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The National Midnight Star, Number 1033
Monday, 5 December 1994
Today's Topics:
Administrivia
Politically Incorrect transcript
Rush Review for Albany, NY May 3, 1994
----------------------------------------------------------
From: rush-mgr@syrinx.umd.edu (The RUSH Fans Digest Manager)
Date: Mon Dec 5 19:35:49 EST 1994
Subject: Administrivia
I know I've been rather silent of late, just been busy and trying to get out
the digest on time! So here's a special issue, with the Politically Incorrect
transcription (thanks LOADS for that puanani!) and a review from the famous
(or should I say infamous? :-) brad parmerter. How did you manage to write so
much? :-)
Anyways, I'll be trying to get out quite a few digests in the next few days to
get all caught up!
And if you're planning on being away for xmas vacation and want to
unsubscribe, PLEASE send it to the proper admin address!!
- rush-mgr
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 94 12:07:58 HST
From: puanani@wana.pbrc.Hawaii.Edu (Puanani Akaka)
Subject: Politically Incorrect transcript
It's finally here! The rather long transcription of Neil's appearance
on "Politically Incorrect" on November 3, 1994. For those unfamiliar with
the show, it is hosted by Bill Maher, who gathers 4 guests of various
backgrounds and careers to discuss any assortment of topics. The topics
vary every night, but usually center around political, economical, social,
or moral/ethical issues of the day. Although the guests aren't necessarily
"experts" in the topics, they may know something about the topic at hand
(altho that is always debatable). And the show is aired on Comedy Central,
which may tell you something... :-)
Anyway, here it is at last, complete with "um's" and "ah's". And here's
a quick "legend" for distinguishing who's speaking:
M = Bill Maher (host)
A = Franklyn Ajaye
P = Neil Peart
W = Elizabeth Wurtel
Z = Alan Zweibel
>... pause or change of subject by participant
-- interruption
[...] indicates part of sentence unintelligible
Statements grouped together indicate people talking at once.
Incidentally, Maher pronounces Peart as rhyming with 'pear'. And Neil
always seems to be laughing, so at least he's enjoying himself!
Here we go --
------------------------------------snip!-------------------------------
[some _very bad_ jokes and opening theme]
Maher: Alright! Welcome to the show! [laughs] A show where everybody
has something to plug. Alright, first the drummer and songwriter for the
rock group, Rush, the producer of this new album, "Burning For Buddy"
a tribute to Buddy Rich, Neil Peart is right here! Thank you, sir!
[Neil comes out smiling, sporting newly grown goatee, shakes hands]
Peart: Thank you, too. [nods to audience, takes his seat]
Maher: Uh, a 4-time Emmy Award Winner as a writer on the original - the
_original_, folks, Saturday Night Live - not that crappy thing that's on
now. [laughter] His most recent book is "Bunny Bunny", a collection of
rememberaces of his friend, Gilda Radner, Mr. Alan Zweibel, is right here.
[Zweibel makes his entrance, sits across Neil]
Maher: A comedian who has made his mark in both television and the movies.
He's had roles in "Car Wash", in "Hollywood Shuffle" as well as appearances
on "The Tonight Show" and "David Letterman" - nothin' to plug! Mr,
Franklyn Ajaye.
[Ajaye makes his entrance, sits next to Neil]
Maher: And finally a former contributer to the New Yorker and Rolling Stone.
She is the author of this much talked about truly book called "Prozac
Nation", Elizabeth Wurtel, right here!
[Wurtel enters, and sits down]
Maher: Ok, thank you! Join the men in the parlor! Ok, Panel, let's get
to issue #1. Take a look at any bestsellers' list, and I'm not including
you on this [points to Wurtel], that these days and you'll find both the
Nicole Simpson biography, right? and the Pope's new book. Each of which
dwells quite a bit on sex and, surprisingly, shopping for hats in Brentwood.
[laughter]
Wurtel: Does the Pope --
Maher: But uh...he wears big hats...anyway, but these two successes side-by-
side may simply mean that even the Pope has become 'pop culture'. Which
may explain why he often quotes from the Rick James version of the Bible.
[laughter] The point is the when the bestseller list is always topped by
a comedian or Howard Stern, when the New Yorker magazine puts out a fashion
issue, when supposedly respected network journalists pursue any lurid angle
in the O.J. Simpson case in prime time news shows, it means that the people
we used to look up to are now pandering down to us. In short, pop culture
is now the only culture we have. Uh, anybody think I'm right or wrong
about that? Alan?
A: I understand.
M: I mean, uh, Franklyn? You didn't understand it? Roll that back...!
[laughter]
A: No, I--
M: We're saying people are getting stupider. That's--
A: Yeah, well I, I do think people are getting stupid and I've noticed
that...I was a comedian for 20 years, you know, and I've noticed--
M: You been doing this 20 years?
A: Tw...yes! Uh, twenty, uh, two, twenty two, yeah, you know, I'm black so
I haven't aged that much, so you know...[laughter] Yeah, I've been around
a long time. But what I have noticed is the attention-spans have gotten
shorter and, um--
M: You mean when you're doing your act?
A: Yes, that's the biggest drop. In fact, I had to go to Australia to
find, to hear people who would, *young* people...I mean the older people,
my age and older, you know, the attention span is longer. But to find
young people with a long attention span is really tough to find over
here and over there, they have that, you know, and I just think that, um,
um...hey! Hit him, now! [points to Neil, laughs] [laughter]
M: Well, he's, he's white, he looks young.
P: [laughs] Thank you!
A: No, I have really noticed that. You know, I remember when I was in
college, used to go hear, I went to go hear Dick Gregory and Richard Pryor
and part of going to hear a comedian was to be smart. You wanted to hear
somebody very, very smart, you know that was part of it. Now, I think
that you're just going for the joke and you don't remember what they're
saying, so I do think we have gotten dumber. I've written on tv shows
where clever lines never got on the show, because they'd say, "Uh no, the
audience will have to think about that."
M: Oh, you wanna work here? [laughter]
A: Yeah, I wouldn't mind that! Yeah...yeah! [laughs]
M: I mean, do you think Saturday Night Live...? I mean, for example, you
were there in the early days, d'you think that's...a sign of the times
with this?
Z: With this? I don't know, um, I'm really curious - what's going on in
Australia that they have the time to concentrate, wh...?
A: They only got 4 tv networks, I think that's what the difference is.
Z: I see, so there's not an overload of stimuli...you know--
A: Yeah that's--
Z: ...there's only 4...because when we were growing up--
M: And I would imagine "Baywatch" is on all of them.
A: Yeah, they _will_ watch "Baywatch"; they _will_ watch "Baywatch".
M: Australia. I've never know Australia to be the bastion of
intellectualism--
A: But it is!
M: Rupert Murdock is from Australia.
A: That's very true, that's very true. But he also owns the Financial
Times - the London Times in England. Lot of people don't know he owns
the trash newspaper in a lot of the cities and the highest...the most
intellectual newspaper he's a very smart man.
M: Well that's an interesting point about the high-brow and the low-brow
which we will have to get to when we return...[laughs] I'm sorry, Alan,
we have to take a break.
[commercial break]
M: Ok, welcome back, and Alan, you were in mid-sentence and I had to cut
you off.
Z: Yeah, I think that this is, uh, purely evolutionary and it's, uh,
cyclical at the same time. I think that with the, uh, with the new media,
with the stimuli coming at--
M: What were we talking about? I'm sorry I have a bad attention span.
[laughter]
A: We were talking about the dumbing of America.
M: The dumbing of America--
Z: The dumbing of America.
M: You think it's cyclical? You think it's been this dumb before?
Z: I think, um, it had to have been. I would imagine cavemen were pretty,
uh, not real smart, don't you? [laughter] What'd they do all day?
W: I think--
M: Well, I...well...yeah, right... [shrugs] [laughter] I haven't...right,
he's, he's right about that. But--
Z: All I'm saying is that there's a new technology out there where stimuli
and tv and all this stuff that's coming through the screen bombards you
and I think you have no choice but for attention spans to be, uh, to be
reduced. However, how much smaller could they possibly get? I'm a firm
believer that the pendulum will come back this way and people will start
relaxing a little bit. Otherwise, we're just going to spin around and
take off.
M: I know. I don't know how much more shallow the culture can get. I saw
this movie, "Loaded Weapon", the other day, and they were referencing
"Wayne's World". [laughter] As if that is a classical reference.
W: But, I don't--
P: In a way, it's, uh, it's too facile to say that people are getting
dumber but the expectations change--
A: 'Facile'! [points to Neil]
M: Yeah, 'facile"! [laughter]
P: Yeah, oh, too many syllables? [squirms in his seat, grinning]
M: 'Facile'! I..."Facile Ball"!
P: Yeah! [laughs, nods]
M: First time I'd, I'd heard that. [laughter]
P: But really, you know people...human nature, or, uh, human potential
doesn't change that fast, but the expectations do. And the, um, monitors
by which we measure ourselves do, I think, too, so sometimes people look
up to heroes and they want to be better and they want to be smarter and
they'll watch something that's maybe too smart for them hoping that they'll
get something from it and elevate themselves. Whereas, if you watch
something that's dumber than you are, it's, it's no threat! In fact, it's
an affirmation; it's saying [lowers voice], "Pf! Well, Beavis and Butthead
are so stupid. I'm not _that_ stupid!" You know, and people do affirm
themselves with negative stereotypes.
W: Does, does anyone watch "Beavis and Butthead" _seriously_?
A and P: [nodding vigorously] Oh yeah!
A: [...] go ahead.
W: I mean, it's, it's everybody thinks it's ironic. I don't--
A: I drink wine when I watch it.
W: Yeah! I just--
M: That is not an example. You're right.
W: No, I mean it's all these things that people choose as like, signs that
people are getting stupider. It's always a lot of smart people sitting
around thinking that they're acting like stupid people watching them, I
mean, it's a...you know, that's more of a concern is that, you know,
there's that going on, like there's that magazine, "The Modern Review",
which is smart people writing about really stupid stuff. And that whole
trend, I think, is something to be, you know, more concerned about.
A: Who writes about stupid stuff?
W: You know, I don't know. I mean, I don't want to do it. But there are
people who, um...I think it really is, it's like, this thing if you're a
really geeky, smart person it kind of is a way of, um, reliving age seven
and in this time, doing it the cool way? Maybe?
P: [nodding] Or superiority, a pandering aspect and superiority. "I'm
smart...I'm so smart I can do this and laugh at it", you know, and people
will take it seriously.
M: What...? You, you were in college recently, I would imagine? What did
you major in in college?
W: Literature.
M: Ok, 'cause I talk to kids all the time when I do my little act and, you
know, very...usually, "what do you major in?", "Film. Communications.
TV. Radio." It's like...when I was in college, that was, like, the extra
fun course you took--
W: Well that's--
M: Now they don't take their meat and potatoes, these kids!
W: Well that's like...it's--
M: You know what I mean?
W: It's unacceptable. Those should not be things you can major in at
universities in...in this fair country. And the fact that it is is
shameful and awful. But that's a whole other discussion, right?
M: I mean...it is a whole other...but people think that when they go to
movies that aren't a really stupid movie, that _that_ is culture.
Whereas, again, movies are just...
W: No, that's not fair. Movies--
M: ...that should be the _supplementary_ diet.
W: No, movies are culture. Great movies are good as any kind of literature
or anything else.
A: House Party 3. [laughter]
M: They...they should be a supplement to books. I mean it's just like...
it's like, when you, in school, if you read the monik notes or the cliff
notes, you should read it _with_ the book, not in _replacement_ of the
book!
P: Well, you should read Shakespeare and not go see the play? I mean, that
doesn't necessarily wash.
M: What are you saying? [laughter]
P: [laughs] I'm saying, that...you're saying that you should read the book
and that's a separate experience from the film? [...] not be.
M: No, this guy Shakespeare you're mentioning, I hadn't heard of him.
P: Yeah! [laughs]
W: There's...there's certain--
A: He's the Neil Simon of his day.
M: Yeah. I know, I...I wish I could continue on this, but I can't, because,
next up! if God didn't mean us to drink, how come he invented those hats
with beer cans on the side?
[commercial break]
M: Alright, welcome back, and Issue # 2. Of all the things they don't have
today that they had 20 years ago: Ed Sullivan, disaster movies, afros,
Ted Kennedy's presidential hopes...
W: Afros are back.
M: [laughs]...the Bee Gees, and of course, real breasts. The thing I miss
the most is _drunks_! We don't have any drunks any more! Just alcoholics,
which is a shame because drunks were great, drunks were funny. And that's
why so many beloved show business figures in the past became beloved by
playing drunk! Like W.C. Fields and Foster Brooks and Otis on Andy
Griffith and...and Yeltsin. [laughter] These people brought laughter to
millions, but then certain grinches stole that. And people who make the
rest of us feel guilty for laughing at things that are funny are nothing
more than grinches who steal enjoyment from everyone because _they_ had
a _problem_ with something. Well, you know, we all have tragic
associations with _something_. Even a chicken can be made tragic if
your father was killed choking on an egg. [laughter] Drunks are funny!
I say we bring them back and let Dudley Moore have a career again!
[laughter] What do you think about?
P: Well, I'm certainly with you on that. I grew up with, uh, Otis, and I
grew up with, um, Jackie Gleason Show and Tracy Guggenheim and all that.
And I always thought it was funny. I have to think it's part of our
culture's "victimization syndrome", you know, suddenly it's a terrible
disease. It's _not_ their fault. It's not their fault and they're
horrible victims, and--
M: Yeah! I mean, alcoholics are sad, but drunks are funny, no, Alan?!
Z: It is a big difference, you know, even back in the days of the 3 Stooges.
If Mo, Larry and Curly slept in the same bed, it was only because they
didn't have rent. [laughter] There was _nothing_ else goin' on there.
Z: Now it's slightly different...
M: You're saying that, today, that would be seen as-- [laughs]
Z: ...yeah, well, _some_ people might...I don't, but _you_ know! [laughs]
M: [laughing] You're saying 3 grown men, sleeping in the same bed--
Z: Three grown men, snoring in synch with each other, the bed goes up
into the wall, God knows what they do on the other side, it's because
they _had_ _no_ _rent_.
M: Right. That's, that's all it was.
P: It wasn't their fault.
M: Well look at...what would W.C. Fields be seen as today? He'd be seen
as dysfunctional,the dysfunctional family, his wife hated him, he's a
drunk--
Z: He's an abuser.
M: He's an abuser...
P: Dogs and children.
M: Dogs and children. He hates dogs and children. He, he wouldn't get a
job in the business!
A: He'd be Roseanne.
P: [applaudes Ajaye]
M: He'd be Roseanne...! [laughs] [laughter] Alright, quickly, you two
have anything to add on this, if not, we're getting out of here. [looks
at Wurtel and Ajaye]
W: [pause] Well, I think--
M: Aanh! Sorry, time's up! [laughs] [laughter] No, I'm just kidding!
W: I don't remember any of these funny drunks, I feel deprived.
M: See, that's...isn't that's all--
W: Being my age, all I remember are tragic drunks.
A: You have been deprived.
W: It's very, um...although I had a boyfriend who was a drunk, who was a
tragic drunk, but I thought he was...it was pretty funny when he would do
[laughs] do things like knock the table over or, you know, whatever, I
found it kind of amusing, and get lost in Florida for days at a time and
no one would be able to find him and things like that.
M: William Holden got drunk, hit his head on a coffee table, died, [laughs]
I mean, does it get any funnier than that? [laughter] Anyway, I have
some tapes I wanna show you after the show. When we come back, we're
gonna play, "Who Has Time To Read?"
[commercial break]
M: Okay, welcome back, and it's time to play, "Who Has Time to Read?",
'cause in today's society we don't have _time_ to read, and yet there
are so many fine books out there. Among them, look at this, Diana Ross's
autobiography came out a few months ago [laughs], "The Secrets of the
Sparrow", and, look, I don't think [Neil laughs] celebrities should
write books at all because I think it should be illegal, then people
would read about Churchill and...world leaders and...Howard Stern. But,
uh, [laughter] but the other thing that amazes me about celebrities...why
I think it's a bad influence when kids read them, is that, because they
are celebrities, they think that everything that happens to them [laughs]
is an event, because it's happening...Now listen to this, this is from
the book, this is Diana Ross talking about her concert in Central Park,
we all remember in 1983 [laughter]. [Reads in "romance novel" voice]:
"I don't know how long I had been on stage when the darkness appeared.
Time is suspended when I am performing." [laughter]
W: Whoa!
A: You know--
M: You know, it's--
A: My watch stopped that night.
Z: Right. Yeah
M: I, I believe Stephen Hawking is looking into this phenomena [laughter].
[Reads]: "It wasn't long before that tricky wind blew up again. This
time, it blew so hard, it blew the sun right out of the sky." [laughter]
W: [laughs]
Z: Yeah, yeah.
A: Whoo! Boy!
Z: That was a rough day, I...terrible day, I...
M: Yeah, that was, I--
P: First the space-time continuum--
A: [...] no time, no sun.
P: [shakes his head]
M: You'd think that there would be a mention in the paper of that...you know,
'Sun Exists Galaxy. See B-1'. [laughter]
P: 'Pause in Space-Time.'
A: No time.
M: '"Solar System", Now Just 'System''. You know, something! [laughter]
P: Not a system, not moving. [shrugs]
M: Nope! Not at all! [Reads]: "Everything darkened. Suddenly, the sky
was completely black, bewildering everyone...", except those who have
experienced
|M: night!
|Z: nighttime. [laughter]
P: [laughs]
W: [laughs]
M: Apparently, it's just night and..
Z: Sun goes down.
M: By the way, she is the new weather girl over at, uh, CBS...
And again, here's another passage, which I just think points up the fact
that things that the rest of us would seem not...vital. She's talking
about, uh, an episode when she was backstage with her husband, Arrnnnnn.
[Reads]: "I hang back a moment and then say to him, with a little blush,
'I can't button my dress. Could you ask my daughter Tracy to come and
help me?' Without hesitation, he says, quite matter-of-factly, 'I'll do
it.'" [laughter]
A: Wow! What a hunker (?) he is!
P: Whoa!
M: You'd think he was rushing a machine-gun nest.
P: [laughs]
A: He will do it!
W: Wait, were they already married?
M: They were married...I, I don't know if they were married at this point.
But, good question, but it... well anyway.
A: But does he call her Diana? You think he calls her Diana, at all?
W: I think he calls her Miss Ross.
A: Yeah, I think so.
M: That's...yes, I know that...syndrome. [Reads]: "'I'll do it'. Three
little words. I don't know why I'm allowing this, but before I know it,
I'm turning around, piling my hair on top of my head with my hands--" 'with
my ha--'. No, with a machine. [laughter] 'And a stranger is buttoning
my dress. He starts at the top. As he clumsily tries to do up the
buttons with his big hands, I realized the buttons go clear down to my
bottom--".
M: A bulbous area at the top of my legs...! [laughter]
A: She just realizes...? She just realized that.
W: Wait, he's a stranger, it's not her husband?
M: Well, it's...I think-
W: She feels he's a stranger. She--
M: He will become her husband because--
A: He's buttoning her dress.
M: Right. [Reads}: "He reaches the middle of my back-he's having trouble
with the buttons-I feel strange now. He says, I say to him, 'It's all
right. I can have my daughter do it.' But this is a man who has just
climbed Mt. Everest." [laughter]
A: Get outta here! (?)
Z: Yeah.
P: Button by button!
M: [Reads]: "He is no quitter."
A: No.
W: Wait, did he really climb...? I want to know how much of this is
metaphor and how much of this is real?
M: He planted a flag in her ass, I think so! [laughter] That's what
it says! It says... "...this is a man who has just climbed Mt. Everest.
He is no quitter. He makes his way all the way down, he is finally
finished. I let loose my hair, and we walk into dinner together."
[wipes "tears" from face, closes book]
A: That is...
M: I can't go on, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to thank my guests, Neil
Peart, Franklyn Ajaye, Elizabeth Wurtel and Alan Zweibel. [announces next
nights guests] Thank you.
[end credits, closing theme]
----------------------------------snip!------------------------------------
The views expressed in this transcript are not necessarily those of anyone,
including those who viewed their expressions.
That's a wrap!
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 1994 15:05:50 -0500 (EST)
From: PARMERTERB@hartwick.edu
Subject: Rush Review for Albany, NY May 3, 1994
rush
May 3, 1994 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
by Brad Parmerter
I left Oneonta at 3:44 after the ritual escort by Dawn to exit 16 and
proceeded to Schenevus where I stopped off for gas and a sub. At 4:16 I got
back on I-88 and drove on to Albany. I went through slight Rush Hour traffic
before stopping in the traditional parking lot at 5:30 and paid $5. I packed up
my arms with the Cp tourbook, 2 8x10 photos from the Roll The Bones Binghamton
show and reviews of the Worcester & Hartford shows to give to Howard
Ungerleider, and a bunch of ASOF flyers to hand out. I bought up some
merchandise for some NMS'ers, Christie (two tourbooks and a black album cover t-
shirt) and Kurt (a baseball hat) and then took them back to the car. I thought
about getting the white Adam & Eve shirt but decided to wait until after the
Rochester show and see if I still had the money.
Since I was going to meet up with Chris Kay, and Mandy & Steve Streeter
I went to the box office to see what tickets were still available as I knew
that they would have to pick them up there. I asked for a single seat (with no
intention of buying) and the lady said they had a Sec. 3 row A seat. After
asking numerous times to make sure of the location, I asked if they took
exchanges. So for $1 I traded in my Sec 3, Row C, seat 14 seat for Sec 3, Row
A, seat 10 - Front Row, Geddy Lee side!
I was bursting with excitement at this point and continued my search
for people I knew and handed out some ASOF flyers. I met up with a member of
the club and she said that she had got in to see soundcheck but only remembered
Double Agent. She had recently seen Mandy and Chris so I headed out to search
for them. Winding around to the far right of the arena I found them. Mandy had
the black star & man shirt, holding a stack of flyers and issue 9, and Chris
was sporting a Permanent Waves shirt. I was in my gray Nike's, Arizona blue
jeans, and black unlicensed Cp shirt with my white Presto shirt over it as I
saw them here for the first time on the Presto tour!
After hearing about my luck at the box office - I can still hear Chris
repeating over and over "You got front row Geddy Lee side?!!" - we returned
there and they tried to get better seats than their 18th row in Sec 3 they had
gotten earlier (they didn't end up getting any at this time). Steve couldn't
make the show due to work and I guess he had to miss the Philadelphia show as
well. I half-jokingly complained about Geddy Lee side tickets, but after many
strange faces I realized even though Alex's side would have been the best,
Geddy's side wasn't that bad - especially since two huge Geddy fans were there
to convince me! We bumped into a guy from the Spirit of Rush (who Chris had met
in Pensacola & New Orleans) who had a fax from Anthem/Atlantic that set up an
interview with him and Alex after the show as well as tickets for the last four
shows of the tour. This interview would turn out to be over an hour long
(rumored as Alex's longest interview!) and will appear in the next issue - as I
found out the next night after the Rochester show.
We also met up with the B-man, Bill Banasiewicz who was also trying to
get better seats than what he had already bought. Mandy and Chris were hungry
so we went to a pizza place right by the Knick and got a table for four on the
sidewalk. While they were ordering pizza I got a chance to talk to the infamous
B-man for a bit. He was adamant about not revealing inside scoop on the band
from the earlier years. He said he has a book just about done, but whether or
not it'll be published is another story. He didn't want to send me ticket stub
copies which was a disappointment as he has many! We started talking about the
number of Rush shows we'd seen and I once again felt a bit out of place
(although this was a hometown Rush show for me) and jealous as I'm a rookie
when it comes to seeing them live. Counting this show we were about to see,
this was my 8th, Mandy was next with 30, Chris who had recently celebrated his
half-century in Nassau, was at number 54, and the B-man blew us away with 188!
Mandy or the B-man spotted a sign across the street for a sub shop that
said "welcome Rush fans" and Chris was off in a flash with his camera. He also
got a shot of five guys who each had a letter on their shirt spelling out 'RUSH
#1' between the five of them (I later found out that one of these guys is on
TNMS). Unfortunately no pictures were taken of the group of us, something I
wish I had thought about, as I had my camera in the car and now I would love
to have shots of the people I met on this tour!
At seven minutes after 7 pm I made a stupid move and left them to
finish their pizza and I went into the arena. To my dismay I would not meet up
with them again before the night was over. As I walked to the upstairs to get
in I once again admired the gorgeous architecture of the Knickerbocker - the
enclosed glass front is a wonderful sight and always reminds me of waiting
around with my brother, gazing at the streets of Albany from above as we waited
for the gates to open back on June 2, 1990 - my first Rush show.
Once inside I headed for the mixing table to find Howard, but he wasn't
around and so after a few visits and still no luck I dropped the pictures and
reviews off with a note for him. I had sent a letter to the Knick the week
earlier for him to set up an interview, but I wasn't sure if he got it.
I circled the arena and checked it out, and during the Candlebox set I
wandered around the arena halls looking for Mandy and Chris - but after many
circlings and still no luck, I strolled back to the mixing board and Howard was
up there and I waved. He waved back and pointed for me to meet him in the back,
so I walked back there and I told him I dropped some stuff of for him and he
went to get it. He liked the photos and flipped through the reviews. I asked
him if he got my letter and he said that he didn't but if I wanted an interview
I could meet him behind the War Memorial in Rochester the next day at 5 or 5:30
pm that he would "take care of [me]."
I then went to sit down at my seat and watched the last two Candlebox
songs, "You" and a cover of the Doors song "Break on Through." After their set
I wandered around looking in the 18th row of Sec 3 for Mandy and Chris, but to
no avail - actually I searched the whole first three sections, numerous times!
They seemed to have disappeared! I would find out the next night that they
found elevated seats that were better on Alex's side and that's where they were.
The lights went down and I concluded my search as I scrambled to the
front row! I opted for cotton only in the right ear (my worse) and to keep the
foam ear plugs in my pocket.
They exploded into Dreamline, which I remember as a yellow song for
some strange reason. The verse lights were white beams shooting from the ICON's
on the floor and rig over the stage. Neil was adding some new and interesting
off time fills throughout the song that sounded really sharp. His snare was
clear and loud and sounded very good. The whole set was mic'd well and was
clear. Geddy's bass was very loud and clear through the huge bass bins that
stood under the stage only four feet in front of me! Between Neil's bass drum
and Ged's bass, I would be beaten up quite a bit! Unfortunately due to my
position, directly between Geddy's microphone stand and his keyboard, I was not
able to hear Alex's guitar as much as I would have liked. Geddy seemed like he
was in good spirits, especially compared to the Hartford show. As I was still
getting accustomed to being so close and being so excited I wasn't as observant
about things as I wanted to be.
The Spirit of Radio: Howard's lights are wonderful for this cut,
especially during the "invisible airwaves..." bridge with numerous colored
lights flashing away. The ICON lights create such a distinct and vivid color.
The guitar was still pretty low in the mix, except for the lick from the
beginning of the song that repeats. Alex ventured over to our side of the stage
for a quick visit. Geddy clapped for the first chorus but then played the bass
for the next one - couldn't feel the bass pedals as strong as on the Bones
Tour. Only a few lights were used to illuminate the whole arena for "concert
hall..." - yet another asset to the ICON's. The piano (from the studio version
that they added as a sample this tour) was very prominent and a treat to hear,
as it is one of my favorite parts from the album!
Alex's guitar was disappointing during The Analog Kid as well. Geddy
stayed behind his keyboard rig for much of the song. Since I was just under the
hanging speaker rig, the sound was not directed to me and so most of the sound
that reached me was from the bass bins and the on-stage amplification. The solo
was great from what little I could hear and the strobes that introduced it were
once again a fantastic effect. The chorus lights were moving as well, rotating
beams of color "you move me, you move me..." The best effect, and most
memorable part of the song though was the ending that reverberated for what
seemed like forever as white needles of light stab at the dark arena.
Cold Fire: Another funny intro from Geddy with a riff from Alex and
drums from Neil as Geddy couldn't remember what album it was from, "I got a
cold fire" straight into one of my favorite beginning's since The Spirit of
Radio - so powerful and strong. Alex's guitar was back to normal prominence now
but Geddy's vocals were a little soft due to my position. Neil is not quite as
far back playing the snare from the electric set as I thought and commented on
in Hartford. I watched the sunrise tonight "it was just before sunrise..." and
also noticed "it was just before midnight..." as the rear screen was flooded
with deep blue. Alex didn't sing "don't go too far" after the solo break for
some reason. It seemed like I still wasn't really into the show yet. It takes
me a while to get accustomed to being there and into it, and it wasn't until
Bravado that I was fully into it all the way. Not to mean that I wasn't having
fun, I just was too reserved for the first songs. If I was more into the songs
early in the set, this would definitely be one of my favorites of each show!
Geddy was sporting black pants, black converse, a black shirt and a black vest
with a gold design on it. Alex had on gray pants and a blackish jacket and Neil
had on shorts, a red bandana (or hardhat as Alex would call it) and an ugly
black sleeveless button-up shirt.
The beginning for Time Stand Still is wonderful! The new video footage
for this tour gives something new for a song that at times gets old. Neil is
not using headphones this time on the road since the video gives more freedom
to error, although I don't know if it was supposed to be in sync! Alex's
traditional Time Stand Still tobacco sunburst PRS made it's only appearance of
the night. Geddy has a wonderful bass fill under the line"make each sensation a
little stronger..." which I dug each time he ripped it out right in front of
me! It was so nice to see how he plays, as I have never really watched him
closely (my eyes are usually on Alex or Neil) but it was a definite treat! It
was also fun to watch him use his pedals and triggers - I remember watching him
trigger Aimee's "oooohhhhh's..." during the instrumental break. I did get into
this track quite a bit tonight and I don't know if I want it tossed for the
next tour or not now!
Nobody's Hero was intro'd again as a song about heroes. Alex made the
chorus to second verse transition, but was low in the mix. It sounded really
good tonight and was one of my favorites of the show. The light scheme for this
cut is basically just a subtle red with white spots. A very poignant moment was
at the end after Geddy sang the acappela "nobody's heeero...." he raised his
head to the sky as the white spot slowly faded to black.
The one cut that I just couldn't get into at the show's was Roll The
Bones. The light flashes (purple?) that coincided with the synth flares were
nice. It was an interesting track tonight though as Alex broke a string during
his solo and had the red PRS switched to his black one during the first portion
of the rap. During the rap I could hear him a little bit - it was fun watching
him during a rather boring part of the song for me now - it was a bit out of
sync tonight as well. Neil hands the click track headphones to Larry during
"because we're here..." and then he goes wild on the snare!
Neil goes directly into a powerful version of Animate - one of my
favorite tracks from Counterparts. I wanted it to be better than it was though
I think. Geddy's bass was very loud which was a nice change from the other
shows I had seen. The sound was muddy and I couldn't clearly distinguish each
instrument, but the lights were fantastic! The verse is nice with flashing
colored ICON lights spanning the back of the stage. The chorus lights were just
as strong and enjoyable. One of my favorite sections of the song starts with
"my counterpart..." as the liner notes from the album grace the rear-screen and
Neil puts on a wonderful display. As a decent drummer, his stuff is very hard
to me, but his tambourine hits (triggered by his left foot) are difficult to
hit on time as he is busy with fills as well. Geddy stood by his microphone
stand at the front of the stage and gave us a good look at him. Ged also I
noticed throughout the night used the black box to the stage left of his
monitor (a teleprompter) quite a bit during the night, but I could see him look
down at it before almost every line of this song! A nice ending with "Animate"
displayed proudly upon the rear-screen in bold white lettering.
Geddy let Lerxst Lifeson introduce Stick It Out, as he made a sword
motion to the audience. Geddy switched to the red Fender - he used the black
and white one for the rest of the show - and Alex brought out the gorgeous Les
Paul. Alex sang all of the "stick it out" and "spit it out" lines, and Ged let
him do so without help from him. A good guitar solo from Alex, one of the few
that I could hear well and he swung his right arm like a pendulum for the
appropriate line. He also played the soft ending section (although not in
Hartford) and the explosions were pretty cool.
Double Agent is soon to be a concert classic. A powerful piece! Once
again the vocals and bass started a bit on the low side, but then picked up in
volume. Geddy sang the first line of each of the samples (thus they sounded a
bit louder than the remaining lines). Neil puts a lot of force and precision
into his hits - his cymbals sounded a bit tinny at times during the show. The
mirrors were fun to look at close up - they rotated for the entire song and on
the chorus "wilderness of mirrors..." the lights shone on them and reflected a
series of prism-shaped beams onto the stage and audience. From front row the
flames were very, very warm and stunk! The stench hung around for a while and
it was horrid!
The follow-spot went on as Alex screamed into the beginning of
Limelight, but Alex was at center stage and the spot was behind his microphone
stand, so a quick adjustment was made. He came over to our side for a visit and
got a big cheer from our side of the arena. His solo was very good, but low in
the mix again - the lights joining and sweeping to him at the onset of the solo
is great (very similar to the movement used on the last tour for the solo to
Roll The Bones). Geddy's bass at the beginning was great to hear at a loud
volume. A very powerful ending with an excited group of guys on stage.
With the addition of Bravado to the set, the progression of Animate-
Stick It Out-Double Agent-Limelight-Bravado is one of the best in recent years!
It goes from the great to the incredible! This song was my favorite of the
night by far! A very emotional song and the first song that hooked me when I
first heard an advance copy of Roll The Bones in August of 1991. I've always
love the line "and if the music stops..." . What an intense song, full of grace
(the beginning) and power (the rideout). Alex's solo was amazing (thankfully I
could hear it well) and so moving. I stared at him for much of the rideout
section and was in awe, as I did with Neil as well, he was keeping the regular
pattern (alternating snare and two floor toms) and threw a number of fills in
on top - sounding simply fabulous - an incredible addition to the song from the
teaser on the studio version.
Not to be let down they kicked into Mystic Rhythms next, with Neil
starting the song off. His part is difficult, but the most interesting thing is
how symmetric his body looks behind the electric set with both arms hitting
drums on each side of him, with the rear-screen backdrops as well it adds a
very nice scene. It did seem like Neil was pissed during this track and that he
was having trouble with his set. He seemed to be talking to Alex as if he was
saying 'something is wrong and I'm really upset.' Larry Allen, Neil's drum-tech
seemed to be out around the set quite a bit during the show. There was a guy in
the photo-pit all night and it looked like he was getting some nice shots of
Neil and the backdrops - he had a tripod so I assume he is the band's
photographer. I said to myself that if I had a camera it would be nice to get a
shot of Neil when the backdrop showed him playing from the video in 1985 - a
nine years later type of shot (I did the next night in Rochester, not as nice
as I would've liked, but it does the job). Alex's acoustic sounded very crisp
and clear, but the electric seemed a touch muddy after he switched to it. I
couldn't hear any of the keyboard events from the back speakers "under city
lights...". I noticed the effect that Jimmy Lang pointed out to me in Hartford
(and now I was in a position to see it) from the middle of the rear-screen a
pyramid shoots out a rainbow from each side to the edge of the screen and then
an ICON on each side of the stage follows in over the crowd. A roadie came out
after this song and flipped a roll-a-dex type of thing on the stage left side
of Geddy's keyboard (he also did this before the encore), maybe a track listing
of the show?
After many of the songs Geddy would take a gulp of water from a bottle
back by his onstage amplifiers and he had to jog up to his microphone to sing
the first line to Closer To The Heart, as he almost missed it. Neil's snare
drum in the electric kit sounded piercing and higher in pitch than in the
acoustic kit, it also sounded louder than the electric drums in the kit. I
really am enjoying this song more this tour than on the last two. A roadie came
out from behind the drum kit (not Larry Allen though) and fixed one of the
microphones that is suspended over Neil's drums because it had swung down. Alex
didn't sing (booooooooo) but he did introduce the guys in humourous fashion
(although the crowd didn't seem to be into it much): from Sweden, Geddy was
Steven Segal, with the hardhat and muscles was Arnold Schwarzenegger (said in
one of Alex's many accents), and once again Alex was the male model, Flabio.
Alex ventured to the back of Neil's drum set and took a stick from Larry Allen
and chucked it into the audience quite a distance.
Show Don't Tell started with a bang and the lights for the beginning
were great with colorful beams shooting out from the ICON's mounted on the
stage. It was a kind of a lull in the set as I am kind of getting used to
seeing it live and would rather see something else (like Time Stand Still last
tour, although now I love the song live!). For the first time I was able to see
Geddy during his solo as he came out from behind the keyboards and stood right
in front of me by his microphone stand! Great bass licks and it was great to
watch him throughout the night as I have never really studied his hand
technique - he even throws in some twangy/slappy sounding stuff. Howard used
the white lights to entice the crowd for the chorus and I could hear the rear
speakers this time.
Neil toweled off during the bunny film and after the sad passing of the
Presto Bunny (whom we've all come to love, or by the reaction of the crowd,
love to hate!) Neil launched into Leave That Thing Alone. The beginning of this
song still startles me a bit, maybe because Neil is grooving and then Geddy and
Alex both come in at the same time - but Alex's guitar always seemed so harsh
when it comes in. The song has grown on me and I really like it as a live piece
now - much better than the more textured studio version where Alex's guitar
parts sound too keyboardish. Live though, this is a superb showcase song and it
was a joy that Alex's guitar sound was loud enough to hear well. This was one
of my five favorites of the night I think. Neil has some intricate parts in
this cut, working from the floor tom on the left to the small mounted tom and
his fills are unique as well, not a round-house type fill, instead he uses his
toms to the fullest extent. His long fill near the end was fantastic, and
accompanied by wonderful lighting from Howard. Once again the lights and the
guitar phrases gave this song a very rotational feel to it. Geddy was cooking
on the bass and he hung around at the end of the song to lead Neil into the
drum solo with some hanging notes, whereas Alex seemed to split pretty quickly
after his part was done. Ged proceeded to run into his 'GFOS' (Godfather's of
Soul) robe and waited in the little sound hood off to his his side of the stage.
Neil's Drum Solo started on the acoustic kit with rolls and flashing
lights. There was no echo on the solo though (and there was supposed to be) -
another reason that Neil looked mad. Once again I liked the tambourine addition
to this tour's solo. With sections from the last few solo's tossed in,
including marimba and cowbell parts, he wound up the acoustic portion and
turned around to the electric set as white beams from above illuminated him.
After a similar portion from the Bones Tour on the electric set he turned back
to the acoustic side and finished up with the orchestra sound clips and an
explosion to end it all.
Alex brought out the acoustic guitar again - using it for three
different songs is a lot compared to recent tours - for the introduction of The
Trees. Great musicianship on this track! They could play this for the next ten
tours and I wouldn't get tired of it! A joy to see live (would liked to have
seen it with the lasers on the last tour though) such power and beauty. Geddy
was burning up the fretboard with his fills and runs and Alex's magical
arpeggio's to start off the instrumental section leading to the solo are
fantastic! Neil is not to be left out as he knocks out the wood block parts
from behind the kit. This was a definite favorite of the night as well!
My favorite moment of the show came next as I was enveloped in dry ice
as they eased into the beginning of Xanadu. I could hardly see Geddy a few feet
in front of me and his bass was wafting through me and the fog was flowing over
me - incredible! This was very strong tonight with a wonderful performance.
Alex visited during his six-string riff (as is now tradition) and I looked at
him to see if the rumours were true, and to me he didn't really look that hefty
as people have been saying - maybe the past three months of touring have
slimmed him down! He also stayed a bit too long as he had to run back to change
effects on his guitar.
Hemispheres-Prelude was fantastic tonight as well. These two songs
combined were most likely my second favorite song(s) of the night. I was
jumping all over the place (gave myself quite a neckache too!) as were Alex and
Geddy. Alex seemed in very good spirits and joked with the crowd throughout the
night. Both Geddy & Alex seemed to meet up at center stage quite a bit during
the instrumental sections of this and other songs (something that I didn't
remember so much from the previous two shows I was at on this tour). I noticed
a bunch of strings hanging off of the lowered light rig and I wondered what
they were during this song - I would come to find out that they were the
explosion/sparks for the end of the show. Geddy hit all of the vocal parts very
well, and although he lowered "every soul a battlefield..." I liked the way it
sounded.
Once again the beginning to Tom Sawyer was very weak for my liking
(although better than previous shows on this tour). The synth sound that they
are using is soft and wimpy for such a definitive and strong beginning. What I
want to hear is a very close rendition to the original as well as it being
extremely loud. It takes something out of the song to start it off so
undramatically. Ged had some very nice fills and the melody during the guitar
solo is wonderful. Ged & Alex seemed very pumped up during this track, which
was another close favorite of the night for me, and Neil was cruising along
until right before the guitar solo when he either broke or dropped a stick and
as a result, missed a snare hit. White lights filled the arena and Alex
expanded his arms for "are wide..."??????? Alex also threw out a guitar pick at
the conclusion of the song as they split from the stage. Geddy headed into the
'GFOS' robe and hurried down the stairs to the backstage area.
I asked Mandy before the show and she told me that Force Ten was added
back into the set when she saw them in Philadelphia on the 30th (it had been
dropped for the Hartford show on April 24 and stayed that way until that Phili.
show) and in Providence on May 1st. I was psyched to see it as I was very
disappointed that it was scrapped for the Hartford show (although
understandable under the conditions). This has always been one of my favorite
songs and Geddy sounded really good tonight on it. Partway through the regular
set, Alex changed back to the red PRS (after getting the string fixed) but he
used the black one for the two song encore. Alex it seems has maybe brought in
a new solo for it again(?) he was low in the mix so I may be off on a limb. The
ending and beginning were both pretty lame as the drums were not very loud at
all. I did hear the rear speaker sound-bite tonight which surprised me that I'd
be able to hear it in the front of the arena.
YYZ was simply fantastic. Another one of my favorites of the night.
Geddy was at the side of the circle (at the front of the stage) facing my way
and it was so much fun watching him do the solo sections just feet away from me
- the best bassist on Earth! After the solo section it sounded a bit hollow as
I couldn't really hear Alex well at all. Neil tossed a stick (which he did
quite a bit during the show) and it fell in front of the drum set! Alex picked
it up after the show and tossed it into the crowd. As they launched into Cygnus
X-1 I was ecstatic as the excitement rose to its pinnacle. Unfortunately
though, the last four notes of YYZ seemed to end very quickly - as they have
slowed them down to end the show, they seemed to rush through the last four
notes of the instrumental this time. My favorite show of the tour had just
finished.
During some point early in set I looked down behind me and scooped up a
discarded ticket stub (sec 3 row G). In the middle of the set I noticed two
microphones under the overhead stage speakers in addition to the one that is
out at the mixing board going into the 32 channel mixer. I can't wait for the
double live album after the next tour! I also noticed a vertical (piece of
plastic), pentagonal shaped device on the stage right side of Geddy's keyboard
on the floor - I wonder if this is an antenna of some sort or something.
After searching the floor of the arena for ticket stubs (no luck) and
looking for Mandy and Chris I wandered back to the mixing board area to see
Howard. I congratulated him on a great show and he seemed to think it went
pretty well. We confirmed our meeting for the next day and he mentioned some
things about my reviews.
On the way out I saw more people from my hometown area or college
(Scott Glover, the guy from Vooheesville who I met in Hartford, a fan from
Village Music, Eric & Joy) and searched again for Mandy and Chris so I could
share my experience with them and see what they thought of the show, as well as
to find out what was going on with the Rochester show tomorrow. Unfortunately
after about twenty minutes of searching and still no luck I aborted the mission
and headed for the parking lot the Saturn was in. Even though I had just seen
my favorite band from the front row, I was disappointed and in a junky mood
with no one to share it with or talk to (especially after the Hartford show!).
I also wouldn't be able to say 'bye' to Mandy who wasn't able to make the trip
to Rochester, at least with Chris I had a chance of running into him, but I
wouldn't see Mandy until the next tour so to both Mandy & Steve: Bye and see
you next tour and keep up the great work with A Show Of Fans! And I hope you
liked your first Albany Rush, Mandy!
After checking with the friendly local police I made sure I knew how to
get back to the Thruway and home. Bummed, I reached the car and decided to use
my walkman to tape myself and what I thought of the show so I wouldn't forget
it and get it mixed up with the Rochester show (and so when I typed this up two
months later I would remember the show). So I left a little sad, but excited
for the Rochester show and full of great memories from another wonderful
experience of Rush in Albany!
The ride home was great for taping my memories, but unfortunately I was
too wrapped up in speaking into the walkman that I missed my exit on the NYS
Thruway (I've only driven that route over twenty times in my life!) and ended
up getting off exit 27 instead of 25A and so I turned around and got back on
the wrong way and went to exit 29! Only 36 miles out of the way! The next best
thing to do after I paid $1.40 for tolls (when my trip is supposed to be free),
was to take Route 10 South through little towns with horrid roads and turns
(recommended speed limit 15 mph!) until Cobleskill and hop onto I-88 to
Schenevus. It only took me over 2 hours and 15 minutes to get home when it
should be a 70 minute drive!
I didn't get a whole bunch of sleep but I was getting ready for the
next day and my trip to Rochester with an interview with Howard Ungerleider!
rush
Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, New York
May 3, 1994
Counterparts Tour
review compiled by Brad Parmerter on May 3, 1994; July 17, 1994.
write to: Brad Parmerter
Box 115
Hartwick College
Oneonta, NY 13820
email: parmerterb@hartwick.edu
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End of The National Midnight Star Number 1033
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