German drummer Anika Nilles is preparing to make her official tour debut with Rush next month, stepping into one of the most technically demanding roles in rock music. Following the announcement that she would join Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson on stage, Anika Nilles has been immersed in an intensive rehearsal process to honor the legacy of the late Neil Peart while preparing for a global audience.
The partnership was facilitated through a mutual professional connection. Anika Nilles, who previously toured with Jeff Beck, explained that the introduction came via Jeff Beck’s guitar tech, Scully. Since Scully also serves as the bass tech for Geddy Lee, he recommended the drummer to the band. This led to an invitation to Canada to see if the trio could find a functional musical chemistry.
“A call like that is definitely something you need to process first. Then I got an invitation to Canada. Initially it was about meeting to see whether it would work for the guys to go back on stage, and whether this line-up would work. Of course, it was overwhelming at first to be playing with the two of them in the studio in such a small setting,” Anika recalled in a new interview with Metal Hammer.
During those initial sessions, the focus remained heavily on the emotional weight of the music and the specific “feel” required to perform Rush compositions. Anika Nilles noted that her preparation involved deep discussions about the approach Neil Peart took toward his craft.
“The most important point is simply to capture the feeling – that it feels right for the two of them to play their music again. And ultimately it will feel right for the fans as well. We talked about that a lot. The first session was really about getting to know each other and seeing how we function together,” she shared.
Despite her extensive background as a composer and educator, Anika Nilles admitted she was starting from scratch with much of the Rush catalog. While she was familiar with Neil Peart‘s legendary status and the classic track “Tom Sawyer“, she had not previously delved deep into the band’s discography. To prepare for the tour, she has committed to five to six hours of practice every day since January.
“Neil is simply part of this music, and you can’t ignore that or bring your own ego into it. You have to approach it with respect and a lot of sensitivity. Capturing the feel also means playing things differently than I might normally play them – playing them more the way Neil played them, to give the guys their familiar feeling for the song. That’s really the biggest challenge: figuring out what that is in each individual song – what creates that feeling so that the two of them feel comfortable? What do they need? What makes the song the song, so that it sounds the way it does? That’s where my focus lies as I work my way through the setlist, figuring out what the song needs and what defines it,” Anika explained.
The drummer also praised the personal and professional dynamic she has found with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. She described the environment as one of mutual respect and shared enthusiasm for the music.
“They are incredibly funny people. Very human, very warm, very welcoming. I felt comfortable right away. And that’s extremely important when you’re working together – that it works on that level. Thankfully it clicked with the two of them immediately. I really enjoy watching them play, because they do it with such unbelievable joy. They’re simply having fun, yet at the same time they’re completely focused when it comes to the details. They’re deeply immersed in the details of their music, they know every note and every hit by heart. They’re fully aware of everything. And their energy – both in the way they interact with each other and in the sheer force of their playing – is fantastic to witness. It’s incredibly fun,” she added.
As she prepares to take the stage at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on June 7, Anika views the opportunity as a homecoming to her rock and progressive roots. She also acknowledged her role as a prominent woman in the drumming community.
“I do think I’ve become a role model for many people. Over the past ten years, with everything that has happened, I’ve learned that I’ve sort of grown into that role. I don’t do it consciously, I make my decisions based on what’s in front of me at the time. But I believe it’s important, as a woman on drums – which is still underrepresented – to have role models. To be able to say: ‘Look, she’s playing in this band, she’s playing for this act.’ We’re here. We can fulfill these roles just as much as men can. That’s important. When I was growing up, that didn’t really exist. Fortunately I had a lot of support from my parents and family. But I know many girls don’t have that support, and have to fight their way through on their own – for very different reasons. For them it’s even more important to have a role model they can look up to. And I am aware of that responsibility,” she concluded.
Among her favorite tracks to perform, she highlighted the complexity of “Natural Science” and the melodic nature of “Time Stand Still“. The upcoming 2026 tour will see Rush performing a varied setlist as they return to major stadiums across the globe.
Rush “Fifty Something” 2026 Tour Dates:
- June 7, 9, 11, 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
- June 18 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
- June 20 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes
- June 24, 26, 28, 30 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
- July 16, 18, 20, 22 – Chicago, IL – United Center
- July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- Aug. 7, 9, 11, 13 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
- Aug. 21 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
- Aug. 23 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
- Aug. 26 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
- Aug. 28 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
- Sep. 2 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
- Sep. 4 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
- Sep. 12 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
- Sep. 14 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
- Sep. 17, 19 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
- Sep. 23 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
- Sep. 25 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
- Oct. 5 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
- Oct. 7 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
- Oct. 10 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
- Oct. 12 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
- Oct. 15 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
- Oct. 17 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
- Oct. 25 – Washington D.C. – Capital One Arena
- Oct. 27 – Washington D.C. – Capital One Arena
- Oct. 30 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
- Nov. 1 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
- Nov. 5 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
- Nov. 7 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
- Nov. 9 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
- Nov. 11 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
- Nov. 20 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
- Nov. 22 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
- Nov. 25 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
- Nov. 27 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
- Dec. 1 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
- Dec. 3 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
- Dec. 10 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
- Dec. 12 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
- Dec. 15 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
- Dec. 17 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Rush “Fifty Something” 2027 UK And European Tour:
- February 19: Paris, FRA – La Défense Arena
- February 21: Berlin, GER – Uber Arena
- February 23: Amsterdam, NED – Ziggo Dome
- February 25: Munich, GER – Olympiahalle
- February 28: Cologne, GER – LANXESS Arena
- March 2: Hamburg, GER – Barclays Arena
- March 4: Stuttgart, GER – Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
- March 8: Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
- March 12: Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
- March 16: London, UK – The O2 Arena
- March 18: London, UK – The O2 Arena
- March 27: Kraków, POL – Arena Kraków
- March 30: Milan, ITA – Unipol Dome
- April 1: Basel, SWI – St. Jakobshalle
- April 4: Copenhagen, DEN – Royal Arena
- April 6: Oslo, NOR – Unity Arena
- April 8: Stockholm, SWE – Avicii Arena
- April 10: Helsinki, FIN – Veikkaus Arena
Rush “Fifty Something” 2027 South America Dates:
- January 15: Buenos Aires, AR
- January 22: Curitiba, BR
- January 24: São Paulo, BR
- January 30: Rio De Janeiro, BR
- February 01: Belo Horizonte, BR
- February 04: Brasília, BR
