UPDATE - 12/17@9:30AM: From what I'm now hearing from my sources, there won't be any kind of official tour announcement until early next year. But the good news is that it sounds like the band is currently in the process of nailing down dates for a 2010 tour to start in the late Spring, focusing particularly on first getting to places they missed on the last tour - like South America. Supporting this is that fact that the biggest FM radio station in Buenos Aires (FM Rock & Pop) reported earlier this week that a major local booking agency is working on bringing Rush to Argentina for the next tour (thanks Martin from Argentina). The wheels are definitely in motion. Barring some unforeseen catastrophe, I'd say it's pretty clear that Rush will be touring in 2010. Now the big question is what type of studio release will we see from the band and when.
UPDATE - 12/16@10:38PM: It looks like WYSP in Philadelphia is in on the game too (thanks PwrWndws) ... probably other stations out there as well.
A couple of weeks ago in Toronto Geddy Lee was a special guest at the 25th annual Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Miracle Day charity event. According to reports from a few lucky fans who were there and spoke to the man himself, Geddy said that Rush plans on entering the studio very, very soon and are hoping to then tour this summer. Since these comments came in the wake of Rush's November band meeting they would seem to hold more weight than Alex Lifeson's prior musings about 2010 album/tour plans in interviews back in the summer. Since Geddy's comments were made, I've also heard some anonymous reports that a couple members of the Rush road crew have been casually contacted regarding the possibility of going out on tour next year. So it definitely sounds like something is brewing. In yet another interesting turn of events, 2 major radio stations - Chicago's WLUP and Boston's WZLX - have both recently announced contests to promote the release of the Working Men live compilation where they are giving away tickets to Rush's next tour. WLUP went as far to say that they are expecting Rush to be in Chicago in 2010 according to their sources and that details will be coming soon. Perhaps they know something we don't? Maybe there will be some type of official announcement in the next week or so. That would indeed be a nice Christmas present from the band. Keep your fingers crossed! Thanks to malterb and Stephen Y for the info.
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