RUSH

So, this weekend Pai and I went to see Rush at Nissan Pavilion. This was my sixth time seeing them in concert. This wasn't the best of their shows that I'd seen, but it was certainly no disappointment. Their last tour was their 30th anniversary tour so they indulged the crowd by playing lots of the fans' favorites. This time, they focused much more on their new album. The challenge here is that Amazon screwed up my order so I didn't have the new album before the concert. Even hearing these songs for the first time though, I really liked them.

As I study guitar, play in a band, and immerse myself much more in music theory I listen to music differently. I am hearing what's going on on more levels. It's funny because it has me appreciating complex music (like Rush) more, but it's also got me appreciating super simply music (like Art Brut) more as well. I like that. I like that I enjoy a broader range of music as I learn more about how it's made. We spend so much of our adult lives eliminating options - narrowing our focus - that it feels rejuvenating to actually broaden one of my foci.

Of course, while this was the first Rush concert where I paid more attention to Alex Lifeson than Neil Peart, it was still amazing to watch Neil play his kit with what I can only describe as inspired genius. Why is Neil a genius? Because he can do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bIchqJoxFQ&mode=related&search= and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkNGne4ZWB4