Well kids, the Rush R40 tour is over. I was running out of gas during the great periscope viewing of the second set. I turned off the lights and laid down during Jacobs Ladder. I blinked once and suddenly Eugene Levy was introducing the encour. I shut it off after the great “F*ck you, puppet.”
But what does it all mean? Band members have been quoted saying that they are not breaking up, but no one has given any definitive plans for the future. Maybe we’ll make another album. Maybe we’ll do residencies instead of big tours (if that’s the case, get your passports ready as any such residency would most likely be in Toronto, where 2/3 of the band lives). Maybe we’ll tour, just not for months at a time. If the band doesn’t know what’s next, how can we even speculate?
Ray Daniels, who has managed the band longer than Neil Peart has been a member, has let it be known that he thinks an end to touring is a bad idea. Who know, maybe he has enough influence over them to talk them into another full blown tour. I doubt it though. I couldn’t see any signs that age was catching up to them during the 2.5 hours they were playing, but I have no idea what the other 21.5 hours of the day are like.
Here is my hope for the future of Rush, based on absolutely nothing but my own wishes: Take a few months off, start writing, make a new album, rehearse for a month or so, book a week at a smaller arena in Toronto, or Radio City Music Hall in New York, and politely ask your fans to come to you (this fan will be first in line), wash-rinse-repeat for as long as you have the physical ability and desire to do so. That would be pretty sweet.
If not, then we the fanatics have 40+ years worth of music to continue to enjoy for as long as we want. When you think of it, that’s a pretty astonishing gift they’ve given us. I will thank them for it until the end of my days.
Inside the Red Head's Head 