Missed that, but caught them on the Synchronicity Tour..an epic night, to say the least.( The concert, Daiquiri Factory, #'s, afterhours)
Wow, pre-Syncronicity. That must have been AMAZING... I was too young, but thank god for Youtube... One of the many Rush shows I saw at The Summit, we camped out for tickets but still could only manage upper prom on the side of the stage. . I think it was the Grace Under Pressure tour when we were on the side of the stage and saw them enter the backstage area. We started yelling at Alex and he looked right at us and waved seconds before the lights went down. Never forget it.
From my recollection, Rush came through Houston on the Texxas Jam billing for Grace Under Pressure at the Astrodome. I saw them there in...I think...'85. Did Rush play the Summit on their own headlining tour for Grace Under Pressure? Or, did you see them at the Astrodome where you caught them heading to the stage? Perhaps it was another tour? The only Rush tour I ever missed (since Grace...which was my first Rush concert) was Vapor Trails in 2003. I still kick myself for missing that one because that was their comeback from Neil's tragedies after he lost his daughter and wife in the span of a year (1998 - 1999). After he lost his daughter and then wife, he went on that 50k mile motorbike trek across North America and Mexico. Somewhere along the way (in California), he met his next wife (Carrie Nuttall) and remarried in 2000 I believe. A photographer named Andrew MacNaughtan, who was basically a fan who somehow got lucky endearing himself to the band and doing photography work for them, introduced Neil and Carrie on a hunch they would click. Andrew used to sell prints that the band members would autograph (I bought one and it hangs in my bedroom). Andrew tragically died a bit later. Neil got some grief from his first wife's family as they barked he moved on too soon after her death. I think Neil's response was he had to grieve and move on. Then, he came back to the band. I'm not sure which Rush tour was the one I was referencing before. It was Roll The Bones, Presto, or Counterparts. Not sure which one. I think it was Presto where they had those ridiculous huge inflatable bunny rabbits on each side of the stage that were head banging during "Tom Sawyer". As far as camping out, I never got good seats camping out. Best I probably got was lower prom in the back away from the stage. One time...I was like fifth in line and still ended up back of the floor or some ****. The only time I ever got really good seats where I didn't go through a scalping agency or paid for VIP package was the Rush R30 tour. As soon as pre-sale tickets went on sale, I was first one in online by some miracle and ended up with front row right in front of Geddy Lee. He had no choice but to look at me and my brother's mugs all show long as we were right in front of his keyboard setup. We all had a good laugh when he first came out and acknowledged us at the beginning of the show during the R30 medley. In all the concerts I've seen, I think the best I had ever ended up was 9th row floor in a VIP package deal aside from that one where I got front row. But, back in the 80s, it was so much easier to get a decent ticket from a scalping agency as the prices weren't so out of control back then. A bud and I typically always got lower prom on the side for a reasonable mark-up for many shows in the 80s. The 80s was by far the best decade for rock concerts as they were announced left and right on 101 FM KLOL...always coming in and so many bands were relevant. Yea...buying tickets sucks.
My Dad's business connections used to get us floor seats to Rockets games all the time. I remember clearly that the seats were $85 each to sit on the floor. We went to a dozen games between 1991 and 1994 in those seats. Then they started raising prices and those seats became the first row in the stands (still outstanding), then floor seats behind the basket (also outstanding). They then moved about halfway up the first level (good, but not amazing). The last seats they had were first row of the second deck, which if you remember in the Summit, the second deck hung way down over the first deck, so you were still pretty close to the court (completely unlike the Toyota Center).
My friend's Mom worked as a secretary for an executive at Pepsi. All the tickets she got were suite tickets (e.g. the ZZ Top show I attended). Also, saw an Astros game from a suite at the Astrodome where we were told we were drinking too much of the beer...which was free. We didn't drink that much. LOL
The Circus every year till there was no more. From 1973 till the end, I never missed a year. I would come back to Houston if needed. The day was spent leading up to curtain call getting autographs from the clowns. The showmanship and once in a life time opportunity to see things. (Or until next the year they came). Although it’s no more, the train and life style of the performers still fascinates me today. Everyone working multiple jobs to make manic magic happen in a controlled environment. Families generation after generation. To entertain a crowd on some random day. One of two sometimes three shows in a day. How long can they maintain the the journey and when they are done what transferable skills do they have? How much money do they really make to jump through hoops of fire while riding on the back of a tiger; while their cousin is being shot out of a cannon narrowly missing their aunt doing a forbidden triple flip on the trapeze? truly good times.
Nope. I remember Power Windows very well. I was on lower prom on the right curve in the back. There was this usher that was supposed to be working. And, he was totally putting on a show in the aisle on the steps between sections totally rocking out jumping up and down. It was hilarious. This guy was a tall stick. Also, Rush sold out the first show and so they did a second show that was basically around half full (the show I was at)...Jan 15 - 16, 1986.
Were you at the Primus (opened) / Rush show in Austin at the Erwin Center with us? We were totally baked so forgive me for not remembering. I know "Sperm" was there because he was a big Primus fan.
I honestly don't remember what tour it was except that I was in high school and it was at the Summit. That would have been mid 80's. Maybe 87 or 88 so perhaps Power Windows or Hold Your Fire? I just remember we were finally old enough to drive ourselves. And it was when they opened up with the theme from Loony Tunes and went straight into the Spirit of Radio.
It was Power Windows on Jan 15/16, 1986. We might have been at the same show. Hold Your Fire...they dropped red balloons on the floor at the end of the show. You would have remembered that. Power Windows is the only tour in the vicinity that opened with the Three Stooges and TSOR.
First concert for me at the Summit was The Who in November of '75. Saw Aerosmith in late June of 1977, Dave Mason and Kenny Loggins in September, and Queen on December 11 of that year. In '78, went to a great concert just before the 4th that opened with AC/DC, then Journey, followed by Aerosmith. Wow! Went to see ELO in September, then Dylan on November 26th, and Springsteen in December. Good year for the Summit. In 1979, Eric Clapton and Muddy Waters on April 9th, Willie Nelson and Leon Russell in early August. Late March of 1980, went to see Jimmy Buffett, Bob Seger in April, ZZ Top in May. Moved to Austin at the beginning of June, but came back to see The Who, Queen, and Springsteen, because they all played on weekends. After that it took a lot to get me to see a concert in Houston, unless it was at the Music Hall, always my favorite venue, obviously not counting clubs like the Catacombs, Love Street, or Liberty Hall. Example of a Music Hall bill, circa 1969: Spoiler
That's awesome you got to see Queen live. I wish I could have seen them. I still remember back in 1980 when "Another One Bites The Dust" came out on a 45 RPM record. We wore that record out on the turntable. Looking back...I don't understand why it was that particular Queen song that sent everyone into a frenzy but it was hugely popular. In fact, I was never really a Queen fan before that song. It would have been nice to see The Who and Eric Clapton in concert back in the day but never did. I saw Aerosmith a few times in the 80s at The Summit when they were strung out on heroin. Those were mostly forgettable shows. I hated Aerosmith live. It's like they were mailing it in back then. Their playing was sloppy.
