Rush - 06/10/07 (Part 1)

The first gig of the three Rush events was on Saturday at Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield - Rush have a big history in Sheffield (of sorts!) It was 30 years ago in 1977 when they played their first ever gig outside of North America at Sheffield City Hall


Their next visit to Sheffield (also at the City Hall) was in 1980 on the "Permanent Waves Tour" then here at Arena on the 10th April 1992, which was my first ever Rush gig!


So, onwards 15 years and a triumphant return to Yorkshire from the boys (or maybe "old farts") from Toronto, Canada, for what could be the gig of not just this year, but for many years to come!


As ever they provided pretty good value for 45 quid! A just under 3 hour show! Starting off where they left off 3 years ago with "Limelight" they blasted through a first half of some cracking old classics, some that they had never played live before!


Highlight for me in the first half of the show was "Mission" from 1987's "Hold Your Fire" Album! It's in my top ten ever songs and I had only seen Rush tribute band "2112" perform it before at the New Roscoe in Leeds. It was sublime!


Also in the first half was "Circumstances" from 1978 (not played since 1980, so Honk tells me) and also "The Main Monkey Business" which had some highly amusing footage of 30's and 40's films of various Monkeys apeing around!! Awesome! (Pictures courtesy of www.t-n-m-s.com)