Earlier this week - in the early hours of this morning UK time - Rush took to the stage at the KIA Forum in California, where they had performed their last gig in 2015.
This was the first of 4 nights here as part of their 50th anniversary tour, and their debut full live performance with drummer Annika Nilles. The show was sold out. Ticket prices were high (though not quite at World Cup levels).
In 1987, Rush had recorded a song with Aimee Mann on backing vocals. I've blogged about both Aimee and the song already. But then something special happened and Aimee (who lives in the area) came out to perform the vocals live with the band.
Spoilers: Setlist is here. They have apparently rehearsed almost 40 songs, so the setlist will not be the same each time.
Their 2nd show at the Forum is tonight, when we will perhaps see some of the other songs they are performing.
Here's Aimee's Instagram...
Update
The 2nd night at the Forum revealed a very different set list to the first one, and more songs which will potentially form the set list when I see them next year - and included the whole of 2112!
And what was great is that Aimee came out again for 'Time Stand Still'.
Update 2
Aimee said this:
" ... I was 26 years old when I recorded [Time Stand Still]. And when you’re 26, you’re like, Oh, this is totally a metaphysical rumination on the nature of time. That’s interesting. But when you’re in your sixties, it’s like, The moment is now, man. This is it. This is happening. You have to be present. I think that’s why being onstage for that moment was so moving. It was also very moving to me because when I recorded with them and spent some time with them doing the music video. I really liked those guys. Then they’re on tour, I’m on tour, and they live in Toronto. We don’t live in the same place, and I never saw them again. It was always a little heartbreaking, to be honest. To reconnect with them like this is like, having time folded onto itself, it was really lovely. "