Ultimate Rush experience in Ontario
Massey Hall, Toronto
From June 2026 to April 2027, Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and German drummer Anika Nilles (filling in for the late Neil Peart) will take the Fifty Something Tour across Europe and the Americas, including four highly anticipated homecoming shows at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on August 7, 9, 11 and 13, 2026.
For Rush fans, this concert series is a celebration of a band whose musical catalogue spanned decades and helped define progressive rock for generations. Powerful guitar riffs, dynamic rhythms and soaring vocals combined with lyrics that swing from fantastical to introspective to profound, resulted in epic rock energy.
Formed in Toronto in 1968, Lifeson (guitar) and Lee (keyboard, bass and vocals) grew up in North York’s Willowdale neighbourhood. They first met as students at Fisherville Public School. Peart (drums and percussion), who was born in Hamilton and raised in St. Catharines, brought the poetic lyricism.
Whether you’re travelling to Toronto for the reunion shows or embarking on a pilgrimage to trace the band’s formative years, this guide highlights key Ontario landmarks and experiences that bring Rush closer to the heart.
Where to eat, drink and shop
Henderson Brewery
This is a must-stop for Rush fans in Toronto. The city’s west end brewery has teamed up with the rock music legends to create a curated collection of Rush-themed products, including craft beer, apparel and barware.
Savour the Rush Canadian Golden Ale, featuring Canadian rye and sample the limited-edition Moving Pictures Belgian blond or extra strong Xanabrew. Enjoy your beer with wood-fired pizza or a soft pretzel in the taproom or on the outdoor patio.
Henderson Brewery will also host the fourth annual RUSH Day on August 8, 2026. While the band plays at Scotiabank Arena, Rush fans from around the world can gather to celebrate.
Location: 128a Sterling Road, Toronto
Pancer’s Original Deli
In a fan interview, Geddy Lee named his favourite sandwich as a pastrami on rye with Dijon mustard and pickles on the side. He often satisfied that craving at Toronto staple Pancer’s Deli, a favourite hangout of the band in their early days. The deli was later featured in a scene with Lee and Alex Lifeson in the documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage.
Location: 3856 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Linny’s Luncheonette
Another buzzed-about spot for an excellent classic deli pastrami sandwich with spicy mustard is Linny’s near Trinity Bellwoods Park. There’s no evidence of Lee’s stamp of approval, so Rush fans will have to judge for themselves.
Location: 174 Ossington Avenue, Toronto
Pandemonium Books and Discs
In the heart of The Junction, a west end neighbourhood defined by crossing railway lines, find a local book, CD, vinyl and memorabilia shop called Pandemonium, owned by Neill Cunningham. In 1985, Cunningham was the model featured on the cover of the album Power Windows.
Location: 2920 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Rush-themed things to do
Blue Jays baseball game at Rogers Centre
The Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto’s beloved baseball team, play home games at the Rogers Centre, a venue famous for its retractable roof over the stadium.
It’s well-documented that Geddy Lee is a die-hard Jays fan. He holds season seats behind home plate, collects rare baseball memorabilia and was invited to throw the first pitch at a 2013 game.
Catch a Jays game in Toronto or enjoy baseball-themed activities in the province, and while Lee may not be present behind home plate, it’s possible he’s also watching the game.
Location: 1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto
Massey Hall
Over the years, several storied music venues favoured by Rush have closed, including The Gasworks, a hard rock club on Church Street, Larry’s Hideaway, a punk bar in the basement of the Prince Carlton Hotel and the Yonge Street rock and roll Piccadilly Tube.
However, the iconic Massey Hall remains one of Toronto’s best stages. Since opening its doors in 1894, this legendary music hall has hosted countless artists, bands and performers. Rush recorded their first double live album, All the World’s a Stage, performing for three shows in June 1976 during the 2112 tour. In August 2025, Massey Hall was one of two Toronto locations for RUSHFest, a nostalgic celebration event featuring tribute bands.
Book tickets for an upcoming show at this celebrated music hall.
Location: 178 Victoria Street, Toronto
The Redwood Theatre
One of Toronto’s few remaining original vaudeville theatres, the Redwood is another historic venue with loose ties to Rush.
The story starts with the Orbit Room, a long-standing, live music venue and bar on College Street, co-founded by Tim Notter and Rush’s Alex Lifeson. Following its closure in 2020, the stage at the Redwood has become the new home for The Orbit Room.
While in the city’s east end, explore Toronto’s Greektown neighbourhood. On Hemispheres, the sixth studio album released in 1978, the final, lengthy instrumental track, La Villa Strangiato, includes a segment titled Danforth and Pape, located in the heart of the neighbourhood.
Location: 1300 Gerrard Street East, Toronto
El Mocambo
Under the glow of its iconic neon palms on Spadina Avenue, the El Mocambo has long been Toronto’s temple of rock. From iconic gigs to its latest rebirth as a premier live venue, the “El Mo” still beats at full volume.
Catch that charge at Rushfest Canada, a fan event on August 6, 2026, featuring several artists, including tribute band, Permanent Waves.
Location: 464 Spadina Avenue #462, Toronto
Key Rush sites to visit
Lee Lifeson Art Park
Lifeson and Lee’s hometown neighbourhood of Willowdale appeared in the lyrics of The Necromancer on the album Caress of Steel.
In 2015, Willowdale Park underwent a full redesign, transforming the neighbourhood park into a sound and music-themed space with an outdoor stage and auditory exploration zone.
In addition, its new name gives nod to the indelible musical contributions of locals Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson.
Location: 223 Gladys Allison Place, North York
Saint Theodore of Canterbury Anglican Church
In early September 1968, the newly formed band of Alex Lifeson, John Rutsey and Jeff Jones performed their first paid gig in the basement coffee shop of a local church, called the Coff-In. A week later, on September 13, they performed a second show, this time with Geddy Lee on bass instead of Jones. Peart officially joined the band in 1974.
Get a photo of the church from the outside.
Location: 111 Cactus Avenue, North York
Canada Walk of Fame
On May 27, 1999, Rush was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame, with a ceremony outside of Roy Thomson Hall and a cemented, star-shaped plaque. Find the plaque on the sidewalk on King Street West, near the intersection with Simcoe Street.
Devoted Rush fans exploring the PATH, downtown Toronto’s underground pedestrian walkway system, may recognize a set of escalators between the RBC Building and the Toronto-Dominion Centre that was briefly featured in the Subdivisions music video.
Location: King Street West, Toronto
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Queen’s Park is located in the centre of the city and includes the Ontario Legislative Building, home to Ontario’s provincial parliament, where elected members debate and pass laws.
The front of this building is on the cover of Moving Pictures, Rush’s eighth and fastest-selling studio album, released in 1981. Constructed between 1886 and 1893, the historic Richardsonian Romanesque style edifice provided a bold backdrop for the multi-layered interpretation of the title.
A variety of indoor and outdoor guided tours of the building and themed events are available to book.
Location: 111 Wellesley Street West, Toronto
Toronto Pearson International Airport
If you’re flying in or out of Toronto, it’s likely you’ll travel through Pearson International, Canada’s largest airport.
The airport code, YYZ, is the title of the instrumental rock composition on the Moving Pictures album. Whether you fly by night or day, snap a picture in front of the large YYZ sign at Terminal 1’s international arrivals.
Location: 6301 Silver Dart Drive, Mississauga
Neil Peart Memorial at Lakeside Park
St. Catharines is a friendly city in the Niagara Region, just over 100 kilometres from Toronto, easily connected via the QEW highway or by train on GO Transit.
Neil Peart fondly recalled his youth spent in the waterfront neighbourhood of Port Dalhousie and lyricized about Lakeside Park on the album Caress of Steel.
Nicknamed “The Professor (on the drum kit)” for his thoughtful approach to songwriting, most Rush songs were penned by Peart. After his passing in 2020, the city of St. Catharines moved to commemorate the accomplished musician and his contribution to Canada’s music culture by renaming the pavilion at Lakeside Park as the Neil Peart Pavilion.
Location: 1 Lakeport Road, St. Catharines
Toronto hotels for music lovers
The Drake Hotel
The Drake is a boutique hotel that also serves as an art, music, cultural and culinary hub on Queen Street West.
Location: 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto
W Toronto
A polished, upscale Yorkville hotel featuring a sound studio for artists and musicians to indulge their creative inspirations.
Location: 90 Bloor Street West, Toronto
The Rex Hotel
A Queen Street landmark, the Rex is Toronto’s longest-running jazz and blues bar with live performances, an onsite restaurant and affordable rooms.
Location: 194 Queen Street West, Toronto
Toronto has long fostered musical innovation, yet few bands embody that spirit more powerfully than Rush. While this Rush-themed tour is a must for all fans, it’s also the perfect trip extension for those lucky enough to have scored Rush tickets for the Fifty Something Tour in Toronto this summer.
For the full nostalgic effect, tune into local radio station 102.1 The Edge, formerly CFNY and embrace the spirit of radio.
Last updated: May 13, 2026