Rush

Canadian prog rockers Rush are exceptional on many levels. Unlike many classic rock acts that constantly shift lineups, they haven’t had a change in personnel since drummer Neil Peart came into the fold early on. And they find inspiration in literary and philosophical works. In fact, Peart has even published a few award-winning books about his many motorcycle trips. Touring behind their new album Clockwork Angels, the band’s set list includes the ’80s hit “Subdivisions,” which has been the opening track for most of the gigs it’s played so far. It’ll also revisit a few other ’80s and ’90s tunes before bringing out a string section to play some of the Angels material. The new material is rather pretentious (that’s to be expected), but the concerts benefit from the fact that the guys have loosened up a bit in their old age and aren’t as devoted to re-creating the songs exactly as they sound in the studio. Stick around for the encore if you want to hear classics like “Tom Sawyer” and “Spirit of the Radio.” (Jeff Niesel)