ANIKA NILLES On Being RUSH’s New Drummer: “I Couldn’t Be More Excited About What Lies Ahead”

Rush shocked the world earlier this week by announcing a handful of reunion shows for 2026. Standing in for the late and great Neil Peart is German drummer and composer Anika Nilles, who’s finally spoken on her inclusion!

In a statement, Nilles said: “Hey there, the past few days have been quite overwhelming. I’m sure many of you feel the same. I want to take a moment to sincerely thank Geddy and Alex for their trust and for welcoming me on this incredible new journey with Rush.

“I also don’t want to miss the chance to warmly welcome all the new faces here and to thank you for your kind and open-minded words — they truly mean a lot. At the same time, I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has followed and supported my journey over the years. We’re all in this together now, and I couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead.”

Rush‘s 2026 reunion dates are as follows. Get your tickets here.

The tour will see founding members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson reunite to celebrate over fifty years of Rush‘s music, legacy, and Peart‘s indelible mark on the band and its fans. The trek kicks off June 7, 2026, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles — the very venue where Rush played the final show of their R40 farewell tour in 2015 — bringing the band’s journey full circle.

“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of Rush alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil,” Lee said. “After all that has gone down since that last show, Alex and I have done some serious soul searching and come to the decision that we fucking miss it. It’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of Rush music.

“So in 2026 my BFF Lerxst (aka Alex Lifeson) and I are going to hit the road once again to pay tribute to our past and to Neil by performing a vast selection of Rush songs in a handful of cities. No small task, because as we all know Neil was irreplaceable.”

6/7 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
6/9 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
6/11 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
6/13 Los Angeles, CA Kia Forum
6/18 Mexico City, MX Palacio de los Deportes
6/24 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
6/26 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
6/28 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
6/30 Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena
7/16 Chicago, IL United Center
7/18 Chicago, IL United Center
7/20 Chicago, IL United Center
7/22 Chicago, IL United Center
7/28 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
7/30 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
8/1 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
8/3 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
8/7 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
8/9 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
8/11 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
8/13 Toronto, ON Scotiabank Arena
9/17 Cleveland, OH Rocket Arena
9/19 Cleveland, OH Rocket Arena