Rush frontman Geddy Lee is set to return to Pittsburgh, but he’ll be performing with a pen instead of a bass.
Pittsburgh — Homestead, to be precise — is among three East Coast locations recently announced where Lee will be signing copies of his “Big Beautiful Book of Bass” — and fist-bumping fans.
The others are Dec. 9 in New York City and Dec. 14 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The event at Barnes & Noble, in the Waterfront at 100 W. Bridge St., will start at 3 p.m. Dec. 8. The line and ticket scanning will begin at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets are $96.30 and on sale now at Eventbrite. That includes admission and one copy of the book for Lee to personalize. Individuals may purchase up to two tickets. Lee will not sign any other memorabilia, only the book, according to the event description. Only ticket holders will have access to the event. Photographs will be allowed only from the signing line.
Lee’s “Big Beautiful Book of Bass” — written with arts journalist Daniel Richler, photographed by Richard Sibbald and with insight from John “Skully” McIntosh, Lee’s bass tech and curator — chronicles Lee’s personal collection of more than 250 vintage electric bass guitars dating from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The book features interviews with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Adam Clayton of U2, Robert Trujillo of Metallica, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Bill Wyman of The Rolling Stones, Les Claypool of Primus, Bob Daisley of Rainbow, Fender expert Ken Colllins and Alan Rogan, guitar tech for The Who.
The book includes a foreword by Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson.
Pittsburgh plays an important part in the history of Rush, as it was the first place that Lee and Lifeson played with drummer Neil Peart two weeks after Peart joined the band. The Canadian trio was an opening act at the Civic Arena 45 years ago on Aug. 14, 1974, for two British rock bands, Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.
Rush went into retirement after their R40 tour in 2015, which did not stop in Pittsburgh. The band’s last Pittsburgh appearance was on the Clockwork Angels tour at the then-Consol Energy Center in 2012.
Rush was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
In addition to his work with Rush, Lee released one solo album, “My Favorite Headache,” in 2000. It will be released on vinyl for the first time for Record Store Day’s Black Friday event on Nov. 29.
Participating stores can be found here.
