Rush Is Back!
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Canadian prog-rock legends Rush are gearing up for their first tour in over a decade, aptly titled the “Fifty Something” Tour, and they’ve tapped German sensation Anika Nilles to sit behind the drums!
Founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson shared in an October 2025 statement that the trek will celebrate Rush’s music, legacy, and the life of late drummer Neil Peart, while introducing “another remarkable person; an incredible drummer and musician” to their fanbase.
Born in Aschaffenburg, Germany, on May 29, 1983, Anika Nilles didn’t dive into professional drumming until her mid-20s. After spending five years training as a social worker and teaching preschool, she enrolled at Germany’s University of Popular Music and Music Business in Mannheim. There, she mastered not only advanced rhythmic techniques but also essential skills in self-promotion, tax handling, and social media management—tools that would prove invaluable as she launched her solo career and international drum clinic tours.
Why Rush Picked Anika Nilles
Proven progressive chops and technical mastery, making her adept at navigating Rush’s complex time signatures and dynamic shifts.
A ringing endorsement from Geddy Lee’s bass tech, who toured with Jeff Beck and returned home raving about “this drummer named Anika Nilles” after watching her command Beck’s rhythm section.
Deep industry savvy from her academic focus on the business side of music, ensuring she’s as comfortable with logistics and promotion as she is behind the drums.
International touring experience and a reputation as a world-class educator and clinician, demonstrated through drum-education tours across Europe and the U.S. since 2015.
Fresh energy and perspective that honor Neil Peart’s legacy while writing a new chapter in the band’s storied history, as Lee and Lifeson seek to celebrate 50-something years of Rush music with both fidelity and flair.
With dates kicking off June 7, 2026, at L.A.’s Kia Forum and winding up September 17 in Cleveland, fans are buzzing to see how Nilles handles such a near-impossible role. As Rush mixes classic deep cuts with fan favorites across a rotating setlist of 35 songs, all eyes will be on the drummer who bridged a decade-long gap—proving that sometimes the most surprising choices make the grandest statements.
Beyond the tour, look for Anika’s upcoming solo album False Truth (due late 2025) to showcase the same blend of jazz-fusion flair and rock-driven power that captured Rush’s attention—and soon, the world’s.
{My Take}
Neil Peart set the seismic standard for rock drumming with his self-taught ingenuity, jazzy flourishes and mythic storytelling that turned every Rush album into an epic voyage, whereas Anika Nilles brings academic polish, viral-ready precision and a nimble groove sensibility that thrives in odd meters and modern fusion alike. Peart’s towering solos were larger-than-life spectacles built on solitude and sheer force of will, while Nilles invites listeners into her process through clinic-style cues, social-media dialogue and a balance of power and pocket that feels both intimate and electrifying. Though she’ll inevitably be measured against Peart’s colossal legacy, her refined technique and fresh perspective promise a chapter in which Rush’s time-twisting rhythms resonate with a new generation, honoring the past even as they sprint toward tomorrow.
Welcome To The Next Chapter Of RUSH!
GE
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