Season 3 of the Canadian comedy series The Trades premiered on Crave this past Friday and Rush's Alex Lifeson makes a guest appearance as Fernie, the bartender at The Leaky Pipe. The series comes from the same producers as The Trailer Park Boys and follows pipefitter Todd Stool (played by Robb Wells of The Trailer Park Boys) as he navigates his blue-collar life at a refinery with a little help from his family and friends. The first 2 episodes of Season 3 dropped last Friday, and you can see a clip from the show, including Alex Lifeson's character, below or via Instagram.
Rush's upcoming, marathon 2026-7 Fifty Something World Tour kicks off in just over 2 months from today on June 7th in Los Angeles, and will run all the way through April of 2027. Tickets for all 86 (!!) shows on the tour are now on sale to the general public, and you can get all the details and ticket links via Rush.com. The band is currently hunkered down preparing for the tour, including new touring keyboard player Loren Gold and drummer Anika Nilles. Gold posted a photo of himself and Anika from rehearsals to social media this past week, as seen here.
Rush's long-anticipated 40th anniversary Grace Under Pressure box set officially released 2 weeks back, and is now available to purchase (4-CDs or 5 LPs). The set features a brand-new Terry Brown album mix commissioned by Rush, the first-ever release of the complete concert film and album of the September 21, 1984 Maple Leaf Gardens show, and liner notes from Geddy Lee reflecting on the album over 40 years after its release. Physical editions of the set are available as a Super Deluxe version only, either with 4-CDs or 5 LPs. In addition, a Super Deluxe Digital Edition and a Dolby Atmos Digital Edition are available, along with the Grace Under Pressure Tour: Live in Toronto 1984 video being made available to video DSPs (Digital Service Providers like YouTube, Netflix, Apple TV+, etc.). To coincide with the release, Rush posted visualizer videos for all of the tracks on the album, including both the standard versions and the new, Terry Brown remixes. You can check them all out on Rush's YouTube channel, along with the complete Grace Under Pressure Tour: Live in Toronto, 1984 at this location (also available to rent or purchase digitally on Amazon Prime and other streaming providers). You can get all the details as to what is and isn't included in the set in this post. John at Cygnus-X1.net has also scanned/transcribed the set and made it available online here. Several reviews of the set have been trickling in over the past few weeks including this one from Goldmine magazine, exploring the album's 5 essential tracks.
Rush's groundbreaking 1976 album 2112 celebrated its 50th anniversary yesterday... ish. The exact date of the album's release is the subject of some debate among Rush fans, although it definitely happened at some point towards the end of March, 1976 (most online sources give it as April 1st). Eric at the Power Windows site has the best estimate of the release as March 26th, based on the fact that it was first advertised in Billboard magazine the week of March 22-26, 1976, and first appeared on the Billboard Top 200 Saturday, April 10, 1976 at #181. To celebrate the occasion, author Daniel Bukszpan has released a new Rush book celebrating the album's milestone anniversary titled Rush And 2112: 50 Years, which is now available to purchase via Amazon and other retailers. From the press release:
... Rush and 2112: 50 Years tells the complete story behind this landmark album through:
* A deep exploration of how 2112 was created and why it remains the band's masterpiece
* Track‑by‑track analysis, including insight into the iconic 20‑minute "2112" suite
* Historical context on the state of rock in the mid‑70s and the band's evolution in the decades that followed
* Rarely seen photography, including performance shots, candid off‑stage moments, and archival images
* Interviews and commentary that illuminate the band's creative process and enduring influenceRush's impact on rock music and popular culture is undeniable. With over 40 million records sold and a fiercely devoted global fanbase, the band continues to inspire musicians, writers, and listeners across generations. This volume captures the virtuosity, innovation, and spirit that made Rush one of the most celebrated rock bands of all time.
Rush and 2112: 50 Years is an essential volume for fans old and new - a definitive tribute to a record that changed everything. ...
Geddy Lee and Tech 21 Introduced their new Geddy Lee Amalgamation Signature Chorus pedal back in January and it's now available for pre-order. From the press release:
The Geddy Lee Amalgamation Signature Chorus, as one would expect, is specifically tailored for bass. And specifically, with Geddy's valuable input. Housed in a compact pedal, the Geddy Lee Amalgamation offers an unusual amount of flexibility to achieve a variety of choral effects. It is capable of recreating the kinds of choral tones typically attainable only in a pro studio. With its Detune control, you can adjust the pitch of the choral voicing, adding sonic girth to create thick, lush, bass-compatible chorus. Engaging Deviate mode alters the Detune function and adds an additional voicing for even more depth -as if 3 people are playing at the same time. Other features include Speed and Depth controls to adjust the modulation, from sober to slightly tipsy to downright "wobbly." Operable with 9V alkaline battery (not included) or optional DC power supply. Designed & Manufactured by Tech 21 USA, Inc.
Ultimate Classic Rock posted an article this past week on 20 Rock Band Pinball Machines and What Players Say About Them. One of the machines featured is Stern Pinball's 2022 Rush-themed machine:
What makes this game unique: The game features a unique time machine toy in the middle of the playfield. Sink three balls into the machine and you will enter a multi-ball mode.
Rush's legendary beef with girl band The Runaways is one of the stories featured in a Grunge.com article from earlier this week which highlights Rock Stars That Sabotaged Other Artists' Big Breaks:
... "[T]here were definitely bands that had a problem with us." That likely fed into an infamous case of rock 'n' roll sabotage at a Rush concert in Detroit, Michigan, in 1977. During the Runaways' opening slot for the Canadian prog rock giants, lead singer Cherie Currie remembers the headliners cackling and throwing sheets of paper on stage. As she landed a stage jump in platform boots, she slipped on one of the sheets, almost tumbling into an orchestra pit full of photographers. "I could have been paralyzed. I'm not exaggerating," she told The Metal Voice. "So that's why Joan and I in particular don't care much for them." In an interview with Prog in 2013, Rush's Geddy Lee maintained he "had no bias against them because they were girls" (via Far Out). But he added that he wouldn't have been at the side of the stage anyway because the Runaways weren't even worth checking out. It seems time can't heal some rock 'n' roll wounds.
That's all for this week. Have a great weekend!!
Season 3 of the Canadian comedy series The Trades premiered on Crave earlier today and Rush's Alex Lifeson makes a guest appearance as Fernie, the bartender at The Leaky Pipe ...
"Artovision" has just released several new, officially-licensed, 3-dimensional collectable artwork pieces celebrating the 50th anniversary of Rush's 2112 album ...
Rush has added a third show at London's O2 for March 21, 2027 to join with the original March 16th and 18th dates, with pre-sales beginning tomorrow and general on-sale this Friday ...
