By Mark Pruett
The Long-Awaited Return, the Long-Delayed Goodbye, and the Beginning of Something New
June 9, 2026 – Kia Forum, Los Angeles, CA
We Will Pay the Price, But We Will Not Count the Cost
June was Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, but it’s always a good time to talk about this important subject. Also, a reminder that millions of men carry silent battles and often hide their pain. Without hesitation, this is a call to check in on one another. The story of Rush has always been about humanity: friendship, endurance, grief, and (now) the courage to keep moving forward. Saving a life could be a simple phone call away.
On this night, inside the Kia Forum, tens of thousands gathered not just for a concert, but for a collective act of healing.
The Weight of History
Rush’s legendary lineup, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart, forged a 40-plus-year legacy across 19 studio albums, 11 live records, and a global fanbase that spans generations. Their story is vast, but on this night, its emotional center was simple: the world had never truly said goodbye to Neil.
His retirement in 2015, the band’s disbanding in 2018, and his passing in 2020 left fans grieving in isolation. Neil was famously private, and his illness was kept close to the family. When the news broke, the world stood still. His lofty place in the cosmos was earned, but his transition was tough to reckon.
There was no public memorial. No communal catharsis. Just shock, sorrow, and silence.
The first four opening shows in Los Angeles, CA would change that.
The Spark That Reignited the Starship
The surviving members stayed active in their own ways, but Rush never truly faded. It lingered like a distant star in a faraway galaxy… faint but guiding. The tragic loss of Taylor Hawkins in 2022 brought Geddy and Alex back onstage for tribute shows, and something shifted. The star brightened.
In 2024, they jammed a Rush song together for the first time in years. The nearly impossible idea of touring again began to take shape. But two monumental questions remained: Who could sit behind Neil’s kit? And would the Peart family give their blessing?
After searching for months, Anika Niles emerged. Not as a replacement, but as a musician whose precision, feel, and spirit aligned with the band’s ethos. Approaching the Peart family was undoubtedly painful, but the blessing was granted. The star shone brighter still.
On October 6, 2025, Rush officially reformed. The 50 Something Tour was announced. The world exhaled… and waited.
June 7, 2026 – Night 1: Trial by Inferno
Night 1 of the four-night run belonged to Geddy, Alex, and Anika. It was the proving ground and the moment the world learned whether Rush could exist again without Neil. And they didn’t just succeed; they soared. Anika didn’t imitate Neil. She honored him by being herself, and fans roared their approval.
It was the ignition of the engines. The mighty starship of Rush roared to life and prepared to launch into an unforgettable journey for the band and fans.
There was still unfinished business.
June 9, 2026 – Night 2: The Catharsis the World Needed
As we entered the Kia Forum for the second night of the tour, a massive screen draped the stage, covered in the number 50. Not only a symbol of legacy, endurance, but a sign of rebirth. Fans traded stories, speculated about the setlist, and carried the emotional residue of the first night. Many had traveled across states, countries, even continents. The beginning of this journey, the launch of this momentous event was something worth the pilgrimage so many chose to make.
At 7:45 PM, the venue went dark and the opening video rolled. It was playful, self-aware, and set out to poke fun at age and fandom. Laughter rippled through the crowd, but beneath it was tension. Anticipation. A collective inhale.
Then the shimmering intro of Xanadu began.
Soft at first. Then everything, all at once.
The crowd erupted. The band erupted. The cosmos erupted. People openly wept (me included). It would not be the last time.
The Band, Reborn
Geddy’s voice was unmistakable and in top form. Alex played with fire and wisdom. Loren Gold’s keyboards filled the sonic architecture with grace. And Anika (impeccable, powerful, precise) played with reverence and authority. It felt as if Neil himself hovered somewhere in the rafters, watching, smiling.
The set surged through The Spirit of Radio, The Analog Kid, Freewill, and Subdivisions. Momentum built. Emotion deepened.
Then came the moment everyone had waited years for.
A video of Neil appeared. His voice filled the arena as he spoke about the origins of his drumming. Silent tears streamed down faces everywhere. The band played Bravado in his honor as images of Neil moved across the screen. His life spent in motion, and his legacy still not fully understood.
This was catharsis. Pure and unfiltered.
The Ritual Continues
The first half closed with The Trees, Headlong Flight, and Limelight. A Nixie tube clock counted down the intermission, then suddenly reversed. It began racing upward until it stopped at 2112.
The crowd erupted again.
The band launched into 2112 Parts I–VII, accompanied by stunning visuals that turned the Kia Forum into a living graphic novel. Animate, Closer to the Heart, and A Passage to Bangkok followed.
Then came the second tribute video. In his own words and through initimate photos/video Neil’s philosophy of life, art, and drumming bloomed to life. The music resumed and Aimee Mann joined the band for Time Stand Still, while images of Neil drifted across the screen: his face in the cosmos, a motorcycle with a ghost rider, a constellation forming his silhouette behind the kit.
Another wave of tears. Another wave of healing.
The Final Ascent
The night surged toward its finale with YYZ, Anthem, Red Barchetta, and Witch Hunt. The kids from South Park introduced Tom Sawyer, adding levity to the emotional weight.
The band took a well-earned bow in front of the capacity crowd. The evening was part wake, part celebration, part cosmic sendoff. The weight of a thousand suns concentrated in the loss of one man began to lift.
The encore began with Finding My Way, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Then Working Man closed the night, bringing everything full circle. Right back to the beginning.
One last video reminded us: This was all for Neil.
The Personal Moment
This was my first Rush show. I couldn’t imagine a more meaningful moment to experience them. The last few years have been difficult for me and a close friend (by the way, his ninth time seeing Rush.) we waged battles with cancer, battles with life, and thrived as best we could. He kept my spirits up; I tried to keep his up. He just retired. We called this our “Happy Retirement and Fuck Cancer” night.
It was perfect.
The Message Beneath the Music
Rush’s return is more than a tour; it’s a reminder that life is a celebration. In the song “Bravo”, played in tribute to Neil, there is the line “We Will Pay the Price, But We Will Not Count the Cost.” To me, this is a clear message that our passing is inevitable, but what matters most is all the moments in between.
Check in on your friends. Go to the show. Share the meal. Take the trip. Be present.
You never know what battles someone is fighting.
For the tour, night 1 welcomed the future. On night 2, the past was healed. Together, they marked the rebirth of Rush and the beginning of a new chapter for everyone who loved them. What happens next is being written as we speak, but we all know that the destiny of this band and their fan base belongs to the stars where Neil is blazing a trail before us.
Mark Pruett is Editor in Chief of Whiskey Network and a relentless champion of the local music scene, immersing himself in the raw energy of live shows year-round. He lives with his family in Southern California, forever chasing the next great story.
