Touring drummer Anika Nilles has earned widespread praise from Rush fans following her standout performance at the band’s concert in LA.
The highly anticipated show took place on Sunday, June 7, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, launching the band’s “Fifty Something” tour.
While the monumental setlist featured emotional video tributes dedicated to the late Neil Peart, Nilles successfully navigated the immense pressure of stepping into the legendary percussionist’s role.
The definitive highlight of the night occurred during Rush‘s signature anthem, “Tom Sawyer“. The 18,000-strong crowd inside the arena erupted into collective cheers when Nilles flawlessly executed the song’s legendary mid-track drum fills—a technical section that Peart himself frequently cited as the single most difficult arrangement to replicate live.
Following the concert, fans and concertgoers immediately flooded social media to commend her precision and dedication to the complex material.
“My jaw is on the ground… she absolutely is meeting the moment. WOW,” noted one impressed attendee (via Planet Rock).
Another viewer shared the emotional weight of the moment, writing, “F**king outstanding! I almost teared up when she got a cheer for the fills in the middle.”
“Anika is killing it! And after almost a year of learning and practicing Rush‘s songs…. look at those guns! She’s a beast!” wrote another fan.
Another one said: “Neil (Peart) always said this was the hardest song to play live……..Anika nailed it!!!!!”
The concert marked the band’s first official tour in 11 years and began with a four-night residency at the exact venue that hosted their final live appearance with the late Neil Peart in August 2015.
The landmark return introduced a completely revamped touring lineup. Classic members Geddy Lee (vocals, bass) and Alex Lifeson (guitar) have enlisted German drummer Anika Nilles, who prominently toured alongside guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck in 2022. to take on the demanding role behind the kit. Additionally, the band has expanded their live sound with the addition of keyboardist Loren Gold, a seasoned touring musician best known for his work with The Who and Chicago.
The Los Angeles setlist was curated from a rotating pool of approximately 40 Rush classics. The band delivered two extensive sets designed to celebrate their storied legacy while directly honoring Neil Peart, who passed away in January 2020 at the age of 67 following a three-year battle with glioblastoma. Highlights from the June 7 concert included opening the show with “Xanadu” for the first time in their history, breaking out “Limelight” and “Freewill“, and a special guest appearance by Aimee Mann for a performance of “Time Stand Still“.
Prior to the massive Los Angeles kickoff, the new iteration of Rush made their live public debut in late March at Canada’s Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario. During the ceremony, the group performed “Finding My Way” from their 1974 self-titled debut album, Rush, notably the only full-length studio release in their catalog that did not feature Peart. Before the “Fifty Something” tour, Lee and Lifeson‘s only live performances together since 2015 were under their own names, participating in high-profile tribute events for artists like Gordon Lightfoot and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Rush 2026 “Fifty Something” Tour – June 7 Setlist at Kia Forum:
- (Tape) Where’s Rush?
- “Xanadu” (first time as show opener)
- “Limelight” (first time since 2013)
- “Far Cry” (with touring band introductions)
- “Subdivisions“
- “Freewill” (first time since 2011)
- (Tape) Neil Peart Tribute Collage 1
- “Bravado” (first time since 2013, dedicated to Neil Peart)
- “Caravan” (first time since 2013)
- “La Villa Strangiato” (first time since 2011)
- “Vital Signs” (first time since 2011)
- “The Spirit Of Radio“
Set 2:
- (Tape) Countdown
- “2112 Part I: Overture“
- “2112 Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx“
- “2112 Part VII: Grand Finale“
- “Distant Early Warning“
- “Red Barchetta“
- “Dreamline” (first time since 2013)
- (Tape) Bird-dy Lee Sketch
- “Natural Science“
- (Tape) Neil Peart Tribute Collage 2
- “Time Stand Still” (with Aimee Mann) (first time since 2011)
- “Red Sector A” (first time since 2013)
- “YYZ“
- “The Garden” (first time since 2013)
- (Tape) “South Park” Intro
- “Tom Sawyer“
Encore:
- “By-Tor & The Snow Dog” (first time since 2004)
- “Working Man“
- (Tape) Neil Peart Tribute
Rush “Fifty Something” 2026 Tour Dates:
- June 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
