Rush Kicks Off First Tour in 11 Years, Honors Late Drummer Neil Peart

After more than a decade away from the stage, classic rockers Rush were back in front of a crowd on tour on Sunday, June 7, in Los Angeles, setting off on the band’s Fifty Something tour, which marks their first trek since August 2015.

So, it’s been 11 years since Rush has toured, and it also marks band members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson’s first time touring together since the band’s legendary drummer, Neil Peart, died in 2020. Filling in for Peart is drumming sensation Anika Nilles.

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What did fans get treated to on the set? According to Setlist.fm, the band kicked off the show with “Xanadu,” a popular cut off their 1977 album, “A Farewell To Kings.” This was actually the first time Rush has ever kicked off a tour with that song, making it even more special.

The concert, according to Setlist.fm, also featured Rush classics such as “Limelight,” “Freewill” and “The Spirit of the Radio.” There were two sets, and in the second, the audience was treated to a handful of tracks off 1976’s “2112,” including “Overture” and “Grand Finale.” Finally, to close the show, the band played a clip with characters from the TV show South Park introducing the last song of the night, which was no surprise to anyone: “Tom Sawyer.”

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The band honored Peart during the concert, too. At one point, they showed a video montage of the late drummer with audio of him talking about how he initially began playing drums and why he loved playing. They also dedicated the song “Bravado” off “Roll the Bones” to the late drummer.

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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 12:42 PM.