Rush - YYZ Live (Rio) 

There's no lyrics...but this crowd knew every note!

This is the greatest performance of YYZ of all time studio or live. The Rio crowd made this song with no lyrics a once in a lifetime experience. I can't imagine what it was like in that crowd.

Their live shows were soo good.. the energy was always positive and amazing. That RIO crowd though... my god..

For me the crowd elevated the performance, obviously nothing bad about Rush’s playing. To have an audience sing to the music with no lyrical content was just phenomenal!

If you liked this instrumental, try LA VILLA SRANGIATO". It's about a dream Alex had.

As a lifelong, proud American, I have to admit, there is nothing like the crowds in South America. Those people take it to a different level.👍

The best live band I have or ever will see perform. Musical masters.

RUSH The greatest rock band that ever was or ever will be. Need I say it again?

If I recall, that was the fist time Rush ever played live in Rio, they had never made it there before and had a huge following in South America. Crowd was on fire!

Being from Toronto, I know that Y Y Zed is the IATA code for Toronto Pearson International Airport in TO (Toronto), even though air traffic conventions mispronounce it as Y Y Zee. Rush has always made me so proud to be a Torontonian.

And not a cell phone in sight 👍🇬🇧

Yes, YYZ is the indicator code for the Toronto International Airport and the beginning of the song is Morse Code for YYZ. For sure there was an energy exchange between the guys and the audience. Two more that I like from the Rio show are One Little Victory Earth Shine Cheers 🇨🇦

If you want to see another instrumental where Geddy just goes off, watch Leave that Thing Alone from the Time Machine Tour 2011. Insane!

YYZ is the code for the airport in Toronto... the rhythm at the beginning of the song is Morse code for YYZ.

This song is like a nuclear explosion. Best band ever. Love that you feel this music. I myself also feel the output of Rush. Such an emotional rollercoaster with these guys. I have cried, felt joy, escalated happiness. A band has never done this to me. And P.S I love you.

Pretty intense crowd! RUSH always had fun on stage!

Neil Peart said that this was one of the hardest songs to play

You're correct about YYZ being the Toronto Airport code sign. Also, the pattern Neil plays at the start is YYZ in Morse code.

There a reason this upload is a hit........crazy great song from just a Morris code.....how's that for inventive. Crowd was insane! Cheerz!!!!

I love how you have the screen so big for the greatest band ever and we can still see your beautiful smile at the same time great reaction sunshine 😊

Things I'll never hear Red say Pt.2 "Giggles ,do it again " Thanks again Rush.....

To think Neil used to follow that up with a drum solo. Exit Stage Left live album. 🤯

One Little Victory live in Rio is a fantastic watch also....thanks for another RUSH ❤🇨🇦 Toronto airport and the song is pronounced Y Y ZED

The world is a better place with this type of entertainment.

When I watch this performance all I can think about is what they must of been feeling standing on that stage, having thousands of people sing an instrumental piece to them. By the looks of it, they were having a blast.

40 years of music. This is the rabbit hole everyone needs to go down and check out. I became a musician because of Rush. I too was one of those little kids.

Great reaction! Still amazes me how they get such a big sound from three people. But we didn't all say YYZ I said YY Zed. 😜 I'll also say Closer To The Heart. Another great song. This version's a bit longer as it's a short song but it has an extended bass part from Geddy which is sublime. You'll love it. It's this one... Rush - Closer To The Heart (A Show of Hands 1989)

One of the few instrumental songs that you can sing along with! That must've been quite a workout for the crowd. YYZ is the airport designator code for Toronto's Pearson International Airport - one of the busiest airports in North America. In Morse Code, it is Y (dash,dot, dash, dash) Y (dash,dot,dash,dash) Z (dash, dash, dot,dot). Put that together, and you get Neil's drum pattern ( - . - - - . - - - - . .), repeated several times. Listen to the song again, and imagine a busy airport with departures and arrivals, people bustling all over the place - then a quiet calm between flights - and then picking up the frantic pace again.

I checked the comments first, and was pleased to see someone had mentioned the Morse Code aspect of Neil's opening percussion. He cycles the pattern twice before they all start to play. Y is -.-- and Z is --.. so the whole thing comes out -.---.----..-.---.----.. The story goes that they were flying in a small plane approaching Toronto, and he could hear the Morse Code over the headset. I guess it was enough of an earworm to make it into one of their greatest hits :)

That’s pure RUSH JOY!! I still get all goosebumpy when I watch them play. I went to 30 RUSH shows in my life and I miss them so much!!! Long live Geddy, Al & Neil. 🤘🎶💜

I think it's great how you get excited about their music and talent! 🙂

This crowd is LIT.

Keep in mind that at this show the band had problems getting to the venue. Plane issues if I remember right. They showed up considerably late and had no sound check at all. Just walked on and started playing. You can see a set of spinning dryers behind Geddy. Funny story about this. So at one point Geddy stopped using big stacks right behind him and channeled his sound through the pedals and other gear. Alex was still using huge stacks so they joked about how uneven the stage looked with big stacks on one side and nothing on the other. So they basically prank themselves by putting weird machines behind Geddy. Dryers, Popcorn Machines, different kinds of things like that in order to 'balance the stage' (and amuse themselves) The 3 letter code for Toronto Pearson Airport is YYZ

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

With all those fans "singing" the music as though it were a type of lyrics, I could imagine Alex leaning over to Geddy, while all of that was going on, and asking "Lyrics? YYZed has lryics? When did that happen!?!"

You can´t sing along an instrumental song! Rio crowd: "Hold my Caipirinha..."

Saw this live in 1983, but I don't specifically remember it; I think by the time they got to it (during the encore) I was already into overwhelm. Enjoyed it in the moment, though, because that whole concert was incredible!

Feeling somewhat down so what better way to cheer myself up than listen to some Rush. Better yet, listen to them watching some absolutely pure love being expressed for them. Thanks RHN!!

🤘 It brings me so much joy to see how excited you get when you hear a new song 😅 When I was in my teens, I had a cousin who tried to get me into Rush, and I wasn't ready either. I got to my early 20s, and The Spirit of Radio changed everything for me! I'm now 56 and trying to learn bass. I'm so excited that I can play along with Subdivisions. They will always be my favorite band (but The Warning is a very close 2nd already 😃) Those are my 2 suggestions, BTW, if you haven't heard them yet. The Spirit of Radio is my all-time favorite 😍

Red - pure talent and the three of them are the best musician on this earth !

Long live Neil Peart

I watched a recent interview with Getty promoting his memoir “My Effin Life” This concert was at a time when Neil was returning from his tragic loss and who said in the van after the concert “Well I guess you can call us an international band now” Getty said…that when they were playing “Closer to the Heart” at this concert and 50,000 people are singing it back to them word for word…it’s was pinnacle of their career

"Working Man" live....Alex vs Geddy string battle, bass vs guitar, with Mr. Pert in the back hanging on for dear life

🤗 Yaaaas! Rush! 🥰🐰

My next recommendation for you: Limelight, Snakes And Arrows Tour - lyrics based on Neil's experiences as an introvert, Alex with his own cheering section, and Geddy with more from his collection of crazy stage props - you'll love it!! Cheers from Toronto! 🎤 🎹 🎸 🥁 🎸 🐐 🐐 🐐

Best lyrics ever . . .

🇨🇦 I really like how the band let the audience sing all the Lyrics ! 🇨🇦

Great performance by Rush and great reaction from you. I enjoyed both.

I've seen them so many times live and man to be there is another level all together Hemispheres was my first RUSH tour and never missed one since then until the end. I know this is dumb to say but I felt as though they were in a way family. I so miss going to their shows.

YYZ is Toronto’s Pearson Airport, busiest in Canada🩷

R.H.N., That was Epic! I Love Your pure reactions! Rush was One of the Best bands that I ever saw Live! Keep up the great work!

Pristine, Perfection, Precision💯💥👏👏👏

I remember when I first saw this, I sat for a moment going “wait….they’re singing the riffs….”

You are so fabulous!!

While Geddy Lee plays keyboard, one of his feet press bass notes (Geddy & Alex has foot pedal instrument for sounds). Depending on the song, Geddy Lee plays his bass while foot pressing sounds of keyboard.

Rio is by far the best live show captured of RUSH (Sorry Exit Stage Left).

🙋🏿‍♀️ I still want to be Geddy Lee when I grow up and 🤗 I'm 60! 🥰🐰

Great enthusiasm. Like watching your energy

The beginning notes and pattern of this song is the audio signal automatically produced and broadcast by an airport. The ones used in this opening stand for YYZ. Which is the pattern broadcast by the airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Which is where the band is from.

All that sound coming from THREE people. Kinda reminds me of another three piece band making it’s way up the pecking order. THE WARNING is throwning in a few RUSH type time signature switches now and then. YYZ is the airport identifier for Toronto. That’s where they’re from. Enjoy this ride too!!🤟TWA

As amazing is Rush is, i cant take my eyes off you! Great video!! You looked as stunning as they play and your energy out did the crowd.

Fantastic performance ❤

"YYZ" is the airport code for Toronto Pearson Airport. Pretty cool to read about HOW they came up with that name and how it's embedded in the song.

I have seen them several times live and never a bad performance, never a bad crowd. A suppose one critic that could be made is that what you heard on the album is what you got live. Some bands try a new riff or experiment with the songs live but RUSH knew they made a master piece and that was what you were there to hear. Good reaction video.

RIP Mr. Pert....3rd row middle at Springfield Civic Center on Steel Wheels Tour...didn't know who RUSH was at first, but believe me, 2 hours later )when I caught my breath) you had introduced yourself

Rush are so good, Geddy can play through clothes dryers and sound incredible.

Yup… YYZ is the airport code for Toronto, their hometown. For bonus points, in Canadian it’s pronounced WHY WHY ZEDD. 😂

good good..

La Villa Strangiato from this show is epic, definitive version imo. You also get an interlude of Alex comedic horsing around

It's been said a million times, all that music from three men.

This is a powerhouse performance. RUSH had never toured South America for some reason. Rabid fans had been waiting literally their whole lives to see their favorite band. They never thought it was going to happen. Until it did. This is the result and a prime example of what a RUSH concert was really like. This was filmed over a series of concerts there and documented by the band for their live release set called simply RUSH in RIO. You used to be able to buy the dvd set at Best Buy and other stores. These maniacs impressed the band Big Time! What a VIBE!! Can you imagine? I got to see them a bunch, but THIS is next level!

Yup, YYZ is the airport code for Toronto Pearson Airport.

Yes, you're right, only I picked up the bass because of 2112 and I was too young to go to concerts yet (My first concert ever in my life was Hemispheres). You might not believe this but when Moving Pictures came out at first we were like, Nah La Villa was better. But we were kids. Later on we understand there was no "better" only different.

Just rushed from shower Red thanks you are so inspirational thanks mate❤❤❤❤❤

I always said Getty has 3 brains. Lol😂😂❤

Wow I am so impressed yes that is the airport code in Canada for Toronto❤ edit❤ this is what why I adore watching you you are just amazing❤❤ smart and beautiful and just fun #redheadedneighbor ##bestreactor #redsarmy #beautifulfuncountygirl #heartofgold

This was a really great concert, Brazil got their money's worth, the boys were on their A game that night

Many Canadian boys grew into men that can still play this note for note on the air drums . Just saying .

When Ged is playing bass, he plays keyboards with his feet, and vice versa, bass on feet with keys. Most other songs, he's singing at the same time too.

Only Rush can write a song about the morse code for the Toronto airport and have it turn out to be a masterpiece.

Amazing reaction

Thanks for doing this one! Can't wait to see your reaction. I had to comment before watching 😀

I love the crowd energy on this one! If you want to watch a showcase for Geddy's bass playing, check out the live version of 'Leave That Thing Alone' from the Time Machine tour in 2011.

Fantastic reaction to a fantastic performance.

🏆🏆🏆🏆

This song is better than COFFEE!!!!!

Good call. YYZ = Toronto Airport. The band is from Toronto.

I mentioned this a little while back. Happy to see you react to it! This is the crowd Rush deserved at every show. I'm not Brazilian but somehow this makes me proud to be Brazilian.

They are the call letters for Pearson Intl. airport in Toronto.

25K subscribers I AM SO PROUD OF YOU I KNOW THE SKY IS THE LIMIT💯💯💯❤❤❤ I ADORE YOU SO MUCH❤❤

Sublime performance from the guys !! Gold Standard musicianship🙏

Neal Peart in Frankfort is an epic drum solo worth checking out.

🆒️

great reaction i downloaded a you tube video someone recorded this tour different show which i saw in fl for me this will be my favorite tour when they say smile for the camera i couldn't stop smiling till the show ended try animate live

The most SAVAGE reading of YYZ there ever was. I used to take this piece for granted (though I love it) until I saw this performance. You have so MANY MORE great songs to hear. Looking forward to the journey with you.

In the very beginning, Neil is tapping-out, in Morse code, YYZ!

💗

Funny thing is much of their gear was backup gear as the night before they played in a tropical storm in an outdoor arena and most their primary gear got soaked. For this concert they got no warm up as it took them hours to get a set of gear that was operational.

I saw Rush 8 times live!

Oh Hell Yes! I’ve been waiting for THIS one! You are awesome! 😉👍 😃