The Clockwork Angels Tour stands as one of the most ambitious productions in Rush's history, marked by a massive commitment to their new concept album and a historic first: sharing the stage with a live string ensemble. Following the steampunk-themed "Gearing Up" introductory video, the first half of the show served as a massive love letter to their 1980s synthesizer era. Opening with "Subdivisions," the band resurrected heavily requested deep cuts like "Grand Designs" and "Territories," utilizing an unprecedented number of rotational slots to swap out multiple songs from night to night. This set also introduced a major structural change, as Neil Peart broke his traditional marathon drum solo into three distinct, smaller segments spread throughout the performance.
After intermission and "The Appointment" video, the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble joined the trio on stage to perform a sprawling, nearly complete run of their acclaimed new album. The strings then remained for the rest of the main set, adding breathtaking new orchestral layers to classic staples like "Manhattan Project," "Red Sector A," and "YYZ." Following Neil's final percussive showcases and Alex Lifeson's intimate "Peke's Repose" guitar solo, the band returned for a purely nostalgic encore. Firing through "Tom Sawyer" and a massive "2112" medley featuring the "Overture," "The Temples of Syrinx," and "Grand Finale," the marathon steampunk spectacle officially concluded with the comedic "Office of the Watchmaker" closing video.