Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010)

March 18, 2021 12:04 PM

An in-depth look at the Canadian rock band Rush, chronicling the band's musical evolution from their progressive rock sound of the '70s to their current heavy rock style.
posted by The corpse in the library (10 comments total)

I started this knowing nothing about Rush other than that a) they're Canadian and b) Tom Sawyer. I finished it a fan. I want to see them in concert -- it looks amazing.

This is everything you want in a (band-friendly) rockumentary.
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:06 PM on March 18, 2021 [3 favorites]

I was really REALLY lucky to catch Rush on the R40 tour a few years back. I'm looking forward to watch the documentary.
posted by hanov3r at 2:08 PM on March 18, 2021 [1 favorite]

I'm an old Rush fan and saw them many times. I miss their sense of humor, their intensity and passion, and what a glorious wallop they unleashed live. This film was such a joy and a validation of following them. Welcome to the club Corpse in the Library.
posted by Ber at 3:06 PM on March 18, 2021 [2 favorites]

What album should I start with?
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:24 PM on March 18, 2021

Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures have most of the songs they're best known for ("Tom Sawyer" is on Moving Pictures). The albums before them are more conventionally progressive-metal, complete with things like side-long multi-part epic compositions using the Greek pantheon to describe the split between rational and emotional human thought. The albums after those two wander in various stylistic directions.
posted by ardgedee at 6:03 PM on March 18, 2021 [2 favorites]

I watched this a few months back. I was never a big Rush fan, though I've always respected them as a band and enjoyed their radio hits. I saw them once back in the 90s and they put on a good show.

I loved finding out that they were all just great friends with each other. I didn't know anything about their personalities beforehand but they all seem like genuinely warm, funny guys.

I like bands that survive for so long without much in the way of drama.
posted by bondcliff at 11:52 AM on March 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

What album should I start with?

If you want to go chronologically, 2112 could be their earliest prog album: high concept and everything. Permanent Waves is a good balance of radio hits and instrumental prog.

To start a lively debate among Rush fans, you can always ask which album you should end with :-)
posted by kurumi at 1:14 PM on March 19, 2021 [3 favorites]

I'm a Rush fan who got to see them a few times (once rescheduled surgery to do so) - loved this documentary. I love the rock and roll and after watching this the first time, I said: I wish every band I'm really into had a documentary like that. I love their banter and camaraderie, and their nonsense too (don't miss the bonus material). Hilarious.
posted by Occula at 3:57 PM on March 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

Another soft entry point would be Grace Under Pressure, in the middle of their 80s synth period. There's a lot of classics there, including Red Sector A, the song Neil wrote for Geddy's mom. She is a Holocaust survivor and Geddy always sang that with a lot of passion.

What album to end with? I say end with the album that got renamed on Progressive Ears: Clockwork Motherfucking Angels! "Headlong Flight" rocks righteously and "The Garden" is a masterpiece of quiet reflection on the end, especially when you consider Neil's last years.
posted by Ber at 12:29 PM on March 22, 2021 [1 favorite]

I'm going to take a different route and suggest starting with their excellent 1981 live album "Exit... Stage Left." It captures the excitement of a Rush live show, and also contains a bunch of their best songs (YMMV): Spirit of Radio, Red Barchetta, YYZ, Passage to Bangkok, Closer to the Heart, The Trees, Freewill, Tom Sawyer, etc.

I was lucky enough to see them live in 1994. Amazing. (Also RIP Neil Peart.)
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 9:17 AM on March 23, 2021 [2 favorites]