September 12th, 2021 - A Cosmic Saunter Into Hemispheres Of The Past

 

Good evening rockers, rollers, and hop-heads!  Your pal the Meista here rocking the hell out to "Hemispheres In Concert Live In Tucson, November 1978" and a Cosmic Saunter Hazy Double IPA from Level Crossing Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Rush
• Title: "Hemispheres In Concert Live In Tucson, November 1978"
• Recorded: November 20th, 1978 at the Tucson Convention Center Arena in Tucson, Arizona
• Release date: August 2nd, 2016 (live album by Rush)
• Record company: Verne Records 
• Production: ? 
• Album cover art: ? 
• Personnel: Geddy Lee (bass, bass pedals, vocals, and keyboards), Alex Lifeson (acoustic and electric guitars, pedals, and backing vocals), and Neil Peart (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock, proto metal 
• Sound: Characterized by epic and flowing multi-movement song structures, complex rhythms, tempo changes, and time signatures, and amazing lyrics, this live album provides a breathtaking musical journey of intrigue and depth taken directly from the soundboard. 
• Major themes: Space travel, battles, politics, balance, disillusionment, life, mythology, knowledge, the pursuit of personal excellence, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Anthem"
2. "A Passage to Bangkok"
3. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog"
4. "Xanadu"
5. "Something For Nothing"
6. "The Trees"
7. "Cygnus X-1"
8. "A Farewell To Kings"
9. "Hemispheres"
10. "Closer To The Heart"
11. "Circumstances"
12. "La Villa Strangiato"
13. "Working Man/Bastille Day/In The Mood/Drum Solo"
14. "2112 Grand Finale"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Level Crossing Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://levelcrossingbrewing.com/
• Brew: Cosmic Saunter Hazy Double IPA   
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial IPA (IIPA) 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0%
• Ingredients: Oats, wheat, and Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, and Citra hops
• Pour: The Cosmic Saunter pours a very hazy golden-orange hue with a billowy, 2-finger, eggshell white head with great retention and lots of sticky, spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, tropical, malty, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of pineapple, stone fruits (peach and apricot), mango, orange juice, pith, and rind, grapefruit, and tangerine along with oats, wheat, soft caramel and a slight hint of booze (especially as it warms).
• Taste: The taste is complex and very flavorful with lots of tropical fruit and citrus flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, orange zest, pineapple, cracked wheat, and a little white pepper in the finish.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the Cosmic Saunter's mouthfeel is very crisp, very refreshing, and juicy with a dry, slightly peppery and ever so slightly boozy finish. 

Overall pairing: Intense and bombastic progressive rock about logic vs. passion and space travel deserves a brew of equal intensity and flavor... thus the Cosmic Saunter from the fine folks at Level Crossing!  Those intense and complex hoppy juice flavors are great for the fiery guitar work of Lifeson and the explosive drumming of Peart, while the complex fruit and malt flavors go great with Lee's amazingly powerful bass lines and vocals!

Cheers!!  Hails!!