RATTLE THE BONES
RATTLE THE BONES
Leading up to the tour , bassist / vocalist Geddy Lee was building a collection of vintage basses that would help revisit the classic eras of Rush during R40 . Here ’ s a list of those treasured instruments :
1972 Fender Jazz Bass ( Black ) – “ My number one ”
1972 Fender Jazz Bass ( Blonde )
Fender Jazz Bass ( Surf Green Custom Shop )
Fender Jazz Bass ( Trans Red Custom Shop )
1960 Fender Jazz Bass ( Fiesta Red )
1962 Fender Jazz Bass ( Sea Foam Green )
1963 Fender Jazz Bass ( Black w / Matching Headstock )
1964 Fender Jazz Bass ( Lake Placid Blue w / Matching Headstock )
1964 Fender Jazz Bass ( Sonic Blue w / Matching Headstock )
1965 Fender Jazz Bass ( White )
1966 Fender Jazz Bass ( Shoreline Gold w / Matching Headstock )
1966 Fender Jazz Bass ( Fiesta Red w / Matching Headstock )
1957 Gibson EB-1 ( Walnut )
1964 Gibson Thunderbird IV ( Sunburst )
1964 Epiphone Embassy ( Cherry )
1967 Gibson Thunderbird II ( Polaris White )
1959 Fender Precision Bass ( Olympic White w / Matching Headstock )
1965 Fender Precision Bass ( Burgundy Mist )
1968 Fender Telecaster Bass ( Paisley )
1967 Rickenbacker Model 3261 ( FireGlo )
1968 Rickenbacker Model 4001 ( BurgundyGlo )
1977 Rickenbacker Model 4001 ( JetGlo )
1975 Rickenbacker Model 4080 / 12 ( JetGlo )
1978 Rickenbacker Model 4080 / 12 ( FireGlo )
1961 Hofner Solid Body 2 Pickup ( Cherry Red )
1992 Zematis Bass ( Black w / Engraved Metal Front )
( L-R ) Rush ’ s Alex Lifeson , Geddy Lee & Neil Peart on the R40 Tour .
on Clockwork Angels , kicks off each show as one of a handful of songs from the newest release .
What follows is a series of cuts from Snakes & Arrows , with favourites from Counterparts , Roll The Bones , and Grace Under Pressure peppered in before the first set closes with the classic “ Subdivisions ” – all part of the “ large arena ” component of the show .
Lee points to the title track from Roll The Bones as boasting one of the more memorable moments of R40 . Speaking to some of the notable technological innovations they ’ ve employed on the trek , he says : “ One thing that was really cool was being able to sync video [ in time with ] the music . That ’ s something we ’ ve always wanted to do , so we got a bunch of pals to lip sync the rap in ‘ Roll the Bones ’ in their own way .”
Those pals include actors like Paul Rudd and Jason Segel , musicians like Red Hot Chili Peppers ’ Chad Smith and Rage Against The Machine ’ s Tom Morello , and fellow Canucks in actor Jay Baruchel and , in character , the Trailer Park Boys . The montage is shown on the massive video screen at the back of the stage .
“ I ’ d always wanted a way to trigger that from my keyboard ,” Lee continues . “ So I would trigger that part every night , so we always had the comfort of knowing it wasn ’ t up to someone else to make sure that part was in sync with what we were actually playing .”
“ It was a really special thing , and fun for the audience ,” Lifeson adds . “ I don ’ t play during that part , so I ’ d just sit in the shadows and watch people enjoy it ”
Between the two main sets is the hilariously irreverent “ No Country for Old Hens ” video segment , compiled from 15 years ’ worth of video content , much of it previously unseen . It features outtakes of the band members playing various characters from previous tour videos alongside equally outlandish celebrity cameos .
The second set is split between the small arena looks , covering Rush ’ s catalog from the ‘ 80s , and the theatrical looks for the mid- to late- ‘ 70s . Loaded throughout this half of the show are classics like “ Tom Sawyer ,” “ The Spirit of Radio ,” “ Closer to the Heart ,” and “ Xanadu .” It finishes with a true treat for the die-hards : four of the seven parts of the “ 2112 ” title suite .
To most , the end of the theatre component would feel like the end of the show ; however , it ’ s followed by a short break and another humourous video clip , this one with funnyman Eugene Levy reprising his classic SCTV character Rockin ’ Mel Slirrup in a “ new ” edition of Mel ’ s Rock Pile .
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