Rush at State Farm Arena

Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1968. The original line-up consisted of guitarist Alex Lifeson, drummer John Rutsey and bassist-vocalist Jeff Jones, who was replaced shortly after the band's formation by Geddy Lee. After several early line-up changes, Rush became a stable power trio in July 1974 when drummer and lyricist Neil Peart replaced Rutsey. Lifeson, Lee and Peart remained together until the band's final tour in 2015. Following Peart's retirement from touring and music, Lifeson confirmed in 2018 that Rush had effectively ended. After Peart's death in 2020, Lee and Lifeson occasionally performed together before announcing a reunion tour in 2025 under the Rush name, with drummer Anika Nilles and touring keyboardist Loren Gold joining the live line-up. Rush's music evolved considerably over the course of its career. The band's early work was rooted in blues-influenced hard rock before incorporating progressive rock, characterised by extended compositions, complex arrangements and lyrical themes inspired by science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. During the 1980s, synthesisers became a prominent feature of the band's sound before later releases returned to a more guitar-oriented approach. The members have frequently been recognised for their instrumental proficiency and received numerous awards in readers' polls and music publications. As of 2024, Rush had sold an estimated 42 million albums worldwide. The band has received multiple platinum and multi-platinum certifications in Canada and the United States, won ten Juno Awards and the International Achievement Award at the 2009 SOCAN Awards, and was nominated for seven Grammy Awards. Rush was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Rush was formed in August 1968 in the Willowdale district of Toronto by Alex Lifeson, John Rutsey and Jeff Jones. The band's name was suggested by Rutsey's brother, Bill. Early performances consisted mainly of blues rock cover versions by artists including Cream, Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall. Jones left shortly after the band's formation and recommended Lifeson's school friend Geddy Lee as his replacement. During its early years, the group briefly expanded to four members with the addition of Lindy Young and also included short-lived members Joe Perna, Bob Vopni and Mitch Bossi before settling as the trio of Lifeson, Rutsey and Lee by 1972. Rush developed a reputation through extensive performances at schools, clubs and bars across Ontario. After failing to secure a major record deal, manager Ray Danniels founded Moon Records, which released the band's debut single, "Not Fade Away", backed with the original song "You Can't Fight It", in 1973. The self-titled debut album, "Rush", followed in March 1974. Although initially compared to Led Zeppelin by some critics, the album gained attention in the United States after Cleveland radio station WMMS placed "Working Man" into regular rotation. The resulting increase in popularity led to a recording contract with Mercury Records and the band's first major American tour. John Rutsey left the band in July 1974 because of musical differences and health issues related to Type 1 diabetes. Neil Peart joined shortly afterwards, assuming responsibility for most of the band's lyrics. "Fly by Night" (1975), the first album with Peart, introduced more progressive compositions and fantasy-inspired themes. Later that year, Rush released "Caress of Steel", which received mixed reviews and lower-than-expected sales. The band's commercial breakthrough came with "2112" (1976), featuring a side-long title composition. The album established Rush as a leading progressive rock act and was followed by the live album "All the World's a Stage". Further development of the band's progressive style appeared on "A Farewell to Kings" (1977) and "Hemispheres" (1978), both of which expanded the use of synthesisers, complex song structures and changing time signatures. With "Permanent Waves" (1980), Rush introduced shorter songs while retaining progressive elements. Singles including "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" received increased radio airplay. The band's commercial success reached a new level with "Moving Pictures" (1981), which included "Tom Sawyer", "Limelight" and "The Camera Eye". The album became Rush's highest-charting release to that point and remains one of its best-known works. During the 1980s, Rush increasingly incorporated synthesisers into its music. "Signals" (1982) marked a significant stylistic shift, with keyboards becoming central to the band's arrangements. Songs such as "Subdivisions" and "New World Man" reflected influences from new wave, reggae, funk and ska. Following "Signals", the band ended its long collaboration with producer Terry Brown. "Grace Under Pressure" (1984), "Power Windows" (1985) and "Hold Your Fire" (1987) continued the synthesiser-oriented direction while incorporating electronic percussion and contemporary production techniques. During this period, Rush released the live album "A Show of Hands" (1989) before leaving Mercury Records for Atlantic Records. Beginning with "Presto" (1989) and "Roll the Bones" (1991), Rush gradually reduced the prominence of keyboards and returned to a more guitar-based sound. Although synthesisers remained part of the band's music, albums including "Counterparts" (1993) and "Test for Echo" (1996) emphasised traditional rock instrumentation. During this period, Rush continued to achieve commercial success, particularly on American mainstream rock radio. Following the "Test for Echo" tour, the band entered a five-year hiatus after the deaths of Peart's daughter in 1997 and his wife in 1998. During this period, Peart travelled extensively before returning to the band in 2001. Rush reunited to record "Vapor Trails" (2002), the band's first studio album without keyboards or synthesisers since "Caress of Steel". The supporting tour included the band's first concerts in Brazil and Mexico. A 30th anniversary was marked by the covers EP "Feedback" (2004) and an international anniversary tour. The band collaborated again with producer Nick Raskulinecz on "Snakes & Arrows" (2007), followed by an extensive world tour and the live album "Snakes & Arrows Live". In 2009, Rush appeared as themselves in the film "I Love You, Man". Rush released "Clockwork Angels" in 2012, a concept album accompanied by a novel co-written by Neil Peart and Kevin J. Anderson. The supporting tour concluded in 2013. During the same year, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The "R40 Live Tour" in 2015 celebrated the 40th anniversary of Peart joining the band and became Rush's final large-scale tour. In subsequent interviews, Peart, Lifeson and Lee indicated that the band's touring career had effectively ended. Lifeson confirmed in 2018 that Rush had no plans to record or perform again. Neil Peart died on 7 January 2020 at the age of 67 following a diagnosis of glioblastoma. Lee later stated that Rush had ended with Peart's death, although he and Lifeson continued to collaborate on occasion and participated in tribute performances, including concerts honouring Taylor Hawkins and the 25th anniversary celebration of "South Park". In 2025, Rush released the retrospective box set "Rush 50", which included material spanning the band's career and marked the first official reissue of the 1973 single "Not Fade Away" and its B-side "You Can't Fight It". Discussion surrounding the release included speculation among some fans regarding the possible use of generative artificial intelligence in the artwork, although no official confirmation was provided. In October 2025, Lee and Lifeson announced the "Fifty Something" reunion tour with drummer Anika Nilles. Originally planned as a limited North American tour, additional dates were later announced for South America and Europe in 2027. Touring keyboardist Loren Gold joined the live line-up, making Rush a quartet in concert for the first time since 1972. In March 2026, the band made its first public performance with the new line-up at the 2026 Juno Awards, performing "Finding My Way". Lee has also indicated that new Rush material remains a possibility following the completion of the reunion tour. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_(band) Studio albums Rush (1974) Fly by Night (1975) Caress of Steel (1975) 2112 (1976) A Farewell to Kings (1977) Hemispheres (1978) Permanent Waves (1980) Moving Pictures (1981) Signals (1982) Grace Under Pressure (1984) Power Windows (1985) Hold Your Fire (1987) Presto (1989) Roll the Bones (1991) Counterparts (1993) Test for Echo (1996) Vapor Trails (2002) Snakes & Arrows (2007) Clockwork Angels (2012)