Written by Alex Stojanovic @ Meridian Centre St. Catherine's ON, Canada October 22, 2022 I still remember like it was yesterday that we were already one week into 2020 when the news broke about the sudden passing of none other than the Professor, aka: Neil Peart. Given how much of an influence Neil had on me on my drumming and lyric writing, and how much of a Rush fan I am, it goes without saying that his passing hit me like a freight train, and I speak for all my fellow Rush fans across the globe. To me, it was like losing a friend I never had. Now, celebrity deaths don't affect us as much as losing a loved one or someone close to us, but Neil's death was the only celebrity death that affected me. When he left us, we knew that the rock and drumming worlds would never be the same again. There was also no doubt that his passing would spark the idea of a memorial/tribute show. Whenever a monumental figure leaves us, it only seems fitting to put on a tribute/memorial show for them. That being said, the first-ever and probably only-ever tribute show for Neil was announced shortly after his death, and it was only fitting that the event be held in his hometown of St. Catherine's, Ontario. Originally scheduled for May 2020, the event had to be postponed for a total of "FIVE" times due to a pesky little pandemic before finally taking place on October 22, 2022 at the Meridian Centre in St. Catherine's. The event drew fans from southern Ontario, other parts of Canada, and even the States and abroad. |