{"id":2400776,"date":"2026-05-04T01:53:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T01:53:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2400776"},"modified":"2026-05-04T01:53:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T01:53:23","slug":"geddy-lee-on-working-with-new-rush-drummer-anika-nilles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/geddy-lee-on-working-with-new-rush-drummer-anika-nilles\/","title":{"rendered":"Geddy Lee on working with new Rush drummer Anika Nilles"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-1859ee45-f713-47ee-94f8-e825c1c08277\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/rush-albums-ranked\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/rush-albums-ranked\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/rush-albums-ranked\">Rush<\/a>&#8216;s Geddy Lee has revealed how much he&#8217;s enjoying playing with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/music\/rush-drummer-anika-nilles-on-neil-peart\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/music\/rush-drummer-anika-nilles-on-neil-peart\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/music\/rush-drummer-anika-nilles-on-neil-peart\">Anika Nilles<\/a>, who&#8217;s stepped into the late Neil Peart&#8217;s shoes for the band&#8217;s upcoming Fifty Something tour, which begins in Los Angeles next month.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/04\/30\/arts\/music\/rush-anika-nilles-new-drummer-tour.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/04\/30\/arts\/music\/rush-anika-nilles-new-drummer-tour.html\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">the New York Times<\/a>, who attended a band rehearsal in Toronto, it&#8217;s reported that Lee jokingly tells Nilles, &#8220;I can\u2019t keep up with you!\u201d after they&#8217;d played one of Rush&#8217;s more complicated songs, before the pair exchanged a celebratory high-five.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-1859ee45-f713-47ee-94f8-e825c1c08277-2\">\u201cI\u2019m going to be a bit sad when we hit the stage and I\u2019m facing the audience and not facing her,&#8221; says Lee. &#8220;Because I\u2019m having so much fun playing along with her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Nilles also receives praise from Neil Peart&#8217;s former drum tech Lorne Wheaton, who&#8217;s come out of retirement to work with Nilles on the tour, and says that there are some songs where Nilles is obliged to replicate Peart&#8217;s original parts exactly.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There&#8217;s certain signature songs that have got to have the same parts,&#8221; Lorne says, &#8220;because there&#8217;s going to be those kids and adults and girls flailing their arms around, and they\u2019re going to have every note for note, and they\u2019re going to go, \u2018Oh, that didn\u2019t happen. What\u2019s going on?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, the <em>NYT<\/em> reveal that Rush are rehearsing 38 songs for the tour, and that Geddy Lee has benefited from sessions with a vocal coach. &#8220;He\u2019s brought back part of my range that I thought had left,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>The first dates on Rush&#8217;s Fifty Something tour are a quartet of shows at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, CA, next month, scene of the band&#8217;s <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/exit-stage-left-inside-rushs-final-show\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/exit-stage-left-inside-rushs-final-show\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/exit-stage-left-inside-rushs-final-show\">last show with Neil Peart in 2015<\/a>. Full dates below.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-93X2b7yhhQzvZm8LnRhvS9\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-93X2b7yhhQzvZm8LnRhvS9 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-9c0e33a5-ce3e-4ad5-b626-79deac0888cf\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"rush-fifty-something-tour-dates-2026-3\">Rush: Fifty Something tour dates 2026<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-133664eb-1f94-41bd-acc4-fc01239b90fe\">Jun 07: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA<br \/>Jun 09: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA<br \/>Jun 11: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA<br \/>Jun 13: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA<br \/>Jun 18: Mexico City Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico<br \/>Jun 20: Mexico City Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico<br \/>Jun 24: Fort Worth Dickies Arena TX<br \/>Jun 26: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX<br \/>Jun 28: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX<br \/>Jun 30: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX<br \/>Jul 16: Chicago United Center, IL<br \/>Jul 18: Chicago United Center, IL<br \/>Jul 20: Chicago United Center, IL<br \/>Jul 22: Chicago United Center, IL<br \/>Jul 28: New York Madison Square Garden, NY<br \/>Jul 30: New York Madison Square Garden, NY<br \/>Aug 01: New York Madison Square Garden, NY<br \/>Aug 03: New York Madison Square Garden, NY<br \/>Aug 07: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON<br \/>Aug 09: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON<br \/>Aug 11: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON<br \/>Aug 13: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON<br \/>Aug 21: Philadelphia Xfinity Mobile Arena, PA<br \/>Aug 23: Philadelphia Xfinity Mobile Arena, PA<br \/>Aug 26: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI<br \/>Aug 28: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI<br \/>Sep 02: Montreal Bell Centre, QC<br \/>Sep 04: Montreal Bell Centre, QC<br \/>Sep 12: Boston TD Garden, MA<br \/>Sep 14: Boston TD Garden, MA<br \/>Sep 17: Cleveland Rocket Arena, OH<br \/>Sep 19: Cleveland Rocket Arena, OH<br \/>Sep 23: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX<br \/>Sep 25: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX<br \/>Oct 05: Denver Ball Arena, CO<br \/>Oct 07: Denver Ball Arena, CO<br \/>Oct 10: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA<br \/>Oct 12: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA<br \/>Oct 15: San Jose SAP Center, CA<br \/>Oct 17: San Jose SAP Center, CA<br \/>Oct 25: Washington Capital One Arena, D.C.<br \/>Oct 27: Washington Capital One Arena, D.C.<br \/>Oct 30: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT<br \/>Nov 01: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT<br \/>Nov 05: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL<br \/>Nov 07: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL<br \/>Nov 09: Tampa Benchmark International Arena, FL<br \/>Nov 11: Tampa Benchmark International Arena, FL<br \/>Nov 20: Charlotte Spectrum Center, NC<br \/>Nov 22: Charlotte Spectrum Center, NC<br \/>Nov 25: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA<br \/>Nov 27: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA<br \/>Dec 01: Glendale Desert Diamond Arena, AZ<br \/>Dec 03: Glendale Desert Diamond Arena, AZ<br \/>Dec 10: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB<br \/>Dec 12: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB<br \/>Dec 15: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC<br \/>Dec 17: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-bdeae735-a70b-434d-9fbe-4e6082fd8a76\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"rush-fifty-something-tour-dates-2027-3\">Rush: Fifty Something tour dates 2027<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-77f19fe7-f6cd-48c7-a592-3b63fe1c1946\">Jan 15: Buenos Aires Movistar Arena, Argentina<br \/>Jan 22: Curitiba Arena da Baixada, Brazil<br \/>Jan 24: S\u00e3o Paulo Allianz Parque, Brazil<br \/>Jan 26: S\u00e3o Paulo Allianz Parque, Brazil<br \/>Jan 30: Rio de Janeiro Est\u00e1dio Ol\u00edmpico Nilton Santos. Brazil<br \/>Feb 01: Belo Horizonte Est\u00e1dio Mineir\u00e3o, Brazil<br \/>Feb 04: Bras\u00edlia Arena BRB Man\u00e9 Garrincha, Brazil<\/p>\n<p>Feb 19: Paris La D\u00e9fense Arena, France<br \/>Feb 21: Berlin Uber Arena, Germany<br \/>Feb 23: Amstersam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands<br \/>Feb 25: Munich Olympiahalle, Germany<br \/>Feb 28: Cologne Lanxess Arena, Germany<br \/>Mar 02: Hamburg Barclays Arena, Germany<br \/>Mar 04: Stuttgart Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Germany<br \/>Mar 08: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK<br \/>Mar 10: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK<br \/>Mar 12: Manchester Co-op Live, UK<br \/>Mar 14: Manchester Co-op Live, UK<br \/>Mar 16: London O2 Arena, UK<br \/>Mar 18: London O2 Arena, UK<br \/>Mar 21: London O2 Arena, UK<br \/>Mar 27: Krak\u00f3w Arena Krak\u00f3w, Poland<br \/>Mar 30: Milan Unipol Dome, Italy<br \/>Apr 01: Basel St. Jakobshalle Basel, Switzerland<br \/>Apr 04: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark<br \/>Apr 06: Oslo Unity Arena, Norway<br \/>Apr 08: Stockholm Avicii Arena, Sweden<br \/>Apr 10: Helsinki Veikkaus Arena, Finland<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/ticketmaster.evyy.net\/c\/221109\/264167\/4272?subId1=loudersound-gb-7811094652102151845&amp;sharedId=loudersound-gb&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Frush-tickets%2Fartist%2F807344\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.ticketmaster.com\/rush-tickets\/artist\/807344\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-hl-processed=\"hawklinks\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-placeholder-url=\"https:\/\/ticketmaster.evyy.net\/c\/221109\/264167\/4272?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;sharedId=hawk-prefix&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Frush-tickets%2Fartist%2F807344\" data-merchant-name=\"Ticketmaster\" data-merchant-id=\"19518\" data-merchant-network=\"ImpactRad\" data-merchant-url=\"ticketmaster.com\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\">Find Rush tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.loudersound.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rush&#8216;s Geddy Lee has revealed how much he&#8217;s enjoying playing with Anika Nilles, who&#8217;s stepped into the late Neil Peart&#8217;s shoes for the band&#8217;s upcoming Fifty Something tour, which begins in Los Angeles next month. In an interview with the New York Times, who attended a band rehearsal in Toronto, it&#8217;s reported that Lee jokingly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2400777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2400776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Geddy-Lee-on-working-with-new-Rush-drummer-Anika-Nilles.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2400776"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400778,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2400776\/revisions\/2400778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2400777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2400776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2400776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2400776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}