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Shelling out for a "Hot Ticket" package, I found myself with a pretty sweet seat, (18 rows from) front and centre. The band hit the stage pretty close to the official curtain-up, with Subdivisions, but it took Limelight to get the first big crowd response of the night, and for the SECC to find full voice. It was good to get to hear The Pass live for the first time - for this correspondant - and the songs I didn't recognise, due to niggling gaps in the collection, are already having me on the hunt - Grand Design, Territories - where are you, now...?
As far as more recent albums go - that's Vapour Trails and Snakes And Arrows to the uninitiated - there was little to be heard, just a quite explosive (literally) Far Cry from the latter, and no Workin Them Angels (a personal favourite), but you can't please everybody every time. Not that I'm complaining, for the best was yet to come...
After the now customary mid-set break, it was time to roll out the new material - almost all of the Clockwork Angels album. The previous two tours have been done along similar lines, with much of Snakes And Arrows dotted around that set, and the full anniversary performance of Moving Pictures on the Time Machine tour. Caravan got a strong welcome, but that was easily surpassed by the reaction to Clockwork Angels, with the multiple video screens "flying" in the light-rig, and present throughout the new material. This part of the set, featuring the "Clockwork Angels String Ensemble" as the first performers to share the stage with the band for an extended period, was the most spectacular I'd seen from them in the four shows I've attended - the end of Carnies came very close to surpassing Kiss for pyros! Even so, the real highlight of this set-within-a-set had to be the anthemic Headlong Flight - surely this will feature in sets to come for quite some time!
Next, a return to the classics and semi-classics: Dreamline, with a nice video-screen tribute to Neil Armstrong; a pleasant surprise in the form of Red Sector A, the now almost obligatory YYZ - and no Rush show can truly be complete without The Spirit Of Radio. For encore material, another standard - the glorious Tom Sawyer - and a bit more of 2112 than usual: Overture, Temples Of Syrinx and the highly appropriate Grand Finale to conclude the evening... and a good time had very much been had by all!
Messers Lee, Lifeson and Peart have been in the business for decades, but they were on top form on Thursday night, and show little sign of flagging. It may be something of a challenge to match the recent studio material, but their shows continue to impress. A job well done, gentlemen, and I salute you!
The Final Verdict... An excellent show, maybe just slightly lacking in older and newer material, but showcasing the band's first true concept album in fine style. 8.5/10
Oh, and there was a fantastic surprise in my special package goodie-bag...
Just one more concert, and my "Gap Year" Task 90 can be crossed off the list - B52's, anyone...?
In Today's Episode... trouble is brewing as the race nears its conclusion
