Magical Rush Keeps its Spell Alive

By Ramiro Burr/San Antonio Express-News

Unleashing bone-crunching rhythms and industrial-strength percussions, Rush tamed a feverish tribe of 21,000 followers at the packed Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Saturday night.

The Canadian trio singer-bassist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Neil Peart let loose a massive but well-tuned sonic battering that drove the masses crazy and kept them on their feet from the blistering opening set. It was a cool trifecta "Tom Sawyer," "Distant Early Warning," and "New World Man" that got the juices flowing, even for Johnny-come lately fans like Joe Martinez of Austin.

"I don't know how to describe it - but this is like just good classic rock," he said between toasts with his similarly grey-haired buddies. On stage, Rush continued its assault at a blistering pace, ripping into the philosophical "Roll the Bones," with its amusing videos of skeletal characters trying to figure out life's quixotic choices.

Upfront, Lee and Lifeson barely broke a sweat early on, displaying a workmanlike intensity while at the same time clearly enjoying themselves. The material from the band's new CD "Vapor Trails" hit hard as well. "Earthshine" won favor with its powerful snakelike guitar grooves and those ground-shaking percussions.

The best part of the evening was the trio's comfortable, almost disconnected stance. No pretensions, no platitudes and no posing. Here were three rock heroes playing nose down and focused on bringing out the core melodic juices of their music, amazing onlookers with their passionate focus. Like other '80s rock outfits Yes and Genesis come to mind Rush has been roundly criticized and/or ignored for their excesses.

But in the new millennium, it's as if their 34-year-old body of work has reached a new appreciative audience and a new respect. Twenty-something teens and rotund bikers alike freely jammed and juked through the night to music often compared to Dungeons and Dragons theme music.

Cynics may be forgiven their harsh view of the band as an old trio bringing little new to the table. It's true that Rush's new CD only expands on their sonic signature with a slightly harder edge. But the rabid crowd Saturday gladly went bonkers as the band slammed into a sweet trove of classics - including the powerful "Big Money," the forceful "Dreamline," and the magnetic "Red Sector A."

The capper included the anthems "2112" and "The Spirit of Radio." Yeah, the band might be plying a nostalgic rock groove, but they do it so well, their spell hasn't lost any of its magic.