For decades, Rush fans have flattered themselves on being a special breed, thoughtful, loyal, fiercely devoted to three Canadian musicians who made rock cool. However, in 2025, as the band’s latest tour sends ticketing sites into meltdown, a new kind of heartbreak is echoing across fan spaces. It’s not about setlists or reunions. It’s about affordability and belonging.
Rush fans are frustrated
“I just feel like I’m too poor to be a Rush fan,” one longtime listener wrote in a Reddit post that’s since been shared widely across social media. What followed was a flood of agreement, frustration, and empathy.
Fans love Rush deeply, but between high-priced merch, limited-edition books, and now a ticket presale that feels designed for the wealthy, they no longer feel welcome.
“Yes, I’m aware that many Rush fans are highly educated and have or had retired from good jobs. They can afford it, and that’s great! But for younger fans… unless they’re being taken by their well-to-do parent, it’s not like someone who was born after the synth era can just afford it.”
That sentiment hit a nerve. For every fan defending the prices, others were pointing out how concerts, once a blue-collar escape, have become exclusive events for the upper class. One comment summed it up bluntly:
“Going to rock concerts or sporting events used to be considered a blue-collar event. Now it’s just something the rich get to do.”
It’s a familiar story. Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” model, inflated resale markets, and VIP add-ons have turned the simple act of buying a concert ticket into a financial endurance test. And for Rush, a band whose message often celebrated individualism and working-class grit, it’s especially dissonant.
Fans say this moment feels different from the usual “merch is expensive” gripes. The tone of the discourse has shifted. “Buy or bye” culture — where participation in fandom is measured by spending power — has crept into even the most intellectual corners of rock fandom. And for younger listeners who discovered Rush through 2112 memes or Tom Sawyer TikToks, the financial barrier feels like a locked door.
Still, even amid the frustration, there’s love. The original poster signed off their message with grace:
“I hope everyone who is going has a great time and I’m happy for you all! But can we just not attack those who cannot afford to go?”
It’s a plea that feels bigger than Rush, and their tour was meant to bring people together, not divide them by income bracket.
Because for all the progressive time signatures and technical mastery, Rush’s real magic was always the community it built: nerds, dreamers, outsiders, thinkers. And for many of those fans, being priced out of that experience feels like losing a part of their identity.
