Rush Is Reuniting! Band Announces North American Tour 5 Years After the Death of 'Irreplaceable' Drummer Neil Peart Bailey RichardsOctober 6, 2025 at 11:05 PM 0 Richard Sibbald Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Rush is reuniting for The Fifty Something Tour in 2026, the Canadian band announced Oct.
- - Rush Is Reuniting! Band Announces North American Tour 5 Years After the Death of 'Irreplaceable' Drummer Neil Peart
Bailey RichardsOctober 6, 2025 at 11:05 PM
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Richard Sibbald
Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson -
Rush is reuniting for The Fifty Something Tour in 2026, the Canadian band announced Oct. 6
The North American tour marks the first time Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have performed Rush's music in over a decade, and the first time since Rush drummer Neil Peart's death
German drummer Anika Nilles will join the rockers for the 2026 tour
Rush is returning to the stage!
The Canadian rock band announced a reunion tour on Monday, Oct. 6, in a press release shared with PEOPLE. The Fifty Something Tour, which will hit seven cities across North America in 2026, marks the first time founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have performed Rush's music together in over a decade, and since the death of their bandmate Neil Peart in 2020 at age 67.
Bassist, keyboardist and vocalist Lee, 72, and guitarist and vocalist Lifeson, also 72, revealed how the reunion tour came to be while celebrating the news — and reflecting on Rush's legacy — at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Sunday, Oct. 5.
In conversation with Geoff Edgers at the Ohio museum, Lee revealed that playing music with Lifeson helped to dispel some of "the dark clouds" that surrounded them after Peart's death — and said that it "feels right" to take Rush's music on tour again next year.
Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty
Rush's Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart and Geddy Lee in 1978
"Losing a member like Neil is, was devastating and it was a very sad time and it took time for us to even contemplate … I mean, this is a relatively recent decision, and I would say it was kind of out of the question for the longest time because of those circumstances," said Lee. "And how do you replace someone who's irreplaceable, you know?"
Of a Rush reunion, Lee continued, he and Lifeson "would joke about it," but were "doing other things." Then, he recalled, "something happened in the last couple of years that brought us back to jamming in the studio."
"He would come over and drink my coffee, hang around and we would jam and we would laugh," Lee said of his longtime friend and bandmate. "And then one day — I don't know why — we started playing some Rush songs for fun. And God, we were laughing so hard and we were enjoying it so much. And it was almost like playing those songs dispelled the dark clouds."
Richard Sibbald
Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson
"It was not an easy decision to come to, and this is really the first time we're talking about it out loud in front of other people," the bassist added of the tour, but "it feels right and we're going to do it."
Lee and Lifeson also received support from Peart's wife and daughter, according to the release.
In the legendary drummer's absence, the "Tom Sawyer" hitmakers will be joined by Anika Nilles — a German drummer, composer, producer and studio musician who previously drummed for late English musician Jeff Beck, the release states.
"It's been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of RUSH alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil," Lee said in a statement. "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 f---ing 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," the bassist continued. "Yet life is full of surprises, 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."
Robert Knight Archive/Redferns
Rush's Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart, Geddy Lee in 2012
The Canadian rockers "could not be more excited to introduce" Nilles, 42, to Rush fans, Lee said in the statement, before sharing hope that their listeners "will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role."
The Fifty Something Tour will kick off on June 7 and June 9, with two shows at Los Angeles' Kia Forum, and hit several cities around the United States, Canada and Mexico before wrapping on Sept. 17 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Rush fans will be able to participate in artist presale by signing up here by Thursday, Oct. 9 at 11:59 p.m. E.T. Meanwhile, General onsale begins here on Friday, Oct. 17th at 12 p.m. local time for the U.S. and Canada, and 11 a.m. local time for Mexico.
The poster for Rush's Fifty Something Tour
See the dates for Rush's Fifty Something Tour below.
Sunday, June 7 — Los Angeles — Kia Forum
Tuesday, June 9 — Los Angeles — Kia Forum
Thursday, June 18 — Mexico City, Mexico — Palacio de los Deportes
Wednesday, June 24 — Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
Friday, June 26 — Fort Worth, Texas — Dickies Arena
Thursday, July 16 — Chicago — United Center
Saturday, July 18 — Chicago — United Center
Tuesday, July 28 — New York City — Madison Square Garden
Thursday, July 30 — New York City — Madison Square Garden
Friday, Aug. 07 — Toronto — Scotiabank Arena
Sunday, Aug. 09 — Toronto — Scotiabank Arena
Thursday, Sept. 17 — Cleveland, Ohio — Rocket Arena
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