Rush: Exit... Stage Left

1980, A great year in Music, Genesis record Duke, The Police Zenyatta, and Rush - Moving Pictures.

This is a live record of Rush's live shows in support of that Album. From the opening 4th's of The Camera Eye, to the climax of Grand Finale.

It show cases 3 musicians that push the envelope of what 3 people can do LIVE, much like their friends The Police.

Make no mistake this is a Rock Concert, the only story is the songs, but they are great songs. But what a rock concert, the band play massively complex songs, perfectly LIVE.

A great inspiration to me as a much humbler musician. I've learnt to play (parts of) almost every song featured here.

I think this was the 2nd VHS I bought, The first Was The Police Around the World. Amazing that Neil, Lext, Geddy, Stewart, Andy and Sting could vanguard me into learning to be a respected musician.

This doesn't share the key features of a 'movie' - there's no umbrella of narrative, no plot...it happens to be filmed, and it's more of a collection of 'episodes'. Note the opening montage of 'construction' is through 'The Camera Eye.'

Rather curious, considering the album supported by this 1981 tour was named "Moving Pictures" specifically because each song had a cinematic 'size' and story arc befitting what you'd find on a soundtrack.

'Limelight' is Peart's reflection on his discomfort with the band's first brush with fame -- a reaction to the unseemly idea that a complete stranger knows 'you' through your art -- even then, 'he couldn't pretend'...

'Tom Sawyer' functions as a tongue in check comment on self-assuredness and independence from needing to fit into any musical, philosophical or political paradigm.

'The Trees' is the quintessential libertarian counterattack on social planning, equality of outcome, and other leftist dogma -- it tends back into Rand territory, but as Peart reminded us in interviews, "he's nobody's disciple".

'Xanadu' is the concert's performance and thematic centerpiece. Based on Coleridge's incomplete 'Kubla Khan' (which Peart has repeatedly mined for inspiration), it is reinterpreted, or 'refinished' if you will, to lay the irony on thick. Musically, it is an exposition of the outer limit of what three musicians can perform live. Note the jokey 'battle' between Lifeson with his Gibson EDS-1275 vs. Lee with his beastly Rickenbacker 4080.

'Red Barchetta' is a reinterpretation of a car magazine essay, sort of a 'syllogism-mobile' that explores the (il)logical end condition of the socialist nanny-state. The car is a classic Ferrari 166 MM.

'Freewill' plainly runs the gamut of existential questions - as a song, it's an early indication of the trend the band would take into the future -- tight, compact, dynamic.

'Closer to the Heart' was already a concert chestnut; again, tight and dynamic.

The end medley is simply a period exposition of musical interplay and 'battles' - 'By-tor' for example, is a joke on a pair of overeager pet dogs.

So, what we end up with is a short firecracker 'snapshot' of Rush's earliest encounter with 'mainstream' success. Notable also because it was about the end of the era of having to plug in onstage -- radio transmitters were just around the corner. It's never enough for us fans, and we hope DVD producer Lamoureaux can track down more footage from this show.

The band Rush has been together since there 1st album in 1974 (self-titled Rush) then with there intro to a more progressive style of rock on the next album Fly By Night and the inclusion to Neil Peart in the band. Record sales weren't so great with their nest album Caress of Steel but then the album that put them in the market came out. In April of 1976 the album 2112 was introduced to the world topping record sales and with a Live album for that tour called All the World's A Stage, this was the definitive album for the band. Rush soon made A Farewell to Kings, a introduction to synthesizers for Geddy. In 1978 Rush put out Hemispheres which built there sound and fan base with there 20 min epic. There next album Permanent Waves cut out the concept ways of there previous albums and did actual songs. With hits like "Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" radio were forced to play rush main stream. In 1981 Rush made Moving Pictures, a landmark album for them in the early 80's and were sent out on tour with a positive fan base. That tour was recorded and was made into another live album Exit... Stage Left and a live performance in Montreal was recorded for the movie Exit... Stage Left which had major airplay on MTV. With Geddy's Zeplinique vocals, with Alex solo's on "limelight" and Neil banging on the drums in "The Trees", no other band can compare to this sight of greatness. I real suggest you getting this!

Setlist for the Moving Pictures Tour of 1981 2112 (Overture/Temples of Syrinx) Freewill Limelight Hemispheres (Prelude) Beneath, Between and Behind The Camera Eye YYZ Drum Solo YYZ Broon's Bane The Trees Xanadu The Spirit of Radio Red Barchetta Closer to the Heart Tom Sawyer Vital Signs Natural Science Working Man (reggae intro) Hemispheres (Armageddon) By-Tor and the Snow Dog (abbreviated)-> In the End In the Mood 2112 (Grand Finale) Encore: La Villa Strangiato (classical guitar intro)

These guys are excellent and anything they put out to the public is first class. The musicianship of this band is amazing and we should all be very thankful we live in a world where Rush exists. Future generations will never be able to see such mastery live and in person. Get this DVD and you will enjoy it throughly!! I was recently able to see these incredible musicians play in Houston, TX and was blown away. I have not missed a show since power windows and I have to say that they are better than ever. Everyone should embrace these guys and teach others what real musicianship is! There will never be such a tight and well put together trio again in our lifetime. Lets just hope and pray that they do not retire anytime soon!