Eleven years off the road. Neil Peart gone since January 2020. Four nights at the Kia Forum to open the Fifty Something North American reunion tour. Somehow, Rush pulled it off — and then had the grace to say thank you. “Thank you for making this week so effin’ amazing!” the band posted after the LA run wrapped. Simple words. Enormous weight.
A New Kit, A Familiar Ghost
German drummer Anika Nilles steps into the most daunting chair in rock — and earns it night after night.
Nilles arrived carrying a reputation built through progressive and fusion drumming, clinic appearances, and a dedicated online following. Keyboardist and guitarist Loren Gold rounded out the ensemble, handling the layered studio arrangements that have always made Rush’s music brutally difficult to recreate live. Both were welcomed, according to the band’s own social post, “so profoundly.” Nilles described the role simply, calling it “truly an honour.” Reviews from the Forum shows backed that up — the Los Angeles Times characterized the run as a set full of “tears and riffs,” while rock-news outlets praised her playing as powerful, precise, and emotionally sensitive to what Peart built.
Highlights from Rush’s first week back included:
- Opening night set featuring “Tom Sawyer,” “The Spirit of Radio,” “YYZ,” “Xanadu,” “La Villa Strangiato,” “Natural Science,” and a “2112” segment
- Resurrection of long-dormant tracks “By-Tor & the Snow Dog” and “Red Sector A” via a rotating, multi-night setlist format
- Aimee Mann joining the band onstage to reprise her 1987 guest vocal on “Time Stand Still” — explicitly framed as a Neil Peart tribute
- A technical issue forcing a stop-and-restart of “2112” at the June 11 show — fans absorbed it without breaking stride
The Aimee Mann moment hit differently. This wasn’t a cameo — it was a deliberate, named tribute, the band calling it out publicly in their post. Rush made clear they weren’t pretending Peart’s absence doesn’t shape every note. The rotating setlist told a similar story. Deep cuts that hadn’t appeared in decades rewarded the fans who showed up believing this mattered.
“For embracing Anika, Loren so profoundly. Aimee Mann for joining us on ‘Time Stand Still’ in tribute to Neil. To you, our fans, your steadfast support is what has made this a reality. Forever grateful!” — Rush
The Road Ahead
From Mexico City to New York, the Fifty Something tour runs through December — and the demand keeps growing.
After LA, the tour moves to Mexico City, then Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, and additional North American cities through the end of the year. New dates have been announced, reflecting strong ticket demand and the band’s continued commitment to the run. Rock-news outlets, including 96.5 The Fox and WDHA FM, have described the reunion as “one of the biggest and most satisfying rock returns in recent memory” — a characterization that feels earned rather than hyperbolic after a first week that delivered on every emotional promise.
For anyone who assumed Rush’s touring days were finished, the Fifty Something tour’s opening run just proved that the most meaningful returns aren’t the ones you plan for. They’re the ones you didn’t dare hope for — and now you have every reason to get a ticket before the next city sells out.
