----------------Neil Peart Early Years Gigs----------------
Dates: Circa 1967 - July 1974
- Note that these early gig dates have been compiled after much extensive research and discoveries, with many still obscured gigs yet to be documented.
- We do not yet consider this "Neil Peart Early Years Gigs" list to be thoroughly comprehensive! Our research and digging for dates of early Neil performances began in 2026. Alongside our luck uncovering many undocumented early Rush gigs, we hoped to do the same for early Neil since these gigs have never been properly documented. While J. R. Flood proved relatively easy to find dates for, Neil's other bands require a lot more time and dedication to uncover. We are sharing this work-in-progress list in its current state, though it should continue to grow over time.
- If you remember attending a performance that isn't listed here, please let us know!
Date | Venue | Location | Other Performers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Lakeport Secondary School | St. Catharines, Ontario | unknown | Neil Peart plays his first public performance with "The Eternal Triangle" at a high school variety show. This was not a proper paying gig nor professional band. Neil was only 15 years old, and seemed to indicate this band only had a handful of amateur performances. |
| 1967-1968 | Various Venues | Niagara Region, Ontario | unknown | Neil performs with "Mumblin' Sumpthin'", which Neil has specifically referred to as being his "first real band". Not much is known about this band either, though he did play at least a handful of local gigs with this group, namely "YMCA dances and Legion halls". |
| 1968? | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | unknown | Neil performs with "Mumblin' Sumpthin'", recalling it being his first Friday night gig at this venue. the same night which Neil recalls the venue owner lecturing the band on needing to play songs that people will want to hear. Neil states that this incident helped push him on a "lifelong course as a contrarian", and remained determined to find ways to play the music he wanted. |
| 1968-1969 | Various Venues | Niagara Region, Ontario | unknown | Neil joins "The Majority", with which he went on to play many gigs. The band was already active and first known as "Wayne and the Younger Generation". The band completely broke up in late 1969, and several former members, including Neil, performed in a very short-lived band named "Damian", though this is never mentioned by Neil, only by another former member. |
| Early 1970 | Various Venues | Niagara Region, Ontario | unknown | Neil joins "J. R. Flood", his most successful prior to Rush. "J. R. Flood" existed as a band since early 1969, and for sometime prior were known as "The Brogues". Neil supposedly joined the band in April 1970. |
| February 13, 1970 | Niagara Falls Collegiate Institute | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | Possibly before Neil joined. |
| February 14, 1970 | Loretto Academy | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | Valentine's dance. Possibly before Neil joined. |
| March 1970 | Notre Dame College School | Welland, Ontario | none | Month unconfirmed, could be earlier in 1970. Possibly before Neil joined. |
| April 1970 | West Park Secondary School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Exact date unknown, probably with Neil. |
| July 1, 1970 | Welland Arena | Welland, Ontario |
| Dance sponsored by "Youth for Port Colborne". |
| July 25, 1970 | Garden City Arena | St. Catharines, Ontario |
| Part of the "Music and Arts Show". |
| July 28, 1970 | Lakeview Park Centennial Bandshell | Port Colborne, Ontario |
| Free jam session by "Youth for Port Colborne". |
| August 5, 1970 | Welland Arena | Welland, Ontario | none | Dance sponsored by "Youth for Port Colborne". |
| August 23, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario |
| A roller skating rink. |
| September 5, 1970 | James Street Mall | St. Catharines, Ontario |
| Free concert. |
| September 6, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| September 12, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| September 13, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| September 18, 1970 | Merritton High School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| September 20, 1970 | Brock University Football Field | St. Catharines, Ontario |
| Part of the "Brock Festival '70". |
| September 25, 1970 | Laura Secord Secondary School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| October 2, 1970 | Niagara District Secondary School | Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario | none | |
| October 9, 1970 | St. Catharines Collegiate | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| October 10, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| October 17, 1970 | Loretto Academy | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | |
| October 30, 1970 | Beamsville District Secondary School | Beamsville, Ontario | none | |
| November 6, 1970 | Fort Erie Secondary School | Fort Erie, Ontario | none | Sadie Hawkins dance. |
| November 13, 1970 | Westlane Secondary School | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | Originally scheduled November 12. |
| November 27, 1970 | West Park Secondary School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Sadie Hawkins dance. |
| November 28, 1970 | Denis Morris High School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| December 1970 | Thorold District Secondary School | Thorold, Ontario | none | Exact date unknown. |
| December 18, 1970 | Merritton High School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Christmas dance. |
| December 22, 1970 | Park Motor Hotel | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | |
| December 25, 1970 | Lincoln Curling Club | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Part of the "11 Days of Christmas" event. |
| December 26, 1970 | Caledonia High School | Caledonia, Ontario | none | Part of a "Winter Carnival". |
| January 29, 1971 | Steel Workers Hall | Fort Erie, Ontario | none | |
| February 19, 1971 | Merritton Community Centre | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| April 10, 1971 | Waterfront Discotheque | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| April 16, 1971 | Grantham High School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| April 30, 1971 | St. Catharines Collegiate | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| May 9, 1971 | Pizza King | Niagara Falls, Ontario | none | A pizza parlor. |
| May 1971 | St. Catharines Collegiate | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Spring prom, exact date unknown. |
| May 21, 1971 | Merritton Community Centre | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | Probably one of the last J. R. Flood gigs with Neil. |
| Summer 1971 | Neil claims he left "J. R. Flood" during summer 1971. Neil moves to London in attempt to find better success after J. R. Flood's failure to make a record deal. He states that he had tried to urge the rest of the band to go with him, but they were not willing to do so. There's a full lack of advertised J. R. Flood gigs until September and October, and a November article states it was a "new" band with only the guitarist and keyboardist being the remaining former members. | |||
| Fall 1971 | Various Venues | London, England | unknown | While in London, Neil eventually joined "English Rose", however it was very short lived and allegedly only played a small handful of gigs. After constant failure attempting to pursue music in London, Neil eventually moved back to St. Catharines during December 1972. |
| Summer 1973 | Various Venues | Niagara Region, Ontario | unknown | Neil joined his next proper band "Hush", with which he went on to play many gigs in local bars and schools. "Hush" existed as a band for several years before Neil. During this period Neil was also regularly working during the day at his father's farm equipment store. Neil claimed that he was still motivated to keep pursuing playing music, and recalls that two of his former J. R. Flood bandmates were now in a band called Bullrush, but since they already had an excellent drummer, he did not feel suited to try replacing him. Neil remained active with Hush until later joining Rush. |
| September 28, 1973 | Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| December 19, 1973 | Ridgeway-Crystal Beach High School | Ridgeway, Ontario | none | |
| January 4, 1974 | Lockview Park Secondary School | Port Colborne, Ontario | none | |
| January 12, 1974 | Denis Morris High School | St. Catharines, Ontario | none | |
| July 1974 | Rush's co-manager Vic Wilson shows up at Neil's father's store to talk to Neil about auditioning for Rush as new drummer, need for their upcoming US tour. After auditioning, Neil officially joins "Rush" on July 29. |
Rush Early Years Gigs | Rush Tour