This ad ran in the Windsor Star in February, 1973. It advertises upcoming bands playing at the Embassy Hotel, one of the bands scheduled in the ad was a little Canadian band by the name of Rush.
Today the Embassy Hotel, is best known as the Little Memphis Cabaret. If you’re a music fan at all, think about the fact that Rush once played in this buildingnext time you cruise by the corner of Tecumseh and Alexis.
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That's right... and many more played this city in many other "establishments", as we called them...
I saw Rush in '74 at Belle River High School, you gotta start small and work your way up...
I recall seeing "Catfish" Hodge in the Windsor area. Amazingly the guy is still around:
http://www.crosstownarts.com/catfish/.
As far as Rush at Belle River, I think it was Mahogany Rush. By the summer of '74 Rush were playing BIG shows all around the US.
Speaking of great artists' humble beginnings, does anyone out there remember when Bob Seger played Riverside Secondary School during the 1967/68 year?
Also, how about Jim Carrey was the University of Windsor pub in 1984.
Elton John came in 2012. Neil Young too. Among others.
We still have tons of huge names come through our city.
Is this Embassy Hotel related in any way to the Embassy Hotel that stood on Dundas St. in London? The Embassy Hotel was a great place to party back about 10 years ago but was destroyed in a fire a few years back.
>>Wayne L. No it was Rush, I DID see Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush at Herman High School...
From the History of Rush--"In 1974, when the band members were 20, they started making their first album anyway. It was simply titled "Rush." The first album was soon released and the band went on tour in Canada. The album did not travel much outside of Toronto and the band was still not well known."
I saw lesser light Rob Tyner--ex MC5 lead vocalist @ the Embassy about 1974 .
Yes, Rush did play at Belle River District High School, but I think it was in early 1975. I was there, and it was one of the very first bands I ever saw live. I had never heard of them before but was STUNNED by their incredible musicianship. My friend and I said they were going to be world famous and everybody said we were crazy. A band named Rose opened for them. There is a photo of Rush playing on stage in the 1975 BRDHS yearbook. Neil Peart had recently joined the band on drums. Fly By Night (their second album) was about to be released and they did several songs from it, and many from their eponymous debut album. Early that summer they played the Cleary in Windsor, and we were there. The next year (1976) 2112 came out and they played Cobo Arena and Joe Louis Arena thereafter. An incredible band!