The legendary progressive rock band Rush is currently thrilling audiences on a widely celebrated world tour, but the Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees are already making arrangements for their next major performance: a week-long residency at the Sphere.
On Thursday, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson revealed plans for a five-show series named Elevate from the Norm, scheduled for late May at the innovative Las Vegas venue.
These performances will take place just weeks after the conclusion of Rush’s Fifty Something Tour, which has brought the reunited band across North and South America, Europe, and the U.K.
German drummer Anika Nilles and keyboardist Loren Gold, who have been performing alongside Lee and Lifeson, will also participate in the Sphere performances.
Lee expressed that upon first learning about the dome-shaped venue and its expansive LED displays, he envisioned it as an ideal setting for “the kind of visual flair” characteristic of Rush’s shows, even when they weren’t actively touring.
“Life has an unpredictable way of unfolding, and now, here we are, active and touring in the present, making that dream a reality,” he stated in a press release.
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The setlist for Rush’s Sphere performances will feature both classic hits and beloved tracks, according to Lee, as a tribute to their musical heritage and to celebrate the life of the remarkable drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, who passed away in 2020.
The band is in the process of “crafting some new excitement to fit this amazing venue,” Lee remarked, looking forward to the opportunity “to delight our fans both visually and in terms of sound from wherever they may travel in from.”
These concerts could attract Canadians back to Las Vegas, a destination that has seen a significant decline in visitors from Canada, which has historically been the largest source of international tourists for Nevada.
With Canadian travel to the U.S. way down over trade tensions and President Donald Trump’s ’51st state’ rhetoric, Las Vegas tourism officials are travelling north in hopes of winning Canadians back. Some venues are even offering dollar parity as an incentive.
Since its opening in the fall of 2023, the Sphere has welcomed numerous top artists and major productions, featuring acts like U2, the Backstreet Boys, Phish, and No Doubt, with Metallica, The Eagles, and John Mayer among the latest performers to take the stage.
VIP and travel packages for Rush’s Elevate from the Norm concerts will become available for purchase on Friday, while presale tickets for the artist begin on November 11. Tickets for the general public will be released starting two days later.