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Most Memerable Rush Concert?


rickyriff2112
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I'm brand new to this, but here goes! Most memorable Rush show? For me it was the first time I saw them, during the Grace Under Pressure Tour in Tucson AZ. This one stood out not only because it my first show, but it was the one where Geddy got hit in the head with something (a lighter I think) and they stopped playing in the middle of the show. Neil jumped up from out of the drum kit to check on him. The crowd started chanting "asshole, asshole...." I wasn't sure what would happen, but after a few minutes Geddy stepped up to the mic and said something like "I'd like to thank the asshole that threw that at me", of course the crowd roared and they continued on to finish a killer show! On an interesting side note, Neil brought this show up in one of his books, Roadshow I think, but he stated it was in Phoenix. Neil's memory must have been a bit fuzzy, it was definately in Tucson- I was there!

 

:geddy:

Edited by rickyriff2112
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First, I'd like to say WELCOME to the forum - I am actually somewhat new here too

 

Hmmm - is this some sort of confession, and Geddy being on the receiving end of that thrown lighter ??

 

;)

 

OK, seriously !!

 

From the span of May 1979 to May 1980, I saw my first 3 concerts - Cheap Trick, KISS and RUSH ... RUSH was the Palladium in NYC, and it was amazing ... I can still vividly remember the set, and the lighting and songs - and even thou I had seen the other two concerts, the "fragrance of Afghanistan" is still something vivid in my memory with RUSH lol ... I was just a kid, and the RUSH show was my first without my parents ( even though a friend's parent drove to RUSH, we were still let loose alone in the theater )

 

Experiencing Jacob's Ladder and the entire 2 Cygnus Books are something I will never forget

Edited by Lucas
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Moving Pictures in 1981. I'd seen them on the Hemispheres tour but it wasn't until MP that I really appreciated them. Plus MP was just an awesome album and their fan base just like quadrupled overnight. They were at their height then, IMO and their new confidence showed. They just took over that arena when I saw them. I'd not seen anything like it before.
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Columbus Ohio, June, maybe R30? Can't remember... But the stuffed animal goat my wife brought for the band ended up sitting on Alex's amp, and his La Villa rant was about said goat. Quite the experience! We got an autographed promo pic in the mail several weeks later.
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My first show January 20, 1979 (Hemispheres tour) even though I can barely remember it. Welcome to the TRF btw... :cheers:
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There are a whole lot of very memorable shows for various reasons.

The first one that comes to mind is Scranton on the VT tour. 2nd night of the tour.

I was watching the setlist as it was posted online from Hartford opening night and I just couldn't *hear* it in my head so I got into my car around 3AM and drove 8+ hours to Scranton so I could see the show.

 

I was quite surprised that I was among those who had a tear in their eye during Tom Sawyer. It hit me hard that it wasn't all that long before that night that none of us had any idea if we'd ever see RUSH again.

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Each of the 20+ shows that I've seen has been memorable in its own right, but two stand out.

 

1. Time Machine, the "rain date" make-up concert in Chicago, August 2010. I wasn't able to go when the concert was originally scheduled (July), but the make-up date worked for me. I picked up a 2nd row ticket on stubhub 1 week before the show. Got to the venue (Northerly Island...smallish outdoor open air venue on Lake Michigan) and the guys sitting in the front row had an extra ticket. Got to move to front row and rock for 3 hours right at the front of the stage.

 

2. Clockwork Angels, Houston 2012 (final date of the first leg). Through luck and happenstance, my brother-in-law and I got to spend an hour before the show backstage hanging out with a few members of the string ensemble in their dressing room. Sadly didn't get to meet the band, but got an up-close tour of the stage, met some long-time crew members (Howard, Jack Secret, etc.) and had a blast.

 

TMD

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Nepal, Mt Everest Base Camp

 

S.H.I.T. Benefit Concert

 

Sherpa Housing Intiative Training was a blast. Hemisphere's tour 1978. It was a surprise addition to the tour. Had to use equipment borrowed from other bands. Proceeds went to teach Sherpas how to make houses instead of huts. Pretty cool

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You Rush veterans are making me jellous here.. Although I've been a diehard fan since 1980 I didn't actually see them until vapour trails! I hate mentioning that because I feel like such a failure! Haha

 

My best experience is the Vancouver show in 2008. I did Regina, Edmonton and Vancouver all in the same week (I carried the Rushfan banner between these shows!). I was second row in front of Geddy in Regina and sat beside a nice Mexican couple.

In Vancouver I had a half decent ticket in the stands but met this millionaire type who drove the same BMW M8 as Neil. He gives me a ticket a couple rows into the stands close to the stage.

 

Then during intermission I see this Mexican guy from Regina in the floor section! I go talk to him and he slips me his ticket stub! A sucurity guy was watching us so I made my way around the opposite side of the stage and quickly entered to floor section.. His seat was basically the same as we had in Regina.. Second row in front of Ged!! And unbelievably the seat beside his was empty which blows me away to this day!

 

Anyway the show starts and at one part Geddy recognizes me!!! Looks and points like "hey you're that crazy bald guy I saw in Regina!" With a smile. Another point I was actually shedding a tear or two which has never happened at a show for me. That got another smile from the Gedster :)

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Nepal, Mt Everest Base Camp

 

S.H.I.T. Benefit Concert

 

Sherpa Housing Intiative Training was a blast. Hemisphere's tour 1978. It was a surprise addition to the tour. Had to use equipment borrowed from other bands. Proceeds went to teach Sherpas how to make houses instead of huts. Pretty cool

 

Insanely cool. Freakin Hemisheres yet you bastard! Lol

 

There's something about surprise benefit shows.. I'll never forget Red Deer!

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Nepal, Mt Everest Base Camp

 

S.H.I.T. Benefit Concert

 

Sherpa Housing Intiative Training was a blast. Hemisphere's tour 1978. It was a surprise addition to the tour. Had to use equipment borrowed from other bands. Proceeds went to teach Sherpas how to make houses instead of huts. Pretty cool

 

Insanely cool. Freakin Hemisheres yet you bastard! Lol

 

There's something about surprise benefit shows.. I'll never forget Red Deer!

ummmm that was bullshit dude. I made that up

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Been too many, but there are two that stick out.

 

San Antonio/Alamodome T4E show on 12.2.1996. A few reasons. One it was one of those nights when the band was just "right" and had their groove on (this despite there being an amp issue during Subdivisions and their absolutely perfect play of Red Barchetta made that show). The crowd was also on point that night. Singing along and raucous, but not rowdy. It is also distinct in it being the only time they played the Alamodome (a massive barn of a venue that has surprisingly good acoustics). And, for me, it was the last time I saw them before the tragedies and the hiatus.

 

Austin/Erwin Center CA (Leg Two) show on 04.23.2013. Again, a few reasons. It was the first show of the second leg, so there was a different vibe (the band seemed relaxed, but also polished). It was also their first live show after the RRHOF induction and the crowd was absolutely enthusiastic. When they opened the show (ironically enough with Subdivisions) about 50 people on Alex' side of the stage held up sheets of paper that said "BLAH BLAH BLAH". You could visibly see Alex and Geddy react and laugh.

Edited by WorkingAllTheTime
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2. Clockwork Angels, Houston 2012 (final date of the first leg). Through luck and happenstance, my brother-in-law and I got to spend an hour before the show backstage hanging out with a few members of the string ensemble in their dressing room. Sadly didn't get to meet the band, but got an up-close tour of the stage, met some long-time crew members (Howard, Jack Secret, etc.) and had a blast.

 

TMD

 

Did you meet Jonathan Dinklage? I remember talking to him a little outside of Rogers Arena in Vancouver. I spoke to a few roadies and he came up to talk as well, though I didn't know who he was until he took the stage

Edited by Union 5-3992
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Nepal, Mt Everest Base Camp

 

S.H.I.T. Benefit Concert

 

Sherpa Housing Intiative Training was a blast. Hemisphere's tour 1978. It was a surprise addition to the tour. Had to use equipment borrowed from other bands. Proceeds went to teach Sherpas how to make houses instead of huts. Pretty cool

 

Insanely cool. Freakin Hemisheres yet you bastard! Lol

 

There's something about surprise benefit shows.. I'll never forget Red Deer!

ummmm that was bullshit dude. I made that up

 

Um I know lol.

No maybe I need to read more carefully.

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My first and only one, at the Sweden Rock Festival on June 8 2013. The band headlined the last night of the festival by playing a fantastic 2 hour set. As it was a festival they didn't play 2 sets with intermission but one long set, totally 18 songs. The best song of the evening, in my opinion, was Limelight. They also did a very good version of 2112.
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2. Clockwork Angels, Houston 2012 (final date of the first leg). Through luck and happenstance, my brother-in-law and I got to spend an hour before the show backstage hanging out with a few members of the string ensemble in their dressing room. Sadly didn't get to meet the band, but got an up-close tour of the stage, met some long-time crew members (Howard, Jack Secret, etc.) and had a blast.

 

TMD

 

Did you meet Jonathan Dinklage? I remember talking to him a little outside of Rogers Arena in Vancouver. I spoke to a few roadies and he came up to talk as well, though I didn't know who he was until he took the stage

 

I did. In fact he was our connection to get backstage. Super nice guy. Got the chance to catch up with him briefly before the Chicago show in June 2013, but sadly no backstage that time around.

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Snakes and Arrows tour, 2007, Hollywood Bowl. The boys were on fire. Front row pit Geddy's side. Nothing like it before, nothing like it since. Distant Early Warning was particularly mind blowing.
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R30 tour at SECC, Glasgow - brilliant show. I'd stopped following them after Signals/GUP era (too much keyboard), but started again after the release of Vapor Trails (should be Vapour, but ...).

 

Had seen them on Hemispheres, Permanent Waves and Signals tours. Waves was fabulous as the view was excellent and they played Jacob's Ladder.

 

The Time Machine tour was great, but was overly struck by the Clockwork Angels show.

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I'll have to say my first was probably my most memorable one... It was the Grace Under Pressure tour in Philly (11/5/84) It was back in the days when you had to actually go stand in line to get tickets, so my friend and I went to Wanamaker's in Harrisburg and got tix.

 

My friend and I drove to Philly, and got there in time to see a limo pull down the ramp into the bay, then a passenger van followed...we weren't sure if it was the opening act, or the road crew, then as we were getting ready to go walk up to the doors to see if we could hear the sound check, two guys on bikes rode by and went down the ramp?!?!?! (hmmmmm!)

 

We heard some of the sound check, and hung out outside talking to people... When we sat we were in the second floor section about the middle of the 8th row...to the right of the soundboard. Y&T was the opening act, and they were pretty good, I've heard them on tape a few times previously (a friend was hooked on them) so it was cool to see them live, except they were one of those "ROCK AND F**KING ROLL!" in between each song kine of bands, and a lot of the people were getting annoyed. After they were done, the ushers came over and asked to see our tickets. so we pulled them out, and the guy wrote something on each of our tickets and said wait here, and did the same for a few other people sitting near us.... a few minutes later he goes "follow me" and we start walking towards the front of the floor. Apparently a part of a row got missed in the original tickets, and they moved us to the 10th row in the center section...but more towards Geddy's side! Talk about a friggin' upgrade! So we got to see Rush from a better vantage point than the opening act.... At one point during the show I was jammin' and be-bopping my head and happened to look up, and Geddy was doing the same thing..we locked eyes, and both started laughing! THAT was kind of cool!

 

But it was a great first experience! And one I won't forget! (in fact I had dinner with the friend that went with me last night, and we were just talking about that show...I mentioned that this MIGHT be it, and that I had tickets...he hasn't been a big Rush fan in a while, so he's not going.

Edited by Jaminbenb
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1984! We rushed the stage when "Tom Saywer" started! I was 16.

 

I got crushed up into the barrier by Geddy. He looked concerned but they kept playing!! I saw Neil's solo on the red Tama 360 kit. Blew my fuckking mind.

 

I was in the front man.

 

Nothing will touch my first Rush show.

 

Well R30 in Toronto was special. Hitting the Orbit Room after the show and hanging out with tons of killer Rush fans from around the world!

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