After a decade away from the stage, Rush surprised fans Sunday night with news of a 2026 reunion tour, honoring late drummer Neil Peart and introducing acclaimed drummer Anika Nilles to the lineup, Variety reports. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson say the "Fifty Something" tour, billed as a celebration of Rush's five-decade legacy and Peart's life, will see German drummer Nilles behind the kit. The run kicks off with a pair of June shows at LA's Kia Forum—site of Rush's 2015 swan song—before hitting seven North American cities, including extended stops in Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, and Toronto, with a finale in Cleveland on Sept. 17.
The announcement came at a private Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, catching fans and media off guard. Lee and Lifeson, after some joking, confirmed plans to hit the road, noting it was a tough call given the enormity of losing Peart, also the band's lyricist, who died of glioblastoma in 2020. "How do you replace someone who is irreplaceable?" Lee mused, but said revisiting old songs helped lift the "dark clouds." Peart's family has endorsed the tour, calling it a fitting tribute. The Forum is the site of Peart's final show with the band during its last tour in 2015, Deadline reports.
Though marathon sets to the tune of 3+ hours aren't expected, fans can count on two-plus hours of music that includes a "vast selection" of songs, Lee told fans. Nilles, who has also drummed for Jeff Beck, first came to the band's attention via Lee's bass tech and joined Lee and Lifeson for low-key jamming in Canada—where she quickly proved she could handle Rush's demanding catalog. The band plans to add a keyboardist and possibly others to expand their sound—and free up Lee and Lifeson to do some "fancy dance steps," as Lee joked. "It's time for a celebration of 50-something years of RUSH music." USA Today has the rundown on how to buy tickets; pre-sale registration starts Thursday.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
