Laura Secord Secondary School
St. Catharines, Ontario, 1974

Originally included in The Camera Eye online fanzine. Text by editor Dave Ward; Photos by: John Gulbus; Provided by: Greg Ceci/Darren Platakis

In 1973 and 1974 Rush, with John Rutsey still behind the drum kit, embarked on several small tours, and played innumerable shows around Southern Toronto. John Rutsey was still their drummer at this time, playing with the band but growing increasingly unhappy and disinterested at the notion that music might become his career. Sadly most of Rush's early shows are almost entirely lost and forgotten. If you look at the tourlist fans have compiled, it's clear that records of shows before their first major U.S. tour are spotty at best, and even our knowledge of the first major tour is incomplete. Of their earliest shows, we know little more than that they played many gigs; the dates and venues are unknown.

Surely somewhere there must be old newspapers from 1973 and 1974 mentioning Rush concerts. Somebody must have a few old photos, old photocopied "posters" for early shows. There must be records somewhere of at least some of these shows!

This turned out to be true in at least one case. Sometime in late 1973 or early 1974, Rush—still with John Rutsey—played a concert at Laura Secord Secondary School in St. Catharines, Ontario. Until now, this concert was one of those which were entirely unknown; there is no mention of this show on existing Rush set lists. Photographer John Gulbus took photographs of this concert from overhead at the back of the intimate auditorium. The photos—along with all other records of this show—were lost for years.

"These pictures were discovered by a former band mate of mine while we were in high school," Rush fan Darren Platakis told The Camera Eye. "He was cleaning out the audio/visual room when he stumbled upon them. We couldn't believe our eyes. Our favourite band played at our high school, and besides that we played on the same stage! It was truly unbelievable."