Return to the Limelight: Rush Finds Its Way Back to the Stage

“And if the music stops

There’s only the sound of the rain.”

- Rush, “Bravado”

As he expressed in the lyrics to “Limelight,” Rush’s Neil Peart was a man uncomfortable with fame. Sharing his introverted nature, I saw the fortress of percussion he built around himself as a space that allowed him to pursue excellence in isolation from the crowd.

Given his nature, it made sense that Neil’s post‑show routine was to leave the safety of his giant kit and slip quietly offstage while Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee said “goodbye” to the crowd. That is why it was such a shock when he snuck up on them as the final notes of their 2015 farewell show faded. Geddy even gasped mid‑sentence: “This is a surprise.”

On that stage at the Forum in Los Angeles, the power trio took their final bow together. They knew they were saying "goodbye," and they did so with smiles on their faces. It was a moment the three of them had earned over their forty-year career together.

It was probably no coincidence that the band's surviving members chose that same arena as the starting point for a tour introducing a new version of the band to fans. Eleven years after that emotional goodbye, Geddy and Alex were ready to play again under the name "Rush," and with 24 dates already sold out, the fans also seemed eager. And so on June 7, 2026, they hit the Forum stage for the first of four concerts in Los Angeles.

Two hours before showtime, the parking lots were already filling up. As fans filtered into the arena, they traded stories from past tours and compared how many shows they’d seen. All fifty years of the band’s career were represented in the shirts they proudly wore. Strangers quickly bonded over their shared love of Rush, and the excitement in the crowd was palpable, as was the emotional weight of the moment.

As has been the case in their later years, the concert began with a prerecorded video featuring the bandmates in various comedic roles, serving as an informal introduction to drummer Anika Nilles and keyboardist Loren Gold. The sketch reflected the band’s usual offbeat humor.

As the sketch built to its final moment, Rush made their entrance: Geddy and Alex in makeup that made them seem comically old, and Neil represented by a music box playing the Morse code introduction to YYZ. In the final gag, the characters opened a wardrobe that spilled out iconic imagery from the band’s history, ending with a photo of their last bow, captured from behind with the fans in the background.

The video images then parted to reveal Geddy and Alex on stage. They were in full 1970s progressive mode, each holding a double-necked guitar. The opening song was “Xanadu," an unexpected selection from 1977's A Farewell to Kings. It will be interesting to see whether this choice is repeated in other tour stops, or was a nod to the die-hard fans expected at this performance.

With the band displayed on the large video screen above the stage, the audience witnessed Anika’s mix of nervous confidence. On her second appearance, she dropped a drumstick. Quickly recovering without missing a beat, she flashed her first smile of the evening. Mostly focused and intense, she let the smile slip back in after key transitions, difficult passages, and the solos in “YYZ” and “Tom Sawyer.”

To address the obvious question, Anika fit naturally into the role. While respecting the parts created by one of rock’s greatest drummers, she brought her own style to the songs.

It was strange to be at a Rush show where you could actually see the drummer. The kit she played was still large, but didn’t obscure her presence. This allowed a clear view of a drummer who plays with genuine passion. When she hit accents, the emotion showed plainly on her face.

Her precision was remarkable to watch. I don't think I’ve ever seen a drummer who left less of a mark on their snare drum. It was as if she hit the same spot every single time.

Having confidence in Geddy and Alex's choice to fill the drum seat, my biggest concern going into the concert was Geddy's voice. In videos I’d seen from the previous tour, it often sounded rough, like he was struggling to find the notes in his impressive range. So much of Rush's unique sound depends on his distinctive vocal style that this was hard to watch.

Apparently, the eleven‑year break has done Geddy well, as he nailed the vocals throughout the show, which lasted more than three hours.

I was most curious about how the band would handle the promised tribute to their fallen drummer. For me, Queen still sets the bar for this, highlighted by a duet between Brian May and an old recording of Freddie Mercury. Instead, Rush chose a quieter, more personal approach.

The concert included two tribute videos featuring Neil's own voice as he explained his approach to drumming, being in a band, and life in general. After the first video, the band performed "Bravado" as pictures of Neil filled the video screen.

The second video was followed by "Time Stands Still," with Aimee Mann singing her part live. According to Setlist.com, this is the first time she has joined the band onstage. The video accompanying the song highlighted Neil's travels and paid tribute to his lyrics.

One of the surprises in the setlist was the inclusion of "By-Tor & The Snow Dog," played for the first time since 2004. Thirteen of the band's nineteen studio albums were represented, with Moving Pictures contributing five songs to the set.

Even with three hours of playing time, there still wasn’t enough room to cover everything. Notable omissions included "The Trees," "New World Man," "The Big Money," and "One Little Victory."

Given the additional pressure it would have put on Anika, it’s understandable that the show did not feature a drum solo. This was such a highlight of past shows that the first time I saw the band at Madison Square Garden in 1982, Neil’s solo was even part of the encore.

As is tradition, the set closed with “Working Man” from the band’s self‑titled debut album. After spending the night paying tribute to the drummer who played on every album but one, I thought it showed real class that Rush used this song to recognize the late John Rutsey, the drummer for their first album.

In 2020, Neil Peart died just before the start of the COVID pandemic. With the world shutting down, there was never an opportunity for a tribute event where fans could share their grief and say "goodbye."

With this tour, fans finally get a chance to celebrate the band's legacy. Yes, there were some emotional moments, and Geddy's voice occasionally cracked as he tried to pay tribute to his bandmate, but what came through most was an appreciation of the music the three had created.

Even with all the seriousness of the evening, the band never lost its sense of humor. As the last note faded and the goodbyes were said from the stage, the video screen lit up one final time. Reprising their roles from the sketch at the beginning of the concert, Paul Rudd and Jason Segel argued over how to pronounce “Peart.”

When I have passed, I hope people leave my memorial service with the same smiles on their faces that Rush fans had as they left the Forum.

Carl Petersen is a former Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board and a longtime advocate for public education and special needs families. Now based in Washington State, he writes about politics, culture, and their intersections at TheDifrntDrmr.