This was always going to be the big gig of the year for me. First saw Rush at Manchester Apollo back in 1980 on the 'Permanent Waves' tour, when lady luck was shining on me and I got a ticket on one of the back rows for the second night. Moreover, if I had to decide on a favourite band, it would have to be Rush, as they've offered some real profound continuity over the years.
This was my 11th Rush concert over 34 years or so, and the band were as good as ever with their set having a tripartite structure. First, the band did a lot of tunes from the 1980s, coming on with 'Subdivisions' followed by 'The Big Money' (well done to everybody who recorded videos at the show and put them on Youtube for others to remember the gig):
In the first half of the show, Rush proceeded through 'Analogue Kid'; 'Red Sector A'; 'Territories'; 'Grand Designs'; 'Force Ten'; 'The Pass' etc. However, my favourite part of the gig was after the break when the band did the new stuff off 'Clockwork Angels' with the strings section behind them, as it had a real hard crunchy sound to it all.
Having said this, I especially liked the highly melodic 'We Wish Them Well', and the (almost) elegaic 'The Garden'.
Also really enjoyed 'Halo Effect' when Alex Lifeson was bathed in dried ice type stuff:
Moreover, as the show progressed, the band did 'Dreamline' and 'A Far Cry', two of my favourite Rush tracks, as they headed towards the inevitable finale of 'Tom Sawyer'; 'The Spirit of Radio', and a few parts of '2112':
Yes, as always, this was a beautifully constructed Rush set. Of course, I love 'Xanadu'; 'Closer To The Heart'; 'La Villa Strangiato'; 'The Trees' etc., but over the years, I've also come to love 'Dreamline'; 'Territories'; 'The Big Money' etc., so whatever you're going to get from Rush, you know that it'll be fantastic!!!
Let's hope we can all get to see Rush again some time!!!
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