Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Zoe Records
As the “world’s biggest
cult band” (as
bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Geddy
Lee says in the film),
Rush has developed
a loyal and expansive
fan base over the last
30 years. In Beyond
the Lighted Stage,
directors Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen
tell the trio’s story in their own words. The
documentary covers everything from when
guitarist Alex Lifeson first met Lee in middle
school to their current status as one of the
most influential prog-rock outfits ever. One
of the most memorable and lighthearted
scenes is when Lifeson and Lee try to track
down the location of one of their first gigs
in a funny trip through the basement of
some local churches. Another poignant
moment covers a period when the future of
the band was in doubt: Drummer Neil Peart
(whom Lifeson and Lee jokingly refer to
as “the new guy”) left on an open-ended,
55,000-mile, cross-continent journey in the
late ’90s to mourn the tragic loss of his wife
and daughter. The overarching theme of
the film is one of friendship and brotherhood
through the power of music and how
a little band from Toronto became one of
the most influential bands of all time—are
you listening Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Zoe Records
As the “world’s biggest
cult band” (as
bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Geddy
Lee says in the film),
Rush has developed
a loyal and expansive
fan base over the last
30 years. In Beyond
the Lighted Stage,
directors Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen
tell the trio’s story in their own words. The
documentary covers everything from when
guitarist Alex Lifeson first met Lee in middle
school to their current status as one of the
most influential prog-rock outfits ever. One
of the most memorable and lighthearted
scenes is when Lifeson and Lee try to track
down the location of one of their first gigs
in a funny trip through the basement of
some local churches. Another poignant
moment covers a period when the future of
the band was in doubt: Drummer Neil Peart
(whom Lifeson and Lee jokingly refer to
as “the new guy”) left on an open-ended,
55,000-mile, cross-continent journey in the
late ’90s to mourn the tragic loss of his wife
and daughter. The overarching theme of
the film is one of friendship and brotherhood
through the power of music and how
a little band from Toronto became one of
the most influential bands of all time—are
you listening Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?