Review: Rush, LG Arena, Birmingham

Not for them a straight ahead greatest hits set at the LG Arena. Instead they put together a setlist that would delight the committed Rushophile but potentially confound a casual fan.

With the three-hour show divided into two sets, they spent the first hour largely exploring album tracks from the 80s, the days when keyboards began to figure more in Rush's music.

Opening with the majestic Subdivisions they were soon dusting down rarely played gems like Territories, Force Ten, Middletown Dreams and The Analog Kid, on a giant steam punk set.

Impressive as ever, guitarist Alex Lifeson, who seemed to be troubled with problems with his in-ear monitors all night, cut a more static figure than on previous tours. That left the ever busy bassist, keyboard player and vocalist Geddy Lee to be chief ringmaster and crowd conductor.

After a short interval the three-piece band was augmented by an eight-strong string ensemble for a run though almost all of their most recent release, the 66-minute concept album Clockwork Angels.

It's an ambitious and demanding piece, prog rock with a real heart, running from the all out power of Caravan and The Anarchist to the swelling beauty of Wish Them Well and The Garden. The strings were not always easy to make out but generally helped balance out the rock barrage.

After that it was crowd pleasers all the way, with the instrumental YYZ and their big UK radio hit The Spirit of Radio eliciting huge roars of approval, and much "air-drumming" along with Neil Peart, whose main drum solo spot was this time round a much more muted affair than in years past.

Encores of Tom Sawyer and a truncated 2112 upped the power for the encore though and sent fans home into the night.

Review and photos by Ian Harvey