Clearly, local fans have formed a bond with the Canadian rock trio Rush over these 30-plus years. It seems the feeling may be mutual. "I think I always say this, but I think we've played Pittsburgh more than any other city," bassist Geddy Lee told the Post-Gazette Pavilion crowd Monday night.

That was evident throughout the night as air drummers attempted nearly every fill Neil Peart played and concert-goers tried gamely to bob along to the unusual time signatures of such tunes as "Circumstances." The band had to be especially heartened by the crowd's reaction to material from the new album, "Snakes & Arrows." Many fans already knew enough of the lyrics to "Far Cry" to sing along, and the instrumental "The Main Monkey Business" drew a roar of recognition during its opening notes.

Rush devotees clearly appreciate the band's musicality. They cheered loudly as Alex Lifeson came out of his guitar solo during "Freewill," and Peart's drums solo may have drawn the most ecstatic response of any part of the show. Without any prompting from the band, the audience even began clapping along to brief mid-song sections of "Natural Science" and "The Main Monkey Business."

Part of Rush's appeal may also be its refusal to embrace the super-serious trappings of so many bands with a progressive, arty edge. For instance, the show opened with video footage of Lifeson awakening from a nightmare, only to find Peart in bed next to him. Other previously taped films opened songs in the set, with "Great White North" hosts Bob and Doug McKenzie introducing "The Larger Bowl" and the "South Park" cartoon characters mangling the literary origins of "Tom Sawyer." The band even dubbed another "Snakes & Arrows" instrumental "Malignant Narcissism," indulging really only in more spectacular playing during it.

If Monday's show had any weakness, it was in the song selection during the band's two sets. Nine of the 13 "Snakes & Arrows" tracks appeared, a few too many even from a fine new disc already popular with fans. Also, "Mission" and "Between the Wheels," both dominated by dated-sounding synth work from Lee on his Roland X7, sounded moribund compared with the pulsing pieces surrounding them. Hearing four of the six tracks from "Permanent Waves" was welcome, though, as were surprising inclusions such as "Digital Man," "Witch Hunt" and "A Passage to Bangkok."

Lee, Lifeson and Peart clearly enjoyed themselves throughout, bringing every song to life with smiles, comic asides, bemused glances and rock star poses with their instruments. Lee even donned a T-shirt emblazoned with "1979 World Champions Pittsburgh Pirates" during the first set, another nod to local fans and further proof Rush knows how to please an audience.