Rush’s Fort Worth show a rocket ship back to the 1970s (minus the weed)
In the history of music, no band spawned as many air guitarists and air drummers as Rush.
A band that came to life in the 70s in an era of power electric guitar solos, thundering drums and epically long songs, is one of the last of its kind. Most of the band’s loyal followers had only been too sure for more than a decade that they had seen the last of Rush on stage.
The widely accepted belief was that without drummer Neal Peart, Rush’s spirit would remain exclusive to the radio, or through cover bands. Peart died in January 2020 from brain cancer. Before this year, Rush’s last concert was 11 years ago.
The discovery and recruitment of German-born drummer Anika Nilles has allowed Rush to return to the stage, and their 50 Something reunion tour has been one of the most anticipated shows of the summer. This is one that no one expected.
On Sunday night in Fort Worth at Dickies Arena, Nilles joined frontman Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson for what amounted to a concert from 1976 played here in 2026. The glaring difference was the distinct lack of the marijuana scent throughout the building, and the need to use the restroom from most of the patrons during the three-hour long concert.
The show features a 20-minute intermission for a reason.
Nilles’ ability to successfully fill in, and replicate, a drummer like Peart was not lost on anyone in the capacity crowd. He was one of the most talented, successful and skilled drummers of his generation.
If someone closed their eyes on Sunday night during the show and just listened to the 22-song set, they would not have known it was anyone other than Peart banging away on the drums. Not when Rush played “Headlong Fight,” “Limelight,” or “Spirit of the Radio.” Not when the familiar drum solo that helped make “Tom Sawyer” one of the most recognized rock songs of all time.
Nilles didn’t steal the show from Lee or Lifeson, but at times she came close. A Rush show is one of the few where the drummer can actually outshine the frontman.
This was a show for 70s and 80s kids who were born on the electric guitar, and drums. This band may have created millions of fans, but its influence on the 80s rock music is unmistakable.
In listening to Lifeson and Lee shred multiple guitars throughout the evening, you can hear the birth of Eddie Van Halen. Listen to so many hard driving guitar-bands from the 80s, and there are echoes of Rush.
Lee didn’t make this show about anything other than a fun reunion, and the opportunity to honor his friend.
“We’re here to pay tribute to Neal,” Lee told the audience after opening the set with “Xanadu.”
There were three other times during the show where they honored Peart, including a touching video that included old interview clips of Peart discussing how he found his way into music as a kid.
The show features some pyrotechnics and a modest use of a video board, but the production does not over power the music. It would take a bomb to overpower the sound of Lee and Lifeson’s guitars, both of whom are now in their early 70s but play the guitar as if it is still the 1970s.
The setlist covers everything a Rush fan wants, including all seven parts of from its album “2112.”
Lee showed off that he still can hit those high notes, a feature that set him apart from so many other singers of his generation. Few performers could play the guitar, the keyboard and reach top notes like Geddy Lee.
Rush closed with a two-song encore with “Finding My Way,” and “Working Man,” and by the end a crowd that mostly late 50 and 60 somethings was content knowing that they had seen something special, as nearly all of them had played the hell out of their own air guitars.
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 12:34 AM.
