Did Rush break through everywhere around the globe?

[Lurkst]

IMO opinion Rush made a huge mistake in not touring the UK from 83 to 88, the fan base dwindled. I'm on the video ASoH's and I remember people in the audience were a bit uncertain with the songs they were hearing at times, remember there was no internet to know the set list in advance.

 

Possibly more to do with the synth era material alienating a lot of older fans?

The HYF gigs were hugely attended in the UK, not so much when they came back in 92...

 

[thirteen]

Rush missed a huge opportunity not trying to get into the Australian market in the late 70's to early 80's (before the synth era).

A relatively small population, but very devoted fans who loved buying records and seeing live bands.

[Fridge]

here in the UK, not many people I know have heard of them....

[Irenicus]

They definitely did not break through in Germany, not even close. I don't know a single person who has even heard of the band.

 

 

I weep for greyfriar. :(

Well, if we're counting people online, then there are some for sure. But obviously it's much easier to meet such people online than in real life. Still even in certain message boards only relatively few people know the band.

[Lurkst]

They definitely did not break through in Germany, not even close. I don't know a single person who has even heard of the band. Not even a friend of mine who listens to Saga (another canadian prog rock band) had heard of them before I told him. And those 2 concerts I attended (2007 and 2011) didn't even sell out.

 

I'd thought the shows in western Germany were always quite well attended? Certainly the R30 DVD gig looked it!

 

I was at the last German concert in Berlin and it was pretty sparse though, clearly they were never big in the old East!

[cygnify]

I spend alot of time in France; Rush is hardly known at all. None of my French friends that like rock were even aware of Rush.

 

I think they only ever played one show in France - Paris on the Rtb tour.

 

All that said, I do have a French drum magazine "Batteur" with Neil on the cover. So, I believe they are known in musician circles (& people that dig deeper to hear certain bands), but in terms of the mainstream, they are unknown (whereas bands like Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Chili Peppers, Metallica, etc. are very well known.)

 

I saw Tool in Paris on the Lateralus tour - one of the best shows I've ever seen. Very appreciative audience that actually listened, watched, and rocked out at the concert. I saw the same tour in the US with a crowd more interested in their cellphones (yes, even pre-smart phone!) and beer. I would have preferred to have seen Rush in this setting.

Edited May 18, 2017 by cygnify

[greyfriar]

Like some of you mentioned before, they never really had a breakthrough in Germany. Up to the Roll The Bones tour they were still playing in gyms. I remember seeing them in Nürnberg 1992 and there were not more than 1,000 people in the audience. They had always a good crowd of 15,000 in Frankfurt though.

[buddha3211]

Aussie fan checking in. There are not many of us here. Unless you search for it, it's almost impossible to find Rush content here. It's never played on the radio, or music video channels or shows. For some reason Australian DJ's or the market in general never picked up on Rush. Most people are like, what's Rush? Most people haven't even heard of the "classic" Rush songs.

 

You can find some Rush DVD's if you really search for them in stores around here, but it's very rare. Thankfully, the internet exists for my Rush fix!

 

Rush is a special band though, even with low popularity or awareness, wearing a Rush shirt around I've had a few strangers on the street come to me and say "Hey mate, cool shirt, Rush rules" or "Rush is awesome dude". My wife rolls her eyes every time haha.

 

RUSH FANS UNITE!

[JohnRogers]

They're yuuuge in the New York City metropolitan area, in the end that is all that really matters.

[Lurkst]

Aussie fan checking in. There are not many of us here. Unless you search for it, it's almost impossible to find Rush content here. It's never played on the radio, or music video channels or shows. For some reason Australian DJ's or the market in general never picked up on Rush. Most people are like, what's Rush? Most people haven't even heard of the "classic" Rush songs.

 

I saw Pat Cash at a Rush gig. He had to move to London to see them though.

 

[thirteen]

I saw Pat Cash at a Rush gig. He had to move to London to see them though.

Was he playing air guitar on a tennis racquet while wearing a headband?

[Ancient Ways]

They definitely did not break through in Germany, not even close. I don't know a single person who has even heard of the band. Not even a friend of mine who listens to Saga (another canadian prog rock band) had heard of them before I told him. And those 2 concerts I attended (2007 and 2011) didn't even sell out.

 

I'd thought the shows in western Germany were always quite well attended? Certainly the R30 DVD gig looked it!

 

I was at the last German concert in Berlin and it was pretty sparse though, clearly they were never big in the old East!

There's a good 50,000 US servicemen/women stationed in Germany.

[Lurkst]

They definitely did not break through in Germany, not even close. I don't know a single person who has even heard of the band. Not even a friend of mine who listens to Saga (another canadian prog rock band) had heard of them before I told him. And those 2 concerts I attended (2007 and 2011) didn't even sell out.

 

I'd thought the shows in western Germany were always quite well attended? Certainly the R30 DVD gig looked it!

 

I was at the last German concert in Berlin and it was pretty sparse though, clearly they were never big in the old East!

There's a good 50,000 US servicemen/women stationed in Germany.

 

Yeah that's a good point, especially in the 80s when there were even more US / UK / Canadian military in West Germany.

[JohnnyBlaze]

They definitely did not break through in Germany, not even close. I don't know a single person who has even heard of the band. Not even a friend of mine who listens to Saga (another canadian prog rock band) had heard of them before I told him. And those 2 concerts I attended (2007 and 2011) didn't even sell out.

 

I'd thought the shows in western Germany were always quite well attended? Certainly the R30 DVD gig looked it!

 

I was at the last German concert in Berlin and it was pretty sparse though, clearly they were never big in the old East!

There's a good 50,000 US servicemen/women stationed in Germany.

Do you think as many as 10% would go to a Rush gig? I'm not so sure.

[Irenicus]

I'd thought the shows in western Germany were always quite well attended? Certainly the R30 DVD gig looked it!

 

I was at the last German concert in Berlin and it was pretty sparse though, clearly they were never big in the old East!

I think Frankfurt is just the exception for some reason. Probably because there generally seem to be more hard rock/heavy metal fans in the south.

I still remember that in Oberhausen 2007 parts of the venue were covered up with curtains. It didn't sell out at all.

[Geddy Jazz]

In South America they love them ( in Mexico is sort of a cult band, hard core fans, very few beyond Tom Sawyer)....remember Rush in Rio???......never been in Japan nor Australia and Russia certainly hurt their global popularity....now it is a little too late... :scared:

[JohnnyBlaze]

......never been in Japan nor Australia and Russia certainly hurt their global popularity...

 

They did come to Japan for GUP. That was it.

[Ancient Ways]

No one in Cameroon seemed to recognize Neil so....

[Tony R]

In South America they love them ( in Mexico is sort of a cult band, hard core fans, very few beyond Tom Sawyer)....remember Rush in Rio???......never been in Japan nor Australia and Russia certainly hurt their global popularity....now it is a little too late... :scared:

They have played Japan.

 

[Earthshine]

I haven't known one person UNDER 40 here in Japan who knew of Rush before I mentioned them. Not even heard of the band's name. Of course, local Rush fans must exist ((some are on this board matter of fact)) but I haven't actually met any.

Not touring here since '84 hasn't helped.

 

I can't imagine Rush being known in some SE Asian countries like Laos, Myanmar or Cambodia. BUT I'd bet there are some Rush fans in Singapore due to an ample size western population residing there.

 

Rush could have been HUGE in Japan. I believe that was the only tour they ever did of Japan.

 

Rush also never played in any other country in Asia, nor in Africa, nor Russia, nor Australia as far as I know. I never understood why. So many other bands toured these places and were received greatly.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Earthshine

[grasbo]

Here in Australia people of a certain age will say" i remember them,the're still going?".Then i realize they are talking about Hush ,a Aussie/Asian.pop rock band that were seen regularly on Aussie pop tv show Countdown and had some hits in the 70s.Other than that Rush were just one of those bands that appealed to people into "album" bands like myself.Never cared much for what was in the top 40,thats for teenyboppers and drones working in factories.I was a drone working in factories for 27 years and many a radio was hosed down after hours during clean up

[thirteen]

Many years ago I knew someone who had a slot on a small community radio station.

He let me play some Rush over the radio.

 

I imagine that was the first and last time Overture and Temples of Syrinx were ever heard on Australian radio

[grasbo]

Back in the 90s i was a dj on a community radio station Saturday nights and i would slip on at least two Rush tunes a night.I used to sleep at the station overnight and switch over to mainland stations at midnight.As i was settling down on the couch with a beer one night the mainland dj played ALL of Exit Stage Left and Show of Hands straight through .I think i finally fell asleep ,pissed at 3am.Next thing i knew i was woken by the morning dj at 7am with a coffee and her easy listening country music.