THE STORY
In 2015, the iconic Canadian rock band Rush celebrated its 40th anniversary with a career-spanning tour that proved to be the band’s swan song. The death Neil Peart, the band’s legendary drummer and lyricist, in January 2020 sent shock waves across the rock music community and put to rest any rumors of the band ever performing again. Yet the band’s legacy endures, and interest in Rush’s music remains at an absolute peak. With the band no longer active, there is a high demand from fans to witness the music of Rush played live on stage.
Enter Solar Federation.
Hailing from Central Pennsylvania, Solar Federation performs the music of Rush with passion and precision, tuning into all the fine details die-hard fans analyze with every spin of an album. Formed in 2014, the band spent an entire year honing its initial set list and rehearsing what is often called the most complex and difficult catalog of songs to perform in the pantheon of rock music. After a handful of live performances, the band quickly established itself as one of the premier Rush tribute bands on the East Coast, garnering praise from fans for its accurate interpretation of the material, meticulous attention to detail, and vocalist Julie Schreiber’s passionate delivery of Rush’s dynamic melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. Over the last nine years, Solar Federation has become known as a faithful tribute to the music of Rush and has garnered respect among the vast community of Rush fans around the globe.
Following the death of Peart, Solar Federation was invited to perform at A Night for Neil, a memorial tribute concert organized by Peart’s parents and family as well as the nonprofit organization, Overtime Angels. The concert was held in Peart’s hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario, at the Meridian Center on Saturday, October 22, 2022. Solar Federation was the only Rush tribute band from the United States invited to perform. The band headlined the event with an hour-long closing set that brought down the house of more than 4,000 fans.
In late 2023, Solar Federation had the tremendous honor of collaborating with Rush’s longtime album cover artist, Hugh Syme, and legendary record producer, Terry Brown, on a studio version of “Witch Hunt” from Rush’s 1981 masterpiece, Moving Pictures. The track premiered on April 12, 2024, on 97.3 WRVV The River and is available on all major streaming platforms. It will also appear on the forthcoming Songs for Neil: Volume 5, set to release internationally on September 12, 2024. The band’s live versions of “The Necromancer” and “Chemistry” have appeared on the previous Songs for Neil tribute albums, with proceeds of sales benefitting Cancer Support Scotland (UK) and Glioblastoma Foundation Neil Peart research Award (USA).
Solar Federation was voted “Best Tribute Band” at the 2023 Central PA Music Awards, an accolade it also received in 2021 and for which it was nominated in 2022.
“You can’t fake it with this band,” said Ffej Herb, Solar Federation’s drummer. “Rush fans are incredibly loyal and know this music inside and out.”
Rush is widely recognized for its legions of devoted fans from all corners of the world. “I’m constantly floored to learn that fans from all over the Mid-Atlantic region travel to attend our shows,” said Herb. “To me, that not only speaks volumes about the loyalty of Rush fans, but it’s also a testament to the quality of our little band.”
Solar Federation:
Mike Bitts – bass, keyboards
Ffej Herb – drums, cymbals, percussion
Julie Schreiber – lead vocals
Eric Wirsing – guitar, backing vocals