass marbles it would take to spend the last half of your 30 minute time slot on a single song that got zero radio air time! 😎
Fly By Night and Caress of Steel were fantastic albums, but 2112 really took off like a rocket. Tracks like Anthem, By-Tor and the Snow Dog, Rivendell, In the End, Bastille Day, The Necromancer and The Fountain of Lamneth are on my regular play list.
It is no wonder they went into A Farewell To Kings so confident. I must dig out All The World's A Stage again. I first heard Rush on Hemispheres so it sounded raw to me by the time Permanent Waves was out. Alex is so underated - still one of the best I have ever seen. Just read Neil Peart's Travels With Music, a lovely book where he talks about 2112 from their side.
Alex was underrated because his bandmates were absolute giants. With the passing of John Bonham and Keith Moon, Neil Peart was the best drummer in rock, and Geddy's bass skills alone is rivalled by very few others.
I can't recall whether Doug mentioned this last time around... The phrase "depths of despair" is borrowed from a much earlier Canadian icon, Lucy Maud Montgomery. It's a line Anne (of Green Gables) Shirley uses to describe her girlish woes.
I applaud your taste in music and beer. I still have some Allagash Tripel in storage at home, but my diabetus has prevented me from drinking much at all, and my monthly allowance is always taken by beers out with friends.
Doug, the best live version of this epic is from the Test For Echo Tour, trust me on this. The only time they ever played the entire tune live…all parts.
See them live in the seventies at the Hammersmith Odeon London England, my brother got me a ticket I never heard of them beforehand, all I can say is Wow
I first saw Rush (my first concert) on the Power Windows tour. Then the Presto tour. Then the Test for Echo tour. Then the R30 tour (Red Rocks). And the Snakes & Arrows tour (Red Ricks again). I wish I’d seen them on their farewell tour. This band has had such a profound influence on my life. Even after 3 1/2 years, I still can’t believe Neil is gone…
No kidding, today I thought to myself it's been a while since Doug did Rush. The character does not end his life. He witnesses the return of the Elder Race. That's my take, anyway. 🍁🔥🎸🇨🇦❤🎉
I was very young, but Rush is still burnt into my memory as the greatest show I have ever witnessed. And that says a lot with how many of the biggest festivals in the world I have attended since then. But I just realized you never checked out "Ningen Isu". They are a pretty old band from Japan, commonly reffered to as "the japanese Black Sabbath". I think you would have a LOT to say about their music. "Heartless Scat" would be my reccommendation.
Okie doke, hey, DOUG, because no one else seems to recall, Neil himself said that the Calvary shows up just in time to prevent our hero from bleeding out. Check the comic; it's also reflected there. Promise. Please, trust me on this; female or no, I eat, sleep, breath, and dream this Holy Triumvirate, have for 40+ years. ❤🩹 🐇 🐰 🦎 🎸 🥁 🎸
It boggles the mind that this masterpiece not only wouldn't have been created if they had listened to the studio, but that it was only created BECAUSE of the studio's demands (though opposite of what they wanted). It blows me away how a confluence of events can lead to something so magical. Wow! 😳
It’s true that the end is ambiguous but in my opinion it is the only way they could have done it. It is their story and at the time they had no way of knowing how their struggle with the record company would end. The final statement is them saying that they were in control and this is who they are.
The fans certainly got their moneys worth that night. I had been looking forward to this all week long and very VERY GLAD I watched this. Excellent Work, Doug and I agree ... 'AMAZING' is the appropriate word. BEST and Big Cheers to you!
I get it. I absolutely love that section, but it's such a slow build, I get why they would not do it live. Especially when it's so long, even without that section.
This video was taken when they were the opening act for Montrose (a great underappreciated band) and Foghat. Trivia: Neil doing voice track for the voice of authority/doom. and assuming control.
This band! Did it their way, without regard for the record company, or what was thought as popular…. Almost died before they started…but their unmatched musicianship and vast imagination propelled them to legend status!! Love Rush! They lost me by the late 80’s… I thought they relegated Lifeson’s lead guitar too much to the background…in favour of synths forward music for my taste. Still… kudos to them for always experimenting and not following trends! Great band! Flawless musicians 💪
I think they cut what they cut, due to time. Some venues make you get off the stage by a certain time, no matter what. Especially if they were the opening act.
There was a voice similar to Geddy's during the late 70's which belonged to Steve Surkamp of Pavlov's Dog an underrated prog rock band out of St. Louis. Check out the song Late November. Really good stuff.
I saw Rush in Canada in 1978 just before a farewell to kings came out. My first rock show of many in my life, I have no idea how many I've seen. But a great show and an excellent experience. I believe the reason this version was shorter than the studio track is a little quicker tempo. Great video Doug. Keep up the good work.
@Official_Doug_Helvering- that was before the video was over. But them omitting the oracle could have something to do with it as well. I like all the live music you're getting into. In my opinion a bands live performances are truly the measure of there greatness. I have never seen tool play live but I have tickets for the fall tour in portland oregon. Your video on your experience at the show was awesome.
KILLER reaction, Doug! I've never seen that footage before, and I'm delighted you found it :) My very first concert was ay Meadowlands in '81 and I was awestruck, but I'd been a fan since about '78. I've also come to equate 2112 with Zappa's Joe's Garage because they're both exploring a world without music - dystopian indeed. (BTW, I live Maine now, so Alagash is on tap anywhere I go!) CHEERS Brother...
I saw them a couple of times in this time era. When you walked into the Richfield Coliseum it was a CLOUD. :) You literally didn't need to smoke anything to get a buzz. Of course, we did anyway. GOD Rush was awesome live. GREAT band.
Saw Rush perform this classic many times. Always great. Check out Emerson Lake and Palmer live version of Tarkus in Welcome back my friends " live album from 1974. It is awesome.
In the end the Elder Race comes back from it's home in the Galaxy ( The Galactic Federation! ) to mop up unfinished business and assume control of the Solar Federation of Planets to throw off the local Priestly Class thereby ushering in a new era on Earth of the triumph of the individual, of all manner of art, music, scientific progress, and human expression which was hertofore stifled by the dominant collectivist civil religeon, which the Elder Race abandoned long ago (reference Galt's Gulch in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged). It's all very Randian.
First time seeing them was on the Permanent Waves tour. Because they sold out the first night they added a second show the next night. Only 1,000 people and I was front row Center. They started out with this. Last time I saw them was the R40 tour. Such an amazing band. I'm a better musician because of them. I was in a band that used to start the set with the Overture
The video released around the 40th anniversary of 2112, a stylized cartoon, resolves the mystery, as it depicts the elder race (represented by the three band members in attacking space ships) returning to destroy the temples and assume control. Re: your wondering about the band's mindset when creating this song, the documentary Beyond the Lighted Stagr, focuses on that very subject and has all three band members address it in individual interviews. So, the answer is... you were right with your final guess: they basically explained in those interview clips that they had decided together to buck the intense pressure placed upon them to make more "radio friendly" music, deciding instead to go out in a blaze of avant- guard progressive rock glory. Turns out that their fans voted with their hard earned dollars, winning a permanent reprieve. In fact, they explained that - for the rest of their career - their deal with record labels was take it or leave it, with nobody from the label ever permitted anywhere near the production process. - PS Randy's given name, Ayn, wasn't pronounced "Anne." Rather it was pronounced "Ein" (rhymes with kind).
This was the first piece of music I ever heard from Rush, 47 years ago when I was just a little kid. They became my favorite band that day. My interpretation of the part of the story you were questioning is that the protagonist is so distraught from learning that his own world’s history has beauty and art and music and life that doesn’t exist anymore, he commits suicide. Then , in a Greek tragedy/Romeo and Juliet type of twist, the Elder Race show up and take back control of their world, but unfortunately to late for the protagonist. Just my two cents, but I’ve always felt that that was what was intended.
I think I may be able to clear this up regarding the ending battle: On the British series “Classic Albums” that used to air on VH1 classic & is available on DVD, for 2112 Neil clearly states “ that’s the good guys, thats the cavalry coming in at the end & taking over…the solar federation was going to be shut down for the vision that our hero has of this other way of living. they’re the people coming (they win the battle)…so to me it is a happy ending, that’s how I intended it”
It wasn't until the late 90's that they played all of 2112 in concert. Until then, their shows had an opening band or two (when they were the headliners) and everything they did had to fit into a single act. In the late 90's, they stopped having opening bands and performed two acts over the course of the evening, giving them more time to play all the songs they wanted.
Unfortunately I missed this episode of yours while you were streaming live, but I truly enjoyed yourself reaction to it, and how you notice the details of their performance, and the awesomeness with which Rush played. Keep up the content!
Discovery is hard to do because when he finds the guitar he spends some time messing around and tuning it...not possible to do live without breaking the flow. And there are also background water sounds.
I first saw Rush in a small theatre here in the UK in 1980, their Permanent Waves tour. I was 19 rows from the front, but they were so close. It was my first ever concert I'd been too. Just amazing. I'd been a huge fan since my brother played me A Farwell to Kings and it simply blew me away.
Doug, the only thing they skipped in the "Discovery" was the guitar tuning lead in. They did the same thing on their live album "All The World's A Stage".
Doug, it seems to me you are getting "tuned" into the contrast between Live vs Studio music...keep it going. I have made a couple suggestions to explore this phenomenon before.
I haven't seen Allagash beer in years, probably last time I was in Pittsburgh. Wait...Church Brew Works? My wife sent me pictures of her and her mom enjoying beers there many years ago. I was very jealous. Btw, I'm a homebrewer for the last 20+ years.
My understanding of this album’s ending is that the Galactic Federation is the Good Guys removal of the Bad Guys priests (not the Catholic ones). Assuming control means that they are restoring the freedom to exist and be oneself for those under the tyranny of the priests of Syrinxs sudden end
Doug , check out Budgie . Breadfan. Burke the singer and bass player (sound familiar) looks like he could be Geddy's brother and sings in a similar register . Funny is they pre-date Rush by a couple years.
Nice selection. What a powerhouse band. Can see how Iron Maiden may have been influenced by some of these sections. Great stuff and surprisingly good sound.
Some even earlier live footage when they used to do the high school circuit here in Ontario. Pre Neil days. This was the hard rock line up. RUSH - LIVE ST.CATHERINES , CANADA 1974 LAURA SECONDARY SCHOOL ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Drouhbjp_9c.html
It’s a shame that they never play at least the full part of discovery in the live versions, but ya know it’s still a great song. In my opinion this is one of their best live versions, because this is fresh off of CoS, they still have the burning fire
Most striking is Geddy without glasses! Edit: 1 the cut-out part of 'discovery' is the "tuning" of the found guitar. Which they DID do live, Alex having talked about how tricky it was to tune it close but "off" enough so that with little de-tuning (and wilful bad play) he could pull it off live with little string adjustment.. Edit 2: I take it to mean that a theocracy is nearly impossible to overthrow, but the more rational Galactic Federation is arriving to free our minds. The initial 1812 reference and 2112 being 3 centuries apart is not coincidental. Just as the War of 1812 was so historically significant as to make history books and inspire grandiose music, Rush were hope-wishing for the arrival of a grandiose salvation from...aliens? Why not: this was 1976, so they were early teens when Star Trek was on TV, and particularly big in Canada for some reason. IT had the UFP, "The United Federation of planets." Wouldn't it be cool if benevolent aliens DID arrive to save us from ourselves in... 2112. If it came from the mind of Neil, known to be the intelli-nerd of the band then...?
When you think about it, it's really quite an operatic piece. High drama and tragedy with soaring vocals make it a classic, even though the story is a bit thin. However, a friend told me a fleshed out version of the story when I was young and I found it intriguing.
@@reliantncc1864 I haven't read it, but if I ever had an interest in reading Ayn Rand's novels it's been replaced by loathing or at least skepticism of her brand of libertarianism. It's worth considering that what we think of as libertarian in the US and, to some extent, Canada, is quite different than what it means in Europe. Taken only as a piece of literature Anthem might hold up, but it has such a paranoid, right wing axe to grind I can't approve it. This doesn't prevent me from enjoying 2112, though.
Rush are one of the best bands ever.......but not as hugely important and highly influential than the mighty Hawkwind..... People close to Doug on here need to help him discover the band Hawkwind, as once he does, he'll realise how hugely significant they have been and continue to be......and on multiple genres of music....everything from Punk (indeed John Lyndon of the Sex Pistols said, that if it wasn't for Hawkwind, the Sex Pistols would have never happened) , to the original Rave scene....and they are aslo known as being the inventors of what is known as 'Space Rock'......their back catalogue covers off so many genres of music and indeed genres never done by anyone else as they are totally unique.........Their back catalogue from when they began in 1970 to mid 80's is especailly full of absolute (and highly deiverse) gold...both musically and very much lyrically , as during that time they had one of the most important lyricists / frontmen / poets in history....namely Robert Calvert....They aslo had a hugely renowned science fiction / fantasy writer spend a lot of time with the band ..namely Michael Moorcock (who incidentaly is a hero of Blue Oyster Cult, who wrote ate least 3 of their songs about his book characters) So, when is Doug going to finally review the band that launched Lemmy into the world of music , and the band whom are the ultimate in 'cult' bands and whom never made music for fame nor fortune and whom never wrote any music to try and please any record companies and whom are the purest of all bands in that they wrote about and sang about things to try and help make the world a better place and whom also warned people of the impending 'corporate dystopia' that has inflicted much of the wrold for the last 50 years or so....The ultimate 'people's band', the mighty and uncomprimising Hawkwind.........This film is a wee glimpse into their world..........ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9zBNQL7Uo9w.html
