Rush kicked off their Fifty Something reunion tour on Sunday at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, marking an evening of firsts: their first full-length concert in nearly 11 years, their first headlining show since the death of drummer Neil Peart and, consequently, their first full show with new drummer Anika Nilles.
Nilles, who previously played in Jeff Beck’s touring band, had big shoes to fill — and she did so with panache. The TapeheadToo YouTube account has uploaded drum cam footage of the full concert, which comprised 24 songs from throughout Rush’s illustrious discography.
During show opener “Xanadu,” Nilles fumbled a drumstick but quickly recovered it and continued playing the fill as if nothing had happened. Ironically, the nearly indecipherable error seemed to have worked in her favor, as the audience applauded her recovery and bolstered the energy and goodwill for the evening.
You can watch Nilles’ masterful performance in the nearly three-hour video below.
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Watch Anika Nilles Play at Rush’s Fifty Something Reunion Tour Kickoff (June 7, 2026)
How Rush Honored Neil Peart at Fifty Something Tour Kickoff
Peart, who died in 2020 at the age of 67, was clearly front of mind for Rush and their fans at the Fifty Something tour kickoff show, which featured numerous tributes to the late drummer. Singer and bassist Geddy Lee quickly made that clear when he addressed the audience after the band’s first song, “Xanadu.”
“We’re here for so many reasons,” Lee said. “We’re here to celebrate over 50 years of music that [Alex Lifeson], myself and the great Neil Peart made together. We’re here to pay tribute to Neil.”
The concert ended with another memorable tribute to Peart. Actors Paul Rudd and Jason Segel — who also appeared in a short film that opened the show — returned to the screen to reprise their roles as diehard Rush fans from the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man. Both actors paused their jam session to debate the pronunciation of Peart’s last name while referring to the drummer as “the almighty, the best in the world, ever.”
Rush’s Fifty Something Tour resumes on Tuesday in Los Angeles and is currently scheduled to run through April 2027.
See more photos from Rush’s opening night below:
Rush Opening Night 2026 Photo Gallery
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson performed their first show together in 11 years.
