In light of the recent news from drummer Neil Peart that he’s essentially done with playing the drums, R40 Live may well be the last document to remember him and the rest of Rush by. The latest (and perhaps the last) in a long line of Rush concert videos, this one was filmed with 14 cameras over two sold-out shows in the band’s hometown of Toronto at the Air Canada Centre on June 17 and 19, 2015. The set comprises a career-spanning repertoire to celebrate the Canadian band’s 40+ years together.
The staging is over the top with stacks of speakers, dryers, time machine gears, video screens and the band square in the middle to unleash their unique flavor of progressive hard rock. Geddy Lee’s voice is a little rusty here and there, Alex Lifeson never disappoints, and Peart looks at times like he’s not entirely enjoying himself. For the most part, the band ably runs through a tasty selection of songs that includes “Roll The Bones,” “Subdivisions,” and another rarity from 1982’s Signals called “Losing It,” featuring violinist Ben Mink, who played on the original studio recording of the song. The concert carries on with “Tom Sawyer,” “The Spirit Of Radio,” another rarity “Jacob’s Ladder” and “Closer To The Heart.” They end the main set with a slice of 2112 and encore with “Lakeside Park/Anthem” and “What You’re Doing/Working Man.”
Throughout, there are snippets of filmed video that band has become infamous for. In one video that goes along with “Roll The Bones,” special guests include actor Jay Baruchel, Les Claypool of Primus, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and actors Jason Segel and Paul Rudd from the film I Love You, Man, which Rush appeared in. There’s also a bunch of extra footage in which the members of Rush assume alter egos, to hilarious effect. If you love Rush — and if you’re reading this review, you probably do — R40 Live, on Blu-ray, DVD and CD, is definitely something you’ll want to spend some time with.
~ Shawn Perry
