Most Memerable Rush Concert?

[MeanMeanPride]

R40 in Austin. I had managed to avoid spoilers thereto, so I had no idea what was coming. Each song was new information to me as they played it live. The anticipation was heightened due to the fact that we all know the order of the albums - so everyone in my group was speculating about every song. Halftime was the best - "Moving Pictures is next, what will they play from PeW, will they skip Hemispheres?!"

 

It was also my first time seeing Neil play on his old setup. I mean, you guys. You should have seen and heard me when I heard the opening drone of Xanadu. I think that was one of the happiest moments I can remember.

[goose]

I was at the famous Gorge, WA show, where the sunset was so perfect that Neil wrote about it and refers to it often as one of his favorite experiences. I saw RUSH front row in 2007...pretty remarkable. Meeting Tombstone, Citizen and x1yyz in Seattle was a great moment for me. But nothing, nothing tops this last tour and seeing RUSH live in Portland with my long-time RUSH-buddies one last time. I'll never forget it.

[Tombstone Mountain]

My most memorable Rush concert was the LA Forum on August 1st. Things started off well because I was having a wonderful day and a lot of fun hanging out with people, but it only got better when the band took the stage. What really made it for me was the energy of the crowd. It was palpable, and it kept building throughout the night. It was exhilarating. (I really wish I was better at describing things like this, but maybe others who were there can do the night justice.)

Jigga...can't forget Jigga.

[tomhealey]

Wow, what a question. I suppose I have moments that stand out for me. One was at absolutely sweltering Atlanta to open the Snakes and Arrows tour. I'd missed my plane (I know, I know, don't ever travel on show day, but I still do), and had to buy a replacement airline ticket - full last minute fare - to get there in time. I remember when they broke out Circumstances, and all I could think about was how I was sure that I would never hear that song again live, and how tremendously special it felt. Like it was my personal moment. Another was the closing show for the Snakes and Arrows Live tour, the rescheduled show in Indy. At 10 PM the previous evening, I didn't have a ticket, but Ticketbastard let a few more seats late the night before, and I bought at face value an "11th" row ticket Geddy side that, because the seats curve around from the center, wound up being about fourth row in front of Geddy's keys. The pre-party with a bunch of folks from the old rushtour board was so damn fun. As the opening riff of Limelight sounded, I forced myself to remember how very special the moment felt to me. There are moments from seeing them in 1980 and 1981 that stand out, but mostly because I was in the company of my best friends from high school, some now departed, rather that the show itself. Also, the 1980-81 shows stand out for the overpowering scent of cannabis, so strong that my mom made us take showers when we got home - at midnight! But my greatest memory of all was Manchester, the opener for the Clockwork Angels tour. I had my absolute favorite seats in the whole house - two seats, front row, literally on either side of Alex' mic. Alex plays with the first few rows a good bit during the show, and it's great fun to sit there. I wanted to take my brother and best friend, He Plays Bass, who lives (like I do) in the Chicago area. He, however, "doesn't fly," and even front row seats for free to see a tour opener wasn't enough to lure him onto a plane. So I upped the ante, with free box seats for Fenway Park the next night, and he couldn't say no. So we got to Midway Airport at 9 AM for our 10 AM flight (on show day, of course), and he slammed forty-eight ounces of courage in 1/2 hour of "liquid breakfast." Way to go Pat!! Our flight experienced an unusual amount of turbulence, but we made it to Manchester in one piece, he a bit greener for the experience. So we do the pre-show party thing, and we get to the venue, and what do they open with? The only song in the catalogue that he absolutely loathes and despises, Subdivisions! All I could say to him after he faced his tremendous fear of flying to get there was "well, at least they're getting it out of the way early." We looked at one another and laughed, and hugged. I don't know if I'll ever be closer to him than that moment.

[RUSHHEAD666]

I've been reading everyone's stories of their shows and it suddenly hit me that my first concerts were all general admission. It was so different from the way it is now. There were none of these well ordered folding chairs on the floor. Just a bare, open expanse of space to stand. Everyone ran to the front as soon as they got into the door and initially there might have been a little pushing and shifting as you jockeyed for the closest spot, but then you stood there and waited for the concert to begin. If you moved to go to the bathroom you might not get back to your original spot. There were no intermissions. I quit going to concerts for a long while during the 90's and remember thinking how calm and subdued concerts were after they dropped general admission.

 

What sucked about the chairs on the floor was for the wilder concerts people STOOD on the freaking chairs, and as wasted as we were, we were always falling OFF of them! My 84 show was a rickety one!

 

I think they started doing that MOSTLY because of the problems they had at a Who concert where a few people got trampled....some places do it occasionally for certain shows...about the only ones Hershey does it for are like "Festival" shows, and bands that request it...Dave Matthews started requesting that the past few times he was here....

 

I also think that the venue feels that they can charge more for "first ten row" seats than the rest...

 

I was at The Who concert a few years earlier at the Riverfront Coliseum where that tragedy happened and I'm not at all surprised that it did. They only opened one door on each side of the building and the entire crowd moved as one like BB's going down a funnel. I remember being lifted completely off of my feet during the mad crush for the doors. It was one of the scariest crowds I've ever been in.

 

That's crazy Moon! Heck I was 14 years old when I saw my first concert. It was Day On The Green in Oakland. The Who "It's Hard" Tour with The Clash opening! "Combat Rock" baby!

I was scared of the crowd there as well. It was like going to a fuckking Dead show. I remember everyone in the parking lot drinking, smoking, toking and doing mushrooms.

 

1982

 

unreal

 

That's one thing I don't miss from the concerts back then...all the obvious drug use.

 

Yep I get it Moon! Luckily I just enjoy beer. Don't touch any other shit. I have virgin nostrils.

 

Could you imagine the threads I could write it I was spun out on cocaine?

 

Shit, I would probably drop dead after one snort.

 

I don't need that shit.

 

I have rock and roll.

[Digital Dad]

Probably seeing the Presto show in Oakland with my friend and neighbor Matt. He passed away a few years later making that night, and every other night I saw a show with him feel that much more special.

[Jaminbenb]

I've been reading everyone's stories of their shows and it suddenly hit me that my first concerts were all general admission. It was so different from the way it is now. There were none of these well ordered folding chairs on the floor. Just a bare, open expanse of space to stand. Everyone ran to the front as soon as they got into the door and initially there might have been a little pushing and shifting as you jockeyed for the closest spot, but then you stood there and waited for the concert to begin. If you moved to go to the bathroom you might not get back to your original spot. There were no intermissions. I quit going to concerts for a long while during the 90's and remember thinking how calm and subdued concerts were after they dropped general admission.

 

What sucked about the chairs on the floor was for the wilder concerts people STOOD on the freaking chairs, and as wasted as we were, we were always falling OFF of them! My 84 show was a rickety one!

 

I think they started doing that MOSTLY because of the problems they had at a Who concert where a few people got trampled....some places do it occasionally for certain shows...about the only ones Hershey does it for are like "Festival" shows, and bands that request it...Dave Matthews started requesting that the past few times he was here....

 

I also think that the venue feels that they can charge more for "first ten row" seats than the rest...

 

I was at The Who concert a few years earlier at the Riverfront Coliseum where that tragedy happened and I'm not at all surprised that it did. They only opened one door on each side of the building and the entire crowd moved as one like BB's going down a funnel. I remember being lifted completely off of my feet during the mad crush for the doors. It was one of the scariest crowds I've ever been in.

 

That's crazy Moon! Heck I was 14 years old when I saw my first concert. It was Day On The Green in Oakland. The Who "It's Hard" Tour with The Clash opening! "Combat Rock" baby!

I was scared of the crowd there as well. It was like going to a fuckking Dead show. I remember everyone in the parking lot drinking, smoking, toking and doing mushrooms.

 

1982

 

unreal

 

That's one thing I don't miss from the concerts back then...all the obvious drug use.

 

Yep I get it Moon! Luckily I just enjoy beer. Don't touch any other shit. I have virgin nostrils.

 

Could you imagine the threads I could write it I was spun out on cocaine?

 

Shit, I would probably drop dead after one snort.

 

I don't need that shit.

 

I have rock and roll.

 

It wasn't so much harder stuff...it was just a lot of pot...in fact I was talking to a few guys at the Yes/Toto show the other night that used to go to a lot of the shows I went to way back in the old Hershey Arena that remember sitting in the rafters and getting that big CLOUD from the floor and a good contact high! (it was funny that we were in Baltimore, and I was chatting with two guys I didn't know from Adam, and they were from the Harrisburg area) But they agreed that the indoor shows back then you WERE allowed to smoke indoors...and once the lights went down, security didn't really know (and in most cases care) what you were lighting up...the outdoor shows were just a free for all...if you could get it in.... :7up: :haz:

 

We pretty much smoked anything that would stay lit in the late 70's early 80's.. :smoke: then on the way home :burger: DRIVE THROUGH!!!

Edited August 14, 2015 by Jaminbenb

[EagleMoon]

I've been reading everyone's stories of their shows and it suddenly hit me that my first concerts were all general admission. It was so different from the way it is now. There were none of these well ordered folding chairs on the floor. Just a bare, open expanse of space to stand. Everyone ran to the front as soon as they got into the door and initially there might have been a little pushing and shifting as you jockeyed for the closest spot, but then you stood there and waited for the concert to begin. If you moved to go to the bathroom you might not get back to your original spot. There were no intermissions. I quit going to concerts for a long while during the 90's and remember thinking how calm and subdued concerts were after they dropped general admission.

 

What sucked about the chairs on the floor was for the wilder concerts people STOOD on the freaking chairs, and as wasted as we were, we were always falling OFF of them! My 84 show was a rickety one!

 

I think they started doing that MOSTLY because of the problems they had at a Who concert where a few people got trampled....some places do it occasionally for certain shows...about the only ones Hershey does it for are like "Festival" shows, and bands that request it...Dave Matthews started requesting that the past few times he was here....

 

I also think that the venue feels that they can charge more for "first ten row" seats than the rest...

 

I was at The Who concert a few years earlier at the Riverfront Coliseum where that tragedy happened and I'm not at all surprised that it did. They only opened one door on each side of the building and the entire crowd moved as one like BB's going down a funnel. I remember being lifted completely off of my feet during the mad crush for the doors. It was one of the scariest crowds I've ever been in.

 

That's crazy Moon! Heck I was 14 years old when I saw my first concert. It was Day On The Green in Oakland. The Who "It's Hard" Tour with The Clash opening! "Combat Rock" baby!

I was scared of the crowd there as well. It was like going to a fuckking Dead show. I remember everyone in the parking lot drinking, smoking, toking and doing mushrooms.

 

1982

 

unreal

 

That's one thing I don't miss from the concerts back then...all the obvious drug use.

 

Yep I get it Moon! Luckily I just enjoy beer. Don't touch any other shit. I have virgin nostrils.

 

Could you imagine the threads I could write it I was spun out on cocaine?

 

Shit, I would probably drop dead after one snort.

 

I don't need that shit.

 

I have rock and roll.

 

It wasn't so much harder stuff...it was just a lot of pot...in fact I was talking to a few guys at the Yes/Toto show the other night that used to go to a lot of the shows I went to way back in the old Hershey Arena that remember sitting in the rafters and getting that big CLOUD from the floor and a good contact high! (it was funny that we were in Baltimore, and I was chatting with two guys I didn't know from Adam, and they were from the Harrisburg area) But they agreed that the indoor shows back then you WERE allowed to smoke indoors...and once the lights went down, security didn't really know (and in most cases care) what you were lighting up...the outdoor shows were just a free for all...if you could get it in.... :7up: :haz:

 

We pretty much smoked anything that would stay lit in the late 70's early 80's.. :smoke: then on the way home :burger: DRIVE THROUGH!!!

 

Or Waffle House. :)

[Tombstone Mountain]

Wow, what a question. I suppose I have moments that stand out for me. One was at absolutely sweltering Atlanta to open the Snakes and Arrows tour. I'd missed my plane (I know, I know, don't ever travel on show day, but I still do), and had to buy a replacement airline ticket - full last minute fare - to get there in time. I remember when they broke out Circumstances, and all I could think about was how I was sure that I would never hear that song again live, and how tremendously special it felt. Like it was my personal moment. Another was the closing show for the Snakes and Arrows Live tour, the rescheduled show in Indy. At 10 PM the previous evening, I didn't have a ticket, but Ticketbastard let a few more seats late the night before, and I bought at face value an "11th" row ticket Geddy side that, because the seats curve around from the center, wound up being about fourth row in front of Geddy's keys. The pre-party with a bunch of folks from the old rushtour board was so damn fun. As the opening riff of Limelight sounded, I forced myself to remember how very special the moment felt to me. There are moments from seeing them in 1980 and 1981 that stand out, but mostly because I was in the company of my best friends from high school, some now departed, rather that the show itself. Also, the 1980-81 shows stand out for the overpowering scent of cannabis, so strong that my mom made us take showers when we got home - at midnight! But my greatest memory of all was Manchester, the opener for the Clockwork Angels tour. I had my absolute favorite seats in the whole house - two seats, front row, literally on either side of Alex' mic. Alex plays with the first few rows a good bit during the show, and it's great fun to sit there. I wanted to take my brother and best friend, He Plays Bass, who lives (like I do) in the Chicago area. He, however, "doesn't fly," and even front row seats for free to see a tour opener wasn't enough to lure him onto a plane. So I upped the ante, with free box seats for Fenway Park the next night, and he couldn't say no. So we got to Midway Airport at 9 AM for our 10 AM flight (on show day, of course), and he slammed forty-eight ounces of courage in 1/2 hour of "liquid breakfast." Way to go Pat!! Our flight experienced an unusual amount of turbulence, but we made it to Manchester in one piece, he a bit greener for the experience. So we do the pre-show party thing, and we get to the venue, and what do they open with? The only song in the catalogue that he absolutely loathes and despises, Subdivisions! All I could say to him after he faced his tremendous fear of flying to get there was "well, at least they're getting it out of the way early." We looked at one another and laughed, and hugged. I don't know if I'll ever be closer to him than that moment.

That is fantastic stuff Tom. You certainly have stories to tell...and they're great stories!

[The Analog Cub]

I remember making a banzai run to St. Louis (about a 4 hour drive) on the Time Machine Tour the night before the first day of school my junior year...and then we played hooky halfway through the day to see them again in Omaha a few days later :D

 

I don't think anything tops the R40 show, though. Holy shit. Every album that they represented, I couldn't have asked for a better setlist - except swapping out Lakeside Park for Bastille Day.

[madrushian]

I would say. The t4e show in st louis 7th row alex side. and just hear 2112 live was awseome.

[TheWatchMaker97]

Toronto june 17, 2015 R40 tour. Got to sit behind Neil's Hockey Night In Canada kit, they played my favourite song of all time (Jacob's Ladder), and they filmed it for the upcoming R40 film.

[g under p]

For me there are two contenders:

1) November 7, 1996. US Air Arena in Landover, Maryland. Test for Echo Tour. I had never seen Rush before in concert, although they had been my favorite band for about four or five years prior. I sat transfixed, mouth agape, watching the nut and bolt coming together, Thus Spake Zarathustra blasting from the speakers. When the lights came on and they began the first notes of Dreamline, I had the biggest smile plastered on my face. It was like watching three superheroes that, until that moment, could have been mythical for all I knew. When the first strums of Natural Science began, I went berserk! Awesome memory.

2) July 9, 2002. Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. Vapor Trails Tour. Couldn't believe that they were back again, nor that I was there to witness it. They played with a new intensity, no doubt spurred on by Neil's triumphant return. During the concert, a HUGE thunderstorm descended upon the pavilion, such that the sky, which had hitherto been crystal blue, was rendered charcoal in mere moments. The thunder rolled, the lightning crashed, and the rain and wind began raging with such ferocity that sheets of water were cascading into and under the pavilion and onto the band and their instruments, such that I thought for sure they were going to stop playing. But Geddy sort of looked up defiantly, straight into the torrent, hair and bass guitar soaked, and played on. Another awesome memory indeed.

 

Lol I was at both shows and your discriptions brings back memories of both shows I've long forgotten. A major problem of mine having gone to so many concerts in short periods back then. I was so glad I wasn't on the lawn at Bristow because it really poured I thought for sure we were going to lose power and wondered do they have a backup generator. I went on to see that tour five more times I was so hungry for more RUSH.

[Stan Getz]

My most memorable Rush show...the next one!