Rush 2026

[Vyn]

I'm sure by now you have all caught wind of an odd smell coming from Canada...the smell of nitrocellulose mixed with unbridled enthusiasm, all wrapped in the smell of a female who can drum like there is no tomorrow.

What say you all...will it be a winner? Sad money grab?

Me? I'm not sure. Rush's marketing team is going to great lengths to talk up the new drummer, and I know she is extraordinarily well qualified, so Im not concerned that she lacks he chops. I do wonder, though, about the on-stage chemistry. Certainly Geddy and Alex have been playing A LOT with her, but still.

I'd hate to see Rush simply play the nostalgia circuit and I hold out hopes for a ground-pounding, gut-fucking slammer of a platter of new material.

Am I being silly here?

[Charger]

Don't know really...It does seem bit odd as both Geddy and Alex have been saying they don't want to bring Rush back...

And seeing the ticket prices from 250$ up to 1000$(!!!!) I am smelling a bit of a cash crabbing rat here...

[Vyn]

And seeing the ticket prices from 250$ up to 1000$(!!!!) I am smelling a bit of a cash crabbing rat here...

I wasn't aware of ticket prices. Those are some sphincter shredding numbers!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

There is a great demand from the fans for a reunion like this - although they were expecting Mike Portnoy on drums - so they may have just given in to the pressure.

I think musically it will be professional and fantastic... sadly I'm not sure Geddy's voice is up to it. I've seen some videos from the more recent tours and he just can't hit the notes he needs to anymore. Many of the later albums allowed for that flaw, but the fans will want mainly the earlier material where he might struggle.

They're not scheduled to come to Europe (at this time anyway) so I won't get to see it, a new album I think unlikely, but a live DVD and Album might be possible if he can sort his vocals out.

[Zzzptm]

I remember paying twenty bucks to see Black Sabbath back in the day...

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^
Strange you should mention that, I was talking to some friends in the pub tonight who were saying that venue prices back in the 70s would have been around £3-4. Bands did gigs to promote their new album and the sales from that were waht made them rich. It's the other wy round now, bands release an album to promote their tour and they make a small fortune from it! I remeber on either the 13 Tour or The End Tour Black Sabbath were generating on average $2m per show!! It cost me around £75 to see them at the O2 in London in 2013.

[Vyn]

Four of us went and saw Triumph in 1980? - whenever they were touring in support of Progressions of Power. Granted, they were not as big as Rush, but at that time they were riding high. Tickets were $6.00 each for general admission. Concession beer was $1.00 for a 16oz draw. Parking was free (although they did have paid lots if you wanted).

So, for four tickets, two beers a piece, and four t-shirts (at $10.00 a pop) we spent three hours mixing with cool people, jamming to cool music and went home with the critical t-shirt souvenir for a grand total of 72 USA dollars for four people.

If no one had bought a shirt (and I think one guy didn't but can't recall for sure) it all would have put us back a whopping $32.00.

Of course, there was fuel to be purchased for the trip, but it was a 60 mile round trip and at the time gasoline was running about 70 cents a gallon. Five years earlier it was the same price as it is today, if you could find it!

[Zzzptm]

I blame Ticketmaster.

[Vyn]

I blame Ticketmaster.

You and many other people. Myself included.

[Charger]

The good old days!!

I can't go quite that far back but all I need to do is go back about 10 or so years...T-Shirts at shows were either 20€ or 25€ depending on the design... Now I'm seeing them at 40€ to 50€! I mean what the heck?! It costs what...5€ MAX to make one...it's crazy.

I think on the last two gigs that I've been to...Slayer's final show back in 2019 and Judas Priest's show 2018 the shirts were 35€ a pop and I did NOT buy one becuse I thought they were too expensive...and now...holy moses!


Here's a picture of Bruce Dickinson's recent solo tour merch in the US:



80$ for a hoodie!??!?!? 80 

[Vyn]

Yikes! Thanks for posting that picture, what an eye-opener!

I seem to recall at just about any concert I went to years ago there was always a satin jacket for sale - like, everyone had one to sell. And they always seemed to be $50, the most expensive doo-dad at the merch table. I never bought one, and don't personally know anyone that did.

[Zzzptm]

Dudes bought them for their ladies they'd brought to the concert. Satin jackets were a headbanger's way of showing dedication to the relationship.