Rush with Annika Niles on drums opening the 2026 Juno Awards. Spoiler: She fits right in! I know John and Neil are smiling...

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Philo Beddoe said:
She does a good John Rutsey..
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And these days, Geddy does a great Bill the Cat.

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I'm going to have to withhold judgment until we see her cover some of Neil's more complicated stuff. I just can't wrap my head around them hiring a drummer who didn't know any Rush songs before they contacted her. Full disclosure - I play in a Rush tribute band. If we needed a drummer and a guy came up and said he didn't know any Rush tunes, but he'd learn our setlist real fast, I don't think we'd take him seriously. But I wish them luck. She clearly has the chops to play anything she wants.
 
ZEEGLER said:
Haha, so here's my sad story from last night.

A few months ago, my wife got tickets to the Junos. She asked if I wanted to go, or should she take my stepdaughter instead. I said, no you can take her. There won't be anyone I like there, just a bunch of mediocre Canadian pop stars.

Shortly after that I got tickets to see Collective Soul and that just happened to be on the same day.

So last night, I'm watching Collective Soul play, and their singer is absolutely terrible. No voice whatsoever. Squeaking everything in a warbly falsetto because he just can't sing. No stage presence, and just kinda mumbling his way through everything.

I get a text from the wife. "Rush opened!"

Fuck! :mad:


Anyway, after I watched a video of their performance, and hearing Geddy's voice, I wasn't so pissed off.
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Saw CS a few years ago. Sounded great. Thats a shame…
 
Obviously they are trying a bit of new direction, which is probably not what 60+ year old fans are yearning for. It was okay, nothing I’d spend money on.
 
FFS, cut GL some slack. He’s 72, they’re still tuning in standard, and he’s still bringing it.
 
cragginshred said:
Everyone nailed it on the crappy Ged vocals. Yes it is Him trying to sing for the Win ,but pick a different song. This era he was 'rat in the dryer' style vocals, why re do that? Also it is pre Niel so she is playing well but miles over Rusty's pay grade (RIP)

I will say Alex's tone is killer, and I hate to so it, well sort of but I'm fairly certain he is using a modeler with amps on stage
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I really dug Alex' tone there too. His website states he'll be using TONEX and Fractal gear for the upcoming tour. IK Multimedia dude on TGP (Peter?) confirmed Alex was using TONEX for the Juno performance. Here's a snippet of one of his posts:

For this show he used Tone Models from his collection. He verified this before and after the show.

Also, as stated above he definitely used TONEX for the amp tones for this performance and will be doing so for the show. I saw the text from Alex himself (replying to one of our folks congratulating him on the performance) saying this: "And how great did the TONEX sound?!!!". Surreal to see that as a lifelong Rush fan.
 
romanianreaper said:
I think the first album is my favorite.
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It's a banger and a half. Total "Rip your face off" attitude. Al, John and Ged hauled ass on that record. I regularly play air guitar to Al's 2 solos on "Working Man" on the first album and I'm proud of it. I kid you not. As a matter of fact, I'm gonna do that right now! LMAO
 
Philo Beddoe said:
She does a good John Rutsey..
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John kicked ass on that first record. Al and John were friends since grade school and they dreamed of starting a band together. One of the compliments Al gave him was that his timekeeping was impeccable. John was good pals with Al and Ged for the rest of his life.
 
Rick Lee said:
I'm going to have to withhold judgment until we see her cover some of Neil's more complicated stuff. I just can't wrap my head around them hiring a drummer who didn't know any Rush songs before they contacted her. Full disclosure - I play in a Rush tribute band. If we needed a drummer and a guy came up and said he didn't know any Rush tunes, but he'd learn our setlist real fast, I don't think we'd take him seriously. But I wish them luck. She clearly has the chops to play anything she wants.
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Agree with this sentiment. Almost like they are trying to make a social justice point even though she's a kick ass drummer. But I'd bet they are trying to make a point AND stay as far away from looking like they replaced Neil.
 
Kevin11 said:
I really dug Alex' tone there too. His website states he'll be using TONEX and Fractal gear for the upcoming tour. IK Multimedia dude on TGP (Peter?) confirmed Alex was using TONEX for the Juno performance. Here's a snippet of one of his posts:

For this show he used Tone Models from his collection. He verified this before and after the show.

Also, as stated above he definitely used TONEX for the amp tones for this performance and will be doing so for the show. I saw the text from Alex himself (replying to one of our folks congratulating him on the performance) saying this: "And how great did the TONEX sound?!!!". Surreal to see that as a lifelong Rush fan.
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So Tone X for amp tone and Fractal for effects I assume?

Makes sense
 
cragginshred said:
So Tone X for amp tone and Fractal for effects I assume?

Makes sense
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For the up-coming tour, that would be my speculation. He's used Fractal for effects only on past tours. He mentions on his website also loving his AXE III and FM9 systems, so we might have to wait for 2026 tour rig-rundown to see exactly what he's using and how.

For the Juno awards, not sure. Peter from IK only confirmed that amp tones were 100% Tone X.
 
Kevin11 said:
For the up-coming tour, that would be my speculation. He's used Fractal for effects only on past tours. He mentions on his website also loving his AXE III and FM9 systems, so we might have to wait for 2026 tour rig-rundown to see exactly what he's using and how.

For the Juno awards, not sure. Peter from IK only confirmed that amp tones were 100% Tone X.
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Crazy that he cannot get close to what he wants in the Fractal but I can attest that you always feel close but still not there in the Fractal amp tones.
My buddy has a Tone x box that I plan to borrow and try in the 4cm with my Fm3
 
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