“Rush began using washing machines on stage during their 1981 tour in support of the album Moving Pictures, primarily as a visual and humorous solution to balance the stage setup after Geddy Lee stopped using traditional bass amplifiers.
Lee transitioned to plugging his bass directly into the PA system, which left a large empty space behind him, while guitarist Alex Lifeson retained his large amp stacks, creating an imbalance.
To address this, the band’s road crew initially placed random appliances behind Lee as a joke, and the idea was embraced by the band and fans alike.
The washing machines were not used for actual laundry during performances, but they were sometimes filled with T-shirts that were thrown into the audience, and roadies would occasionally add coins to keep them spinning as a playful gesture.
The washing machines were also used to create unique sound effects, particularly during the song “The Trees,” where their rhythmic thumping was modified and amplified to contribute to the song’s atmospheric texture.
The machines were sometimes mic’d up for added effect, and their presence became a signature element of Rush’s elaborate stage productions.
Over time, the band experimented with other appliances, such as rotisserie chicken ovens during the Snakes and Arrows tour, which were used to cook real chickens for the crew and even featured a roadie in a chicken suit basting the birds on stage.
The washing machines were later reintroduced during the R40 tour as part of a thematic “going backwards through the band’s history” segment.”