Rush 2026-09-25 San Antonio - Frost Bank Center

Sigh.

The first time I saw Rush was on the Power Windows Tour in 1986.  They made an impression.

I saw them during the Hold Your Fire Tour in 1988.

I saw them during the Presto Tour in 1990.

The Roll the Bones Tour in 1992.

And Counterparts in 1994.

And then ... nothing.  Test for Echo landed in 1996, Vapor Trails in 1992, Snakes and Arrows in 2007 and Clockwork Angels in 2012.  I fell off the radar.  Or Rush fell off mine.

Rush did Rio ... and I thought they would always be there when I was ready to return.

And then, Neil died.

When I heard that Rush was going to tour with a replacement drummer i expect my reaction was not dissimilar to many Rush fans.  I wasn't sure how to feel about it.  Rush is a trio.  If it was a member of The Allman Brothers Band passing away and being replaced.  They carried like 15 regular players or something.  But in a trio?  And a trio with arguable the most iconic member being replaced?  Would it be worth it?

When the tour launched there were no Houston dates.  The only Texas dates were in Fort Worth.  I decided we could make it a two day event, staying at the grandparents overnight after the show.  Deege was not interested in going so I got 5 tickets to one of the last Fort Worth dates.  Then I noticed that this date was happening when Brenna and I would be at summer camp with the kids from The Creek student ministry.  I didn't consider that a problem as I thought I could easily sell the tickets online, last minute and "probably" make money on them anyway.  I bought tickets for a date earlier in their Fort Worth stop that would allow Brenna and I to get back to Houston in time to get to camp.

Actually,

In the Vivid Seats App (on Diedre's account), on Oct 17, 2025 I ordered 5 tickets for the 6/30/2026 show in Fort Worth.  IIRC I sent these tickets to the girls and they accepted them.  Total cost $2685.74 (Order #76192943 Section 107 Row 21 Seats 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).  This show would eventually get rescheduled to (I am unsure of this:  a date in early July that I am unsure of and then rescheduled again (because Geddy got laryngitis)) to 7/11/2026. I would be in Guatemala on that date.  But I figured I could sell these tickets anyway.  We were on our way to Fort Worth on 6/24 when we found out this show was cancelled and would be rescheduled.  the reason the show was cancelled was because the band made it to Forth Worth but not their equipment - it got hung up in customs or something.  We wound up visiting the in-laws anyway.  I see that I transferred these tickets to the girls on 10/17/2025.  

On 11/16/2025 I figured out the timing problem.  I went back to Vivid Seats App and purchased 5 more tickets for the 6/24/2026 show (Order 76675530 Section 114 Row 19 Seats 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 for $2041.54).  This would allow us to catch the band on 6/24, stay the night, drive back to Houston on 6/25 and leave for camp on 6/26.  But this show which would get rescheduled to 7/2/2026 due to Ged's Laryngitis and then eventually 7/13, again, when Dan would be in Guatemala.  I believe these were the tickets that I lost.  I also bought parking on 11/18/2025 for $46.17 Order #76709744.

Talking to Vivid Seats for their failure to deliver the purchased tickets resulted in no action.  Talking to Ticketmaster about their failure to pay me for the tickets I sold on their platform did not result in any action.  All told I spent over $1000 per person to see Rush and purchased 3 complete sets of tickets but only used one set.

Anyway.

We grabbed dinner at Mi Tierra in the Market Square and then sent to the venue - Frost Bank Center.  I had never been there but Google maps got us there roughly on time.  The line to get in was fairly long and it took a while to clear security but we made it to our seats by about 7:30 p.m., which was when the show was scheduled to start but everyone knew it would be 8:00 p.m..  Autumn had to lose her wallet chain at security - they would not allow her to bring it in.

We found our seats and waited for the show to start.  During intermission Cil went and got a t-shirt and a poster.  Nobody else was into the merch.  Even I skipped it.  Nothing looked appealing.  

The show started with a video that was billed as "Xanadudes".  It was cringe and according to Autumn, destroyed the entire vibe of the evening.  But it was classic Rush.  They opened with Xanadu.  There was a Neil tribute video that was well done.  According to Grok, this was the set list:

Intro video (Xanadudes)

• Xanadu
• Dreamline
• Subdivisions
• Headlong Flight
• Bravado (Neil Peart tribute)
• Red Sector A
• La Villa Strangiato
• A Farewell to Kings
• New World Man
• The Spirit of Radio

Set 2

• Tom Sawyer (with Lil’ Rush / South Park-style intro)
• Red Barchetta
• YYZ
• Limelight
• The Camera Eye (Loren Gold piano intro)
• Witch Hunt
• Vital Signs
• Time Stand Still (Neil Peart tribute)
• Closer to the Heart
• 2112 (Overture / Temples of Syrinx / Grand Finale)

Encore

• By-Tor and the Snow Dog
• Working Man
• Outro video (Jason Segel and Paul Rudd reprise)

The only song I had not heard was "Headlong Flight".  It seemed to me that Geddy took a little more time than usual between songs to talk about stuff.  I noticed that the band did not use much of the footage form their videos in the presentation that night.  Rush music videos were notoriously cheesy.  But there was something to them that always resonated.  Subdivisions is a good example of something I wish they had incorporated into the stage show.

Rush hired a keyboard player for the tour.  This allowed Geddy to focus on bass and vocals.  I guess he got tired of multi-tasking night after night on tour.  Anika did a decent job.  To their credit the band did not belabor the whole "replacing Neil" thing.  When they showed Anika you could see the concentration etched on her face.  Neil had a similar look when he played, but there did appear to be a difference.  But at no point did I hear myself noticing a significant drop off.  I have to assume some did - either real or imagined.  

During the Encore they also played a mini-tribute to John Rutsey.  Which was nice to see.  Rutsey passed away in 2008.

We left and drove back to Houston.  We pulled into the driveway at about 1:35 - I made about 25 minutes by speeding most of the way home.  Which was sort of my way of paying I-10 back for the stop-and-go conditions on the way to San Antonio.

Sitting in Frost Bank Center, hearing that music, made me feel like a kid again.  I think my three oldest daughters were humoring me, but they genuinely seemed to enjoy themselves.  When Rush played "La Villa Strangiato" they would turn to gauger my reaction.  When they played Limelight, they would turn.  When they played just about anything, my girls seemed to want to know that I approved and was enjoying myself ... with them ... at a Rush show.

All of the girls liked what they saw and were glad we went.  I was sort of dreading the show but in the end it was a reminder of something that I have lost as I am getting older - that sense of wonder in music.  I barely listen to music anymore.  It just does not land the way it used to.  but something stirred as I was sitting there.  I suppose, that will always be the case. 

On Sunday I asked my 7th grade boys and my 12th grade men if they had ever heard of the rock band Rush.  Not a single one had.  I am an anachronism.  But at least I am an anachronism with great musical taste.

2023/07/25 Fall Out Boy in Tampa

 Great concert.  Great concert!

My wife made me promise to take her and my youngest on a vacation once I completed my MBA.  Erin (my youngest) decided that Fort Lauderdale was our destination.  At some point she realized that Fall Out Boy was going to be in concert in Tampa while we were in Fort Lauderdale.  Erin bought tickets after telling me that it was about 30 minutes from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa.  She was wrong.  It is actually about 4 HOURS.

We were in Fort Lauderdale and needed to get to Tampa, Florida.  We had to rent a car.  It was my understanding that, when renting a car, you always choose the economy option because the rental company WILL run out of the economy option and have to up grade you for free.  I wound up getting a bright red Dodge Charger.  KEK.

We left at noon and had a HECK of a time getting into the venue.  We wound up being about 20 minutes late for the opening act.  I cannot recall their name ... because they were the opening act ... I suppose.

We managed to get a great parking space (close to the exit) and once we got to our seats, Erin and I went to the merch line ... which was about 1.5 hours long at that time.  I got into line and sent Erin to get water for us.  The kid in front of me was an excessively short young lady named "V".  Turns out, V was from Cypress in Houston!  She was a college student in the Northeast - the 5th or 6th child in a 12-child Irish-Catholic family.  She was in line to get a sweatshirt for the opening band (whose name I forgot).  I wound up putting her charge on my card because she only had cash and the merch station only took credit cards ... raging against the machine indeed.

When Erin came back with water I walked over to the merch line at the other end of the venue.  I made the mistake of trying to go to the other side of the concert venue by walking across the general admittance area.  It was PACKED.  And only to find that the other merch line was lust as stacked as the one near the entrance.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Erin and I got matching shirts (and 1 for Cil seeing as her birthday was coming up).  We managed to get back to our seats 30 minutes before FOB took the stage.  Of course, the shirts were ridiculously expensive.  Erin has great taste apparently ...

It was hot.  We purchased some canned "Death Water" and took our seats to see the end of "Bring the Horizon".  The crowd was enthusiastic for these young men.

Fall Out Boy was fantastic!  I lost sight of the length of their impressive catalog and found myself surprised numerous times by the set list.  FOB managed to play plenty of their hits, plenty of the new stuff and even had an impressive set of their "old school" stuff that was enhanced by careful staging direction that brought the enormous arena back to a "small concert venue feel".  Just very cool.

There was no encore.  But the concert was long and satisfying.  Erin wanted to see "Dance, Dance".  I was there more for "Disloyal Order of the Water Buffalo".  We both left satisfied.

It was a long ride back to Fort Lauderdale, but we made it thanks to Apple Music and their "Top Songs" for ... yes, you guessed it ... Fall Out Boy.

Erin is the coolest.  We had a blast.  It was a great idea to drive 4 hours to Tampa to experience this together.  It was a unique bonding experience.

1986/01/16 Rush: Power Windows

1/16/1986 - Rush:  Power Windows Tour - The Summit, Houston Texas

This was the concert.  This was the concert that turned me into a rabid Rush fan.  To this day I still like Power Windows more than the typical Rush fan from my day because the typical Rush fan from my day cut their teeth on "Moving Pictures".  I was always late to the game when it came to music.  Took my cues from Chuck - he seemed to know what he was doing.  I think Fred wasn't too big of a Power Windows fan but I eventually turned him.  I can recall wondering why everyone was cheering when, during the bridge of "The Manhattan Project" they showed nuclear explosions on screen.  I thought that strange.  Still do.  It makes no sense.  It is a somber sort of thing.  Still, great show.

2019-09-22 Iron Maiden at the Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pavilion

It was a great show!  I was glad I went.  I bought tickets for Mike and TJ and I took Brenna and Autumn. 

2015/11/16 All Time Low/Sleeping With Sirens: Back to the Future Hearts Tour

I attended the Oct 16, 2015 showing of the All Time Low/Sleeping with Sirens - Back to the Future Hearts Tour.  This is my account of what happened.  My daughters did not know that I went.  I bought them tickets first and then later bought myself one.  So I wasn't going to keep an eye on them as much as be there if something went wrong.

Going to this concert was not entirely voluntary on my part but it is also true that it wasn't something I was completely against.  In my younger days I was JoeConcertGoer and attended a wide variety of shows.  I actually still have the ticket stubs.  That's either pathetic or lazy - but check this out - I have credentials!  So, my opinion matters right?  I've been to a lot of concerts.  I can teach all these kids about rock n roll.

The show started at 6 PM - We left around 4:45 and got there around 5:30.  There was already a long line so I dropped the girls at the entrance and parked the car.  It occurred to me as I was walking to the venue to see them in that they had left the tickets I printed for them in the car.  Fortunately, my wife had also printed the tickets off and they had those tickets.  I got to the entrance just as they were going in.  The only person that had any money was Brenna so I gave Autumn $30 to share with Cil (it was all I had) and told them to have a good time.

I walked around a bit and at 5 till 6:00 I went in and took my seat in the mezzanine, all the while trying to be careful to avoid detection by my daughters.

Blending in like a ninja.

The floor was just an open space - no chairs.  Which I agree is the best way to rock, but makes me nervous as a father of young daughters at their first concert.  The sound was decent but I was having trouble identifying songs from SWS and ATL that I knew.  It was all drums, bass and vocals.  Any keys and guitars were just for flavor.  Clearly in modern pop-punk the instruments are just there to back the vocals.  But the venue was a solid venue.  The seat was comfortable and I had some elbow room so I settled in for what I didn't know at the time would be a 4.5 hour concert.  Sitting a couple of seats down was another father like myself.  The place was about half full when the first band took the stage.  I put in my ear plugs ....

The first band was Neck Deep.  Now, I wouldn't have known these fellows from Adam so my review here is from that perspective.  Having said that, I was impressed.  The opening band just doesn't get any help, you know?  No props, house lights, and a crowd that is waiting for you to finish your set so they can see the punchline.  But, the energy was there, the effort was there.  I appreciated it ... but it is also true that I also fell asleep toward the end of the set.  Some young lady had to tap me on the leg to wake me up so she could get by me and let me tell you - there is just no way to recover and look cool when you've been caught napping during the opening act.

 ... waa .. I wasn't sleeping! ...

I managed to stay awake from that point on.  Kellen from SWS came onstage to do a tune with Neck Deep.  I could tell it was Kellen not because I recognize him but because of the excited squeals from the teenage girl contingent (which was well represented at this show).

20 minutes and Neck Deep exits - a 10 minute intermission to get One OK Rock setup and they started playing their set.  The place seemed to still be about half full.  Nothing to report here.  I did notice that they got a little more stage space than Neck Deep and they got to use a couple of small backdrops which looked like album covers.  I had never heard or seen these guys before and I did not realize they actually are Japanese until I just now looked up their website.  As was the case with Neck Deep I have to give it to these guys - they gave it the old college try.  Having played to enough lethargic crowds in my life I can't help but love it when they make the most of what they have to work with.  Neck Deep and One OK had no props - they had themselves.  And that was enough.  They put a lot into it.

The intermission before Sleeping With Sirens was about 30 minutes.  They had a fairly elaborate setup.  It was an impressive light show an it was interesting to note the different body language between the openers and the main acts.  SWS and ATL did not move around as much.  They let the light show create the energy and carry the enthusiasm.  Not that is was boring at all but it was clearly a different dynamic.

IIRC SWS opened with "Kick Me" and went into "Do it Now, Remember it Later" - which were obvious choices and as I mentioned before I would not have recognized it had I not heard the vocal hooks.  The bands were not good at reproducing their recorded sound - at least not in this venue.  Yes, Yes, they were not necessarily trying to reproduce their recorded sound - I know.

A couple songs into the set I was shocked to see SWS do a drum solo - of all things.  I believe that was the only break Kellen took.  He was out there for the lion's share of the time.  Which is particularly important because I know my girls wanted to see him.

The chorus was in full voice.  These girls were singing along with most of these songs and Kellen, to his credit, was letting them be heard.  Their acoustic set was well done to the point of being impressive.  These guys knew how to perform and were comfortable carrying their songs all by themselves, letting the crowd help, letting the lights help and then ... helping Neck Deep.  Their rendition of "The Strays" came across as believable and it left you wanting more.

At one point, early in the show, Kellen took a break to talk to everyone and give them a pep talk.  He talked about growing up in a repressed town in which he was called names.  He told the kids to never give in, never give up, never apologize for who you are, etc.  I do not doubt it was from the heart but I couldn't get past the fact that it sounded like a script written by their corporate sponsors.  It just fit their image too well.  However, despite my jaded perspective I knew that Kellen was likely talking directly to my daughters and he likely made a huge impact.  And I thank him for that.  His message made the mistake of being a little impetuous but that's the life of a teenager.

I know they did "If You Can't Hang".  The rest of the songs I struggled to recognize.  And I did not even realize they had acoustic songs to do so that was a pleasant surprise and a welcome change of pace.  Their tunes tend to be a little relentless.

Another 30 minute intermission and All Time Low was taking the stage around 9:02 I think it was - to a packed house.  Their opener was "Backseat Serenade" and one of the things that marked these guys was deliberate intention to connect with the crowd.  In the middle of this tune one of the guys on mic said something like "You guys enjoying this song?"  All Time Low and Sleeping with Sirens had what I felt like was a dangerous lack of regard for pacing, transition and momentum.  Their was a lot of talking between tunes.  At one point the lead singer brought some kid up on stage to "put him on the spot" and have him play guitar with the band.  It had to be staged because the kid was great and even took liberties to run around on stage and ham it up with other band members.  Before they could get him off the stage the kid grabbed a mic an told everyone how a former ATL concert inspired him to play music.  Of course, the crowd ate it up as I am sure did my daughters.  But the kid did a great job.

Another surprising thing was ATL's acoustic set.  It was charming.  They played "Missing You" and my third daughter's favorite from the night "Cinderblock Garden".  After the first acoustic tune the singer gave the audience the chance to pick the next song: "Remembering Sunday" or "Therapy".  The crowd went with Therapy and loved it.

The jaded part of ATL for me was the intro to "Missing You" - which is a song about suicide I think.  But yeah, the singer said something to the effect of "everyone in this community has your back" or some other nonsense.  Total drivel, but it played as expected.

I left early (of course).  I bought four t-shirts for $120 and I waited outside so I missed the best part of ATL.  I'm sure they played Kids in the Dark and all that.  But the girls came out and they looked excited.  My third daughter looked exhausted but she was halfway through a Rockstar and told me it was "SO FUN".  I gave them their shirts and we talked a bit.  I had a hard time not telling them I had seen the show but I drilled them with questions on what they liked and what they thought was the best.  "Cinderblock Garden" and "Kick Me" went over well.  Jack is the best guitar player and it was a split decision on who was cutest:  Kellen or Jack.

It was mostly a quiet ride home.  I suppose the high was wearing off and they were all feeling the long night.  We made it home and the girls talked to mom for a bit.  We didn't do much the following day.  Just took it easy.  I noticed my second and third daughters wore the shirts I got them.

As a dad I think things went well.  I want my daughters to feel like they have a good life.  I want them to be proud of me as a provider and know that I am fun enough to know that being a provider is more than just about bare sustenance.  It should be about joy and finding a way to share what they enjoy as much possible as lately seem to be drawing away from my wife and I way too quickly.  Music is something my family should share as long as it can so I express my heartfelt gratitude to those young men of Neck Deep, One OK Rock, Sleeping with Sirens and All Time Low.  Thank you boys!

2017-11-24 All Time Low - Tree Lighting in Bee Cave Texas

Quick note:  on the day after Thanksgiving my wife always wants to go do something.  She mentions this to Autumn and Autumn finds out that one of her favorite bands (All Time Low) is playing at an outdoor tree lighting in Bee Cave Texas at the Hill Country Galleria.  We decided to go even though Autumn has seen these guys at least 4 times over the past two years.

We live in Houston and Bee Cave is on the west side of Austin.  So to get there for the 7:00 PM concert we would need to be traversing Austin on what would likely be US 71 on a Friday afternoon.  Anyone will tell you that is no fun.  And it wasn't.  But we made it and Autumn had front row seats for the event because we got there at about 4 PM after the requisite stop at the Bastrop Bucee's.

The event was hosted by a local radio station.  The tree lighting started at 6:30 PM and they made it last about 30 minutes.  It was painful and dorky.  I missed it because during that time I ran over to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought some stadium blankets for the ladies (it was cold).

All Time Low played an acoustic set and I must admit - they did a darn good job.  I was glad we made the effort.  Beautiful evening and an exciting time.  Favorite song was easily "Weightless" but they did "Cinderblock Garden", "Missing You" and 4 of 5 others.

There was a fireworks show afterwards that we did not intend to stick around for but wound up doing so.  As usual, I was eager to get on the road but my girls were eager to milk some more marrow from the event.  You can imagine how difficult it is to herd five women anywhere but in that exciting of an environment, it is almost impossible.  Erin bolted to the stage with a notebook with the idea that she was going to get some autographs so I lost her in the crowd.  I finally found Autumn - she was glowing.  She had been the recipient of a gift - one of the musicians gave her his water bottle.  She was over the moon.

Concerts evoke excitement and emotion because the music evokes excitement and emotion.  The concert is just the venue that reminds us that we are not alone in that rhapsody.

1997/01/11 - The Newsboys and Josh McDowell: Right From Wrong Tour

Funny how memory works.  If you had asked me if I had ever seen the Newboys in concert I would have told you no.  But clearly I have.  When I got out of college in 1996 I started working with our church's youth ministry.  I must have gone to this with them.  I do recall thinking that the concert was a decent one and at that time I was close enough to my concert going days for that opinion to mean something.  But it is also true that there is a totally different vibe at Christian concerts.  The energy is not entirely sure what to do with itself.  Which is true for non-Christian concerts as well but in the hedonistic world - the lack of liturgy allows one to embrace the possibilities rather than worry about the repercussions.

In case you haven't figured it out, I have no idea what I am talking about.