Sam Bhattacharya - concert reviews of Van Halen, Roger Waters and Rush

Concert Reviews

What band can party harder than Van Halen?

In the early evening of November 1st, 2007, a sense of excitement seemed to fill the air of downtown D.C., in spite of the usual grueling rush hour traffic. And for a good reason, because Van Halen was about to play a show at the Verizon Center.

It was going to be a rather special Van Halen on top of that. After all the lineup changes through the years, the band had come nearly full circle now – with David Lee Roth on lead vocals, Eddie on lead guitar and Alex on drums. The only difference was that Eddie's son, Wolfgang, replaced Michael Anthony on bass.

The concert certainly had the vibe of the Van Halen of old, since all of the songs were from 1978-1984. Two Van Halen blimps teased the audience before the band started. Then shirtless Eddie started playing the brown-sound guitar riffs of the opening song, "You Really Got Me," which drew an immediate cheer from the audience. The overall sound of the song was very good, as it generally was throughout the night.

The second song, "I'm The One," didn't seem to get quite the same level of response in spite of its lightning fast speed. But that was quickly remedied by the third, "Runnin' With The Devil." "Romeo Delight" and "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" were next. Then followed a slew of other classics and favorites: "Beautiful Girls," "Dance The Night Away," "Atomic Punk," "Everybody Wants Some," "So This Is Love?," "Mean Street" and "Pretty Woman."

From what I could tell, David sang all the words to the songs perfectly and did not skip words like he is known to do. During the songs, David, Eddie and Wolfgang strolled about on a huge S-shaped ramp that started from behind the stage and extended around part of the audience. One of the amazing and funny things to watch was David mouthing engine noises into the microphone and Eddie duplicating them on guitar.

Then came a surprising highlight of the show – Alex's drum solo. It was intense, bombastic and unrelenting. But it was also technically very impressive. Seeing Alex's solo has already made me reconsider my "favorite drummers" lists. ;-)

After the drum solo, they continued with "Unchained," "I'll Wait," "And The Cradle Will Rock," "Hot For Teacher," "Little Dreamer," "Little Guitars," "Jamie's Cryin'," "Ice Cream Man" and "Panama." The keyboards on "I'll Wait" were filled in by automatically playing tracks. "Hot For Teacher" was every bit as intense as the studio version and was probably played even faster than it. Before "Ice Cream Man," David came out playing an acoustic guitar (which he played surprisingly well) and started one of his long, quirky rants.

Following "Panama," Eddie played an extended guitar solo. It included the "Women In Love" intro, "Cathedral" and "Eruption." He made an interesting fugue sound during part of the solo. Overall, his playing skills were mostly in top form, although I wish he didn't change around some of his signature melodies so much.

After the guitar solo, the final song was one I was anticipating, "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love." Then the lights went out. But it seemed they couldn't end the show without playing one of their biggest "fetish" songs. And sure enough, they came back and played "1984" and "Jump" for the encore. It was a major spectacle to watch David carry a giant inflatable microphone along the ramp and then ride it on stage. LOL.

All in all, this was quite a concert. The energy of the show was spectacular. All of the band played well, although Wolfgang can use some coaching in the stage presence department. David was such a strong front man that he almost stole the show on many of the songs. He displayed his goofy sense of humor and stage antics on just about every song. He and Eddie at least showed that they were having a blast up there. Even Wolfgang joined in the fun at times.

So then, is a Van Halen concert a must-see? I'll let you decide. :-)

Sam Bhattacharya

http://www.sambhattacharya.com

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Concert Review: Roger Waters Dark Side of the Moon

This is a review of the Roger Waters concert held at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia on September 23, 2006. The venue is 37 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. The concert was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

I went to the concert with two of my rock'n'rolling friends. We were excited, as this was our first Roger Waters concert. We arrived at the venue about an hour early to avoid the time of peak traffic. Jiffy Lube Live has a capacity of 25,000. Not surprisingly, we faced long delays as we entered and later exited the parking lot.

As we headed over, it was already approaching twilight on the warm, fall evening. Our seats were in section 304, which is located towards the back in the left half of the venue when facing the stage. I took many pictures inside the venue both during and in between songs performed by the band. The level of light inside was rather low most of the time. That made it a challenge to take pictures with my camera, as it was necessary to use long exposure times (and a very steady hand!).

Before the concert began, it was amusing watching the stage screen, which showed a radio being tuned to different stations by someone's hand having a smoke and drink.

Then came the opening song, "In the Flesh," drawing loud cheers from the audience. It was a powerful opener and played pretty faithfully to the studio version from "The Wall." Roger Waters did a fine job with the vocals on this song, as he did for all of the songs generally.

Other highlights of the first set included "Mother," "Have A Cigar," "Wish You Were Here" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." The guitar solo in "Mother" was played with emotion, as was the saxophone solo in another song, "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun." A cool, starry image was displayed during the first set.

Two other songs, "Leaving Beirut" and "Sheep," had overtly political messages. A huge pig balloon floated over the crowd during "Sheep," the last song of the first set, and then disappeared in the sky.

The second set began with "Speak to Me," which then led to "Breathe." Highlights from the second set included the Pink Floyd classics "Time," "Money," "Us and Them" and "Brain Damage." We were finally beginning to understand why this tour was called "Dark Side of the Moon." The band did a great job in making these iconic songs come alive. "Money," the well-known odd-meter song, was pulled off perfectly.

After that great set, the audience naturally wanted more. Roger Waters returned for the encore, which included the great cult classic, "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II," and "Comfortably Numb." Both of these songs featured extended guitar solos. Most of the audience remained standing during the encore.

All in all, it was an enjoyable concert. All of the singers and musicians on stage put forth great performances. The special effects were amazing. I personally enjoyed the second set and encore more than the first set. But that's mainly because I was more familiar with those songs.

I also think the experience gave us a glimpse into the mind behind one of the biggest bands in rock music.

Sam Bhattacharya

http://www.sambhattacharya.com

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Rush’s Snakes and Arrows concert demonstrates what progressive rock is all about

By now, it's only expected that a Rush concert will be an amazing and memorable experience. The show at the Nissan Pavilion on July 19, 2008 certainly lived up to that standard. This was also the first time I had VIP seats near the center of the venue.

This concert was part of a continuation of the Snakes and Arrows tour, which started in 2007. Most of the setlist remained the same as that of last year. But it was nonetheless full of surprises. The images here are not in any particular sequence.

The opening track, "Limelight" was received very warmly by the audience. Throughout the night, Rush played altogether five songs from Moving Pictures. On the next song, "Digital Man," Alex played a sunburst Les Paul. In the past, I've been used to seeing him switch guitars every few songs. But from what I could tell, he seemed to play this particular one for several songs in a row.

"Ghost of a Chance," a ballad from Roll the Bones, was the first surprise of the night. It's one of those tunes with music and words that ring on long after the song is over. Next came "Mission," another melodic but more upbeat song.

As usual, the opening notes of "Free Will" received an immediate cheer from the audience, as did the completion of the jam section. I hope Geddy will continue to be able to sing those impossibly high notes he does towards the end of the song.

Next, they played the instrumental "The Main Monkey Business" and "The Larger Bowl" from Snakes and Arrows. Both of these songs sounded brighter and crisper compared to last year's concert. But that may be because of the different seating I was in.

Then came the crowd-pleasing "Red Barchetta," a song that rather perfectly lives up to the band's name. Next was "The Trees," another fan classic, going on three decades now. Alex played a white jazz guitar, which I'm guessing was an ES-335.

Neil's drum set rotated half way before the beginning of "Between The Wheels." "Dreamline," which has one of my favorite laser shows, was the last song of the first set, after which the band took a break.

The second set began with "Far Cry" and continued with four more songs from Snakes and Arrows – "Workin' Them Angels," "Armor and Sword," "Spindrift" and "The Way The Wind Blows." The blast in "Far Cry" had a bit of a shock factor. This time around, I felt that the last of these songs came out particularly strong live.

Following these, they played three songs from the early 80s - "Subdivisions," "Natural Science" and the fired up "Witch Hunt." The audience sang along loudly to the melody near the end of "Natural Science," Rush in Rio style.

Next, Geddy kicked off with the rocking bass groove of the instrumental, "Malignant Narcissism." Alex played a more elaborate solo on this version compared to the studio track. This led to one of the highlights of the show – Neil's drum solo. It was somewhat similar to last year's, but he also changed things around quite a bit – a unique mix of rock, jazz, techno, African and Indian rhythms.

At every Rush concert, there seems to be that one song that just takes me to another level. This time, it happened with Alex's raga/folk solo instrumental, "Hope." I couldn't even pay much attention to the individual notes he was playing on his 12-string acoustic. The song just resonated through the venue as if it were some kind of musical purification.

The three of them got back together again and rocked out to "The Spirit of Radio," which engaged the audience very well. Following that, they played a piece I was really hoping for – the first two parts of "2112." I've always felt that a Rush concert setlist without "2112" is lacking something it probably shouldn't. Next, a South Park episode appeared which featured "Lil' Rush" and led to "Tom Sawyer." Alex's solo on it sounded raw – and better than the studio version. Afterwards, the band left the stage and it was apparent that the second set had ended.

They came back with the flying dragon and pyrotechnics of "One Little Victory" for the encore. Next was the smoky "A Passage To Bangkok." Finally, the last song was the instrumental, "YYZ," on which I think Geddy played especially well.

Looking back over the setlist, one of the interesting things I noticed was the distribution of the songs from the studio albums. Over 85% of the songs were from just six albums – 2112, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, Roll The Bones and Snakes and Arrows. They played no songs at all from nine of their albums.

Even though the main purpose of the current tour is to promote their latest album, it goes to show just how selective they must be with their material in the three hours of concert time allotted. Fans want to hear so many more songs. Maybe someday there will be a day-long Rush-fest. The makers of geritol and bengay will be having a field day.

Sam Bhattacharya

http://www.sambhattacharya.com

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Rush pulls out deep cuts on the Snakes and Arrows concert tour

The weather was ideal for an outdoor concert on the evening of June 23, 2007, the date that Rush played at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. A few wispy clouds cluttered the sky. But fortunately, no signs of thunderstorms, which are typical for the D.C. area this time of year, were in sight.

As is typical for a venue of this size, the lighting inside was not very good for taking pictures. The images shown here were only some of the best among dozens that were taken sporadically during the concert. They don't necessarily coincide with any sequence of songs mentioned.

The concert began with a humorous, short film featuring Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and Geddy Lee. The appearance of each of them on the screen drew consecutive cheers of approval from the audience. This led directly to the classic intro guitar riff of the first song, "Limelight." It was received quite well as the opening track. For the next song, "Digital Man" from Signals, Alex immediately switched his guitar to what appeared to be a yellow Les Paul. In fact, he played a number of different Les Pauls, mostly, throughout the night. Also, the guitar solo he played in this song was unique to his style, as were several more that he played in other songs.

Like "Digital Man," "Entre Nous," a relationship song from Permanent Waves, and the melodic keyboards of "Mission" from Hold Your Fire were a refreshing change from what Rush has played in recent tours. The very first notes of "Free Will" got an immediate roar from the audience, as did the completion of the jam section of the song. Geddy sung the high notes with a fluidity that is amazing for a man in his mid-50s.

Next, they played "The Main Monkey Business" and "The Larger Bowl" from the new album, Snakes and Arrows. The former was accompanied by whimsical monkeys on screen. And the latter by images depicting those who are blessed and cursed. "Secret Touch" from Vapor Trails was heavy and intense, and got a strong audience reaction.

Another nice surprise was "Circumstances" from Hemispheres, a melodic jam with interesting meter changes throughout. "Between The Wheels" created a dark atmosphere, which is typical of songs from Grace Under Pressure. "Dreamline," which has one of my favorite laser shows, was the last song of the first set, after which the band took a break.

The second set began with a film featuring the Snakes and Arrows Leela board game and quirky characters that appeared in different "planes" of it. Basically, it left a lot of people scratching their heads trying to figure it out. Quickly enough, more familiar images from the album appeared and led predictably to "Far Cry," a rocking set opener that had a cool fireworks explosion.

They continued with a string of songs from Snakes and Arrows – "Workin' Them Angels," "Armor and Sword," "Spindrift" and "The Way The Wind Blows." Of all these songs, "Workin' Them Angels" sounded particularly great live. A kind of mystical presence seemed to fill the venue when they played it. A number of fascinating images accompanied the song as well. Particularly moving was one showing child laborers with angel's wings working in a factory. The song also featured a nice mandolin solo by Alex. "Armor and Sword" and "Sprindrift" were the heavier jams of this group of songs, and "The Way The Wind Blows" mellowed things out a bit.

Following these new songs, they played three songs from the early 80s, including the classic "Subdivisions," on which Alex played a sunburst Les Paul. This is also one of those songs that displays Geddy's remarkable versatility in shifting back and forth between bass and keyboards while singing the entire time. "Natural Science" from Permanent Waves was an awesome rocker that they've played the last few tours. The audience reacted with familiarity to both of these songs. "Witch Hunt" from Moving Pictures was another welcome change. On this song, Alex played the black Les Paul shown in several of the images here. The track fit well with the setlist and was particularly relevant given that it dealt with themes such as fear, prejudice and immigrants.

Next, Geddy kicked off with the rocking bass groove of the Snakes and Arrows instrumental, "Malignant Narcissism." This led to one of the highlights of the show, Neil's drum solo. A few parts of it were rearrangements of his previous rock-based solos. But overall, it was mostly different and was a unique mix of Indian, African and techno rhythms, followed by a big band section that was, again, different from what he's previously done. Following Neil's solo was "Hope" from Snakes and Arrows, which featured only Alex on acoustic guitar. He fluidly played most of this raga/folk instrumental with his eyes closed, as if in meditation.

The three of them got back together again and rocked out with "Summertime Blues" from Feedback, an album of cover songs. Then came the fan classic "The Spirit of Radio," which engaged the audience very well. Following that song, a South Park episode appeared which featured "Lil' Rush" confusing two well-kown characters from Mark Twain's novels. Soon enough, the real Rush started playing the song named after the correct character, "Tom Sawyer." Afterwards, the band left the stage and it was apparent that the second set had ended.

They came back and played the energetic "One Little Victory" for the encore, complete with the flying dragon and pyrotechnics. Then "A Passage To Bangkok" from 2112 took everyone for a ride from South America and the Caribbean to north Africa and south Asia in search of, um, good stuff to smoke. Finally, the last song was the instrumental, "YYZ," a kicking and appropriate closer as it featured little solo breaks by all three members of the band.

All in all, this was a very satisfying concert experience. As usual, Rush gave a spirited, top-notch musical performance and stage show to which fans sung along, air-drummed, -bassed and -guitared. But what's more, they played an amazing variety of songs, from perennial classics to lesser known (and, in my opinion, underrated) songs that they haven't played in decades. (Maybe next time they could even play the whole "Fountain of Lamneth" suite. ) The themes and concepts of the Snakes and Arrows songs were also intriguing and enjoyable. To sum up, this was a perfect concert for the true Rush fan.

Sam Bhattacharya

http://www.sambhattacharya.com

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