Watch Rush Perform Their Final Song Together During the Last Night of Their Farewell Tour

Legendary Canadian progressive rock band Rush embarked on their final tour in May 2015. The R40 Live Tour celebrated the 40^th anniversary of drummer Neil Peart joining the band in 1974. The trek saw the band play 35 shows in cities across North America. It was a bittersweet time for the band. Peart was happy to enter retirement while Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson wanted the tour–and the band–to go on a little longer.

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After three months on the road, Rush’s final tour came to an end at the Forum in Inglewood, California on August 1, 2015. Like the 34 stops before, the band performed a three-hour set capped with a four-song encore. They closed the show with “Working Man” from their 1974 self-titled album. As a result, it was the last song they played together. Watch them say their final farewell with the fan favorite song below.

[RELATED: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Reveal Why Rush Didn’t Extend Their 2015 Farewell Tour]

Alex Lifeson Remembers Playing His Final Song with Rush

In an interview with Classic Rock, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee recalled Rush’s final show. “I remember being on stage and thinking how many times we’d played the Forum and wondering just how many times we’d done ‘Working Mab’ there because it’s pretty much been in the set since day one,” Lifeson recalled.

“It was a weird feeling knowing that was likely the last time we’d play any of those songs together. I tried to soak in every moment and object at that last gig. I counted down the minutes on the giant clock they have there, you can see it from the stage,” the guitarist said. “I stared at all these faces, people that I didn’t know personally, yet happily greeted when I saw them return to so many of our shows over the many years. I looked at my bandmates and missed them already,” he added.

Lifeson pointed out that while he and Lee were feeling the weight of the moment as the final song drew to an end, Neil Peart was visibly happy that the final gig was almost over. “I felt sad to see such joy in Neil’s face when we were down to the last few bars of our last song played together, as we finally finished our set,” he recalled.

Featured Image by Fin Costello/Redferns