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The entire world may be divided right now, but thankfully there’s one thing everybody can all agree on: Rush’s comeback has been a nailed-on triumph.
The band kicked off their hugely anticipated Fifty Something tour at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on June 7 – their first full show in more than a decade. Yes, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson looked like they were having a blast. Yes, grown men were spotted crying tears of pure joy. And yes, the late, great Neil Peart’s replacement Anika Nilles absolutely aced the assignment.
That first show checked all the boxes, song-wise – perennial live staples The Spirit Of Radio, Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, Subdivisions and Working Man were present and correct. But they’ve thrown in a few surprises, including opening the set with heavy-duty 1977 prog flex Xanadu for the first time ever and enlisting Aimee Mann for a glorious Time Stand Still.
The following night was even better, with the band changing up the setlist and playing 2112’s 20-minute title track in its entirety for the first time since By-Tor was a kid (well, since 1997, anyway). Night three saw Moving Pictures played in full, while night four saw them dusting down A Farewell To Kings for the first time since 1979.
Lee and Lifeson recently told Prog magazine that the band had rehearsed 39 songs ahead of the Fifty Something tour, which a) is ridiculous given how complicated most of them are, and b) indicates that they’re ready to deliver a few more surprises.
But while’s always fantastic to hear such classics as The Trees, Free Will and Limelight, what are the chances of them dropping a song they’ve never, ever played before? Rush have written and recorded a grand total of 167 original songs (counting side-long epics such as 2112 as one song, and discounting covers and live tracks – sorry, Broons Bane!), of which they’ve played 125. That means there are still 42 songs that have never been aired live, pretty much any of which would be a welcome addition to the Fifty Something set list.
And what are they? Funny you should ask – we’ve compiled a list of all the songs Rush have never played live. If you’re reading this, Geddy and Alex, you know what to do…
Rush (1974)
Rush have played every song from their self-titled debut album with one possible exception. There’s no official record of the band playing Take A Friend in public, though that doesn’t mean they haven’t. We’re including it here until someone proves otherwise. Though given it predates Neil Peart’s time in the band, it’s unlikely to be wheeled out any time soon.
Not played: Take A Friend
Fly By Night (1975)
Rush’s second album, and Peart’s debut with the band, has been well-represented over the years – the legendary By-Tor And The Snow Dog has already appeared in the Fifty Something setlist. But two songs from Fly By Night have never been played, namely Making Memories and the Tolkein-adjacent Rivendell.
Not played: Making Memories, Rivendell
Caress Of Steel (1975)
Rush themselves have always been fairly dismissive of their third album (ignore them it’s not that bad). That hasn’t stopped them playing all but one song - 20-minute prog epic The Fountain Of Lamneth. Once again, there’s some debate about that, but we’re holding out for evidence.
Not played: The Fountain Of Lamneth.
2112 (1976)
Now we’re getting into it. 2112’s monumental title track has been trotted out countless times over the years, both in easily digestible individual parts and in its full, bug-eyed sci-f glory. But of the five tracks on the old-school album b-side, only three of them have been played live – the two the world are yet to hear are Lessons and Tears. Surely now’s the time to complete the set?
Not played: Lessons, Tears
A Farewell To Kings (1977)
Rush’s fifth studio album showcased Geddy Lee’s growing fascination with keyboards – fine in the studio, but trickier to pull off live. Which could explain why the only song they’ve not played live from A Farewell To Kings the airy, keyboard-led Madrigal.
Not played: Madrigal
Hemispheres (1978)
Every song from Rush’s sixth album has been played live at least once.
Not played: None
Permanent Waves (1980)
Home to The Spirit Of Radio, Freewill and Natural Science, all of which have received heavy duty rotation over the years. Which can’t be said for the album’s penultimate song, the gentle Different Strings.
Not played: Different Strings
Moving Pictures (1981), Signals (1982), Grace Under Pressure (1984)
Every song from Rush’s trio of early 80s classics has been aired live. In fact, the band played Moving Pictures in full at the third of their four LA shows at the very start of the Fifty Something tour.
Not played: None
Power Windows (1985)
Rush were well into their divisive ‘synth era’ by the time of Power Windows, but that didn’t stop them playing all but one song. Only Emotion Detector has been locked out over the years. Could its time be now? Probably not, to be honest.
Not played: Emotion Detector
Hold Your Fire (1987)
Another album that Rush have been lukewarm about, as proven by the fact that they’ve yet to play four of its songs, Open Secrets, Second Nature, High Water, and Tai Shan – the latter described by Alex Lifeson as “the worst” track the band ever recorded.
Not played: Open Secrets, Second Nature, High Water, Tai Shan
Presto (1989)
Presto found Rush dialling back the synths a little and turning up the guitars a notch or two. And while they’ve played more than half of its 11 songs live, there are still five ripe for the picking – Chain Lightning, Anagram (For Mongo), Red Tide, Hand Over First and, perplexingly, brilliant album closer Available Light.
Not played: Chain Lightning, Anagram (For Mongo), Red Tide, Hand Over Fist, Available Light
Roll The Bones (1991)
Another album that’s been under-represented in Rush’s live shows – only five of Roll The Bones’ 10 tracks have been played live, leaving Face Up, The Big Wheel, Heresy, Neurotica and You Bet Your Life pulling sad faces and piteously saying, ‘Pick me!’.
Not played: Face Up, The Big Wheel, Heresy, Neurotica, You Bet Your Life
Counterparts (1993)
The albums Rush released in the 1990s are nowhere near as revered as their ’70s and ’80s classics. Hence four of the songs from the grunge-era Counterparts haven’t been played then or since – Cut To The Chase, Alien Shore, The Speed Of Love and Everyday Glory. And while few will be crying out to hear them more than 30 years on, they might make a nice surprise for Rush-heads.
Not played: Cut To The Chase, Alien Shore, The Speed Of Love, Everyday Glory
Test For Echo (1996)
The final Rush album of the 1990s, and the last one they released before going on hiatus following the death of Neil Peart’s daughter and wife within the space of a year. They still managed to play all the tracks live aside from The Color Of Right, Totem, Dog Years and Carve Away The Stone – a decent return on an album with 11 tracks.
Not played: The Color Of Right, Totem, Dog Years, Carve Away The Stone
Vapor Trails (2002)
The most under-represented album in Rush‘s back catalogue, with seven of its tracks never played live.
Not played: Peaceable Kingdom, The Stars Look Down, Vapor Trail, Sweet Miracle, Nocturne, Freeze, Out Of The Cradle
Snakes & Arrows (2007)
This is more like it. Rush seemingly had more confidence in their 18th studio album, playing all but three of its 13 songs live.
Not played: Bravest Face, Good News First, We Hold On
Clockwork Angels (2012)
Rush’s final album, unless they an almighty surprise up their sleeves. Given Clockwork Angels was released just three years before their initial retirement in 2015, they managed to squeeze all but one of its songs into their sets – the outlier being 90-second semi-interlude BU2B2.
Not played: BU2B2
And that‘s everything. Will Rush treat us to any of these forgotten gems on the Fifty Something tour? Maybe. Let us know in the comments which ones most like you’d like to hear.
