What is the best seat in the house during a live Rush show?

[Slime]

If you're at a live Rush show, where's the best seat in the house??

And I do mean Rush specifically! - For other bands, you may want a different kind of seat, and that's fine!

 

I'm going off of a pretty standard "sports arena sectioned off for a rock show" arrangement, as can be seen in this diagram (from rateyourseats.com) 

(Stage in black, everything behind it closed, most fan seats in blue, maybe the suites are open to those with extra cash)

 

 

And no cop-out super hilarious "The best seat is MY HOUSE lol!" answers either 

 

The touring days may sadly be done, but we can still reminisce and discuss!

[BigMontanaSKY]

Too close, you can't appreciate the whole experience. 

 

My most memorable Rush concert was being seated "Geddy-side" and close enough to see the band, far enough to relax.

 

 

[Nova Carmina]

Like at a movie, not so close I lose the stuff on periphery. Straight back, slightly elevated; that's the ticket.

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Sadly only a thought experiment now. I cannot say for sure, as I only ever saw Rush once and my dad and I were in the very back row of the very highest section, just left of center....

 

But it was my first ever concert and unashamedly still my favorite concert memory ever. They played my dad's favorite Rush song and my favorite Rush song, nearly back to back if I recall (Xanadu and Cygnus X-1), it was such a special show, and I've never been at another with the same love and energy that filled the crowd that night. So I'd say the best seat at a Rush show is the one next to the person you most want to see Rush with, the one at the venue you'll have the best time getting to, and the one on the tour you most want to see.

[blueschica]

5 hours ago, Entre_Perpetuo said:

Sadly only a thought experiment now. I cannot say for sure, as I only ever saw Rush once and my dad and I were in the very back row of the very highest section, just left of center....

 

But it was my first ever concert and unashamedly still my favorite concert memory ever. They played my dad's favorite Rush song and my favorite Rush song, nearly back to back if I recall (Xanadu and Cygnus X-1), it was such a special show, and I've never been at another with the same love and energy that filled the crowd that night. So I'd say the best seat at a Rush show is the one next to the person you most want to see Rush with, the one at the venue you'll have the best time getting to, and the one on the tour you most want to see.

That's like the best answer ever. Thank you! 

Edited October 23, 2022 by blueschica

[Entre_Perpetuo]

7 minutes ago, blueschica said:

That's like the best answer ever. Thank you! 

Thank you! 

[zepphead]

We would normally have gone 200 section left or right, but to be honest, when they toured the UK, I was just glad to be anywhere inside the stadium!!

[pjbear05]

To answer the OP,  B or C section on the floor.

However, HRS is one of the last places  I would want to attend a concert at, despite the fact that I am less than 5 miles from the venue "as the crow flies".  I've been in there for baseball, football, and an RV show many moons ago, but a concert there, no thanks.  Getting in and out of the stadium, concessions prices, acoustics, aw, hell no!

[grep]

For me, it was anywhere down in the first 15 with the hardcore fans.

Every now and then it was also nice to see the full light show from the back of the arena, just above stage level.  

[edhunter]

It can depend on the arena.  Floor seats can suck if it's a flat surface.  But close is nice. It puts you in T-shirt range. I had Alex toss one to me on 1 tour from the 3rd row and got another one from Neil's cannon from the 12th row.

[goose]

Front Row is amazing at a RUSH show. I was right in front of Geddy for a show in Reno and it's by far the best RUSH experience I've had, from a musician standpoint.  Another great experience I had was in a fully catered luxury box in Seattle.  I made a last-minute decision to get a ticket and a guy pulled me out of line and invited me to his box.  All I had to do was tip the service staff.  Another fun time was on the back lawn with my buddies for the Time Machine tour.  Lots of room, so I did an interpretive dance during YYZ.  Folks were entertained.

 

These days I avoid arenas.  300 seats or less is where it's at.

[NoahLutz]

I always loved seeming them at amphitheaters where there was a grassy area to camp out.  Cheap seats, more room, more interaction with other fans…just some wonderful summer nights with Rush and fans.

 

Seeing as that isn’t an option for this poll, I’d go with A-3 in the first several rows as my favorite.  

[custom55]

Love seats up front just to get close to the band and the energy is high.  Because it's difficult to land those seats and  the $$$ involved, it is a rare occasion that I get that seat.

 

 

'

[HemiBeers]

middle section floor strikes about the right balance for me. never felt the need to be front row and the $$$ always scared me away from considering that. Seems like front row would be sensory overload for the sound and lights. I'm 6'4" so never had a problem visually from the floor. 

 

I got the magic seat combination of row 21, seat 12 in Chicago on the last tour. Ticketbastard was finally nice to me. 

[NoahLutz]

On 10/31/2022 at 12:52 AM, HemiBeers said:

middle section floor strikes about the right balance for me. never felt the need to be front row and the $$$ always scared me away from considering that. Seems like front row would be sensory overload for the sound and lights. I'm 6'4" so never had a problem visually from the floor. 

 

I got the magic seat combination of row 21, seat 12 in Chicago on the last tour. Ticketbastard was finally nice to me. 

I hope you kept that ticket.

[Bahamas]

On 10/25/2022 at 8:54 PM, goose said:

Another fun time was on the back lawn with my buddies for the Time Machine tour.  Lots of room, so I did an interpretive dance during YYZ.  Folks were entertained.

Any Grateful Dead concerts you care to share with us ?

[Bahamas]

I have to agree with Entre_Perpetuo on this. 

I see the topic again and start thinking, yup front and centre - or perhaps a little higher to see more action. 

Then I remember being with my brother at the Friday night R40 in Toronto. Where we grew up. When we loved RUSH together - or apart (brothers, duh).

I agree. "The best seat is the one next to the person you most want to see RUSH with". That should be in a music history book some day. Brilliant!

[jacobsbladder]

First 10 rows for me and for most of the latter era shows that's where I got.  Notable exception was Vapor Trails being up the hill and in the middle at The Gorge in Washington with the whole big Columbia River view and the lit box of Rush jamming out.

[TheAccountant]

I went with 100 level, left or right.  That worked well for me when I saw them at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on the CA tour and something similar when I saw them on the Presto tour at the Knick (now MVP arena) in Albany.  

 

My second choice would be the 300  level middle.  I did not see Rush this way but I saw The Who from this angle on The Who turn 50 tour at Madison Square Garden and it was great.

 

My actual first choice was not available.  That would have been "Out on the Lawn."  Always worked great at Saratoga Performing Arts Center for me with Rush (and basically other band).

[Weatherman]

Every seat for Rush I ever had sucked. The "best" was lawn seats at an outdoor shed.

BUT

I sat second row for David Gilmour on his last (final?) tour. That was mind-blowing to see him play Comfortably Numb right in front of me. The stagelights were so bright for That Solo I had to shield my eyes. (Inside tip: He drinks tea between songs.)

It was also weird to make eye contact with his beautiful backup singer -- and she nods and smiles back. 

[YYZ Working Man]

1st row floors seat #2 GUP tour Toronto maple leaf gardens ged side

6th  row floors center Clockwork tour center Montreal

1st row 100 level molson  amphitheater toronto snakes and arrows tour

12th row floor aisle end Clock work tour Toronto alex side

 

[goose]

I went with suite.  On one of RUSH'S later tours I was with my buddies in Seattle and they all had tix to the show.  I decided to see what was left at the box office and was next to step to the box when someone tapped me on the shoulder.   He said he had a free ticket, explaining that he was in a fully catered luxury box and my only cost would be to tip the staff.   The sear were fantastic, right above the band, and the whole show I grazed on shrimp, crab, prime rib, and all the beer and wine I wanted. 

 

2nd best was front row, right in front of Geddy for the SA tour.

[BastillePark]

I like the first section off the floor in the center. I know what they look like so don't need to be close and those seats offer the best combination of seeing LASERS and other effects and keeping the sound as equal as possible and still actually having a seat. 

[Ged Lent's sis]

Having seen them from something like 119, halfway back, from the third row floor in front of Geddy, and front row floor in front of Alex, and considering any other hypothetical options, as well as those mentioned, I gotta go with right in front of Alex. He spends more time at the front of the stage, Geddy not so much, and I had a great gap to view Neil from. Given they wouldn't play smaller venues, further back on the floor is out of the question (too many heads for my eyes to navigate) and everywhere else is too disconnected from the musician/instrument experience. And, anyway, nobody will ever convince me there's a better sonic spot in an arena than in front of the stage.