Canadian Rock Band Rush Will Hit the Road in 2026 After 10-Year Hiatus

Legendary Canadian rock group Rush will pick up their guitars and tour for the first time in more than 10 years to celebrate their extensive music catalog.

Lead singer and bassist Geddy Lee, 72, released a statement about the upcoming “Fifty Something” tour for 2026, which will feature him alongside guitarist Alex Lifeson, 72. “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. Longtime drummer Neil Peart died in 2020 after a battle with brain cancer.

“A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage,” Lee said. “And so, 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 f*****g miss it, and that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of Rush music.”

In 2026, the “Fifty Something” tour will kick off in Los Angeles and then hit other cities such as Chicago and New York. Their last tour, “R40 Live,” took place in 2015 and celebrated the band’s 40th anniversary.

Lee said the decision was difficult because “Neil was irreplaceable.”

Drummer Anika Nilles, 42, will join them on tour, and they couldn’t be “more excited to introduce her to our loyal and dedicated Rush fan base.” They’re also planning to add another musician so they can debut some of their “new fancy dance steps.”

Peart’s widow, Carrie Nuttall-Peart, 61, and his daughter, Olivia Peart, 16, also issued a statement about the upcoming tour. “We are thrilled to support the Fifty Something tour, celebrating a band whose music has resonated and inspired fans for generations, and to honor Neil’s extraordinary legacy as both a drummer and lyricist,” the statement said.

Over the past 50-plus years, Rush has sold millions of records and released classic rock staples like “The Trees,” “Working Man” and “Tom Sawyer.”

During a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, both Lee and Lifeson (who were inducted along with Peart in 2013) spoke about the reasons behind returning to the road. “[Lee] 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,” Lifeson said.

Lifeson also said that when he and Lee started playing their Rush songs, he “fell in love with the idea of playing again.”

Lee described the return to touring as a “difficult decision” due to Peart's death, but like Lifeson, once they reunited and started rehearsing together, they felt a tour would be the best way to honor the late drummer and their extensive catalog.

Another notable band that recently resumed touring after a lengthy break is the English rock group Oasis, which reunited this year for the “Oasis Live ’25” tour. This marked their first tour since their 2009 breakup.