Millhouse,
You're correct, Alex will probably stick to the H&K amps for the tour. But the producer (Nick Raskulinecz) of the album is a big Budda guy. He pushes the budda amps on everyone he produces, and says the budda can be heard all over Rush's latest record.
I've probably seen Rush 6 or 7 times throughout their career starting with the Permanent Waves tour. At that time they were still performing 2112 live almost all the way through, and it sounded amazing.
They're probably the only band that I've seen live where I don't focus more on the guitar player. I'm always watching Geddy and Neil probably more than Alex, just because the both of them are doing so many great things at the same time! I'm always amazed when I watch Geddy singing, playing intricate bass lines, and hitting the pedals with his feet, and never screwing up any of it! Usually when people sing and play an instrument, they keep the instrument part simple while they are singing, but not Geddy. And Neil is always fun to watch throwing his drum sticks high up in the air, and always coming down right on time! As well as playing amazing drum lines and off beats throughout all of their songs.
Also a big fan of the early stuff (Fairwell to Kings, Hemispheres, 2112, Permanent Waves and Moving pictures). Back when Geddy was singing high enough where only dogs could hear him.
I read about when they were getting ready to record their next studio album, and the record company told them this was their last chance before they were dropped. Their records weren't selling good enough and the record company wanted them to tone it down with the heavy stuff, and get Geddy to start singing lower to come up with something a little more commercial.
They said f*** it, and recorded 2112! Their heaviest, album to date...which turned their career around.
(Sorry for the rambling...Big old school Rush fan)
Ken
:):):):):):):):)
