Rush Returns to the Stage for First Tour in 11 Years

Rush is back. On June 7, 2026, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson walked onto the stage at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, kicking off the "Fifty Something" tour—their first live performances in 11 years. The sold-out show marked the beginning of a massive North American run celebrating more than five decades of the Canadian rock trio's music.[1]

The venue choice was deeply symbolic. The Forum was the exact site of Rush's final show on the R40 tour in August 2015. That night was the last time Lee and Lifeson played alongside their legendary drummer and primary lyricist, Neil Peart, who passed away from brain cancer in January 2020. Returning to that stage was an emotional hurdle, with Lee admitting the prospect initially felt like "returning to the scene of the crime."[1][6]

To bring their complex music back to the live arena, Lee and Lifeson made the unprecedented decision to expand the band's lineup. For the first time since 1972, Rush is touring as a four-piece ensemble rather than a power trio.[2]

The most heavily scrutinized role—filling the monumental void left by Peart—went to German drummer, composer, and educator Anika Nilles. Nilles, who previously toured with Jeff Beck, was invited to Toronto for a five-day session in 2025 that Lee described not as an audition, but as a casual musical exploration. By the final day, her intricate grooves and modern fusion style convinced the founders they had found their drummer.[3]

The band also recruited veteran touring keyboardist Loren Gold to handle synthesizer and backing vocal duties. Gold brings a deep resume to the stage, having spent over a decade playing with The Who and recently serving as a full-time member of Chicago.[2][4]

Bringing Gold into the fold fundamentally changes the live Rush dynamic. Historically, Lee handled bass, lead vocals, and complex keyboard sequences simultaneously, often triggering pedals while playing. A dedicated keyboardist allows the band to more faithfully reproduce the layered, synth-heavy arrangements of their 1980s catalog while giving Lee the freedom to focus on his primary instruments.[4]

On opening night, the spotlight was squarely on Nilles, and her performance earned universal acclaim from both critics and fans. Reviewers praised her mix of precision and power, noting that she nailed Peart's famously complex paradiddles and iconic drum fills on tracks like "Tom Sawyer." Footage of the nearly three-hour concert quickly circulated online, erasing any lingering doubts about her ability to honor Peart's legacy.[1][5]

The setlist itself was a sprawling tribute to the band's history. Lee and Lifeson rehearsed roughly 40 songs to rotate throughout the tour, allowing them to vary the two-set performances each night. The opening show featured an 11-minute rendition of "Xanadu"—complete with Lee and Lifeson wielding their signature double-neck guitars—alongside beloved deep cuts like "By-Tor & The Snow Dog," which had not been played live in over two decades.[1][7]

The "Fifty Something" tour is currently scheduled to cross North America through December 2026, encompassing 58 shows. The response has been so overwhelming that Rush has already announced a 2027 extension, which will take the new quartet to South America, the United Kingdom, and Europe for the first time in over a decade.[7]