Rush Laura Secord Secondary School, 1974, St Catharines, Ontario 

Attention all students of Laura Secord secondary school,..WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL.............

John Rutsey may have been lost in Pearts shadow, but I still think their first album is an all time classic

How freakin' lucky were these high schoolers to have Rush play a show at their assembly?? Damn! ❤️🎶

Can you imagine being 14 years old and having perform at your school not some bubble gum, namby pamby group your parents approved of, but RUSH. Even in its nascent form without Neil Peart, this band was something special.

Somewhere very close by to this is a young Neil Peart selling tractor parts dreaming of making it in music.

The humble beginnings of such a tremdous band who have epitomised humility, greatness and musical genius throughout their career. A privilege to be a Rush fan.

Just stumbled upon this gem whilst in the middle of reading Geddy's "My Effin Life" (an excellent read btw), so this was a superb find. Many thanks for sharing!

Back when there was no internet,no cell phones,no auto tune and guys had hair longer then women,lol.Remember those days well.Thanks for posting this bit of nostalgia.For a few minutes I’m 16 again.✌️

RIP Rutsey, RIP Peart. Both heroes in their own right.

This tape should be in a vault with lots of copies for the future generation.

Crazy to think that in just the next 2 years they got a new drummer, put out Fly by Night, Caress of Steele, 2112, AND All the World’s a Stage. That’s astonishing

The fact that his was shot at Laura Secord High School might make this the Most Canadian Thing on all of RU-vid.

Rush played my high school in St.Thomas Ontario around this time. We hadn’t heard of them and we were chanting, “we want Kiss”. And then they played... Nobody chanted again.

WOW! This is historic! This was April 1, 1974, exactly one month after they released their first album on their own record label (Moon Records), in Canada, where they pressed 3,500 copies, and London records began distributing. It would have been before the international release, and about the time where John started having issues and they began using a fill-in, Jerry Fielding, on occasion. Less than four months after this show, Neil Peart would join the band. He would likely have been working at his dad’s farm equipment store in St Catherine’s, just a few miles away at the time of this show. (I assume he wasn’t there to watch). This likely would have been the first ever performance of Best I Can, which appeared on their second album. Geddy would have written all the lyrics for these. So glad someone captured this and kept it.

Man! Listen to that transition in before and after from soft and slow to the powerful! So obvious that this is no regular band. Just brilliant.

As said below, with Peart being such a strong and talented player and changing the band's direction for the better, John Rutsey was solid as f**K in his meter and propelled their music and Rush's first record to stand out amongst the rest--for sure. RIP Neil and John. BTW, is anyone else reading/listening to Geddy's new book? It's EFFIN' fantastic!!

Props to the guys who filmed this way back when...that's a gem right there, thx 4 posting, watching this in 2020.

Geddy was the coolest, witchiest, spookiest, freakiest banshee man in rock n roll...how can anyone not love that kooky dude?

THE FIRST RUSH ALBUM IS A MASTERPIECE !!!!

Glad to see the positive comments about John. For the first record, he played great, had some interesting grooves and fills. I still like listening to that first album

Wicked good. I was 15 in 1977 and a copy of Farewell to Kings magically appeared on my turntable courtesy of my older sister. Aww man.....

I miss the 70s and 80s,life was great and fun back then, hell even the 90s things were still fairly normal.

60 yrs old and now feeling like 12 again! This upload is beyond priceless!!

Geddy Lee! What an enormous talent. People (non-fans) hear that voice, and they miss the power, and pitch perfection of it, neverminding the sensational bass playing!

Mind blowing they were this tight musically 46 years ago.

I attended this concert since it was at my high school. The song most memorable was In The Mood.

I’ve always been blown away by the sound three guys could create.

Alex was a fuckin' star and a prodigy from day one. He's totally unique in his attack and his note selection. They're all really good for being this young and new (John's kick drum is sick). Alex always stood out for me as one of the most crazily underrated guitarists ever. No wonder he was a Rory Gallagher fan - they shared that distinction. Geddy is, of course, so unique he needs no props. Love you guys for 40 years. RIP Neil and John. Thanks to whomever was responsible for filming this and posting it. I hope you have more in the vault somewhere....

0:00 A Presentation 0:10 Need Some Love 3:34 Before And After 9:34 Best I Can 12:37 Interval Time 13:16 Presentation of Band 13:54 I’ve Been Runnin 18:56 Bad Boy ( 19:00 That guy is impressed with Rush!) 23:50 Another Interval 24:16 The Loser 27:27 Working Man 35:54 Blah Blah Blah 36:46 THE MUSIC OF RUSH! 36:48 In The Mood

What a TREAT this is !! I would have been the same age as the kids in that audience. Saw my Very First concert 4 years after this gig here ………. RUSH with Blue Oyster Cult !! I look back now and consider myself blessed !! What a First Concert. They did 2112 and everything from their first live album. By-tor, a drum solo by a God, Anthem, Fly by Night ……… Best First Concert Ever !! The end .

Holy Shit! Finally, a Rush video with John Rutsey! Thank you a million times over for this!

The beginning of a long storied career. Amazing. What a ride RUSH. THANK YOU.

THIS is why RU-vid rules!!!!

Tribute to my now deceased buddy, that first introduced me to these guys ! R.I.P. Johnny. G ❤🥀❤

It’s amazing how good they were this early on. And John Rutsey was a fantastic drummer!

One of the few bands that sounded as good live as their recordings and they did from the start. John was amazing in his own rite, really help to bring the band a long ways in his short tenure, what a great drummer he was.

For such a long time John was just a picture, and 8 songs. Here we see him perform and hear him talk. Amazing!

Back in the day when Triumph, Max Webster, Rush played high schools in Ontario. Awesome

It's remarkable how centered around Lifeson's guitar this whole show was, given what Rush became after Neil joined them. He really stepped back into a more complimentary role, supporting the band as a whole, and giving every song exactly what it needed. One of the most tasteful lead guitarists, without a trace of ego. Once Peart joined the band, and his lyrics became so central to what they were about, they became the holy trinity. No mere players were Rush. The best three piece band ever to grace a stage.

Effing Geddy.....those unmistakeable vocals even back then.

Lifeson was only 21 at that time but was already an absolute lead guitar master. Listen to Working Man and just be in awe.

It makes me smile seeing this- I played that stage probably a thousand times in school there- left the year before-and then RUSH rocked the dust off of it- I was off playing drums all around the area and living maybe a mile away- and Neil Peart was doing the same- and most of the guys on the Moving Pictures album cover were a few miles away- NONE of this would have ever occurred to ANY of us back in 1974.

Who ever videotaped this killed it. What a band!!

Thank you for this gem from my high school days. Outstanding!

Thank you John Rutsey for paving the way for the Grandmaster of drumming Mr; Neil Peart, this performance lets you know how good Rush was from the very start ;) :)

You gotta wonder how many of those kids knew they were getting a sneak peak at one of the all time greatest bands ever on that ordinary day in some ordinary school auditorium. Unbelievably surreal, top shelf talent, none better.

I saw them in concert 7 times. The first time was in 1975. And I have loved them ever since.

The band intros by John are priceless. I am surprised he was speaking for the band live, I can only imagine Geddy in that role. 19:00 the shrooms have kicked in and the rocketship has safely left orbit.

Growing up in Canada during the 70's was like a really cool party that you hoped would never end. Music was everything.

Sooo good. Early Rush when Geddy’s vocals were just perfect, no wear and tear yet.

I’m a drummer but ya gotta love how he’s practiced and played that bass so dang hard the finish is wearing off!!! And not just a little rub on the clear coat…ALL THE WAY TO THE WOOD!!

Incredible that this was so well captured so early in their career, there is rarely good footage of most bands in their formative period. What an absolute gem showing them before they found their signature style - very polished for the time, but not really hinting at the glories to come except maybe for how Alex really works that ES 335. All 3 were already consummate musicians, Rutesy was a very tasty drummer in his own right, and Geddy's voice is on point plus they really look like a band who are confident and going places. Many thanks for posting this it really is special. What a pity Rutesy never got to reap the rewards, but it's all part of the Rush story and Neil's arrival really let them take the right fork in the road and look where it took us all !

WOW! I didn't think early footage like this even existed! Amazing.

Geddy rocking a Fender P!!. I really love their vibe back then. It contains some transitional influences from the late 60s. This is solid, raw rock and roll, performed exceptionally well.

Watching this literally 48 years later. Crazy how amazing it still holds up. The music and generation of today will never compare.

This i bloody awesome. John Rutsey on drums had GROOWE !!

Two mikes. The sound guy was thinking. Lifeson is unreal. Listen to Geddy lay down those bass lines. Rutsey killing it. All world class musicians. RIP Rutsey and Peart. Bless.

So nice to see a complete gig with John Rutsey. Very effective small kit he uses.

It's unbelievable how good these guys sound. Rush was a band I didn't fully appreciate until I was much older.

This is as raw as it gets, still playing high school auditoriums. 1974, this is when I first keyed into Rush. Both Max Webster and Rush were the coolest local bands(Toronto) to see back then.

This is absolutely fantastic I've NEVER seen video of Rutsey playing with the band, thanks for posting this made my day. 😀

Amazing how Geddy’s voice was exactly live as it was on the record. These guys were the real deal.

...and there were never that many women at a Rush concert ever again.

Saw Rush the same week at Grimsby Secondary School - shoutout to Gail Mason who organized the show. She was so pissed (and probably real embarrassed) when there were very few tickets sold beforehand then, due to a big snowstorm, almost nobody showed up. Not enough kids for the gym so they had to play the lunchroom! No stage, I sat on the floor at Lifeson's feet. I was fixated on his guitar ... and his hair! He had the most enviable hair i'd ever seen.

Alex definitely made the most of his opportunity to play that day, he wasn't taking any prisoners - the solo on the second song especially is just unbelievable

That guitar sound is killer

These guys were 21 in 1974. I’ve been in plenty of bands starting in my teens. Being a fairly good self trained guitar player in my 20’s. I was no where near this level of musicianship. These guys had it early on. So glad they made it, as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Our high school talent shows were never like THIS!!!

Fricken' incredible, man. Canada and Rush rocking in the afternoon, 1974. No idea how only 3 guys can make such amazing sounds and music!!

What a crazy, awesome shot of nostalgia! On their A-game even then. While Neil was the Grand Master, John was a superb drummer in his own right. Glad I found this vid!

"a guitar solo? better zoom in on the drummer!" - cameraman

1974: Rush's first album released. Dungeons & Dragons first published. Nerds everywhere rejoice.

I love Rush, always been a huge fan but never saw such early stuff. I LOVE that drummer, phenomenal!

This is great. Had to check this out when it was mentioned in Geddy’s new book! Awesome to be able to see exactly what he talked about! ❤

Sound man was on point! This sounds great!

Alex Lifeson - what a well-rounded player, right from the start. He's 90% of the sound in this concert - chords, fills, choppy riffs, solos - he's doing it all here, smoothly and non-stop.

Thank the Lord that I got to see them twice, once with my beloved Sheryl. Musical ecstasy.

I’m 57 so I love seeing the kids in the audience slowly get more into it !!! …. Power of a live performance. !

This audience constitutes the highest female-to-male ratio the band ever achieved!

Even this early Alex n Geddy were so tight,.. it is ridiculous how Geddy sings over such crazy rythms.. as a player myself, im in awe of the musicality these 2 share 😲

THIS IS SO GREAT !!!! We've all seen the clips from the doc but this is the entire concert !!! Thank you for posting. My mom and dad were friends with Sasha, Alex's sister at NYU in the 60's. They met Alex when he was 16. He then sent me tickets to Power Windows tour 1986 years later !!!!!

I know that I saw this clip on “Canadian Bandstand” back in 1974. The show always played around noon on Saturdays on Kitchener’s CKCO Channel 13 (right after Saturday morning cartoons but before CHCH Channel 11 showed live wrestling @1pm). Good times, good times…

Hearing this, these boys are going places. Neil took them to the moon, rest in peace professor.

Man, Geddy just comes on out and just blasts that voice. What a lead to a song. Such a unique, one and only Rock voice. Holy freakin' smokes.

That was awesome. I just saw this for the first time in 2022, brings back memories Saw them live at the Montreal Forum around 1977-1978. Thanks for showing this, even the sound quality is good

Thanks for posting this great concert!!!! John Rutzey playing AMAZING!!!! RUTZEY and NEIL R.I.P. 😔😔😢😢

Odd to see John Rutsy on the drums, but very amazing for me. I didn't get to see Rush until 1976 - and 37 more times after that. My favorite band ever and always and I honestly never thought I'd get to see the original lineup playing "live" even if it is 46 years later. Huge thumbs up! Thank you for posting.

I was a high school kid in St. Catharines back in those days... Rush and Max Webster (Kim Mitchell) where regular occurrences. Had no idea Rush would become what they did, Kim is still Rockin' Too.

Alex was on fire, Ged was amazing but still a little shy, I was surprised. Amazing to see their progress from here. Rutsey being called a fantastic drummer is kind of a stretch. I’m a lifelong drummer and what I see is a guy on the limit, using tons of energy he doesn’t need and stiff. He also clearly doesn’t look healthy here, you can see what they mean by his health issues were getting in the way. I’m happy to know rather than him dying young on the road with Rush, he was able to live a long life and still be friends with Alex and Ged. What a treat to watch this through. Rest In Peace John and Neil. 🙏

OMG Best I Can! i didnt know.... Fly By Night is my Alltime favorite album for 40 years now and I always thought Neil wrote those lyrics. What a trip.

Huge RUSH fan, here... Geddy is THE one who inspired me to take up bass guitar... and I don't believe I ever realized how low Geddy slung his bass, back then. Cool stuff!

Those kids don't know how lucky they are!

The shot of the audience are the best! Some of these kids were taken to Rock Church and never came back. Dig the background vocals by Rutsey...

Saw them in high school in Hamilton, ON, back around then, too. Memories....still one of Canada's greatest bands of all time!

This is my first time seeing rush that far back pre peart. Its incredible thanks to whomever filmed this its gold.

before and after is a great song indeed

I saw Rush for the first time in 1981 on the Moving Pictures tour at Maple Leaf Gardens at the age of 14. I was terrified of the crowd at that age. I had never seen drugs before. The guy in front of me was sniffing something and passed out for the whole concert then woke up at the very end and jumped up and down as if he had seen the whole thing. What a great night.

Fantastic material, Rush fans from all over the world are very thankful for those who made it avalilable; salute from Brazil. May John rest in peace!

Love retro Rush, but am really glad Neil assumed control with the lyrics.

RIP John Rutsey......... a talented drummer indeed...