It has been nearly eleven years since Rush played live and when drummer Neil Peart died in January 2020, it seemed like there was no way for fans to see the band again. That all changed this week at Kia Forum, the Inglewood, CA site of what was assumed to be their final live concert in August 2015. With four sold out shows in June 2026 that kicked off their Fifty Something tour, the band is celebrating the music, legacy and the life of late drummer Neil Peart. The crowd at the third of the four shows on June 11 brought incredible energy to the arena and soaked up their legendary tunes and virtuoso performances with continuous enthusiasm.

None of it would be possible without surviving original members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, who decided they wanted to give touring another go. For that to happen they had to find a suitable replacement for the presumably irreplaceable Peart. After a worldwide search and much critical buzz from fanboys all over the internet, in stepped Anika Nilles. The German drummer had built a strong reputation over the past several years, releasing solo albums, winning awards and playing in Jeff Beck’s band until his death in 2023. Even with that pedigree, it would be a daunting task to fill Peart’s shoes.

The feedback from the first two nights indicated that Nilles pulled off the challenge, delivering stellar performances with the band. Night three solidified that verdict. Nilles pounded out incredible fills and flourishes, never missing a beat as RUSH delivered a career spanning two set masterpiece. Every time Nilles played a particularly fast or challenging arrangement, the crowd roared. Bassist Geddy Lee, with his distinctive, piercing countertenor/alto vocals sounded just like he did decades ago. Alex Lifeson blasted a variety of mind-bending solos on several beautiful sounding Gibson, Fender and PRS guitars. Touring keyboardist Loren Gold helped fill the arena with trippy, haunting organ and synthesizer forays. The audio mix was clear, loud and bright throughout the show. Occasional pyrotechnic explosions caught the audience by surprise and surpassed even the loudest instrumentation of the night.

Rush had promised different sets for each show, selecting from a limited number of songs from their back catalog. While promoting the Fifty Something tour, Lee had teased that they would be playing from a selection of 38 of their songs. That made sense, given the enormous task for Nilles to learn those tracks and for Lee and Lifeson, famous for their meticulous musical precision, to adequately prepare to deliver exemplary performances after so much time away from the stage. The June 11 show featured only three songs that were not done on nights one and two, but the band kept things fresh by changing the song sequences and choosing to open the second set by performing their entire 1981 multi-platinum album Moving Pictures in the order it was released.

The first set included strong versions of “Xanadu,” “Subdivisions” and “La Villa Strangiato,” each with complex solos by Lifeson. A moving, sentimental Neil Peart tribute with video and still images through the years preceded “Bravado.” The video screens and stage set were massive, making Lee, Lifeson, Nilles and Gold, who were spread out across the stage, look tiny from the far corners of the arena. However, the band’s lighting and video engineers did a great job spotlighting the musicians while providing creative effects and imagery that supported the music. Live staple “Red Sector A” made its first appearance on this tour. Later in the set they played “New World Man” for the first time since 2002. A rousing version of “The Spirit of Radio” got a huge response from the audience before the set break.

The songs from Moving Pictures got the second set rolling. A funny South Park video sequence showing the characters attempting to play “Tom Sawyer” preceded the return of the band. As Cartman counts off to start the song, the video stopped and the real band perfectly timed the start of the classic tune. “Red Barchetta” gave Lee an opportunity to go off on a memorable bass solo. “YYZ” and “Limelight” were done exquisitely and “The Camera Eye,” which had not been played at the two prior shows, got a new piano intro from Loren Gold. “Witch Hunt” and “Vital Signs” finished up the tracks from the iconic album. The band followed with “Time Stands Still” and like the previous two shows, Aimee Mann, who sang supporting vocals on the original 1987 recording, came onstage and joined Lee to sing the song.

Lifeson used an acoustic guitar mounted on a stand for the opening notes of “Closer to the Heart” before switching back to a gorgeous white Gibson electric he already had strapped on for the louder passages. The band then launched into “2112: Overture,” but had to cut it short as Lee had technical difficulties with his bass. Lifeson joked how anything can happen with a live performance as Lee got another bass and they restarted the song. They proceeded to play parts 2 and 7 without any additional problems. Nilles had a particularly explosive, short feature sequence during “2112 Part VII: Finale” that brought the crowd to a loud frenzy.

Lee thanked the audience for coming and supporting the band before he and the other musicians left the stage. They returned quickly for the encore that opened with “By-Tor and the Snow Dog” as colorful, inventive animation filled the big screens above and adjacent to the stage. The massive show ended with a phenomenal performance of “Working Man,” a song that historically has been a live crowd and Geddy Lee favorite.

All the anticipation about the band’s return and anxiety about Nilles has been resolved. The new drummer deserves the warm, enthusiastic reception she has earned from her stellar performances. Lee and Lifeson seem reenergized after so much time away from the stage. The band has dates scheduled throughout the world through April 2027 so their performances will keep their rabid, dedicated fan base happy for the rest of the tour. One of Peart’s famous lyrics from “Limelight,” adapted from Shakespeare is, “all the world’s indeed a stage and we are merely players.” Merely feels incorrect. Exceptional seems more appropriate.