The concert ran three hours and unfortunately, two of those hours were devoted to a complete, start to finish performance of Rush's new album, which isn't bad but also isn't exactly on heavy rotation on my iPod. I think it's fair to assume that most people were there to hear the old classics that we remember from our FM classic rock radio days. Still, there were some great drum solos, and when Rush did play an old classic it sounded great.
Nonetheless, unintentional comedy ruled the evening, inspiring me to send out 58 Facebook status updates during the show. That's about one per every three minutes of the show, but I didn't send out very much over the last hour of the concert so my posts were even more frequent than that for most of the evening, which many friends enjoyed and a few probably could have lived without.
I had fun posting all night and figured I'd save the posts on my blog for posterity. Smithsonian Foundation, you're welcome:
RUSH. No not the balding paunchy guy. The balding paunchy trio.
Time to start love blogging
I think I am relieved that I haven't heard of some of these songs.
Josh Kranz
October 22 via mobile
Live. The stage design is somewhere between regional theater and Norwegian cruise. There are several appliances from the near future stacked together. Not exactly The Wall
What CAN'T the man do on a tom tom
The guy in front of us just asked my friend to stop talking. White guys ROCK.
Having said, in their collective defense I have not seen one person air drumming. Not a one. Credit where it's due.
Seriously my mother's Monday night mah Jong game was rowdier than this.
Hey I know this song! I'm 14 again! It feels weird!
Dammit. Jinxed it. Some serious air drumming is happening. It's like Stomp but even more pointless.
Surprised that Deron Williams isn't here. He could sit in on Power Windows.
My status updates ate being blocked. Someone call Dokken!
I keep trying to post using the word "shr-dded" and it keeps gettin blocked.
Everyone here looks like John Candy or Michael Imperioli, with no in betweens
My face. Just. Melted.
Greatest drum solo. Greatest.
"No I'm fine thank you. A little jet lagged. Just got back from Neil Pearts drum solo and it takes a little while to get used to the earths atmosphere again.
Thought I knew what a drum solo was. I had not Even the slightest.
Loud fireworks. Half the audience was so shocked they dropped their air drumsticks. The air clatter was very loud.
Canada, thank you
Intermission. I think the line for the women's room is going to be very tolerable.
Please don't tell my children I am here. I want them to have a better life than I have.
The house lights are up. Not a good decision
I am missing the debate and a Game 7. This is like a debate multiplied by a Game 7. But even better.
They are about to come back out for second set. Gird your loins. And don't stop girding, Geddy
I went to a Magic the Gathering convention and a Rush concert broke out.
In the video Rush plays a trip of munchkins wearing astronaut helmets and prison stripes. Yes really.
Video. Man rings doorbell that chimes Closer to the Heart. I need to get me one of them there doorbells.
Trying to remember when I took acid today. Munchkin felons with big mustaches. The left side of my body has gone numb.
Not sure Geddy Lee is wearing any makeup for the munchkin role. Some things can not be unseen
Violins. Fireworks. Orthopedics. Smoky, very smoky. Nathan's fries. More video. Many in the crowd own Battlestar Galactica DVD set. The violin players are mostly female. That's what passes for irony here.
Some say Neil Peart is the Pablo Picasso of drummers. I say Pablo Picasso is the Neil Peart of painters.
Awesome medley....YYZ right into AARP....
My friend here is a Rush expert. It's like a whole other language. Kind of Klingon, or Esperanto
Of course there are women here. We have binders full of women who love Rush.
Have they asked Romney about his policy on shredding?
Rush is the soundtrack of our lives. Sorry, that should read "hives."
Move over Cream. Have a seat Green Day. Back of the bus, Police. Not this time, Yo La....ummm, sit wherever you want YLT. I can't even joke about that.
I could have sworn "Stonehenge" was going to be the encore.
Those fireworks are loud. I see people left an right turning down their hearing aids.
So they HAVE done new music since 1987. Huh.
Drum solo is on amber alert
We have drum solo.
What do we really know about Alex Lifeson?
Geddy Lee's big break was playing the grandma on Beverly Hilbillies.
They just played the new album in its entirety. Way to know your audience fellas.
I'm going to go home, put on Music Metal Machine, DVR Godfather 3 and YouTube Michael Richards doing standup.
Rush prevented more teen pregnancies than...
Very cool third drum solo. I am going to name my next pet Pearty.
Two stages of life: before you hear Subdivisions live for the first time, and after.
Spirit of Radio. Could be the title of this concert. Crowd clapping in rhythm, albeit rhythmlessly
Tom Sawyer. Back in 12 minutes.
I can't believe how many people are leaving right now. Then I realized they want to get home for the 11 pm King of Queens.
2112. This song will end in 100 years. The Iditarod will not be televised.
One of the greatest concerts in Barclays Center history.
I don't even know if I'm here ironically anymore.
I just wish Ayn Rand were here to enjoy this.
All I know is I am not the same person I was three hours ago.
