It's pretty surreal to see a band you really like perform live, right in front of you. It brings the power of awesome to a whole new level. Last night I saw RUSH perform as part of their Clockwork Angels tour at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. It was nothing short of epic.
Travelling from Syracuse to Buffalo, with a short stop in Rochester to pick up two fellow RUSH fans, the car was saturated with excitement. In preparation for the performance, the entire Clockwork Angels album circulated through the sound system twice. Once in Buffalo, a quick pitstop at the Anchor Bar to devour some wings revealed that we were in fact not the only RUSH fans who also have a taste for chicken wings.
Once we got to the entertainment facility, it became more apparent than ever how male-dominated the RUSH fan base truly is. Middle-aged men donning black t-shirts and leather jackets had arrived in droves. Many of the women who were in attendance matched their male counterparts in both age and grunginess. As one of the members of our crew remarked, there were "a lot of dudes, and a lot of ladies from the eighties." The high male to female ratio would later translate to an almost zero wait time for the women's bathroom, which was thoroughly enjoyable.
As expected, the show was incredible. A combination of spectacular musicality and visually stunning video segments made it a treat for both the ears and the eyes. During some of the videos, which were projected on an enormous screen behind the band, the lights surrounding the stage were coordinated with the video, enhancing the viewing experience. Neil Peart's drum solos were awe inspiring and massively intimidating all in one fell swoop. The flames spewing from the stage always seemed to catch me a litte off guard, and made my face feel dangerously warm.
After a fantastic show like this what is, a car full of RUSH fans to do? Listen to the entire Clockwork Angels album AGAIN on the way home, of course.
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| A collection of smaller screens oscillated up and down in front of the main screen |
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| Don't look directly into the light... |
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| The carnival tent pictured on the big screen during "Carnies" was reproduced with the red and white light beams emitted above the crowd |
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| A RUSH concert wouldn't be complete without FIRE! |
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| Crazy cool colors |
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