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A blog devoted to RUSH:
Neil Peart, Geddy Lee & Alex Lifeson

Wed, Dec 25, 2024

Clockwork Angels tour opening night in Manchester open thread

Fri, Sep 7, 2012@12:27PM | comments removed/disabled

UPDATE - 9/11@10:29AM: Here's a YouTube playlist of the entire show courtesy Brad P.

UPDATE - 9/9@10:16AM: Here's a review of Friday night's show from the MetroWest Daily News (thanks RushFanForever).

UPDATE - 9/8@9:16PM: John at Cygnus-X1.net attended last night's show and posted a huge gallery of photos to his website.

UPDATE - 9/8@3:33PM: The Bubba's Bar n Grill Twitter feed has posted a couple of behind-the-scenes photos from the concert video shoot here and here.

UPDATE - 9/8@3:26PM: Official photos from opening night are now posted at this location (thanks hermy).

UPDATE - 9/8@9:02AM: A few readers have posted a bunch of great photos to the opening night photo gallery. There's also this Flickr gallery from reader King_Buzzo. There are also already a bunch of videos on YouTube including this one from Kelly D.

UPDATE - 9/7@11:12PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 14 *** Here's one final spoiler update on the closing video below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@10:49PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 13 *** It's over! Encore tracks below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@10:36PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 12 *** Things are wrapping up and the encore will be coming up soon. The last few tracks below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@10:08PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 11 *** Info on the next few tracks and more below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@9:51PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 10 *** Info on the next few tracks and more below the fold. By the way a BIG thanks to hermy, Todd V, Nestor A and others for the up-to-the-second updates.

UPDATE - 9/7@9:28PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 9 *** Info on the next 2 tracks and more below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@9:11PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 8 *** The second set has begun. Info on the opening song, the intermission video and more below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@8:47PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 7 *** It's intermission time! A report on the final few tracks from the first set and another tidbit about the stage show below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@8:36PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 6 *** I apologize for the server issues. The site has never experienced traffic this high before. I'm having to do a lot of tweaking to keep my server's heart beating. Your patience is appreciated. A report on the next 2 tracks below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@8:25PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 5 *** A report on the next 2 tracks below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@8:13PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 4 *** A report on the next 2 tracks and a photo of Geddy's equipment below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@8:01PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 3 *** The first 3 songs are now over. A report on what these are along with some notes on the new intro video. All the details below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@7:47PM: The opening video has begun!

UPDATE - 9/7@7:28PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 2*** Reader hermy sent along a report along with photos regarding the stage setup. He also caught a glimpse of the setlist on stage and was able to catch what the opener and encore songs are. All the details below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@5:55PM: *** SPOILER UPDATE 1*** Reader hermy is at the show and just reported that soundcheck has ended. More details below the fold.

UPDATE - 9/7@1:35PM: Here are a couple of photos of the Rush Clockwork Angels tour machine outside the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester (thanks hermy).

Rush will be kicking off their long-anticipated Clockwork Angels tour tonight at 7:30PM at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH. The band has managed to keep a very tight lid on things in regards to the setlist, so there have been no leaks. It looks like we'll have to wait until tonight to find out which 25 or so of the 200+ songs from their repertoire they decide to play. We know that a good chunk will be taken up by tracks from the Clockwork Angels album, but the rest remain a mystery. I plan on posting tonight's setlist to this thread (below the fold and with appropriate spoiler warnings) as it happens as well as any other interesting details regarding the show. If you are going to the show and are willing to text/email me setlist/show updates, please let me know. For everyone going tonight, have fun and be sure to share your reports, reviews, and photos with us. Rush!!!

Date/Time: Friday, September 7th @ 7:30PM
Show Number: 1
Venue: Verizon Wireless Arena
Place: Manchester, NH

gallery: [view] [upload] [YouTube videos]
reviews: [reviews] [setlist]

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!! Click READ MORE below to access spoiler content

*** SPOILER UPDATE 14 *** The closing video apparently consisted of monkeys and dancing girls. 'nuff said. :)

*** SPOILER UPDATE 13 *** After closing out the 2nd set with Working Man (reggae intro version), Neil shot some t-shirts out of a gun into the crowd! They then broke into Tom Sawyer and The Spirit of Radio for the encore before calling it a night and showing the outro vid.

The complete setlist is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 12 *** After finishing up with the Clockwork Angels album songs, the string section continued to play on the non-Clockwork Angels songs too. After Manhattan Project they played yet more 80s material with Red Sector A, on which Neil used electric drums - including a little solo. They then broke into YYZ with strings. The strings then left when the band played Working Man to close out the 2nd set. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 11 *** The band seems to now be finished with the Clockwork Angels album - playing a total of 8 tracks off of it. They added Wish Them Well and The Garden and then broke into some more 80s material with Manhattan Project. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 10 *** The band is chugging through the Clockwork Angels album but have changed up the order a bit with Halo Effect being thrown in after Headlong Flight. There was a huge pyro showboat at the end of Carnies. Ged mentioned that The Wreckers was one of his favorites, and there was a cool rain effect during the song as shown in the photo (thanks Todd V). There was also another mini-drum-solo in the middle of Headlong Flight. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 9 *** So far the string section has been included in all the Clockwork Angels tracks, and they even stand up and rock out at one point. Neil's kit rotates during the bluesy part of Clockwork Angels, and after the song Geddy Lee introduced the string section as the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble. I've attached a few photos courtesy Stewart G. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 8 *** The string section took the stage during intermission and set up behind Neil. Then they came back from intermission with a new video where our 3 heroes are dressed up as gnomes/trolls. The second set then kicked off with Caravan. So it's possible they may plow through the entire Clockwork Angels album! The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 7 *** This go around an Einsteinian professor checks out Geddy's kit rather than a chicken man (thanks Todd V). The band decided to stick a shorter Neil peart drum solo in the middle of Where's My Thing this go-around. They then closed out the first set with Far Cry. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 6 *** The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 5 *** The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 4 *** Todd V sent along this photo of Geddy's stage setup. There have been no strings included yet. The next 2 songs are Grand Designs and The Body Electric. The setlist so far is as follows:

*** SPOILER UPDATE 3 *** The first 3 songs are Subdivisions, Big Money and Force 10. The opening vid has a steampunk theme (obviously) and involves a chicken suit, a clown, and Frankenstein!

*** SPOILER UPDATE 2*** Reader hermy sent along a report along with photos regarding the stage setup. Neil's kit is set forward a bit more than usual and the string section is set up behind him. There's also an all new lighting rig with a revamped spider. He also caught a glimpse of the setlist on stage and was able to catch what the opener and encore songs are. The opening track is Subdivisions and they will close out the first set with Far Cry. The encore is Tom Sawyer and The Spirit of Radio.

*** SPOILER UPDATE 1*** Reader hermy is at the show and just reported that soundcheck has ended. He had a few details to report including hearing YYZ with strings! He also heard Territories and Subdivisions played.

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