Things will change for all of us after this Tour

[vital signz]

I love coming to the TRF every day. It is a place where hopeful fans share a connection--one where we, like children months before Christmas, anticipate "surprises" of what is to come in hopefully what will not seem like too long of a waiting period in the near future.

 

However, the writing is on the wall, already eluded to by the band and Ray Danniels, that "getting three 65 year olds on the road ever again seems unlikely.

 

I don't know about you guys, but I feel very sad inside. This tour is certain to make us all feel better for a while. The deep cuts and the effort by this band to give us the best of what they have to give is an incredible gesture.

 

These guys sure do care about us all to do such amazing things year after year, and that is why we all love them like like we do. I have never felt anything like I feel for Rush for any other band. An kind of weird analogy is it is beginning to feel like a dear friend is now expected to be dying......and the hollowness you know that will be coming in the not too distant future is beginning to settle in. I am beginning to feel sick about it.

 

We love you Geddy, Alex, and Neil. You guys are the best of the best. Thanks for the big effort this tour. We all appreciate it and all of the work that you and all of your tour team has put forth every time in the past, but especially this time. It is easy to see how much thought you all put into making this "last hurrah" so unbelievably special. Can't wait to catch you all in Columbus.

 

I will love coming here to visit with all of you after the tour, but I suspect we all might feel a bit differently afterwards....maybe like discovering that Santa isn't real after all, and the magic may be gone from the holiday forever. Our love we have for this band in our hearts I am sure will continue to stoke the fire that keeps this place alive with happiness and great posts...for a while. But we will, I believe, just feel somehow emptier, more hollow, sad not knowing what is to come; after all a 40 year relationship suddenly changing, will have to impact us all in some way. The ever changing soundtrack to my life, and many of all all here, is perhaps about to lose its primary writers---I don't think any other authors will ever be able to take their places. :Neil: :Alex: :geddy:

[Tombstone Mountain]

Thanks Captain Buzzkill

[vital signz]

Thanks Captain Buzzkill

 

sorry dude (i'm the guy with da funky eye)

[madrushian]

Great post. The discussion will evolve and we will carry on

[Narps]

I'm cool with some reality... :)

[Relayer2112]

Well put, vital signz. I'm resigned to the fact that I will soon be going to my last Rush show (and probably the last rock concert of my life) and I feel a little sadness about it.

[GabesCavesOfIce]

Well, we all feel the imminent change that is only seventy nine freaking days away.We all deal with it in different ways, some like me, have hope they will record some tidbits, release some more docs and rare footage, and even hit a one venue "run" that they hinted about.

 

Even if miracles like that do happen, this is it for them as a touring band, which is very sad. I am grateful for the 37 years I have been a fan, for which they toured most of those years. And those 27 shows (and counting!)I was lucky to attend. Thank you!

 

I so dreaded opening nite in Tulsa. Seemed the months between announcing the dates and opening nite flew by. No amount of road trips to see R40 more will change reality Aug 2. Please, freeze this moment a little bit longer!

[ReRushed]

It's life. Rush is a rock band. We will all move on. I'm grateful for what Rush has provided me, including this forum.

 

I have well over 200 Rush songs in my collection. I'll always look forward to re-discovering their music and hopefully, in some way, share the experience with my fellow Rush fans.

Edited May 14, 2015 by ReRushed

[CountFloyd84]

Very nice post, although I have to admit, it makes me very sad and annoyed that I didn't get into them sooner. I had a chance to see them on Snakes & Arrows and The Time Machine tours, but couldn't for one reason or another. I've only been a fan for about nine years, although I at least saw them in London on the Clockwork Angels tour. What a show :)

 

I still think these guys have a lot of time left in them; Yes are still going and they're in far worse shape and have about 8/9 years on Ged, Alex and Neil in terms of age. Still, I guess it comes down to two things: Neil is in a lot of pain with that condition he has (sorry, I can't remember the exact terminology) and wants to put his family first, which is obviously a no-brainer.

 

You guys who are lucky enough to see them on R40 sure have an amazing time---what a setlist!

[Rush85dude]

Very nice post, although I have to admit, it makes me very sad and annoyed that I didn't get into them sooner. I had a chance to see them on Snakes & Arrows and The Time Machine tours, but couldn't for one reason or another. I've only been a fan for about nine years, although I at least saw them in London on the Clockwork Angels tour. What a show :)

 

I still think these guys have a lot of time left in them; Yes are still going and they're in far worse shape and have about 8/9 years on Ged, Alex and Neil in terms of age. Still, I guess it comes down to two things: Neil is in a lot of pain with that condition he has (sorry, I can't remember the exact terminology) and wants to put his family first, which is obviously a no-brainer.

 

You guys who are lucky enough to see them on R40 sure have an amazing time---what a setlist!

 

I love that Rush has kept gaining new fans. Sure, some of the old ones have hung in there but its the new ones that have had the most recent joy of discovery that all of us had a decade or two, or three....ago.

 

That night I heard Overture/Temples on the radio and though "I've got to find out who this is" started me on a journey where a rock band's lyrics gave me solace through the loneliness of adolescence and inspriation to find a career (as an English professor).

 

And then soulful, frantic, brilliant playing kept me on my feet for hours playing air guitar in my bedroom and at arenas throughout the southeast. There will be lump in my throat in a couple weeks but what a ride...what a great ride with good people and great music.

[buk2112]

New to the forum. Long time Rush fan. Attending tonight's show in St. Louis, got Silver VIP seats, obviously I'm pumped! I am hoping there might be another surprise or two in store for the setlist tonight. If the boys were to slip in "A Farewell To Kings", I wouldn't ask Santa anything for Christmas! Realize I might be on wrong thread to make my first post, if I am please excuse the newbie. Cheers everyone!

[Jaminbenb]

As I've said countless other times in these "doom and gloom" threads... I'm just glad we got Vapor Trails to the present time! This could have all ended prior to Grace Under Pressure with some of the things that were spoken about in the "Visions" book...then after Neils tragedies, this could have definitely ended.

 

Take what you got, enjoy it, and move on with life....we may get more official releases (i.e. the comment when box sets were gaining popularity that "why release one now, we're still a work in progress) or worst case...learn to download some of the bootleg concerts, radio shows, etc....

 

Zappa (who is someone I've followed almost as extensively as Rush, although I've never seen him in concert) has been dead since 1993, and there's been a decent amount of output from his camp..not as much as there CAN be, but there's more stuff than I'll ever be able to honestly listen to with any conviction even from a bootleg perspective...

 

Life will go on, you will find your next favorite band... Someone may put out another solo album...they may put out another studio album...Other bands will be in concert...expand your horizons a little....

[Geddymancer]

For anyone feeling bad about this, just be happy that you were able to appreciate them for so long. Being a young fan, I only discovered Rush maybe 10 years ago and just attended my first concert of theirs in St. Paul. Hell, my Dad has been a fan since the late 70s and this was his first concert too. I'm really glad we got to enjoy this together if it is, in fact, their last hurrah. Edited May 14, 2015 by Geddymancer

[bluefox4000]

I don't about you all. but the rush sections i post LEAST in......i just like the people some who i'm pretty sure will stick around.

 

Mick

[HemiBeers]

One thing you can guarantee is that time is not on their side and their playing skills will decline. I don't think anyone wants to see a 'trainwreck tour' just because we don't want them to go away.

 

Like the wiseman Neil mentioned in his lyrics...it is what it is and whatever.

 

 

my god what a useless lyric.

[JohnRogers]

Lorraine will provide us polls of the best RUSH tribute bands to argue over. Life will go on.

:(

[WIDE-ANGLE WATCHER]

Reality, as it sinks in...does in fact suck.

Memories, as they are relived...do in fact last forever.

I have followed Rush since 1977. I have seen them live a bunch of times...but I get my best memories from buying that newly released vinyl/cassette/cd and racing home to get that first listen of the new Rush. That is what I'll miss the most when/if they stop making music.

As far as the touring goes....I hope this is the final tour. After this tour and at least a 2-3 year break, the boys will be in their mid 60's...and while some studio work is hopeful, I think the touring should end now, while they can still physically and mentally pull it off. My analogy would be...I am 51 and have stopped playing hockey...for the obvious reasons. I, for one, do not want to go through all this forum crap about...can they pull off an R-45 Tour?

If they retire touring after the R-40 Tour. I believe their legacy is intact as one of the highest musicianship based touring bands ever. If they make another run at a tour in a few years their legacy may be tarnished a bit.

Sadder still, to watch it die...Then never to have known it.

We have known it, for so long. I don't want to watch it die.

Better to just fade away...

 

[Bard]

All things must come to pass. Such is life. "_

[Rushman14]

I'm not convinced for a second this is the last we are gonna hear from them.

[Bard]

I am. Neil's done.

 

Best case scenario....a few one-offs in NYC, LA, or Toronto.

[drgrendel]

I have some mixed feeling about this. I may never seem them live again after the Buffalo show, but I have their music all around me. If this is it, I am glad they are going while still a decent act to see live. I do say decent because musically they are still there, but hearing Geddy struggle is rather sad to watch and hear at times. IMO, their last great tour was TFE. I really did not appreciate, as I have stated several times, the last two tours and their insistence on jamming back to back to back to back songs from the most recent album down the crowds throat. It is not tat I do not like the albums, it was the fact hey chose to present it in an aggressive way. Now they are starting R40 with 3 tunes from CA? REALLY? I suppose that is what killed the magic for me.

 

But alas, there are other live acts out there putting out killer material ad touring in support of it. Life goes on...

[cygnify]

Very poignant post Vital signz! I can certainly relate to alot of what you write. Like many others have stated, Rush has been the soundtrack of my life (starting from ~1981 for me!) It is hard to imagine any band ever meaning that much to me; though I do love a number of other bands, there's only a handful that I would travel to see and of that handful only a couple that still actually tour. However, Rush has been there for much of my life and I've always felt some strange connection between their progression and changes to those in my life. From high school to having kids. Hell, Neil was the inspiration for me to play drums which led to my life's passion in music, not to mention meeting my wife. Maybe I assign too much coincidence to Rush, but they certainly altered my path in positive ways. Sometimes I feel a little emotional about my final 2 shows (Tampa and Philly) - I hope I don't cry in front of my Rush buddies! :( I remind myself that I am grateful for how much this band has given us and for all the times that I was able to enjoy seeing them in concert. And we'll always have the music (maybe even some new music at some point...) and the memories! :codger:

 

p.s there are some things that I will not miss one bit - ticket buying process, ticket costs, jerks in the crowd, price of beer at concerts... :boo hiss:

[J2112YYZ]

Yes, it's sad that we may never see them live again after this tour. But I don't believe the band is completely done. Geddy has said even if they don't do any major tours anymore, they still want to record new material. They may go the way of The Beatles and still record stuff but not play live. That is something I can see being possible, so it may be over for them when it comes to playing shows but we can be happy that the band still wants to record.

 

Come on, they're only in their early 60s, they can give us a couple more new albums ;)

[Union 5-3992]

I have some mixed feeling about this. I may never seem them live again after the Buffalo show, but I have their music all around me. If this is it, I am glad they are going while still a decent act to see live. I do say decent because musically they are still there, but hearing Geddy struggle is rather sad to watch and hear at times. IMO, their last great tour was TFE. I really did not appreciate, as I have stated several times, the last two tours and their insistence on jamming back to back to back to back songs from the most recent album down the crowds throat. It is not tat I do not like the albums, it was the fact hey chose to present it in an aggressive way. Now they are starting R40 with 3 tunes from CA? REALLY? I suppose that is what killed the magic for me.

 

But alas, there are other live acts out there putting out killer material ad touring in support of it. Life goes on...

It's almost like they're proud of their recent output. What a shocker. Throughout their entire history they've always played a decent chunk of their newer material. Three songs from Clockwork Angels! Those bastards, how dare they do what they've done every time they tour!

[bluefox4000]

I have some mixed feeling about this. I may never seem them live again after the Buffalo show, but I have their music all around me. If this is it, I am glad they are going while still a decent act to see live. I do say decent because musically they are still there, but hearing Geddy struggle is rather sad to watch and hear at times. IMO, their last great tour was TFE. I really did not appreciate, as I have stated several times, the last two tours and their insistence on jamming back to back to back to back songs from the most recent album down the crowds throat. It is not tat I do not like the albums, it was the fact hey chose to present it in an aggressive way. Now they are starting R40 with 3 tunes from CA? REALLY? I suppose that is what killed the magic for me.

 

But alas, there are other live acts out there putting out killer material ad touring in support of it. Life goes on...

It's almost like they're proud of their recent output. What a shocker. Throughout their entire history they've always played a decent chunk of their newer material. Three songs from Clockwork Angels! Those bastards, how dare they do what they've done every time they tour!

 

i don't like the album but hey if they are proud......more power to em.

 

Mick