Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee have announced that Rush will be back on tour in 2026.
After saying for years that the band had ended with the 2020 death of Neil Peart, the guitarist and bassist announced on October 5 that they are back in business.
The group’s new drummer is Anika Nilles, an award-winning German composer and producer with four solo albums who previously toured with Jeff Beck.
Dubbed Fifty Something, the tour is being described as a “celebration of Rush’s music, legacy, and the life of late drummer and lyricist Neil Peart.” It kicks off with two nights at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on June 7 and 9, and continues with visits to a total of seven cities in North America.
“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of Rush alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil,” bass guitarist Lee said in a press release. “A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage.
“And so, after all that has gone down since that last show, Alex and I have done some serious soul searching and come to the decision that we fucking miss it, and that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of RUSH music.
“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,” he continued, “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.”
The sudden news was dropped at a top-secret private event on Sunday night, October 5, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. During a Q&A, Lifeson and Lee were responding to a fan question about future performances when Lee made the surprising admission.
“I kind of think that we should tour next year,” he said.
Lifeson — who has been busy these past few years with his new group, Envy of None — revealed late last year that the two remaining Rush friends had been jamming weekly, but he cautioned that there were no plans to re-form Rush.
Lee touched on the difficulty of replacing the drummer when he spoke on Sunday night.
“It was a very sad time, and it took time for us to even contemplate,” he said, adding, “And how do you replace someone who is irreplaceable?”
But it turned out that their casual jams were an impetus to get the group back in action.
“We were laughing so hard, and we were enjoying it so much, and it was almost like playing those songs dispelled the dark clouds,” Lee said.
Lifeson said he was looking forward to relearning the group’s material after so many years. He added that his and Lee's weekly sessions showed him how much he missed playing — and how difficult it was to get his playing back in shape, considering the complex electric guitar lines that run throughout the group's catalog.
“To be challenged with that again was really, really exciting,” he said. “And the more we started rehearsing and playing, the more I just fell in love with the idea of playing again.”
The duo said the shows will last more than two hours and pay tribute to Peart
“Our idea was not to try to be Rush 2.0,” he says, “to pay homage to our music, pay homage to our lost brother, represent the songs and celebrate the songs.”
The tour itinerary is as follows:
Sun Jun 7, Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
Tue Jun 9, Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
Thu Jun 18, Mexico City, MX Palacio de los Deportes
Wed Jun 24, Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
Fri Jun 26, Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
Thu Jul 16, Chicago, IL United Center
Sat Jul 18, Chicago, IL United Center
Tue Jul 28, New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Thu Jul 30, New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Fri Aug 7, Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
Sun Aug 9, Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
Thu Sep 17, Cleveland, OH Rocket Arena
