In the tribute limelight
Moving Pictures – Venue 38, 9th March 2024
Moving Pictures – Venue 38, 9th March 2024
In August of last year Rush tribute band Moving Pictures performed their biggest show to date in front of a packed crowd at The Garage in Glasgow, an indicator of how well respected they have become in the eyes and ears of Rush fans (one of the most passionate and protective fan-bases in rock) and rock fans, generally.
A week or so later they were playing Lakeside Park in Toronto, as invited guests of the late Neil Peart’s sisters; an even bigger indicator in terms of how far their talents, and "Rush family" connections (which also include Rush producer Terry Brown and cover artist/ musician Hugh Syme) stretch.
Last year saw the highly talented trio – Steve Brown (guitars, backing vocals), Eóin de Paor (lead vocals, bass, keys) and Jamie Dunleavey (drums, percussion) – play more than 50 shows across the length and breadth of the UK; this year it will be over 70, including the annual (and now tenth year of) RushFest Scotland, plus a trip to Brazil for a Rush fans event.
All of which underlines just how good and serious about their tribute craft Moving Pictures are, seen and heard for the first time in Ayr at a packed Venue 38 (a great venue in the centre of town that is focussing on the support of live music across all its genres).
While last year’s shows featured Moving Pictures in its classic album entirety, this touring time around it was Permanent Waves, which was the focus of the band’s second set.
An hour or so before that however the crowd were treated to a well balanced, mix & match Rush set that opened with the 'R30 Overture,' minus the 'Passage to Bangkok' sequence (an omission that would make sense a couple of songs later); here the 'R30 Overture' was expanded to continue into, and incorporate, the 'Hemispheres : Prelude' vocal passage.
As well delivered as 'R30' was, bolstered by a good sound and mix out front, things weren’t so sonically great for Eóin de Paor, who remarked on a number of occasions that his bass was so loud in his ear monitors that he could hear nothing else; perversely, and frustratingly, it also sometimes disappeared altogether (a problem that plagued him throughout the first set).
A week or so later they were playing Lakeside Park in Toronto, as invited guests of the late Neil Peart’s sisters; an even bigger indicator in terms of how far their talents, and "Rush family" connections (which also include Rush producer Terry Brown and cover artist/ musician Hugh Syme) stretch.
Last year saw the highly talented trio – Steve Brown (guitars, backing vocals), Eóin de Paor (lead vocals, bass, keys) and Jamie Dunleavey (drums, percussion) – play more than 50 shows across the length and breadth of the UK; this year it will be over 70, including the annual (and now tenth year of) RushFest Scotland, plus a trip to Brazil for a Rush fans event.
All of which underlines just how good and serious about their tribute craft Moving Pictures are, seen and heard for the first time in Ayr at a packed Venue 38 (a great venue in the centre of town that is focussing on the support of live music across all its genres).
While last year’s shows featured Moving Pictures in its classic album entirety, this touring time around it was Permanent Waves, which was the focus of the band’s second set.
An hour or so before that however the crowd were treated to a well balanced, mix & match Rush set that opened with the 'R30 Overture,' minus the 'Passage to Bangkok' sequence (an omission that would make sense a couple of songs later); here the 'R30 Overture' was expanded to continue into, and incorporate, the 'Hemispheres : Prelude' vocal passage.
As well delivered as 'R30' was, bolstered by a good sound and mix out front, things weren’t so sonically great for Eóin de Paor, who remarked on a number of occasions that his bass was so loud in his ear monitors that he could hear nothing else; perversely, and frustratingly, it also sometimes disappeared altogether (a problem that plagued him throughout the first set).
This all meant, given Eóin de Paor 'lifts' his vocal on 70s Rush songs (to emulate early Geddy Lee’s higher and shriller vocality), and was struggling to hear his own voice on 'Prelude,' he was a little sharp (in both senses) vocally.
Serious kudos to him then for finding middle ground and delivering solid, higher-voiced leads on 'Passage to Bangkok' (hence its 'R30' omission), 'Circumstances' and a great version of 'Beneath Between and Behind,' one of Rush’s finest early era numbers (and trickier to pull off than many may realise).
The synth driven 'Subdivisions' was always going to be a fan favourite crowd pleaser, as were ridiculously tight versions of 'Roll The Bones,' 'Headlong Flight' and 'YYZ,' the latter one of the hardest pieces of music to pull off in any rock catalogue, let alone the intricacies of time-shifting Rush compositions.
'YYZ' also highlighted just how good a drummer Jamie Dunleavey is, with a drum solo that was based on Neil Peart’s original 'Working Man' live solo (including cow bell finale flourish).
Ladies and gentlemen, the protégé on the slightly smaller drumkit.
As excellent as 'YYZ' was, it was bettered by Set One closer 'La Villa Strangiato' (based on the classic Exit… Stage Left version), where Steve Brown’s guitar work and Eóin de Paor’s bass lines were highlights of the entire show.
And how serious do this trio take their craft in nailing every note and nuance of Rush material?
When Jamie Dunleavey missed a cowbell sequence on the short 'Monsters!' section of 'La Villa Strangiato,' there was a noticeable "agh!" of frustration from Miss Dunleavey. Yeah, that’s how serious.
Set Two featured, as previously mentioned, Permanent Waves in its six-song entirety, from rock radio staple and rock fan revered 'Spirit Of Radio' through to an accomplished delivery of sonically shape-shifting tour-de-force, 'Natural Science.'
As impacting as both those songs were, special mention has to go to 'Free Will,' which was as close as any band are likely to get in terms of "doing a Rush" (underlined by Steve Brown’s guitar solo getting a roar of appreciation from the crowd – the Lerxst fans seal of approval).
Serious kudos to him then for finding middle ground and delivering solid, higher-voiced leads on 'Passage to Bangkok' (hence its 'R30' omission), 'Circumstances' and a great version of 'Beneath Between and Behind,' one of Rush’s finest early era numbers (and trickier to pull off than many may realise).
The synth driven 'Subdivisions' was always going to be a fan favourite crowd pleaser, as were ridiculously tight versions of 'Roll The Bones,' 'Headlong Flight' and 'YYZ,' the latter one of the hardest pieces of music to pull off in any rock catalogue, let alone the intricacies of time-shifting Rush compositions.
'YYZ' also highlighted just how good a drummer Jamie Dunleavey is, with a drum solo that was based on Neil Peart’s original 'Working Man' live solo (including cow bell finale flourish).
Ladies and gentlemen, the protégé on the slightly smaller drumkit.
As excellent as 'YYZ' was, it was bettered by Set One closer 'La Villa Strangiato' (based on the classic Exit… Stage Left version), where Steve Brown’s guitar work and Eóin de Paor’s bass lines were highlights of the entire show.
And how serious do this trio take their craft in nailing every note and nuance of Rush material?
When Jamie Dunleavey missed a cowbell sequence on the short 'Monsters!' section of 'La Villa Strangiato,' there was a noticeable "agh!" of frustration from Miss Dunleavey. Yeah, that’s how serious.
Set Two featured, as previously mentioned, Permanent Waves in its six-song entirety, from rock radio staple and rock fan revered 'Spirit Of Radio' through to an accomplished delivery of sonically shape-shifting tour-de-force, 'Natural Science.'
As impacting as both those songs were, special mention has to go to 'Free Will,' which was as close as any band are likely to get in terms of "doing a Rush" (underlined by Steve Brown’s guitar solo getting a roar of appreciation from the crowd – the Lerxst fans seal of approval).
Special mention too for the more delicate 'Different Strings,' which Rush never did live.
The Permanent Waves ballad didn’t just feature Eóin de Paor’s best vocal of the night, it’s change of pace and lyrical poignancy made it a highlight of the entire show.
'Closer To The Heart' then set up the mandatory sing-a-long moment of the night (nodding to the now legendary Glasgow Apollo show of 1980 where the "Glaswegian Choir" made their voices heard on the aforementioned Exit… Stage Left album).
'Marathon,' one of 80s era Rush’s finest moments, and atmospheric Rush classic 'Xanadu' (a double neck guitars highlight of any Moving Pictures show) closed out Set Two before the band encored with 'Limelight' (another where the crowd acknowledged Steve Brown’s delivery of an acclaimed Alex Lifeson solo) and short singalong finale, 'The Sphere.'
The fact Moving Pictures are now making a name for themselves well outside of Rush based fan events or Rush only crowds is a testament to not just how far the music of Lee, Lifeson & Peart travelled but the skill-sets that Brown, de Paor & Dunleavey bring to the tribute table.
Which leads nicely to the question and answer of a song mentioned earlier.
Why Are We Here? Because We’re Here – to roll with the best Rush tribute currently plying their trade, whether that be in the town of Ayr or Lakeside Park in Toronto.
Pick the Bones out of that, tribute haters.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit (all images): Alistair Mulhearn Photography.
The Permanent Waves ballad didn’t just feature Eóin de Paor’s best vocal of the night, it’s change of pace and lyrical poignancy made it a highlight of the entire show.
'Closer To The Heart' then set up the mandatory sing-a-long moment of the night (nodding to the now legendary Glasgow Apollo show of 1980 where the "Glaswegian Choir" made their voices heard on the aforementioned Exit… Stage Left album).
'Marathon,' one of 80s era Rush’s finest moments, and atmospheric Rush classic 'Xanadu' (a double neck guitars highlight of any Moving Pictures show) closed out Set Two before the band encored with 'Limelight' (another where the crowd acknowledged Steve Brown’s delivery of an acclaimed Alex Lifeson solo) and short singalong finale, 'The Sphere.'
The fact Moving Pictures are now making a name for themselves well outside of Rush based fan events or Rush only crowds is a testament to not just how far the music of Lee, Lifeson & Peart travelled but the skill-sets that Brown, de Paor & Dunleavey bring to the tribute table.
Which leads nicely to the question and answer of a song mentioned earlier.
Why Are We Here? Because We’re Here – to roll with the best Rush tribute currently plying their trade, whether that be in the town of Ayr or Lakeside Park in Toronto.
Pick the Bones out of that, tribute haters.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Photo Credit (all images): Alistair Mulhearn Photography.