Snakes & Arrows Tour

infobox concert tour
concert_tour_name = Snakes & Arrows Tour


type=World
locations=North America, Europe
album="Snakes & Arrows"
artist = Rush
start_date = June 13, 2007
end_date = July 24, 2008
number_of_legs = 2
number_of_shows = 113
last_tour =
(2004)
this_tour = Snakes & Arrows Tour
(2007-2008)
next_tour =

Rush began the Snakes & Arrows Tour to promote their latest album, "Snakes & Arrows" on June 13, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. The 2007 tour came to a close on October 29, 2007 at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland. The 2008 portion of the tour started on April 11, 2008 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum and ended on July 24, 2008 in Noblesville, Indiana at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. [Official Rush Website [http://www.rush.com/low/tour.html Rush tour schedule] ]

At 113 shows, this is the second longest tour Rush has done (superseded only by the "Hemispheres" tour). Rush released the live CD, "Snakes & Arrows Live" on April 15, 2008, documenting the 2007 leg. The two-disc CD contains the entire 2007 setlist recorded over two days in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The album features the song "Distant Early Warning" in place of "Summertime Blues".

During this tour, Rush once again used their connections to add humor to their performances. "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" featured an intro from SCTV's own Bob and Doug McKenzie, while "Tom Sawyer" was preceded by an intro from "South Park" characters Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny.2112.net [http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/S&Atournews.htm] ]

The two consecutive tours in support of "Snakes & Arrows" in 2007 and 2008 accrued $21 million and $18.3 million, respectively, earning Rush the number 6 and 8 spots among the top ten summer rock concerts. [ Summer Concert earnings [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/22026885/midyear_music_biz_report_card/3 Rolling Stone Magazine] Accessed August 8, 2008] [ Summer concert earnings [http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2007-10-10-summer-concerts_N.htm USAToday] Accessed August 8, 2008]

Performance changes

This tour differed from previous Rush tours in an increase of new material played (nine songs compared to the more usual four or five) [ Azcentral [http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/0724rush0724-ON.html] New Rush songs Accessed August 29 2007] and the reintroduction of songs that have not been played for decades (for example "Circumstances", last played when the band was touring for 1978's "Hemispheres" and "A Passage to Bangkok," which was last played in its entirety on the "Moving Pictures Warm-Up" tour) [ Pqarchiver.com [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/1295070161.html?dids=1295070161:1295070161&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jun+26%2C+2007&author=BRETT+MILANO&pub=Boston+Herald&edition=&startpage=28&desc=MUSIC+%3B+Expect+Rush+delivery+of+long-unheard+tunes> Unheard tunes] Accessed August 29 2007] . The first leg also marked the first time "Entre Nous" from "Permanent Waves" was performed live. [Power Windows Website [http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/Tours.htm tour archives] ] Some of the older songs (e.g. "Digital Man" from "Signals") were shortened. [Power Windows Website [http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/S&Atournews.htm Snakes & Arrows tour news] ]

Drummer Neil Peart's drum solo underwent changes. The big band ending, which on previous tours featured Peart's performance of One O'Clock Jump by Count Basie, instead incorporated a portion of Cotton Tail, a song he recorded with the Buddy Rich Band on the tribute , Vol. 1. The marimba section from Pieces of Eight and the tribal excerpt piece from "Scars" were also dropped.

2007 leg setlist

* "Limelight"
* "Digital Man"
* "Entre Nous"
* "Mission"
* "Freewill"
* "The Main Monkey Business" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Secret Touch"
* "Circumstances"
* "Between the Wheels"
* "Dreamline"

Intermission:
* Video Intro: "The Plain of Dharma"
* "Far Cry" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Workin' Them Angels" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Armor and Sword" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Spindrift" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "The Way the Wind Blows" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Subdivisions"
* "Natural Science"
* ""
* "Malignant Narcissism" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* Drum Solo
* "Hope" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Summertime Blues" (alternating with "Distant Early Warning" starting on July 4, 2007 and permanently added to the setlist for the entire European leg)
* "The Spirit of Radio"
* "Tom Sawyer"Encore:
* "One Little Victory"
* "A Passage to Bangkok"
* "YYZ"

2008 leg setlist

* "Limelight"
* "Digital Man"
* "Ghost of a Chance"
* "Mission"
* "Freewill"
* "The Main Monkey Business" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Red Barchetta"
* "The Trees"
* "Between the Wheels"
* "Dreamline"

Intermission:
* Video Intro: Harry Satchel in "What's That Smell?"
* "Far Cry" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Workin' Them Angels" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Armor and Sword" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Spindrift" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "The Way the Wind Blows" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "Subdivisions"
* "Natural Science"
* ""
* "Malignant Narcissism" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* Drum Solo
* "Hope" (from "Snakes & Arrows")
* "The Spirit of Radio"
* "2112 (Overture/The Temples of Syrinx)"
* "Tom Sawyer"Encore:
* "One Little Victory"
* "A Passage to Bangkok"
* "YYZ"

2007 Leg

2008 Leg

References