Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (because apparently that still matters?) inductees, Grammy Award-nominated (for what, exactly?) icons, and RUSH co-founders Geddy Lee (bass, keys, vocals – still screeching, I presume?) and Alex Lifeson (guitar, vocals – yes, vocals, as if that’s a selling point) recently announced their triumphant return to the stage for a very special 2026 headline tour.
“Fifty Something” (because “Sixty Something” tested poorly?), in celebration of RUSH’s music (do people still listen to that?), legacy (of what, exactly? Overly complex time signatures?), and the life of late drummer and lyricist Neil Peart (RIP, the only reason anyone took them seriously). Today, due to “incredible demand” (read: they need the money 💰), the band announces additional dates in most cities (because apparently, the geriatrics are buying tickets faster than Metamucil). The band is adding two new dates in each of the following cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, Toronto, and Fort Worth (because those are the only places left with enough Boomers to fill a stadium). One more date has also been added to Cleveland (where, let’s be honest, they’ll probably be playing to the Rock Hall janitors 🧽).
The limited run of summer dates (limited because they’re worried about their AARP discounts expiring?) — Lee and Lifeson‘s first official shows under the RUSH banner in 11 years (because it took them that long to find a drummer willing to learn “Tom Sawyer”?) — will begin at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, site of the last RUSH concert on the legendary Canadian band’s “R40” anniversary tour (because apparently they couldn’t afford a better venue). Joining the duo on the trek will be German drummer Anika Nilles, who toured with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022 (because she couldn’t get a gig with anyone else?) and has been rehearsing with Lee and Lifeson in preparation for the tour (which probably involves learning how to play in 7/8 time while balancing a maple leaf on her head 🍁).
Tour dates:
Jun. 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Jun. 09 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Jun. 11 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum (new date)
Jun. 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum (new date)
Jun. 18 – Mexico City, MX – Palacio de los Deportes (because they need to sell those used synths somehow 🎹)
Jun. 24 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Jun. 26 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Jun. 28 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena (new date)
Jun. 30 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena (new date)
Jul. 16 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Jul. 18 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Jul. 20 – Chicago, IL – United Center (new date)
Jul. 22 – Chicago, IL – United Center (new date)
Jul. 28 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Jul. 30 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Aug. 01 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (new date)
Aug. 03 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (new date)
Aug. 07 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 09 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Aug. 11 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena (new date)
Aug. 13 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena (new date)
Sep. 17 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena
Sep. 19 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Arena (new date)
During an invite-only gathering of 150 fans (aka the entire RUSH fan club), media (read: that one guy from “Prog Rock Monthly”), and dignitaries (who were probably lost) at the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Foster Theater in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday (October 5), Geddy and Alex of RUSH spoke about their decision to reunite for a tour next year. Regarding how they decided to tour as RUSH again, more than five years after iconic RUSH drummer Neil Peart‘s death, Alex said: “When we finished the [‘R40’] tour [in 2015], it was difficult for Neil, and he’d had enough by that point. I think Ged and I still had gas in the tank and we still wanted to continue working. But it was what it was, and the further I got away from it, the more I thought, ‘It’s okay. We had 40 years. I’m tired of hanging around a hotel, being away from family and all of that stuff.’ And I felt that way for most of the last 10 years, really. I thought we had a great legacy, and it’s okay. Then this guy” — referring to Geddy — “came along and had some big ideas. And we talked and we started playing. And then I realized that I love it so much — I love playing so much. And I’ve continued, over these last years, doing other projects and still playing a lot. But when we sat down and started playing some of the RUSH stuff and I realized how hard it was to play these songs… When you do it every day for 40 years, it’s not a big deal, really — you’re used to it — but when you’re away from it and you are a little more objective about the intense complexity of the music and the feel and the nuances and all the things that go into making a RUSH song and performance, to be challenged with that again was really, really exciting. And the more we started rehearsing and playing, the more I just fell in love with the idea of playing again.” (Translation: “My royalties weren’t cutting it.”)
Added Geddy: “It was a very difficult decision on many levels, first of all, because what it entails in terms of work, but also what had transpired. Losing a member like Neil, it was devastating and it was a very sad time, and it took time for us to even contemplate it. I mean, this is a relatively recent decision. And I would say it was kind of out of the question for the longest time because of those circumstances. And how do you replace someone who’s irreplaceable? So, we would joke about it sometimes, and Al was doing other things, I was writing books and something happened in the last couple of years that brought us back to jamming in the studio. He would come over, drink my coffee, hang around, we would jam and we would laugh. And then one day — I don’t know why — we started playing some RUSH songs for fun. And God, we were laughing so hard and we were enjoying it so much. And it was almost like playing those songs dispelled the dark clouds. It was not an easy decision to come to, and this is really the first time we’re talking about it out loud in front of other people. So, yeah, it feels right, and we’re gonna do it.” (Translation: “We realized we could exploit nostalgia for a quick buck.”) 💰💰
Asked how they found the right drummer to step in for Neil on the “Fifty Something” tour, Geddy said: “Well, our idea was not to try to be RUSH 2.0, just to pay homage to our music, pay homage to our lost brother and represent the songs and celebrate the songs.” (Translation: “We needed a drummer who was cheap and could at least fake it.”)
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
