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One of the best ever live performing bands is Rush In the mid-1970's their incredible level of musicianship puts them on another plane, ridiculously high, even with their imitators and those out that they have inspired. Apart from "rock", what other genre can they be pinned down with? They have been labeled hard rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal, none of which are true.

They have one of the most loyal and loving followings any band ever gathered together, even though they've got just about nothing in the "hits" department and almost all of their studio albums sound completely different from almost all of their other studio albums.

And you have many of the elements as to what makes their shows the best and most entertaining I have ever seen. Rush concerts are quite different from those of heavy rock music bands, because particular attention paid to the music. Many concerts are more concerned with the flash than the actual music because the music isn't anything special. The music at a Rush show is complex, and that is what makes it so awesome. Despite the very complex lyrics, thousands of fans sing along, dance and cheer to finely crafted music.

That only three guys could create such amazing music is astounding. The band Rush, doesn't use any musicians during studio sessions, and they do not use any session musicians in their live concerts. This further binds together the band with the fans and makes being in the audience at one of their amazing shows special in a way that it just cannot be at other shows no matter how good the bands are. The same bandmates, fitted together like a glove for over thirty years -- no bitterness, no hasty replacements, no phoniness. Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee, and Neil Peart, all are exemplary and skillful musicians, while Neil Peart is also one of the World's distinguished writers.

At a Rush concert, there is a special charge to the atmosphere before the first laser is shone and before the first note is even played. As much as they are about the music, Rush concerts are visually dynamic as well. It seems as if the special effects crew was given liberal license with the special effects as head-bobbing, time-keeping bunnies pop out of top hats during the signature song "Tom Sawyer" and lasers, giant videos or screen shots of the musician's real time performance is adapted to each song.

The musicians are extremely animated, especially Neail Peart whose is center stage with his impressive, full circle drum set and is arguably the only drummer who can claim to be the front man. Guitar player Lifeson and singer/bass player/keyboard player Lee are still as energized and kinetic as ever in their mid-50s.

The audience at a Rush concert has, besides many musicians, lots of non-musicians as well who play all sorts of air-instruments, even drums! When it comes to the drums (There's no way that you can mention Rush without mentioning the drums.), while many people at other rock concerts decide to take off during the drum solo to get a drink or snack or even go to the bathroom, a Rush concert is a notable exception.
The drum solo is an eagerly anticipated moment of a Rush gig The audience is transfixed for those last six to nine minutes and they go wild with applause and cheering at the end.

For all their musical and lyrical seriousness, Rush has a certain irony and humor that add another fun and dynamic dimension to their shows. a few years ago, Lee edited the lyrics to a classic song "The Temples of Syrinx" and it became "we are the pirates of the Temples."..Lee joined the audience of jubilant fans waving pirate ship flags, while the oppressed "actor" in him playfully displayed a stuffed parrot perched atop his shoulder. I went to the tour and I was able to see them a total of four times.. And as for the wacky man Lifeson...This time around, he has three hot blonde Barbie dolls on stage in front of his foot switches, waving banners saying how talented and sexy he is! Meanwhile, to match Lifeson's massive wall of Marshall stacks, Lee's side of the stage behind him features three large rotisserie chicken cookers--cooking real chicken!

For those who aren't fans, Rush is considered a cult. When attending a Rush concert, you will see the reason for this, and discover that they are at least half right about it.

In short, attending a Rush show is like attending a religious festival and being a part of a living historical moment all at the same time. and everybody will be singing, for up to three hours!