If you had to choose...

[Timbale]

Ok, this is a question for those who have seen a gig on the R50 who also saw the R40 tour.

 

If you had to choose one of the experiences over the other - say you had a time machine and could go back and relive only one....which would you choose?

 

(Of course, we live in a world where we don't have to choose, which is great...)

 

It might be sacrilege, but I honestly think for me R50 was a more enjoyable show.  Now, I'm aware that this is possibly tempered by the fact that I saw Rush on many tours - for others, R40 might have been your first or second Rush tour - so that plays into it, I'm sure.  But R50 felt so fresh, so celebratory, filled with the energy and excitement of new blood and rebirth.  And Ged sounded way better vocally than I imagined he would :)

 

It also felt far more cathartic to gather with fellow fans after Neil's passing than I thought it would.  I wasn't expecting to feel so genuinely moved by it.  I don't think it really occurred to me that we, as a collective, had not been able to gather and mourn.  I know that I felt an extra little bump of emotion because when Neil died, I wasn't personally dealing with cancer, but standing in the LA Forum 6 years later, I am now living with cancer...whatever the cause, Bravado genuinely moved me more than I thought a live Rush song ever could.

 

So, despite the fact that Neil was only there in spirit, I think I would take the experience I had at R50 over the R40.

 

Thoughts?  Opinions?

 

 

[Principled Man]

I would immediately go back to see the R40 Show by myself.

 

I went to the Show with a good friend who had never before seen Rush. 

I was so worried about her having a great time that I couldn't just relax and have a great time myself.      

[thizzellewashington]

Two different questions here.

 

If you're asking me which one I think was the better show (having seen both tours multiple times), being completely honest, even though it's without Neil and that's my guy, I thought 50 Something was better, mainly because Geddy is sounding better on this tour than he has in 20 years and there are things in the setlist that I like more.

 

If you're asking me which one I'd use a Time Machine to go see again, it's unquestionably R40. The current tour isn't over and there's probably a good chance I will see the current version of Rush in the future, whereas I'll never be able to see them with Neil again so that's what I'd go do if I had the ability to.

[dtpoet]

I had incredible seats this past Saturday.  For the first time, I got to see the little interactions between them and the small stuff that you can’t see from the 200 sections.  
 

Now, if I had these seats for R40, maybe.  For me, it felt like R40 had the energy of something ending while this tour feels like the beginning of something.

[XanaD.E.W.]

R50 something for me based on the clips I've seen. Renewed energy plus the fact that I never thought I see Rush (albeit Version 3.0) ever again. Plus I'm digging Anika's playing and the thrill they share onstage amongst each other. 

[zepphead]

I never got to see R40 live so if I had a Time Machine I sure would go back and attend several R40 shows!

[treeduck]

Obviously the most heavy metal of the two gigs is the one to choose. 

[ytserush]

On 8/4/2026 at 3:52 PM, Timbale said:

Ok, this is a question for those who have seen a gig on the R50 who also saw the R40 tour.

 

If you had to choose one of the experiences over the other - say you had a time machine and could go back and relive only one....which would you choose?

 

(Of course, we live in a world where we don't have to choose, which is great...)

 

It might be sacrilege, but I honestly think for me R50 was a more enjoyable show.  Now, I'm aware that this is possibly tempered by the fact that I saw Rush on many tours - for others, R40 might have been your first or second Rush tour - so that plays into it, I'm sure.  But R50 felt so fresh, so celebratory, filled with the energy and excitement of new blood and rebirth.  And Ged sounded way better vocally than I imagined he would :)

 

It also felt far more cathartic to gather with fellow fans after Neil's passing than I thought it would.  I wasn't expecting to feel so genuinely moved by it.  I don't think it really occurred to me that we, as a collective, had not been able to gather and mourn.  I know that I felt an extra little bump of emotion because when Neil died, I wasn't personally dealing with cancer, but standing in the LA Forum 6 years later, I am now living with cancer...whatever the cause, Bravado genuinely moved me more than I thought a live Rush song ever could.

 

So, despite the fact that Neil was only there in spirit, I think I would take the experience I had at R50 over the R40.

 

Thoughts?  Opinions?

 

 

 

 

R50.

 

Though the first set of R40 is in the neighborhood.

 

 

 

R40 had Neil and Losing It. and those in the context of that tour were irreplaceable.Neil is irreplaceable.

 

Clockworks Angels Tour to me was the overall high water mark. (R40 seemed like a Coda.

Remember, there wasn't supposed to be an R40. Neil was done and took one for the team. Honestly, I felt more like Neil did at that time. How long could it go on in that context at that high standard we've all come to expect? For various reasons, I think the performance slipped slightly due to factors that we beyond their control. But so what? They left it all on the stage.

 

But regrettably, it didn't end the right for two thirds of the band. There was no closure for Geddy and Alex. Geddy especially....

 

So the perfect organic storm happens and we have the renewal, rebirth, and R50.

 

Seems they really did do everything in their power to make this the best Rush experience ever. And it likely is from nearly every aspect.

 

How much longer can this go on? Is it one (long one) and done? If this is the end of the full Rush experience in this context then they finally went out the way they wanted to - and covered all of the bases while doing it.

[James Bond]

I had an absolute fabulous weekend and the show was incredible. Dinner at Barberian's before the show on Friday, Rush Day at Henderson's on Saturday, and meeting Anika? I'd do that all over again in a heartbeat versus the now infamous R40 show I saw with all the technical mishaps (not that I didn't have an amazing time at both R40 shows I attended).

[Blue J]

On 8/4/2026 at 4:08 PM, Principled Man said:

I would immediately go back to see the R40 Show by myself.

 

I went to the Show with a good friend who had never before seen Rush. 

I was so worried about her having a great time that I couldn't just relax and have a great time myself.      

 

That's interesting, yeah- I have been to just as many Rush shows alone as I have been with other people, and there are 'proper fits' in both of those things, just depending. 

 

I saw the Clockwork Angels tour with a friend who had gone with me to a couple of shows on the Roll the Bones Tour. CA tour was the first time I had seen a Rush show since the Counterparts tour, so it was great to go with an old friend who had been on that ride with me before. 

 

R40 I saw alone, and again it was just- fitting. My very first Rush show was on the Presto tour, and that was by myself. And I thought this may well be the last time I would ever see them, so it seemed fitting to do that one alone also. 

 

I haven't seen a show on this tour yet (or any video clips or anything, and that's on purpose)- but that same old friend is going with me to Detroit on the 26th. And that also just seems fitting, and I can't really explain why. It just is. 

Edited 20 hours ago by Blue J

[Principled Man]

23 minutes ago, Blue J said:

 

That's interesting, yeah- I have been to just as many Rush shows alone as I have been with other people, and there are 'proper fits' in both of those things, just depending. 

 

I saw the Clockwork Angels tour with a friend who had gone with me to a couple of shows on the Roll the Bones Tour. CA tour was the first time I had seen a Rush show since the Counterparts tour, so it was great to go with an old friend who had been on that ride with me before. 

 

R40 I saw alone, and again it was just- fitting. My very first Rush show was on the Presto tour, and that was by myself. And I thought this may well be the last time I would ever see them, so it seemed fitting to do that one alone also. 

 

I haven't seen a show on this tour yet (or any video clips or anything, and that's on purpose)- but that same old friend is going with me to Detroit on the 26th. And that also just seems fitting, and I can't really explain why. It just is. 

 

I've been to 10 Shows - from 1980 to 2015.  I went alone four times, with a buddy four times and my niece twice.  

 

As my niece was my devoted Rush padawan, I cherish those two concerts the most. 

She remains a devoted Rush fan, and is now working on getting her husband to join the Rush Family. 

 

[Blue J]

16 hours ago, Principled Man said:

 

I've been to 10 Shows - from 1980 to 2015.  I went alone four times, with a buddy four times and my niece twice. 

 

As my niece was my devoted Rush padawan, I cherish those two concerts the most. 

She remains a devoted Rush fan, and is now working on getting her husband to join the Rush Family. 

 

 

Almost exactly the same here- roughly ten shows, but from 1990 to 2015. Oh and no niece involved on my side, haha.