Sunday, August 2, 2026

Rush hour on 2nd Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

During Rush's 50th anniversary four-night residency at Madison Square Garden, fans can also pick up merchandise at a temporary pop-up shop at 20 E. Second St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue in the former Karma gallery space. 

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Monday. 

We stopped by this morning to check out the fans ... and found a line stretching back (and across) the Bowery...
Many already had tickets for one (or more) of the band's Garden shows but still wanted to stop by the pop-up to browse the merch and soak up the atmosphere. 

The crowd reflected Rush's broad appeal across generations. One mother-daughter pair complimented us for including "multigenerational female Rush fans" ...
Fans were eager to show off their purchases, which ranged from T-shirts, hats and books to baby onesies. A zip-up hoodie drew admiring looks — and some sticker shock — with a $100 price tag.

The mood throughout the day was upbeat, with plenty of conversations about favorite albums, past tours and plans for the weekend shows. 

The line may have stretched to the Bowery, but judging by the smiles — and the Rush T-shirts already being worn out the door — no one seemed to mind the wait.
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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 3, 2026 at 9:45 AM

    My favorite band of all time! Went to multiple Rush concerts when I was young. Didn't realize there was still such a broad array of fans, especially younger folks, these days. Thanks for posting this, cool to see.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 3, 2026 at 1:08 PM

    I can't even remember how many times I listened to Moving Pictures on my cassette player Walkman. Vape on that Gen Z!

    ReplyDelete
  3. JackAugust 3, 2026 at 8:36 PM

    As much as I like Rush, the first band I was ever into as a teen in the 1980s, I find this "50 Something" cash-in to be incredibly crass. I mean after Neal Peart passed away in 2020, that should have been it.

    But now this cash-in tour with Anika Nilles filling in for Peart is just too much. I’m sure she’s good but enough already.

    And the merch reeks of AI slop and general corniness. And this oddly placed pop-up in the East Village just seems extra weird. Not appealing to this fan.

    2112, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures and Signals is all the nostalgia I need!

    ReplyDelete

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