Working Men: The Work Behind the Rush Tribute Project

How do three musicians take on one of the most technically demanding catalogs in rock and make audiences feel like they're experiencing Rush live again? In this episode of Borrowed Notes, Authentic Lives, I sit down with members of the Rush Tribute Project, a three-piece tribute dedicated to recreating the music, energy, and live concert experience of Rush. With more than two decades of Rush tribute performances behind them, including appearances at RushCon, the band brings music spanning more than 40 years of Rush's career to audiences around the world. We get into what it really takes to play this music. From individual practice and putting the incredibly complex musical pieces together to developing the chemistry required to make three musicians sound much bigger than three musicians, the band shares what happens long before they ever walk onto a stage. But recreating Rush isn't only about getting the notes right. We talk about the visual and sensory elements of a Rush concert, the instruments, sounds and details that matter to devoted fans, and what it's like performing for an audience that knows every note and isn't afraid to let you know when something isn't quite right. The guys also share stories about their earliest concert experiences, balancing careers and family with the demands of the band, life on the road, adapting to livestream performances during COVID, and where they still dream of taking the Rush Tribute Project. 00:00Introduction to the Rush Tribute Project 02:06How the band formed and connected 04:07Rehearsal routines and chemistry 07:00Memorable first concerts and influences 09:55COVID live streams and adapting 15:07Challenging songs and setlist rotation 20:08Emulating Rush's visual and sensory experience 24:59Touring life and challenges 29:53Handling audience expectations and critique 35:01Future goals and dream venues https://rushtributeproject.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheRushTributeProject https://www.youtube.com/@TheRushTributeProject https://www.instagram.com/rushtributeproject/