Tuesday 23 August 1977
Exhibition Stadium, Toronto, ON

Details

This is Max Webster's first stadium gig, supporting Rush.

This early version of The Party has a somewhat different instrumental arrangement from what would end up on Mutiny Up My Sleeve next year, as well as a notably different lyric before the instrumental break: "We're just the musicians here at the party, trying to catch the colour of your skin." Kim's vocal delivery of the song doesn't quite have the panache that it would by the time it was recorded. It would soon come to fruition, and be performed at virtually every subsequent Max Webster concert.

Mike Tilka thanks Rush for the opportunity to open for them at what was Toronto's biggest concert venue at the time (to a crowd of 20,800). "This is just one big gas," he asserts before introducing Hangover.

Line-up

  • Kim Mitchell : Vocals/Guitar
  • Mike Tilka : Bass
  • Terry Watkinson : Keyboards
  • Gary McCracken : Drums

Bands

  • Rush

Setlist

  • In Context Of The Moon
  • Oh War!
  • Gravity
  • America's Veins
  • Diamonds Diamonds
  • The Party
  • Rain Child
  • Toronto Tontos
  • Hangover
  • High Class In Borrowed Shoes

Photos

Ads and Posters

Tickets

Articles

Audio

Fan Stories

Martin Murray

We were seated right behind the soundboard, and we could barely hear them over the conversations of the crowd. I was pissed. Yes, they used their own sound man, but apparently he was only allowed to turn it up so far. When Rush came on, it was deafening! Clear as a bell. Back then I thought all musicians were buddies and everyone was fair with each other and whatever. That was the show where I began to see that it is a business, and certain bands were afraid of being blown away by their opening acts, and so they did preventative measures.

Kenneth Alan Bay

Max was great live, saw them in 77 at CNE. They opened for Rush on the 2112 tour. The buzz after the show was WHO IS THIS??? They were that good.

Christopher Popo Redfor

Saw them open for Rush at the CNE in Toronto. One of the rare times when I enjoyed the opening act more than the headliner.