Some very sad news to report this morning. This past Sunday, one of Rush's founding members and original drummer John Rutsey passed away at the age of 55 according to Rush management company Anthem Entertainment.

Rutsey was the band's drummer from the summer of 1968 through July 1974. Rutsey played on the "lost" Rush singles "Not Fade Away" and "You Can't Fight It" as well as the band's debut, self-titled album. Soon after the release of "Rush", Rutsey quit the band, citing creative differences and health concerns related to his diabetes that may have posed potential problems with extended tours.

In a 1989 Rockline interview, Alex Lifeson remarked, "John's still around. I see John quite often. He gave up playing shortly after he left the band and went into bodybuilding. He competed on an amateur level for a while, doing that for a few years, and has sort of been in and out of that, but he still works out, and I work out with him a few times a week at a local gym - at a Gold's, here in Toronto." In a recent interview on the VH1 Classic show "Hangin' With," Alex revealed that he had quit seeing John around 1990.

As of now, there has been no official statement released citing the cause of death, nor any plans announced for a memorial service. We'll have more news on John's passing as it becomes available.

Ed over at RushIsABand.Com just posted some interesting news about a project to get Rush a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here's what Ed had to say about the project:

I wanted to take a few moments to alert everyone to a campaign that's currently underway to get Rush a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If you are a Rush fan, it's very likely you have heard the name Donna Halper. Donna is credited with discovering Rush while working at WMMS-FM in my hometown of Cleveland back in 1974. She was also pivotal in getting them signed to a record contract, and they dedicated their first two albums to her. Donna along with Rush fans extraordinaire Keith and Kevin Purdy are spearheading this project and have already received the blessing of the band and their management. They could also use some help from us - the fans. Since the nominations are reviewed in June each year, they are soliciting testimonials from Rush fans across the world about how the band and their music has played a positive and meaningful role in their lives. There is no format per se - emails, letters, etc. are fine. They simply need to be well-written and come from the heart. If possible, please send your testimonials to kdpurdy@hotmail.com by Friday, May 23rd so they can be packaged up and sent to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Committee.

As part of the nomination effort, an account will be set up at some point to collect the $25,000 needed to fund the Hollywood Walk of Fame star. The money is not due until 30 days prior to an eventual induction ceremony, the date of which would be the band's choosing if (when hopefully) they are chosen. That date realistically would be no sooner than mid-year 2009. They hope to have the account set up later this summer and will keep everyone posted.

Donna, Keith and Kevin want to thank everyone in advance for their assistance in this effort. The image above of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Rush Starman is courtesy (of RIAB) reader Matt R.

This is a great cause and one that I hope you all take a moment to participate in. Remember, send your testimonials to kdpurdy@hotmail.com on or before Friday May 23rd.

Rush played the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California last night thus closing out the first leg of their 2008 Snakes & Arrows LIVE Tour. The band will now break for a little more than a week before resuming the tour on the 20th in Moline, IL at the iWireless Center.

The tour has been very well received - and very well reviewed - thus far. Case in point: Mark Ziemke, the editor of the online music periodical Ground Control Magazine sent me a link to that publication's review of the Concord, CA show at the Sleep Train Pavilion.

I'll be the first to admit that I had always kind of taken Rush for granted. When a band has been around over 35 years, it's easy to say, "Oh, Rush will be touring again, I'll catch them next time.” Well, after saying that to myself year after year, I finally went and saw Rush live and from the opening power chords of "Limelight,” I realized that I had been missing something truly spectacular all these years.

You can read the entire review via this link. Also included with the review are a number of great photos from the concert. Thanks again to Mark for passing me the link for the review and pictures.

Another favorable review called Rush Makes Time Stand Still at Mandalay Bay was just published in the Las Vegas Sun for the show that took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

As reported earlier, Rush made some changes to the Snakes & Arrows tour book from last year's version. Aside from changing the front and back cover images, they added 16 pages of additional photos that were taken during the European Leg of their tour last year by Ross Halfin.

Over 70 new photos in all captured the excitement of last year's tour and are a very welcomed addition to an already spectacular tour book. Best of all, the band kept the price of the new tour book constant at $20. Trust me, this tour book would be a bargain at 3 times that price.

For those of you who can't wait to get your own copy of the tour book, you can now read - and view - all of the contents right here at Cygnus-X1.Net

Click HERE to read the contents of the tour book (which hasn't changed much from last year's version)
Click HERE to view all of the images.

Enjoy!

Snakes & Arrows Live, which debuted in the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at position #18 has now dropped down 68 spots to position #178 in its third week of charting. That's not as dramatic a drop as the album experienced in week #2 where it landed at position #110; a change of 92 spots. This data, which isn't official yet, was derived the latest SoundScan numbers which were posted at this site.

Unless sales pick up significantly, the album isn't expected to land in the Top 200 during its 4th week. So, if you haven't already, purchase your copy today!

Rush just finished playing two nights in the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles and are now headed to Las Vegas to play the Mandalay Bay Events center. A very positive and well-written article called Rush Still Fierce in a Smaller Setting appeared in the OC Register which discussed the first of the two L.A. shows.

You might feel the energy a little differently in a place like (Nokia), but you're sort of locked into things," [Lifeson] says. "And the stage is the stage – provided it's the same size, it really doesn't matter if you're in a 2,000-seat hall or a 20,000-seat amphitheater, generally speaking. You can't see very far out into the house, anyway.

Ross Halfin, who photographed the band while they toured Europe last year, was on-hand at one of the L.A. shows. He wrote about the experience in the May 6th posting of his blog. It's an interesting read to say the least.

And speaking of Mr. Halfin, the 16 additional pages of the Snakes & Arrows Live tour book which include Ross' European pictures of the band will be online here at Cygnus-X1 soon. I received my copy of the latest tour book and the new pictures are spectacular. If you're attending a future show, trust me, the tour book is well worth the $20 price tag. For those of you who haven't seen the original S&A tour book, click HERE.

A quick summary of the Rush News highlights from the past week:

• Snakes & Arrows Live Charting News: Week #2: After entering the Billboard Charts at position #18, Snakes & Arrows Live, Rush's 7th Live album, fell dramatically in week #2 to position #110 on the Billboard charts and position #59 on the Canadian charts (down from position #8 in its debut week).

• Rush on Rockline - Interview Now Online: As previously reported, Rush appeared on the nationally syndicated radio show Rockline last Wednesday. Rockline's website has posted the entire interview / Q&A with the band online. You can listen to the 5-part interview at this link.

• Rush in LA and beyond: Rush will be playing two dates in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre over the next couple of days. There's a preview article about Rush hitting L.A. available from The Press Enterprise - see Rush Highlights New Material. There's also a spiritually-themed look at Rush that came out of Sunday's Concord, CA called The Rock of Ages. Finally, I inadvertently forgot to post this review of the Jacksonville, FL show called Rush Still Rocks Hard, Has Fun which was passed to me from reader John Kelly. Thanks John!

After the two L.A. shows, Rush will play Las Vegas and Irvine, CA before taking a well-deserved 9-day break before resuming the tour in Moline, IL. To date, the setlist has remained constant since the opening night show in Puerto Rico but rumor has it that a change or two will appear after the break.

Reader Stephen (aka ReGorLaTroy) recently contacted me about a charity-related challenge for Rush fans that he is organizing. Here are the details:

THE GREAT RUSH FAN CHALLENGE

Greetings to all of my fellow RUSH fans out there. As most of you know by now, on 17 April 08, Alex, Geddy and Neil donated $100,000 to further help the people affected by Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans region. Please check this link for the official press release.

I was so impressed and moved by what our favourite band's "random act of kindness," and thought, "Wouldn't be great if we RUSH Fans could follow their example and do something likewise"?

Enter, "The Great RUSH Fan Challenge."

My challenge is simply this, I want to encourage a minimum of 1000 RUSH fans to donate $10.00 each to The New Orleans Area Habitat For Humanity. No calculator needed here, that would be $10,000 donated to this most worthy of causes. To do so, check out the New Orleans Area Habitat For Humanity's website and follow directions to donate.

http://www.habitat-nola.org/index.php

To kick this challenge off, my wife and I have started the challenge by donating $100. So, what do you say Net Boys and Net Girls, you up for the challenge and ready to follow RUSH's "random act of kindness"?

~Peace and Grace, ReGorLaTroy

A great idea for a great cause. Hope everyone takes up this challenge.

Over the past week, Rush has been playing dates within the deep south of the United States, hitting such cities as New Orleans, Houston, Austin, Dallas and Oklahoma City. As previously reported, the New Orleans and Houston show were flip-flopped due to an NBA playoff game conflict. Because of the inconvenience to the Houston fans, Rush handed out 4,000 free tourbooks.

Along the way, a number of very positive - and outright hilarious - reviews of the concerts have been published. Here are but a few, with a special nod to the New Orleans review which I promptly sent over to my wife.

Diary of a Rush Concert - New Orleans
Concert Review: Rush - Dallas
Natural Science - Austin
Rush Presents Rousing Show at Ford Center - Oklahoma City

To date, the setlist has been exactly the same as the one performed in Puerto Rico which opened up the 2008 Leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour. Over the next two weeks, Rush will play along New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California before returning to Canada and making their way east.

According to a recent article from Billboard Magazine, Rush's 7th Live Album Snakes & Arrows Live broke in the Billboard Top 200 charts at position #18 on 21,000 unit sales in the U.S. This marks the second-highest Billboard position a Rush live album has ever achieved (Exit...Stage Left peaked at #10.

The album did even better on the Canadian charts as it debuted at position #8 according to this article from the Toronto Sun.

Greetings everyone. I wanted to take a moment out to inform you of a situation which arose last week. On or about April 13th, this site was viciously attacked with MalWare. Every HTML and PHP page on Cygnus-X1.Net was infected. After the infection occurred, many visitors to the site were also infected with this MalWare. Shortly thereafter, Google blacklisted Cygnus-X1.Net which effectively cut off over half of the visitors to the site. Over the next day, I feverishly worked to restore the site, cleaning every page and file of the infection - no small task I assure you. I then spent time identifying how this attack occurred in the first place to insure it wouldn't happen again. As it turns out, a security flaw in my installation of Coppermine Photo Gallery allowed the attackers to perform this act. I updated my copy of Coppermine to the latest version available and, shortly thereafter, the site was attacked again, albeit not as successfully as the first time. That attack was also permitted by continued security flaws in Coppermine which has now led me to remove that script altogether.

I want to apologize to any visitors who were impacted by this attack. It pained me to think that some of you may have contracted a virus or trojan as a direct result of browsing my site. Because of that, I seriously considered throwing in the towel and taking down the site permanently. I would rather throw away 4 years of work then provide an outlet for infecting other computers. Fortunately, with the assistance of my service provider, the help of Geek Squad, and the support of many visitors, most notably David Bradley, I've decided to keep Cygnus-X1.Net going. The site is absolutely clean of any viruses, trojans and/or MalWares and I will no longer install any scripts that may allow for such an attack in the future.

Again, my sincerest apologies to all of you who were impacted by this unfortunate event. Look for updates, news and other additions to the site to resume immediately.

Thanks for your support, everyone.

-John

As reported early, due to a scheduling conflict in connection with the NBA playoffs, the Rush Concert in New Orleans which was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 19th has been moved to Sunday, April 20th. Rush will now be playing Houston on Saturday, April 19th. All tickets from both shows will be honored on the new dates.

With the second leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour now well underway, a series of reviews and interviews have begun to pop up. But before we get to those, it should be noted for those fans attending the New Orleans show later this week that the concert may get bumped in favor of a Hornets playoff game. Read more about this situation at this link.

"We'll find out at midnight Wednesday, when the regular NBA season ends," said arena spokesman Bill Curl. "We'll make an announcement Thursday morning."

When concert promoter Live Nation booked Rush at the New Orleans Arena, they were aware of this potential April 19 conflict, Curl said. "The first option on that date was always a playoff game for the Hornets," Curl said. "The NBA is aware of our situation, but they have first call on the date if they want it. Rush would have to move."

More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for the Rush show, Curl said. He was unsure when the concert might be rescheduled if it moves. The band is slated to perform in Houston on Sunday, April 20, then in Austin on Wednesday, April 23.

A recent interview with Geddy Lee appeared in the Toronto Sun which was titled Lee Still Gets a Rush - After All These Years Lead Singer Gets Butterflies When Performing. In it, Geddy hints at some interesting new Rush projects:

Rush have a few things in the planning stages, including a new studio album they see somewhere on the horizon. A possible Feedback II covers album of '50s and '60s rock songs is also something Lee doesn't close the door on.

"It would be fun," he says. "I think my manager goes to sleep having dreams that we'll do that. It was really a lot of fun to do and pretty easy. You never know, maybe when we're on the verge of our 50th anniversary."

A Rush documentary is also in the works, but Lee is a bit miffed why anyone would want to film the trio.

"A filmmaker thinks that we're interesting," he says. "We're doing our best to disappoint."

Finally, here's a link to a review of the recent Orlando Concert (Rush Does It Big at Amway Arena) plus a couple of more interview/articles centering around Geddy Lee from Canada's National Post

Rush Bring Brainier Brand of Rock Back on the Road -- From the Cutting Room Floor: Geddy Lee Pines for Halifax

Rush's seventh live album, Snakes & Arrows Live was officially released today. The 2-disc, 27-track set was recorded live on October 16 and 17, 2007 at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Holland.

An early and fairly favorable review of the album is available at this LINK.

Additional album information/liner notes can be viewed at this link while all of the images from the CD-set are available at this link.

If you haven't ordered your copy yet, what ARE you waiting for? Place your order today!

Update (10:30pm): Rush.Com has just posted a number of pictures from the San Juan show. Included are some behind-the-scenes images during rehearsal as well as shots from the concert itself. All of the images are located in the Multimedia section of the band's site under the "Rush on the Road" heading. Many thanks to reader Tom T. for the head's up.

Update (12:00pm): I neglected to mention that prior to the Puerto Rico show, Rush held a Press Conference, excerpts of which are available at YouTube. In addition, a bootleg video of the opening video sequence and first song from the Puerto Rico show is also available at YouTube via this LINK.

Last night marked the kick-off of the 2008 Leg of the Snakes & Arrows World tour which is in support of the band's new double-live CD "Snakes & Arrows Live". Last night's show was the first time Rush ever played in Puerto Rico so the fans were understandably pumped for the show. For those who can't wait to hear the setlist, it has finally been confirmed and is now online in the Set List section of the site. As you'll see, there are some changes to the setlist from the 2007 leg.

Rush will be moving on to Florida and the southern United States over the next two weeks hitting such cities as New Orleans, Dallas, Albuquerque, and Phoenix. For a complete list of the tour dates, click HERE.

I'll been scanning the net for official reviews and images of the show, which will be posted here as I come across them. If anyone else comes across information on this, or any future show, please drop me a line. On to Ft. Lauderdale!

The radio special Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live, which begins broadcasting across the country today can also be heard online. With thanks to reader JPO, I've been provided links to each of the 4 segments of the show.

Inside Snakes & Arrows Live - Segment 1

Inside Snakes & Arrows Live - Segment 2

Inside Snakes & Arrows Live - Segment 3

Inside Snakes & Arrows Live - Segment 4

Each file (Mp3) is rather large so make sure you have a decent connection speed before attempting to download them. To view the cue sheet of the show, click HERE.

I received a preview copy of Snakes & Arrows Live and, as I've done with all previous albums, I've posted the liner notes, track lists and other data on the main Album page.

In addition to that, I've scanned all of the images of the double-CD set. Those can be viewed HERE.

I've also had a chance to listen to most of the album. The sound quality is crisp, the performance is pretty energetic, but the crowd is a bit subdued from time to time. Still, another excellent live addition to the Rush catalogue. Remember, Snakes & Arrows live is released next Tuesday, April 15th. You can pre-order your copy today via Amazon.Com.

We're now a day away from the launch of the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour in Puerto Rico and the boys have been busy rehearsing the new setlist (Spoiler Alert) as well as conducting several radio interviews.

Regarding the setlist, it has been revised significantly from my last "preview". To view what may very well be the actual setlist, click HERE. Thanks to RushIsABand.Com for the sneak peak.

There are several radio interview specials online which can be accessed via the following links:

Alex Lifeson on Denver's 103.5 The Fox - April 8th
Alex Lifeson on San Jose's 107.7 The Bone - April 8th
Alex Lifeson on Albuquerque's 94 The Rock - April 8th
Alex Lifeson on Houston's 93.7 The Arrow - April 8th

Thanks to Power Windows for the links.

Also keep in mind that the Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live Radio Special will be airing between April 11th and the 15th.

"FMQB Productions will release a one-hour radio special titled Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live featuring an interview with RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. It is due to air on select stations between April 11 and April 15. Hosted by Lou Brutus, Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live will also feature the music of RUSH in concert from the upcoming Snakes & Arrows Live release. Included in the program are the RUSH classics 'Tom Sawyer', 'Limelight', 'Subdivisions', 'Witch Hunt' and 'A Passage To Bangkok', as well as the newest RUSH creations 'Far Cry' and 'Workin' Them Angels'.

To view the cue sheet for the radio special, click HERE. Thanks to Firefighter Sal for the Cue Sheet.

Finally, check out this commercial for the Puerto Rico show. Pretty sweet!

We're now mere days away from the launch of the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour in Puerto Rico. The official set list will be revealed here during the night of the first show, though rumors and interviews have hinted at some possible surprises. We'll know soon enough. In the mean time, here are some additional worthy news stories.

• The Masters Arrive: An article on the arrival of Rush in Puerto Rick was posted on El Nuevo Dia earlier this week. It hints at some of the setlist information provide by Alex. A translated version of the article (it appears in Spanish) can be viewed HERE.

• Geddy Lee to Appear on a Children's Album: Yes, you read that correctly. Geddy Lee, along with other celebrities, will be making a guest appearance on the new Bare Naked Ladies Children Album called Snack Time. The 24-track album is set for release on May 6th. For more information on the album, click HERE. Thanks to Power Windows for the news.

• Preview Clips of Snakes & Arrows Live Now Online: Amazon.Com now has preview clips from each track of Snakes & Arrows Live. The Live Double-CD is still scheduled for release next Tuesday, April 15th.

• Neil Peart: The Video Game: Here's an interesting bit of news. David Fillion of 2008 DXF Games has written a PC-based game called Neil Peart- Mission: The Camera Eye.

New Year's Eve, 2111. The members of RUSH have defied natural science and through some milk of paradise and honeydew have willed themselves to live upwards of 160 years old, in anticipation of the year that their stellar "2112" album was named for. Everyone expects them to play 2112 in its entirety for Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve, but virtuoso drummer Neil Peart has a different plan...

You can download the game for free via this LINK.

Update: Rush.Com recently posted a collection of pictures that were taken before, during and after Geddy & Alex's surprise visit at the Foo Fighter's Concert in Toronto back on March 22nd. As reported earlier, Geddy & Alex played "YYZ" along with Foo's drummer Taylor Hawkins.

The images posted at Rush.Com are available in the Gallery section of the site.

Many thanks to GeddyWannaBe and RayM for sharing the news.

Guitar Player Magazine has just released a web-only preview of their 2008 Readers' Choice Awards. Rush and Alex Lifeson took the honors in 3 of the nearly 3 dozen categories.

Best Article in 2007
Different Strings - Alex Lifeson - Click here to read.

Best Rock Guitarist
Alex Lifeson

2007's Most Ferociously Brilliant Guitar Album
Rush: Snakes & Arrows

Click HERE for a complete list of categories and winners.

The interview is titled Rush Promises Surprises On Summer Tour and from the looks of it, I'd say they are about to deliver. Billboard magazine recently sat down with Alex Lifeson to discuss the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows Tour, the new live CD and DVD as well as the next studio album.

"...we thought we should maybe revisit some older songs we're not playing currently or haven't been in the last little while. So we changed out a few songs in the set. We're gonna keep it loose and maybe kind of bounce back and forth."

Lifeson says the group frequently gets fan requests for specific material. "We see 'Camera Eye' come up quite often, 'Jacob's Ladder' and some of the longer songs like that from our mid-period," he says.

Alex goes on to indicate that the new DVD, which was shot in HD, should be out in the late summer or early fall. And as for a new studio album, Alex reveals:

"I'm guessing that we're probably going to take a little bit of the break at the end of this tour," says Lifeson, who's been updating his Web site with a number of new features he hopes to roll out soon. "I don't see us really doing much in the way of any new material probably until the spring of next year, and then we'll see where we go.

Some pretty exciting news - and on April Fool's no less (but worry not - this isn't a joke).

With under two weeks to go before the launch of the Snakes & Arrows World Tour - 2008, set list rumors have begun to pick up steam. Rush has been in rehearsals over the past couple of weeks in an undisclosed location in Toronto. They are expected to head to Puerto Rico within the next couple of days where they will spend upwards of a week preparing - and relaxing - before opening up the tour at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan - the first time the band has played in Puerto Rico.

Based on some inside sources, speculation and first-hand accounts of the rehearsals, I've posted some insight into potential set list songs. So as not to spoil the fun for those who prefer to be surprised, I've posted the partial set list at this location.

Once the tour does launch, I'll post the verified and complete set list in the Tour Section of the site. Enjoy!

Zach Tabori, a young Rush fan with impressive axe skills, was surprised by a special gift from none other than Alex Lifeson. A complete video of the story is available at the Hughes & Kettner website.

Not only is this a great story which highlights the generosity of Alex, but I find it immensenly encouraging to see a kid embracing Rush.

FMQB Productions will release a one-hour radio special titled "Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live" featuring an interview with RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. It is due to air on select stations between April 11 and April 15. Hosted by Lou Brutus, "Inside Rush: Snakes & Arrows Live" will also feature the music of RUSH in concert from the upcoming "Snakes & Arrows Live" release. Included in the program are the RUSH classics "Tom Sawyer", "Limelight", "Subdivisions", "Witch Hunt" and "A Passage To Bangkok", as well as the newest RUSH creations "Far Cry" and "Workin' Them Angels".

Rush.Net is also holding a Meet & Greet contest for any upcoming show. This contest is not related to the one being sponsored by the Rush Backstage Club, so make sure you enter. Also be sure to read off the Terms and Conditions after you click on the images of the monkees. No lack of a sense of humor as always from Rush.

The Rush Backstage Club is sponsoring a "Meet & Greet" contest through the end of the month. According to the website:

We will be running several Meet & Greet contest before and during the 2008 Snakes & Arrows Tour. For the concert of their choice, the winner will meet members of the band before the show. These lucky people will have the opportunity to say hello, and have their picture taken with the guys. This is something that adds a big boost to a night at the Rush concert. Winners MUST have their own tickets to the concert. This contest closes at midnight of March 31st, 2008. Simply enter your info below and we will randomly select the winner at the close of the contest. Our system only accepts one entry per email address. Good luck!

Click HERE to enter the contest.

Also, if you pre-order a copy of Snakes & Arrows Live from the Backstage Club, you'll receive free S&A sticker.

The Foo Fighters, who were playing the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday night, had a surprise visit from Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson right around the mid-way point of their 2+ hour concert. Geddy and Alex played "YYZ" along with Foo's drummer Taylor Hawkins.

Reports about the concert came from jam! Showbiz Music as well as GlobeandMail.Com.

The pair joined Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins for YYZ, a spiralling progressive-rock instrumental from Rush's 1981 album Moving Pictures. The members of the two bands know each other through Nick Raskulinecz, a U.S. record producer who has worked with both groups, most recently on Rush's Snakes & Arrows album in 2007.

A video of the performance is available on YouTube as well (Click below to play).

Apologies for the lack of updates over the past week. I was away on business, but plenty happened in the world of Rush during the past few days, so let's re-cap them here:

• RushCon 8 Information: I was contacted by the folks who are running RushCon 8 with some information on this year's event:

RushCon 8 will be held July 8-10, 2008. This is our first midweek convention, due to the Toronto RUSH show being on a Wednesday. The convention will be held at the Days Hotel & Conference Center - Toronto Downtown at 30 Carlton Street, which has been our official convention hotel and location for several years.

Since this is a midweek convention, it's a great opportunity to meet everyone and feel the family-like experience of RushCon.
We are planning to have the following events:

Tuesday night: "In the Mood" Mixer - a great place to meet fellow fans, enjoy some hors d'oeuvres, and listen to RUSH!
Wednesday day: RUSH-based Games and Charity Auction - fun game show style games give you a chance to win cool RUSH prizes, and a RUSH memorabilia auction (including autographed items!) benefiting the Daily Bread Food Bank of Toronto. To date, we have raised $40,000 CND for charity!
Wednesday evening/night: Toronto Harbour boat cruise to the RUSH show!
Thursday day: RUSH fans invade the city - we'll have a couple of optional events, exploring Toronto.

FULL DETAILS WILL BE LISTED IN THE APPROPRIATE AREA OF THE RUSHCON WEBSITE ONCE THEY ARE FINALIZED. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR THE LATEST DETAILS!

• Snakes & Arrows Live Delayed: Snakes & Arrows Live has been delayed one week. The album is now scheduled to be released on Tuesday, April 15th. You can pre-order your copy from Amazon via this LINK.

• The Biggest Fan - Episode 2: Rush.Com has posted the second episode of "The Biggest Fan" video series. In this episode, Alex's Barbie dolls discuss the perils of being on the road, their love of shoes and the band. No one ever said the guys didn't have a slightly warped sense of humor :) Check out the latest episode in the Multimedia section of the official site.

• Rush on Rockline: Blabbermouth is reporting that Rush will appear on the nationally syndicated radio show Rockline on Wednesday, April 30th at 11:30 PM EST. Fans will be given the opportunity to speak live with the band by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). For more information, and a list of stations hosting the show, visit Rockline's website.

• Workin' Them Angels Live - Charting News: Workin' Them Angels, the first single from the upcoming Snakes & Arrows Live, has broken into the Top 30 on the MediaBase rock singles chart.

Happy Spring, Everyone!

Neil Peart has posted another update in the NEWS, WEATHER, and SPORTS section of his website.

This entry, which he titled "Tails From The Trail", focuses on his recent February vacation to the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec with his wife Carrie and other friends.

Home from the snowy trail, showered and changed, “it’s good to rest my bones beside the fire,” as Roger Waters put it in that great old Floyd song. As the light fades, I build up the fire, savor a Macallan on ice, and look out at another winter sunset. The last spark of orange filters through the snow-covered hemlocks and firs to the southwest, and the snow is gilded with soft light. Twilight is a magical time here, as the snow gradually fades and glows through an unbelievable range of tints and shadows. Carrying my glass, I move from one window to another to watch the show.

I am also glad that February in Quebec is a gift that can be shared, and after a couple of weeks on my own, it was great to have Carrie join me for ten days of the finest winter she has experienced — as a native-born Californian facing her husband’s native land in its harshest season. As she stepped out in her own new snowshoes, and joined me on the cross-country trails, I christened her Notre Dame de la Neige — Our Lady of the Snow.

Neil also discusses the upcoming second leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour or, as he calls it, the "Snakes & Arrows Surge".

We had planned to end the tour in Europe last fall, but apparently more people want to see us, or see us again, so we were asked to do more shows. Some of them will be in places we haven't got to for a while, like New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and Winnipeg, and that is nice, plus we plan to make a few changes to the setlist and presentation to freshen it up a little. Although the world knows by now that I'm not crazy about touring, I sure don't discount the good fortune that we can still do it, personally and professionally - that we can play better than ever, and that people will come and see us. That's not something I have ever taken for granted. As I have said to friends who might be having their own work difficulties, "At least if I have to work, I'm glad I can." And not just any old job, of course - pretty much the best job there is - but none-the-less a hard one.

You can read the complete article HERE.

According to several online sources, Neil Peart will be taking part in a Buddy Rich Memorial Concert this fall in New York City. The concert, which is schedule to take place on October 18th, 2008, will take place at New York City's famed Hammerstein Ballroom.

The concert will also feature Nick Rich with the Buddy Rich Band, John Blackwell and others. More details are expected to be announced in the Drums! and Traps magazines in early April.

Reader Domenic Nardone recently sent me some pictures of a Neil Peart Drum Kit model that he's been building since the Summer of 1986. Domenic used an eclectic list of materials in building this kit including Whiskey Bottle Lids, Sewing Needles, Thumb Tacks, Shishkabob Skewers and more. Click on any of the four thumbnail images to the right to view some detailed, high-resolution shots.

Domenic has also posted a short video featuring his model at YouTube. Definitely worth checking out!

As previously reported, the first single off of the upcoming Snakes & Arrows Live Double-CD will be Workin' Them Angels which should be hitting the airwaves around March 10th.

Fortunately you won't have to wait quite that long to have your first listen of this track. For an exclusive sneak-peak at "Workin' Them Angels - Live", click HERE.

And if you're interested in getting a closer look at the single or the CD insert, you can do so by clicking the following two links:

CD Single -- CD Insert

As you can see, the live version of Workin' Them Angels clocks in at 5:03 or about 8 seconds longer than the studio version. Interestingly enough, the radio edit version included in this CD single is based on the studio version of the song, not the live version so it's possible that radio stations will be playing both variants of the song.

After you have a listen to this great track, please make sure you pre-order your copy of Snakes & Arrows Live. Enjoy!

The 2008 re-launch of the Snakes & Arrows World Tour is now slightly more than a month away, as is the release of "Snakes & Arrows Live". So far, there hasn't been any solid leaks on the potential new setlist for the '08 leg, though I'm sure that will change as we get closer to opening night. In the mean time, here are some notable Rush-related new bits.

• More Pre-Sales Announced: Rush.Com announced that a special pre-sale for the July 20th Charlotte, NC show will begin on Tuesday, March 4th. As before, more details can be found at MusicToday. Also, tickets for Toronto and Washington DC are on sale now. Tickets for St. Louis, Kansas City, Saint Paul and a second Los Angeles show went on sale this past Saturday, March 1st.

• Snakes & Arrows LIVE News: The official press release for the 2008 Leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour as well as the Live CD has indicated that "Workin' Them Angels" will be the first single from the new album.

"The new album features an explosive live rendition of "Workin' Them Angels." The track -- the original version of which can be found on "SNAKES & ARROWS" -- will impact at Rock radio outlets nationwide on March 10th."

Additionally, Neil's drum solo has been named De Slagwerker.

• Cygnus X-1 Beer: The Flat Earth Brewing Company, a Minnesota Microbrewery were kind enough to include this site in their list of links, and with good cause. They recently released a Porter called, appropriately enough, Cygnus X-1

This robust English style porter has an add twist, rye. Rye is used in making Canadian whiskey. It was created as a tribute to our favorite band - Rush. Cygnus X-1 has a creamy mocha chocolate flavor with a hint of spice. It has a slightly dry finish leaving you wanting more. English hops balance out this 6.5% ABV beer.

If anyone happens to live in the Minnesota area and has access to this beer, please contact me as I'd love to get my hands on a bottle.

Rush has just annouced that they'll perform a second show in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre on May 8th, 2008 - 2 days after the first show at that venue. The presale for this date begins on Tuesday, February 26th through MusicToday.

In addition to the Los Angeles show, the following cities will also have their presale begin on Tuesday: Toronto, Montreal, St. Louis, Kansas City, Washington DC and St. Paul.

Last month, Guitar Player Magazine released a list of their 50 Essential Guitar DVDs which included R30 by Rush.

"Sure, the footage from Exit Stage Left is classic, and you can’t beat the wild Brazilian crowd in the Rush in Rio DVD, but if you can only get one Rush DVD it has to be R30. The setlist, sound quality, and camera angles just can’t be beat. The R30 Overture that opens the show has all-instrumental snippets of “Finding My Way,” “Anthem,” “Bastille Day,” “A Passage to Bangkok,” “Cygnus X-1,” and “Hemispheres,” plus a hilarious cameo from Jerry Stiller. The lack of vocals on this medley allows Alex Lifeson’s PRS-fueled guitar tones to really stand out. He and the boys run through a whole bunch of Rush favorites including “Xanadu,” “Subdivisions,” “Red Barchetta,” and “Tom Sawyer” (with a killer Lifeson solo). The show kicks ass from start to finish and Lifeson is in fine form the entire time with his trademark arpeggios, fiery solos, and a humongous tone that fills the arena. If the gig was all you got this would still be a must have. When you factor in all the DVD extras like a bunch of live-in-the-studio performances from back in the day and soundcheck footage, this is an amazing piece of work and a great example of Lifeson working his magic."

Don't have your copy of R30 yet? Purchase it today through Amazon.Com.

The 2008 award winners for the Progressive Rock Hall of Fame have been announced and Rush has been selected as the Progressive Rock Artist of the Year! The Progressive Rock Album of the year went to Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet which included a guest performance by Alex Lifeson.

This five time Grammy nominated and nine time Juno award winning band has 19 studio albums, several of them Gold.

"Malignant Narcissism" from their recent album "Snakes & Arrows" was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in the 50th Grammy Awards this year.

The Progressive Rock Hall of Fame is proud to announce the Progressive Rock Artist of the Year: Rush

Several Gold records? More like 16 from the studio albums, but whose counting :)

You can check out the other 2008 winners at the Hall of Fame's Website.

Neil Peart has updated his website with the ninth issue of Bubba's Book Club. In this issue, Neil reviews the following four books:

This Is Your Life — John O’Farrell
The Emperor’s Children — Claire Messud
Unfinished Journey (Twenty Years Later) — Yehudi Menuhin
This Is Your Brain on Music — Daniel J. Levitin
Metal Swarm (The Saga of Seven Suns - Book 6) — Kevin J. Anderson

Neil also goes on to suggest two linked novels by Newfoundland author Wayne Johnston, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, and The Custodian of Paradise; both of which he didn't have the opportunity to review in his "Book Club" but considered worthy enough to recommend.

Rush.Com sent out an update on the upcoming Snakes & Arrows Live Double CD where they confirmed the setlist and indicated that the show was recorded live in Rotterdam. The Double CD, which is available for pre-order via Amazon.com, will be released on April 8th; just in time to coincide with the 2nd leg of the Snakes & Arrows World Tour.

There still hasn't been any additional information on the Concert DVD from the same venue which is still expected to be released later this year.

Snakes & Arrows Live! Track List

Disc 1
1. Limelight
2. Digital Man
3. Entre Nous
4. Mission
5. Freewill
6. Monkey Business
7. Larger Bowl
8. Secret Touch
9. Circumstances
10. Between the Wheels
11. Dreamline
12. Far Cry
13. Workin' Them Angels
14. Armor and Sword

Disc 2
1. Spindrift
2. The Way the Wind Blows
3. Subdivisions
4. Natural Science
5. Witch Hunt
6. Malignant Narcissism - Drum Solo
7. Hope
8. Distant Early Warning
9. The Spirit of Radio
10. Tom Sawyer
11. Encore
12. One Little Victory
13. A Passage to Bangkok
14. YYZ

Ok well, maybe not. But Rush came out on top in a list of Bands Whose Music We'd Like To See Turned Into a Movie.

With Across the Universe, Julie Taymor put together a film based on dozens of unrelated Beatles songs, stitching them together to tell a story. ("I Want You" as a military recruiting anthem? Genius.) But what about all those other bands with deep back catalogs full of plot possibilities? Here are our (admittedly jokey) picks for ten groups and artists whose music (entire catalogs, not just single albums) is ripe for adapting into a feature film... and how we think that movie would go down. (Hey, we're not saying all of these movies would turn out good.)

1. Rush - It's hard not to cheat since some of the Canadian supergroup's classic albums from the '70s tell entire stories on their own. But we'll bypass 2112 mysticism to cobble together a post-modern story of an oppressed society ("Red Sector A") ruled by evil corporations ("The Big Money") which inspires an impressionable, young kid ("Tom Sawyer") to break free of his shackles ("New World Man") through the power of music ("Spirit of Radio," "Limelight")... and a fast car ("Red Barchetta"). OK, fine, and then he goes into space ("Cygnus X-1"). Think The Matrix with singing.

Other bands that made the list included Nirvana, Britney Spears (oh please), Elvis (both of them) and The B-52s.

With less than 2 months to go before the 2008 Leg of the Snakes & Arrows World tour begins, Rush "happenings" continue to flourish.

• Canadian and US On-Sales This Weekend: From Rush.Com: A reminder to everyone that more tickets will be going on sale to the public starting Friday, February 15th. Please check www.ticketmaster.ca for the Canadian shows and www.ticketmaster.com for the US shows.

• Neil Peart Film Cameo: Ed over at RushIsABand.Com recently had the opportunity to screen the Indie film Adventures Of Power which is about a Copper Miner from New Mexico who has a passion for drumming. Of interest to Rush fans, aside from the numerous references to the band in the film, is the fact the Neil Peart himself makes a cameo appearance towards the end of the film and even has some spoken lines. It's unknown at this point if the film will be released in theaters, but you can check out more information at the movie's website and MySpace page. Thanks, as always, to Ed from RIAB for passing me the news about this film.

• Rush Sighting on The Colbert Report: There was fairly significant and humorous Rush reference earlier this week on the Comedy Central quasi-news show The Colbert Report. You can watch the clip below. The Rush reference begins around the 2 minute mark.



• New Contest at the Rush Backstage Club: There's a new contest up at the Rush Backstage Club where the prize is the now out of print Rush Coffee Table Tour Book.

This is a 400 page coffee table book with all of Rush's tour books to date, a total of 15 books. The books have been reproduced and bound together in a black, cloth-wrapped 12" X 12" book. Every cover of every book is printed on cover stock. The front cover is debossed in black and silver foil with the starman logo. There is a two-page introduction written by Neil Peart, detailing his involvement in the design and content of every Rush tour book going back to 1977.

The contest closes on March 15th so make sure you get your entry in today.

The 50th Annual Grammy Awards were held today and, though nominated in the category of Best Rock Instrumental for Malignant Narcissism, Rush failed to bring home the prize. This was the fifth time Rush has been nominated for a Grammy; all without a win. The previous four nominations, all in the category of Best Rock Instrumental, were for "YYZ", "Where's My Thing?", "Leave That Thing Alone" and "O Baterista".

The award this time around went to (gad) Bruce Springsteen for "Once Upon A Time In The West".

It's been another busy week in the world of Rush, with interesting news for Geddy, Alex and Neil, additional news on the Live Double-CD, Juno Awards, Grammy Awards and more...

• More Pre-Sales to be announced: Rush.Com has announced that the fourth round of pre-sales for the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour will begin this coming Monday, February 11th. In addition, more public ticket sales will begin this weekend as well. Check out Ticket Master for all the latest information.

• The Heart And Soul Of A Drumset: DW Drums had added an exciting new feature to their website called 'The Heart And Soul Of A Drumset' by Neil Peart. Chapter One In A Series: Bass Drum Heartbeat is now online. In the article, Neil discusses DW's new 23" bass drum and how it came about. Also included is a video of Neil discussing aspects of his hybrid drum kit.

• Guitar Lessons 101 with Alex Lifeson: A new website called iVideosongs.com allows you to download instructional videos created by various musicians for a number of musical instruments. Alex Lifeson has two instructions videos available; Limelight and The Spirit of Radio. Each video costs $9.99.

• The Culinary Side of Geddy Lee: Most fans know that Geddy has a passion for Baseball and Wine, so it's not surprising to hear that he will be a celebrity judge at the Canadian Culinary Championship Event in Toronto. For more information on the event and Geddy's involvement, click here.

• Richard Chycki Nominated for a Juno Award: Richard Chycki, who was the Engineer behind Snakes & Arrows, recently posted on his blog that he was nominated for a Juno Award for Engineer of the Year for his work on Snakes & Arrows along with Dolores O'Riordan's "Are You Listening?". The Juno award ceremony will take place on April 6th. Congratulations Richard!

• Snakes & Arrows Live Track List Revealed: The track list for the upcoming Snakes & Arrows Live double CD, which will be released on April 8th, has been revealed. And, as you'll see, it reflects the entire set list from the 2007 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour (with the exception of Summertime Blues).

Disc 1
1. Limelight
2. Digital Man
3. Entre Nous
4. Mission
5. Freewill
6. Monkey Business
7. Larger Bowl
8. Secret Touch
9. Circumstances
10. Between the Wheels
11. Dreamline
12. Far Cry
13. Workin' Them Angels
14. Armor and Sword

Disc 2
1. Spindrift
2. The Way the Wind Blows
3. Subdivisions
4. Natural Science
5. Witch Hunt
6. Malignant Narcissism - Drum Solo
7. Hope
8. Distant Early Warning
9. The Spirit of Radio
10. Tom Sawyer
11. Encore
12. One Little Victory
13. A Passage to Bangkok
14. YYZ

Pre-Order your copy today from Amazon.Com.

And don't forget - the Grammy Awards take place this weekend. Rush is nominated for best rock instrumental for the song Malignant Narcissism. Best of luck to the band!

Snakes & Arrows Live, the 2-CD set recorded during the 2007 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour will be released on April 8th of this year. The album is now available for pre-order via Amazon.Com.

Snakes & Arrows Live will be the seventh live album released by Rush during their long and prosperous career. Later in 2008, a 2-DVD set is also expected to be released which would chronicle the band's 2-night performance in the Ahoy Rotterdam arena in the Netherlands.

Also in the words is a DVD documentary on the band which is also expected to be released later this year. All in all, another good year for Rush releases.

The third round of pre-sales for the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour is set for this Tuesday, February 5th at 10:00am through MusicToday.

The 2008 installment of Rush's Snakes & Arrows Tour kicks off April 13. Don't miss your chance to reserve some of the best seats in the house - Round 3 of a special Rush.com pre-sale begins Tuesday, February 5th.

Each pre-sale window is three days, and only the cities/dates listed below are available for pre-sale on February 5th, with more pre-sales added each week.

Round 3 Pre-sale Cities
04/20/08 Houston, TX @ Woodlands Pavilion
04/23/08 Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
04/25/08 Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Center
04/26/08 Oklahoma City, OK @ Ford Center
05/04/08 Concord, CA @ Sleep Train Pavilion
05/20/08 Moline IL @ iwireless Ctr (formerly Mark of The Quad)
05/31/08 Seattle, WA @ The Gorge Amphitheatre
06/01/08 Portland, OR @ Clark County Ampitheatre
06/03/08 Boise, ID @ Idaho Center
06/14/08 Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
06/25/08 Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Amphitheater
06/30/08 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
07/02/08 Pittsburgh PA @ Post Gazette Amphitheater
07/04/08 Atlantic City, NJ @ TRUMP TAJ MAHAL/TAJ ARENA
07/05/08 Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
07/17/08 Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium

Click here for pre-sale information and to register in advance for faster site access.

With the pre-sales well underway for the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour and a new, live double-CD just a few months away from being released, new Rush activity has been steaming right along in the new year. Outside of the tour and live album news, there have been some other notably events...

• Prog Rock Band "Tiles" Releases Fly Paper: The Detroit-based Progressive Rock Band Tiles has just released their tenth album, entitled Fly Paper. The album includes a guest appearance by none other than Alex Lifeson who added his musical mastery to the track "Sacred and Mundane". The album was also produced by longtime Rush producer and friend Terry Brown. Finally, the album's artwork was created by Hugh Syme; the genius behind the artwork adorning nearly all of Rush's albums. This is an album worth checking out. Check out the band's website or order the album via this link.

• Love Is In The Air: With Valentine's Day just around the corner, why not get that special Rush person in your life some custom made, Rush-inspired jewelry this year? Katy from Between Sun & Moon Jewelry is once again offering a special deal for Cygnus-X1.Net readers. Get free priority shipping any order of $30.00 or more when using the promotional code of CYGNUS. Between Sun & Moon's unique jewelry is handmade by a fellow Rush fan, and all of the pieces are inspired by Rush and named from their lyrics. Plus you get FREE gift wrapping and a personal gift card message.

To take advantage of this order, simply place your order before Monday, February 11th. Thanks to Katy for offering up this promotion to our readers.

• Working Man now available on Rock Band: The hit video game "Rock Band", which included a cover of Tom Sawyer and later offered up a download for Limelight now has "Working Man" available for the game as well. You can order the game via this link or read more information about the Working Man download here.

• Rush in Anime: Reader Rolf Hawkins sent me a screen capture from a Japanese Anime movie from the "Freedom Project" series. In Volume six of the series, the main character of the episode wears a space suit with an Apollo 18 mission patch. The patch has the names "Lee • Lifeson • Peart" embroidered on it. Check out the screen capture by clicking HERE. Pretty cool :)

Rush.Com has just announced the second round of the Snakes & Arrows 2008 ticket pre-sale.

The 2008 installment of Rush's Snakes & Arrows Tour kicks off April 13. Don't miss your chance to reserve some of the best seats in the house - Round 2 of a special Rush.com pre-sale begins Tuesday, January 29th.

Each pre-sale window is three days, and only the cities/dates listed below are available for pre-sale on January 29th, with more pre-sales added each week.

Round 2 Pre-sale Cities
4/11/2008 San Juan, PR @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico
4/13/2008 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Bank Atlantic Center
4/15/2008 Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
4/17/2008 Jacksonville, FL @ Jacsonville Arena
4/29/2008 Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
5/06/2008 Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre
5/11/2008 Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
6/09/2008 Chicago, IL @ United Center
6/15/2008 Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center
6/27/2008 Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
7/11/2008 Manchester, NH @ Verizon Arena
7/12/2008 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/14/2008 Wantagh, @ NY Jones Beach

Click here for pre-sale information and to register in advance for faster site access.

I have some sad news to report today. I just learned that long-time friend and band liaison/publicist Shelley Nott lost her battle with cancer last week. A close friend of Shelley's advised me of the news and had this to say about Shelley:

She was deemed as the "artist liaison" - but was actually a true and personal friend of the band . Shelley battled with cancer - and during such times -- was always an optimistically beautiful spirit. She will be missed.

Shelley was listed in the liner notes of such Rush albums as Snakes & Arrows, Vapor Trails, Rush in Rio, Feedback, Different Stages and Geddy's solo album My Favorite Headache.

From her obituary

NOTT, Shelley
Peacefully passed away on January 19, 2008. Loving wife of Rich Vineyard. Beloved daughter of Marilyn, Robbie and Larry. Sadly missed by Alex Chen, Aunt Helen, Uncle John, Lori and Steve and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Shelley will also be greatly missed by RUSH, Ray, Nancy, Sheila and all her friends and associates in the entertainment industry. Family and friends are invited to YORK VISITATION CHAPEL & RECEPTION CENTRE, 160 Beecroft Rd. (1 blk north of Sheppard, 1 blk west of Yonge) 416-221-3404 on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 for a visitation from 12:00 p.m.- 1:00 p.m. A celebration on Shelley's life will be held at 1:00 p.m. A reception will follow. In memory of Shelley, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society. A private family burial will take place at a later date.

As indicated in her obituary, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society may be made to honor Shelley's memory.

Please join me in sending your thoughts and prayers to Shelley's family and friends during this difficult time.

"Suddenly you were gone. From all the lives you left your mark upon..."

Rush.Com sent out a newsletter update last night with some additional information on the tour, news about Rush's official MySpace page and more. From the newsletter:

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Don't forget, public on-sales for New Orleans, Reno, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver and Detroit will happen THIS Saturday January 26th, 2008. Check www.rush.com or www.ticketmaster.com for more details.
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
More on-sale dates will be announced at www.rush.com in the next couple of days. Make sure to stay tuned to the website for more details!
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The official RUSH myspace page will launch its new look starting Friday, January 25th. Check in at www.myspace.com/officialrush
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The Rush Backstage Club has a sale on Snakes & Arrows 2007 t-shirts. Many of these styles will be discontinued in early April before the new tour begins. Get them now while you can! www.rushbackstage.com
*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

To receive the Rush Newsletter, simply fill out the form at this link.

More exciting news surrounding the 2008 Snakes & Arrows tour. Music Today is sponsoring a contest for those who pre-order tickets and the new Snakes & Arrows Live Double-CD from their site. Here are the details:

RUSH Presale Registration Instructions

1. Visit the RUSH Presale Website and enter your email address in the box where it says "Enter Email Address"

2. You will receive an e-mail from Tix@musictoday.com entitled "Rush Fan Community Email Validation." Open this e-mail and visit the validation link included in the e-mail.

3. You will then be redirected from the validation e-mail link back to the RUSH Presale Website. The registration for presale tickets is now complete (Note: You will have to enter your e-mail address again during a later step in the process to purchase tickets.)

All fans who purchase RUSH pre-sale TICKETS in addition to pre-ordering the Double Live CD OR T-shirt Combo will be entered into the RUSH Snakes & Arrows Contest!!!

* Grand prize winners will receive a Meet-and-Greet opportunity for the winner and one guest in the city where tickets were purchased. Every city will have one meet and greet winner!

* 5 First Prize winners will receive a HARD COVER TOUR BOOK, comprising of every RUSH tour program from 1977-2004. The book will be personally autographed to the winners by the band. In addition, each of these 5 winners will receive a Meet-and-Greet opportunity for the winner and one guest in the city where tickets were purchased.

Expect many more Pre-Sale Ticket announcements for other cities over the course of the next few weeks. We'll have the latest announcements right here at Cygnus-X1.Net.

Rush.Com announced today that the first round of the fan club pre-sales through Music Today begins tomorrow, Tuesday, January 22nd. Only a handful of the dates will be reflected in this initial per-sale event. You must have a registered account with MusicToday to participate in the pre-sale, so register today to avoid any potential delays. Additional information regarding future pre-sale events will be available at both the Music Today and Rush.Com sites, as well as Cygnus-X1.Net once available.

American Express card holders will also have an opportunity to participate in a special pre-sale event. Click HERE for more information on the Amex Pre-Sale event.

Update: Rush.Com has issued a press release and listed out the 48 tour dates for the 2008 Leg of the Snakes & Arrows World Tour.

RUSH
SNAKES & ARROWS - LIVE!

RUSH TOUR 2008 - Dates, cities and venues confirmed

TORONTO, ON - January 18, 2008:

After a hugely successful 2007 tour, the fans have spoken and they want more. Rush officially announce dates for their extended 2008 Snakes & Arrows World Tour. The tour will kick off with their first ever appearance in San Juan, Puerto Rico April 11 and hit over 45 cities throughout the United States and Canada. For Rush fans this will be the first time in over a decade the band will make stops in Orlando, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Reno, Moline, Boise, Austin, Jacksonville and Winnipeg to name a few. Also for the first time in years the band will play Albuquerque, Edmonton, Vancouver, Hershey and Manchester.

The 2008 tour dates and venues are listed below. Tickets for New Orleans, Reno, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver and Detroit go on sale SATURDAY JANUARY 26.
American Express Cardmembers will also have the opportunity to purchase advance tickets January 26th through February 1st for Rush performances in Boston; Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Holmdel, Wantagh and January 27th through February 2nd in Los Angeles and Irvine. In addition there will be a MUSICTODAY fan club presale for all Rush performances in conjunction with RUSH.COM starting January 22 through January 24.

A SNAKES AND ARROWS LIVE CD will be released sometime in April. Details are forthcoming. In addition, the track "Malignant Narcissism" from the band's 2007 release "SNAKES & ARROWS" (Anthem/Atlantic) has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Fans will experience the technical virtuosity and hard-rocking compositions they have come to expect from Rush members, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. In addition the band will update their set list for the 2008 tour.

The Rush tour in North America is produced by Live Nation Global Touring and SRO/Anthem.

For complete tour & ticket information, fan club presales and more, visit: www.rush.com & www.livenation.com

You can view all of the tourdates in the Tour Dates Section of the site.

Gibson Guitars annouced that it will be showcasing over 15 models at its exhibit at Winter NAMM 2008 in Anaheim, California, which is running from January 17th through the 20th. One of the featured models is an Alex Lifeson Signature Gibson ES-355 VOS.

Throughout most of Alex Lifeson's ride to superstardom with the super group Rush, a 1976 Gibson ES-355 had been by his side, both in the studio and on stage. With it, he had created many of Rush's breathtaking layered soundscapes, and the very same ES-355 continues to be an indispensable part of his live arsenal. The Gibson Custom Shop Alex Lifeson Signature ES -355 guitar is a recreation of this iconic instrument and a tribute for a true modern master, and guitar he used to expand the definition of popular music.

You can read more about Gibson's lineup at the Winter NAMM via this LINK.

Within the next couple of days, Rush should formally announce the dates for the 2008 leg of the Snakes & Arrows tour.

2008 will see Rush tour in over 40 cities throughout the United States and Canada making stops in many where they haven't performed in well over a decade including: Orlando, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Austin, Jacksonville and Winnipeg to name a few. Along the way, Rush will play new venues in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Seattle and will revisit some familiar ones in Boston, Washington and Charlotte amongst others. Rush fans can look forward to a complete tour announcement in mid January. As details develop more information will be made available at www.rush.com and www.livenation.com.

Information regarding a pre-sale will also be made available alongside the dates. More to come!

Back by popular demand, the Rush Backstage Club is now selling the infamous Rush Bobblehead dolls again.

The Bobbles are back! Due to overwhelming demand, we have brought back the Rush Bobblehead Dolls. These dolls are polyresin ceramic, which is the highest quality bobblehead on the market. Measuring 7" high (approx. 18cm), these dolls have heads that bobble back and forth, kinda like seeing the guys on stage! Each set consists of three dolls (Geddy, Alex, and Neil) in a custom printed RUSH box. These were designed with a "vintage" Rush in mind, from the time when the band wore chinese robes, played double neck guitars, and Neil had the most amazing moustache in rock music. These bobbleheads are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

The complete set is selling for $59.99 USD and can be ordered via this LINK.

The Permanent Waves Ultradisc II™ 24 KT Gold CD by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs is now available and can be order from Amazon.Com via this LINK.

According to Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, the limited-edition disc comes with a gold stamped number and is housed in a heavy stock cardboard CD jacket which faithfully replicates the original vinyl album packaging and artwork.

And for your vinyl aficionados, Mobile Fidelity also released a 180 gram vinyl edition of Permanent Waves which can be ordered HERE.

The makers of