Geddy Lee solo tour

[toneknob]

...promoting his upcoming book "My Effin' Life" (please choose a better name before it's too late Ged)

 

Dates/venues are:

Dec 10: Wolverhampton The Civic At The Halls
Dec 13: Sheffield City Hall
Dec 14: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Dec 17: Portsmouth Guildhall
Dec 18: London Barbican

 

Being an enthusiastic Rush fan/bassist and Barbican member with presale access I clicked about to get more details, here you go: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2023/event/geddy-lee-my-effin-life

 

Ticket prices £66 - £111. Includes book.

 

I love you Geddy but I'll wait for the paperback tour taking in Lewisham Broadway Theatre (tbc)

Edited September 22, 2023 by toneknob

[Skybone]

Just had a look at the Glasgow date, and it says that you get a copy of the book with the ticket price.

[White Cloud]

2 hours ago, Skybone said:

Just had a look at the Glasgow date, and it says that you get a copy of the book with the ticket price.

I'm hoping to be there👍(God willing).

Edited September 22, 2023 by White Cloud

[Steve Browning]

12 hours ago, White Cloud said:

I'm hoping to be there👍(God willing).

I'm sure Ged is willing.

[jezzaboy]

Glasgow is priced from £73 to £124! I love Rush but sod paying that.

[odysseus]

5 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

I'm sure Ged is willing.

 

Should have called the book "For The Love of Ged"

[wateroftyne]

I can’t make any of those dates. Crushed.

[toneknob]

Book presale link if anyone's interested https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Effin-Life-Geddy-Lee/dp/0063159414/

 

[ezbass]

I can’t say that I’m impressed with Ged’s choice of title. There are better titles to be had surely?

[wateroftyne]

25 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I can’t say that I’m impressed with Ged’s choice of title. There are better titles to be had surely?

I’m sure all will be revealed in the book.

 

Anyway, he’d have to go some to come up with a worse one than Steve Hackett.

[ezbass]

3 hours ago, wateroftyne said:

I’m sure all will be revealed in the book.

 

Anyway, he’d have to go some to come up with a worse one than Steve Hackett.

Just looked it up 😲

[BassFace1991]

Very pricey but I'm going to try and go if I can. I will regret it if I don't. It will probably be the last chance to see him in person.

[Skybone]

1 minute ago, BassFace1991 said:

Very pricey but I'm going to try and go if I can. I will regret it if I don't. It will probably be the last chance to see him in person.

My thoughts exactly (exact-lee?).

[Thump]

1 hour ago, BassFace1991 said:

Very pricey but I'm going to try and go if I can. I will regret it if I don't. It will probably be the last chance to see him in person.

Same here, hoping to make the Glasgow date, might need to swap a shift or two but I want to go for sure.

[Skybone]

Sounds like an impromptu Scotland Bass Bash.

[mowf]

What if a) you’ve already ordered the book or b) want go with your partner but you don’t both need the book?

[NancyJohnson]

On 23/09/2023 at 14:24, toneknob said:

Book presale link if anyone's interested https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Effin-Life-Geddy-Lee/dp/0063159414/

 

 

I've had the book on pre-sale before it actually had a title (someone posted the ISBN online and boom there it was, 'Untitled Memoir').  The ticketing price is laughable; irrespective of your choice of bookstore - Amazon is retailing this at £27.00 (still too much IMO) - but possibly having to fork out another £80+??  Does this include drinks and canapes?  Nah.

 

I realise that Ged has god-like status in some areas of the bass playing community, but elsewhere, I can go and do an event with authors I want to actually meet and greet, for less than a fiver or free.  Ben Aaronovitch, Farnborough Library 31/10/23 - £2.00.  Jasper Fforde, free.

 

 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

In my younger years , I'd be anxiously looking forward to meet and greets like this . That was then , and Living in London at the time I'd  manage to get to them 99% of the time .  One of my friends ( a big rush fan like myself ) highlighted the Portsmouth date but knowing south western railway on a  Sunday ( with over 2 hrs each way ) I just said that I couldn't be bothered . Not very rock'n'roll I agree.😬

In my reply to his email, I did point out that if he was working in London on the Barbican date that he should go .

Having said that , we were both lucky to see Geddy at the Haymarket premiering the film . 

 

If I did go,  I would think that times are hard but it's worth paying for . Plus it's a collectors item if you're into that. 
 

As I say , I did do a few meet and greets . Always seemed to be on Monday lunchtimes . This involved asking / begging my boss and work colleagues to allow me and give me more flexibility in case I was late back . Waiting 4 hrs for metallica in shades in showery conditions was not fun  !   
Meeting  the various rock / pop stars was always a Rush ( sorry ) . 
 

The 2 nicest people I met and queued up for were Bob Calvert and Jean michel Jarre . Was  among the last dozen allowed .

Metallica ; Cliff was the best . Lars was confused  by the test pressing I had of their first 12" single . 
Meeting Mercyful fate was very odd ; I rushed into shades to get the 12" and Mike pointed the band to me over on the table .

It was just me , and they all spoke in Danish . I got a handful  of signed stickers and left . 
Most miserable ; Alice Cooper !  The band were great , but he looked angry and didn't talk to anybody . I didn't realise until years later that he nearly died from hanging at the gig I saw at Wembley !  I guess that's why he was a tad grumpy .

I'm sure Geddy won't be like that  

 

I have Geddy's  book of Bass , but if his autobiography is on Audible I'd prefer that .   

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[TimR]

I went to see Nicko Mc McBrain a few years ago at a similar type of thing. 

 

It was very good. He was promoting his signature drum kit. A few people asked him questions.

 

The one that upset him most was "When are Iron Maiden going to get back to writing good sings like in the old days?" at which point he was about to come into the crowd and thump the guy who asked it.

 

So I just hope that no one asks the "Are you going to tour with Alex at any point in the near future?". Aside from Alex suffering from arthritis in his hands, Geddy can't sustain his singing for long. 

 

Barbican would be my close one and its a small enough venue (under 2000 seats) to be intimate enough to be interesting and you might get a chance to talk to him. 

Edited September 25, 2023 by TimR

[Daz39]

56 minutes ago, TimR said:

I went to see Nicko Mc McBrain a few years ago at a similar type of thing. 

 

It was very good. He was promoting his signature drum kit. A few people asked him questions.

 

The one that upset him most was "When are Iron Maiden going to get back to writing good sings like in the old days?" at which point he was about to come into the crowd and thump the guy who asked it.

 

So I just hope that no one asks the "Are you going to tour with Alex at any point in the near future?". Aside from Alex suffering from arthritis in his hands, Geddy can't sustain his singing for long. 

 

Barbican would be my close one and its a small enough venue (under 2000 seats) to be intimate enough to be interesting and you might get a chance to talk to him. 

Yeah - I'd steer clear of music and ask him about Baseball instead, or what his latest obsessions is: after Baseballs, Wine, Basses, etc.

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

The 2 nicest people I met and queued up for were Bob Calvert and Jean michel Jarre . Was  among the last dozen allowed .

Metallica ; Cliff was the best . Lars was confused  by the test pressing I had of their first 12" single . 
Meeting Mercyful fate was very odd ; I rushed into shades to get the 12" and Mike pointed the band to me over on the table .

It was just me , and they all spoke in Danish . I got a handful  of signed stickers and left . 
Most miserable ; Alice Cooper !  The band were great , but he looked angry and didn't talk to anybody . I didn't realise until years later that he nearly died from hanging at the gig I saw at Wembley !  I guess that's why he was a tad grumpy .

I'm sure Geddy won't be like that  

 

I have Geddy's  book of Bass , but if his autobiography is on Audible I'd prefer that .   

 

 

Outside of music, most signings have been fun.  Jasper Fforde was an absolute hoot, likewise Ben Aaronovitch.  Bette Davis mentioned I was very tall, Nancy Reagan asked if I'd come far, Stephen King was thoroughly miserable and didn't even look up, Bill Bryson used to live around the corner from me in Egham recognised me and was very nice.  All better than being bitten on the arm by Tommy Lee.

[jonno1981]

18 hours ago, RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE said:

In my younger years , I'd be anxiously looking forward to meet and greets like this . That was then , and Living in London at the time I'd  manage to get to them 99% of the time .  One of my friends ( a big rush fan like myself ) highlighted the Portsmouth date but knowing south western railway on a  Sunday ( with over 2 hrs each way ) I just said that I couldn't be bothered . Not very rock'n'roll I agree.😬

In my reply to his email, I did point out that if he was working in London on the Barbican date that he should go .

Having said that , we were both lucky to see Geddy at the Haymarket premiering the film . 

 

If I did go,  I would think that times are hard but it's worth paying for . Plus it's a collectors item if you're into that. 
 

As I say , I did do a few meet and greets . Always seemed to be on Monday lunchtimes . This involved asking / begging my boss and work colleagues to allow me and give me more flexibility in case I was late back . Waiting 4 hrs for metallica in shades in showery conditions was not fun  !   
Meeting  the various rock / pop stars was always a Rush ( sorry ) . 
 

The 2 nicest people I met and queued up for were Bob Calvert and Jean michel Jarre . Was  among the last dozen allowed .

Metallica ; Cliff was the best . Lars was confused  by the test pressing I had of their first 12" single . 
Meeting Mercyful fate was very odd ; I rushed into shades to get the 12" and Mike pointed the band to me over on the table .

It was just me , and they all spoke in Danish . I got a handful  of signed stickers and left . 
Most miserable ; Alice Cooper !  The band were great , but he looked angry and didn't talk to anybody . I didn't realise until years later that he nearly died from hanging at the gig I saw at Wembley !  I guess that's why he was a tad grumpy .

I'm sure Geddy won't be like that  

 

I have Geddy's  book of Bass , but if his autobiography is on Audible I'd prefer that .   

 

I really enjoyed reading that. Thanks for posting and reminiscing. 

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

1 hour ago, jonno1981 said:

I really enjoyed reading that. Thanks for posting and reminiscing. 
 

Thanks @jonno1981. 😏 a bit of a ramble there . I was too obsessive back then . 😬 Now if that Portsmouth date was Bournemouth ...🤔

 

[Misdee]

Geddy Lee is an iconic bass player but £66 to go listen to him promote his book? Most of what he's got to say will end up on YouTube anyway, no doubt. 

 

The amount people are expected to pay to see live events and buy merchandising has gone increasingly crazy over the past few decades, and the public are partly to blame for being daft enough to enable the escalation in prices. There is no writer or celebrity from history or alive today that I would pay £66 for the privellige of dragging myself out of the house to listen to them selling their latest product. 

Edited September 27, 2023 by Misdee

[toneknob]

1 hour ago, Misdee said:

Geddy Lee is an iconic bass player but £66 to go listen to him promote his book? Most of what he's got to say will end up on YouTube anyway, no doubt. 

 

The amount people are expected to pay to see live events and buy merchandising has gone increasingly crazy over the past few decades, and the public are partly to blame for being daft enough to enable the escalation in prices. There is no writer or celebrity from history or alive today that I would pay £66 for the privellige of dragging myself out of the house to listen to them selling their latest product. 

 

I can see from the Barbican presale that about half to two-thirds of the hall is priced at the £111 rate. That's about what I paid to see actual Rush at the O2 on the Time Machine tour.

 

The £66 tickets are the restricted view areas at the very extreme front sides of the auditorium.

 

For comparison I saw Brian Eno doing a talk in the same hall, best central stalls seats about £20.

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by toneknob