Well, here’s some exciting news that rock fans may have not been expecting! Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have announced that they’re stepping back into the limelight and reuniting for a 2026 tour.
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The North American trek, dubbed the “Fifty Something” tour, will celebrate Rush’s 50th anniversary while paying tribute to the band’s late drummer Neil Peart. The outing currently features 12 confirmed dates. It will kick off with a June 7 and 9 stand in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, and is plotted out through a September 17 performance in Cleveland. Lee and Lifeson also will visit Mexico City; Fort Worth, Texas; Chicago; New York City; and their hometown of Toronto.
The trek will mark the first time the two Canadian musicians have toured together since the August 2015 finale of Rush’s R40 Tour. Peart retired from the road after that trek, and sadly passed away from brain cancer in January 2020 at age 68.
Joining Lee and Lifeson on drums will be German drummer, composer, and producer Anika Nilles. Nilles was a member of late British guitar great Jeff Beck’s touring band in 2022. Rush also is planning to add an as-yet-unannounced keyboardist and possibly another musician to the lineup for the trek.
At each concert, Rush will be playing two sets. The band plans to change the set list at every show, choosing from a selection of about 35 songs that will include hits and fan favorites.
Information About Purchasing Tickets
Tickets for the concerts will go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 17, at 12 p.m. local time for show in the U.S. and Canada, and at 11 a.m. local time for the Mexico City concert. A variety of pre-sale tickets will be made available, starting on October 10 at 12 p.m. local time for Citi card members in the U.S. and American Express members in Canada.
Fans wanting to participate in the Rush artist pre-sale can sign up online here by Thursday, October 9, at 11:59 p.m. ET. VIP experiences and travel packages also will be available. For full details about purchasing tickets for the tour dates, visit Rush.com or LiveNationEntertainment.com.
Those interested in buying tickets early may also want to check StubHub.
Statement About the Tour from Geddy Lee
Lee has issued a statement regarding Rush’s plan to tour again.
“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of RUSH alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil,” Geddy began his message. “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.”
Lee continued, “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.”
Geddy then discussed bringing in Nilles to drum with the band.
Describing Nilles as “an incredible drummer and musician,” Lee noted, “[W]e 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.”
He added, “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.”
Statement About the Trek from Neil Peart’s Family Members
Meanwhile, Peart’s widow, Carrie Nutall-Peart, and daughter, Olivia, issued a joint statement expressing their support for Lee and Lifeson’s new tour.
“We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist,” Carrie and Olivia shared.
They continued, “Neil’s musicianship was singular. Compositions of intricacy and power that expanded what rhythm itself could express. As both drummer and lyricist, he was irreplaceable. Inimitable in his artistry, and unmatched in the depth and imagination he brought to the lyrics that inspired and moved so many, he profoundly shaped how fans connected with him and the band, giving voice and meaning to their own lives.
The Pearts concluded, “As the band enters this new chapter, it promises to be truly unforgettable. We are excited to see how their new vision unfolds, and to hear this legendary music played live once again.”
Lee and Lifeson’s Announcement Videos
Lee and Lifeson announced their plans for a 2026 tour during a special Q&A event held Sunday, October 5, at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The full event has been posted at Rush’s official YouTube channel.
The two bandmates also posted a separate funny and poignant announcement video on the band’s YouTube channel. The clip features Lee and Lifeson explaining how they decided to tour again after playing together at the two star-studded Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts in 2022, in London and L.A.
“When I think back to us doing the tribute concerts for Taylor Hawkins, we went out on stage and played our songs [for the] first time in a long time,” Lee said to Lifeson in the video. “There was a special feeling attached to that. Bittersweet, because of obvious reasons. When we started jamming again down [in my rehearsal space,] it was like a continuation of that moment. The more we played our old songs for fun, the more fun it became. … And I was surprised, because you were getting even more excited than I was.”
Lifeson replied, “Yeah. I love playing ’em. I just love playing our songs again.”
Later in the video, Alex discussed plans for the set they’re planning to play. He said that during the set, which probably will run about two hours, “we’re gonna cover a lot of things and change it up night to night, but we’ll always have a part of the show that’s a tribute to Neil and [our] memory of him and everything that he was to us.”
He added, “And it’s gonna be beautiful to be able to celebrate him, every single night.”
Rush “50 Something” Tour Dates:
June 7 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
June 9 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum
June 18 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Palacio de los Deportes
June 24 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
June 26 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
July 16 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
July 18 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
July 28 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
July 30 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
August 7 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Scotiabank Arena
August 9 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ Scotiabank Arena
September 17 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
(Photo by Richard Sibbald)
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