The strings were only really around for the Clockwork Angels set, plus a few older tracks (Manhattan Project, Red Sector A, and YYZ). Otherwise, it was the usual three-piece setup.
I definitely liked hearing The Body Electric, but the real treat for me was Territories.
Yup: the first set–which didn’t leave the 80s until the 2nd to last song–was the boys by themselves. The strings didn’t appear until Clockwork Angels.
I was shocked by the setlist. We got there very early (getting into Jiffy Lube is a nightmare) and caught Middletown Dreams at the end of the sound check. At which point I turned to my friend and said “I guess they won’t be playing Grand Designs” But they did, and it was awesome since it’s my favorite song on Power Windows. Maybe they’ll break out Kid Gloves on the next tour.
Woot finally bit the bullet and got tickets!
So yeah, finally got the new album a couple of weeks ago. Holy crap, RUSH haven’t kicked this much ass in quite some time. I am really surprised by the energy on some of the tracks. They finally got off that damn constant mid-tempo sonic template they’ve been using for the past 10 years and I couldn’t be happier. And they’re finally playing around with different time signatures within songs again.
The album sounds fresh, exciting AND consistently good, something I could not say about any RUSH album since ROLL THE BONES (though Snakes And Arrows was a good effort).
I’m getting a heavy 80s vibe, too, in terms of song structure, vocal arrangements and tempos. Like this COULD have been the follow up album to Hold Your Fire instead of Presto. Anyway, this is based on about 4 or 5 listens so far. Really impressed.
Rush are now definitely back on my “band around for 25+ years who lost their way for a bit and are now worth listening to again” list! (Along with The Church).
I’d put Iron Maiden on that list too, the last four albums are really good. As for Clockwork Angels, I’ve listened to it about 50 times, and I’d put it up there as the best work since Moving Pictures. Glad you are enjoying it!
Caught the boys again in Montreal last night. Great show, as usual, though I was considerably further back from the stage, way up in the middle tier of seats at Centre Bell, down in the corner. Even so, the sound still packed a punch, and one can really appreciate the intricacies of the stage show from that distance without being overwhelmed by its magnitude. I was particularly impressed with how the stabbing white lights mirrored the slashes of rain in the backing film for The Wreckers.
The set list was a little different from Manchester. Instead of Wish Them Well we got Seven Cities of Gold, which didn’t rock quite as hard as the former but was still nice to see performed live. Working Man dropped out as the last song before encore, replaced by The Spirit of Radio, which was replaced in the encore by a few sections of 2112 – Overture, The Temples of Syrinx, and Grand Finale. Both encores lead off with Tom Sawyer. Plus, there was a proper, standalone drum solo, which was amazing and not like any I’d ever heard from Neil before.
The pyrotechnics were a bit subdued, though. Neither in Caravan nor Carnies did we get the jets of flame I was anticipating. Sounds like it’s a Montreal-specific restriction; not sure if city or venue…
Still, it was awesome. I wouldn’t mind if they’d add in one more track from the 70s, though.
Wonder if it was due to Hetfield.
The most infamous event during the tour took place during a show on August 8, 1992 at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. Metallica frontman James Hetfield suffered second and third degree burns to his left arm after mistakenly standing on a pyrotechnics blast during the opening of “Fade to Black”. Hetfield himself has said “There were extra pyro in addition to the original pyro and I got too close the original pyro.” Metallica was forced to cancel the second hour of the show, but promised to return to the city for another show. After a long delay, during which the audience became increasingly restless, Guns N’ Roses took the stage. However, the shortened time between sets did not allow for adequate tuning of stage monitors, resulting in musicians not being able to hear themselves. In addition, Guns N’ Roses’ notoriously volatile frontman, Axl Rose, claimed that his throat hurt, causing the band to leave the stage early. The cancellation led to a riot by audience members, reminiscent of the rioting that had occurred during a Guns N’ Roses show near St. Louis one year earlier. This time the aggrieved audience members took to the streets of Montreal, overturning cars, smashing windows, looting local stores and setting fires. Local authorities were barely able to bring the mob under control. Footage from the debacle was later included in the 1992 documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica.
If there’s one thing Montrealers are good at, it’s rioting.
Also striking.
Sometimes both at the same time.
Yes! About to see the boys here in Charlotte. I am ready to rock!
Awesome show. Set list good - we got Body Electric. Set list bad - we got Manhattan project instead of Dreamline. I’ve always found MP a bit meh, and really like Dreamline, but what can ya do?
Highlights for me in the opening half were Subdivisions to open the show, and a spectacular rendition of Analog Kid. I’ve always really liked that guitar solo, and Alex delivered an incredible version live.
The Clockwork Angels part w/ the string section was really good. Hard to pick a fave here. Of the older stuff to close the show, YYZ stood out as the best, but Tom Sawyer and 2112 weren’t far behind.
Sadly I missed the show (and blew $180 in the process). My son broke his femur right at the hip on Monday and had surgery on Tuesday (the night of the concert). Had the concert been in town I may have considered it (surgery was in the morning, and my wife could cover the couple of evening hours the concert would’ve taken), but a three hour drive from east Raleigh each way and the time for the concert – I had to do the responsible thing.
I am glad to hear that the concert was great!
Wooooo, they snuck in some eastern seaboard dates prior to their European leg, including Raleigh! So excited, love the album and hated missing it due to my son’s emergency, but got lucky with them visiting again.
23-Apr Austin, TX
26-Apr Ft. Lauderdale, FL
28-Apr Orlando, FL
01-May Nashville, TN
03-May Raleigh, NC
05-May Virginia Beach, VA
07-May Baltimore, MD
09-May Uncasville, CT
11-May Atlantic City, NJ
Sweetness! I was out of town when they came through Tampa last Nov, but now get to see them in Orlando!
I would have invited you to go with me and my buds. We haven’t missed a Rush tour yet, but I’m heading out of town the day of that show. I live about 10 minutes from the arena too. Very bummed.
Woot! Rush are coming to Halifax this summer. No date announced yet but I’ll be holding off on vacation plans until I know when. Awesome.
Baltimore on my Birthday? Awesome!
Just went to my very first Rush concert last night in Halifax, NS. It was awesome!
Here is the setlist they played: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/rush/2013/metro-centre-halifax-ns-canada-53d947a5.html
Looks like a pretty great setlist. Seeing them in Salt Lake on the 31st. Taking my 14 year old daughter to her first rock concert.
Nice setlist. Man, I can’t believe I’ve been a fan since the 80s and I’ve never seen them live.