Rush Announce Their First Live Shows In Eleven Years
Rush have also revealed the identity of their new touring drummer.
Rush performing live (Credit: Enrico Frangi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Following a lengthy hiatus, prog rock icons Rush have returned, surprising fans by announcing their first live shows in eleven years and revealing their new touring drummer.
Set to tour across North America from June to September 2026, the shows will mark the band’s first since their R40 tour, which concluded in August 2015. You can see the upcoming tour dates below.
Led by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, the tour also marks the band’s first shows since drummer Neil Peart passed away in 2020, aged 67. For the tour, Rush will showcase the live debut of new drummer Anika Nilles.
The German-born musician, composer, and producer recently toured with rocker Jeff Beck and has four solo albums to her name.
The Rush artist pre-sale opens on Monday, 13 October, at 12 pm local time in the US and Canada, and Thursday, 16 October, at 12 pm local time in Mexico. The general sale begins on Friday, 17 October, at 12 pm local time for the US and Canada, and 11 am local time for Mexico. Fans can purchase tickets via Ticketmaster.
As Louder Sound reports, the tour has been announced with the blessing of Carrie Nuttall-Peart and Olivia Peart, Neil’s widow and daughter.
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“We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honour Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist,” they commented in a statement.
Geddy Lee also opened up about the decision to return to the stage after eleven years.
“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of Rush alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil,” he said. “A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage.”
Noting that he and Lifeson had undergone “some serious soul searching,” the duo decided that “we fucking miss it, and that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of Rush music.”
He continued:
So in 2026, my BFF Lerxst (aka Alex Lifeson) and I are going to hit the road once again to pay tribute to our past and to Neil by performing a vast selection of Rush songs in a handful of cities. No small task, because as we all know Neil was irreplaceable.
Yet life is full of surprises, and we have been introduced to another remarkable person; an incredible drummer and musician who is adding another chapter to our story while continuing her own fascinating musical journey. Her name is Anika Nilles, and we could not be more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fanbase, whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role. Before we hit the stage, we also hope to add another musician or two to expand our sound a wee bit and free up Alex and I, in order to show off some of our new fancy dance steps.
Lerxst, Anika and myself, along with many of our longstanding crew members, have been hard at work rehearsing and designing the kind of Rush show you’ve grown accustomed to expect from us. We dearly hope you will come along and help us celebrate our history together.
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