EDMONTON - A drummer with a thousand-piece drum kit, a rock show with an intermission, fantastical lyrics that don't make sense - these are the hallmarks of a band that takes its music way too seriously.

Or they're attempting to elevate a lowbrow art form to technical and artistic heights to rival the classical masters. It all depends on how you look at it.

In short: "Progressive rock."

Love it or hate it - and I'm coming from the point of view of a guy who was devastated when my vinyl copy of Brain Salad Surgery was purposely scratched by an art rock-hating philistine - Rush is an important, Canadian part of the prog-rock canon.

A mothership drum kit, a concert in two acts and convoluted rock classics in strange chords and unruly rhythms impossible to dance to were all accounted for in the band's concert at Rexall Place last night.

As were flying saucers, laser beams, fog, mind-blowing films and blinding strobe lights - you can't have a good prog rock experience without the trappings.

Of course, with any good prog rock outfit, like any good jazz band, the musicians are expected to deliver the goods - and they did!

Neil Peart pounded his many drums and gizmos with passion and precision.

Alex Lifeson uncorked one blistering solo after another, drawing bigger cheers with each.

And Geddy Lee was the ultimate multi-tasker, yelping out the high notes as he danced from bass to foot pedals to synthesizers and back again.

Not bad for three middle-aged guys and some of the best support production money can buy.

An opening cartoon themed around snakes and arrows set the stage for what would be a generous showcase for Rush's new album, titled - you guessed it - Snakes and Arrows.

Brave of these lads to risk the classic curse of the classic rock band, the phrase "here's one from our new album now" translating to "you just have time to go for beer before we do Freebird.

But fans needn't have worried.

Familiar fare like Limelight, Freewill and The Trees were interspersed with fresh material in Act 1.

(Act 2, with its promise of 2112, YYZ and a gargantuan drum solo, was sadly missed due to an early deadline).

New songs included a twisted instrumental called The Main Monkey Business.

As if to distract from the lack of lyrics and surfeit of time signature changes in the convoluted song, visuals included a guy in a chef's hat walking out to check stacks of roasting chickens in glass cases (contrasting with stacks o' Marshalls on the other side) - no explanation here - and black and white monkey cartoons. There were big cheers for the monkeys "doing it."

Also of interest was A Larger Bowl, which seemed to have something to do with various inequities and injustices in the world, to judge by the images on the video screens.

The song was as intricate, powerful and interesting as any of Rush's best work, plus it had a worthy message.

And it was introduced with a video message from none other than Bob and Doug McKenzie - now how Canadian is that?

Pretty Canadian.

Around 9,000 people turned up to savour the Rush experience in all its sonic, visual and olfactory glory - including lots of rocker dads with teenagers in tow, thus assuring future generations of progressive rock fans for time to come.

Sorry, dude who scratched my record, this stuff is not going away.