Early Show: Vital Signs Texas Rush Tribute

Vital Signs play the 29th Street Ballroom on Sunday, August 9, as an early show. They're Texas's Rush tribute band, and they focus on the group's classic era, using period-accurate instrumentation and high energy to recreate the sound of the original trio.

Their setlist pulls from Rush's deep catalog, so you'll hear the hits like "Tom Sawyer" alongside the more adventurous material. The band describes their approach as recreating Rush's most adventurous performances, and the vocal duties fall to Nora, who handles the soaring high notes Geddy Lee hit during the Exit... Stage Left era live shows. If you're familiar with that period, you know how high and feisty those vocals got, and that's the specific sound they're aiming for.

Because they work from the deep catalog and not just the radio singles, the set covers a lot of ground. You'll get the big ones like "Tom Sawyer," but they also reach back to Hemispheres, one of the more complex records from the band's early years. It's a wide sweep of the classic era, from the tighter, more accessible songs to the longer, more intricate compositions that defined the band's peak.

Doors open at 6 PM at the 29th Street Ballroom in Austin. It's an early show, so it's a good one if you're looking for something to do on a Sunday evening without staying out too late. Tickets are available through Do512.