Legendary rock band Rush is all set to return to the limelight. Rush is officially reuniting for a 2026 world tour, marking their first live performances since the death of iconic drummer Neil Peart in 2020.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers announced Oct. 6 they will headline a tour next year. The “Fifty Something” tour will feature founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson celebrating the band’s legacy and honoring late drummer Neil Peart, who died in 2020.
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“We could not be more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fanbase,” Lee told Rolling Stone, “whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role.”
In a video accompanying the tour announcement, Lee explained how he came into contact with Nilles. “How do we replace someone who is irreplaceable?” he asked. “I had heard from Scully, my bass tech, who had been on tour with Jeff Beck. He had been working with this drummer named Anika Nilles.
He mentioned how impressive she was, how talented and musical she was, and powerful. And I think [Alex] and I playing with her started to put a charge on us. We heard our songs coming back to life. It was only once we had those successful rehearsal sessions with her that I felt, ‘Yes, we can do this. And we can do justice to this. And this is going to be fun.'”
Nilles is a well-known name among dedicated drumming enthusiasts, boasting 225,000 YouTube followers where she demonstrates her remarkable skills and collaborates with artists like guitarist Joshua De La Victoria and drummer Kaz Rodriquez. Yet, despite performing with Jeff Beck in 2022, she remains relatively unknown to the broader rock audience.
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Anika Nilles has been drumming since early childhood, and she took to the instrument with great ease. “Drums are such a physical instrument,” she told 15 Questions. “It’s all about coordinating your limbs and having a clear idea of the rhythms and sounds you want to create. For me, drumming often feels like yoga — it’s just me and the drums, and everything else fades away for a while. That’s really liberating.”
She didn’t quit to pursue music full-time until she was in her late twenties. “I always knew that I wasn’t that happy at that job,” she told Modern Drummer in 2017. “But when you get money and you are safe, it’s not that easy to quit.”
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The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers announced Oct. 6 they will headline a tour next year. The “Fifty Something” tour will feature founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson celebrating the band’s legacy and honoring late drummer Neil Peart, who died in 2020.
Who is Anika Nilles?
Once the initial shock of hearing that Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will be touring as Rush next year subsided this morning, fans quickly shifted their focus to the daunting question of who could possibly fill the shoes of the late Neil Peart on drums. The answer is German-based drummer Anika Nilles.ALSO READ: Explosive allegation in Charlie Kirk shooting case: FBI suppressed video linking woman to Tyler Robinson?
“We could not be more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fanbase,” Lee told Rolling Stone, “whom, we know, will give her every chance to live up to that near impossible role.”
In a video accompanying the tour announcement, Lee explained how he came into contact with Nilles. “How do we replace someone who is irreplaceable?” he asked. “I had heard from Scully, my bass tech, who had been on tour with Jeff Beck. He had been working with this drummer named Anika Nilles.
He mentioned how impressive she was, how talented and musical she was, and powerful. And I think [Alex] and I playing with her started to put a charge on us. We heard our songs coming back to life. It was only once we had those successful rehearsal sessions with her that I felt, ‘Yes, we can do this. And we can do justice to this. And this is going to be fun.'”
Nilles is a well-known name among dedicated drumming enthusiasts, boasting 225,000 YouTube followers where she demonstrates her remarkable skills and collaborates with artists like guitarist Joshua De La Victoria and drummer Kaz Rodriquez. Yet, despite performing with Jeff Beck in 2022, she remains relatively unknown to the broader rock audience.
ALSO READ: 3I/ATLAS comet mystery solved? Scientists trace object to Milky way’s mysterious past, unlocking cosmic secrets
Anika Nilles has been drumming since early childhood, and she took to the instrument with great ease. “Drums are such a physical instrument,” she told 15 Questions. “It’s all about coordinating your limbs and having a clear idea of the rhythms and sounds you want to create. For me, drumming often feels like yoga — it’s just me and the drums, and everything else fades away for a while. That’s really liberating.”
She didn’t quit to pursue music full-time until she was in her late twenties. “I always knew that I wasn’t that happy at that job,” she told Modern Drummer in 2017. “But when you get money and you are safe, it’s not that easy to quit.”
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