Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Rush Kicks Off Tour, Bass Fails, Pays Peart Tribute

6/13/2026

37 7

Summary

Rush Opens Tour

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson opened Rush’s Fifty Something tour at Kia Forum.
The show, featuring Anika Nilles on drums via bass tech John ‘Skully’ McIntosh, opened with “Xanadu,” a “Moving Pictures” set featuring “The Camera Eye” and reviving “New World Man.”
During the show Geddy’s bass died into “2112,” prompting a guitar-and-drums interlude and two Peart tributes—audio before “Bravado” and a video with Aimee Mann during “Time Stand Still.”

Summary

Rush Revamps

Bassist Geddy Lee’s voice improved after vocal coaching, allowing him to hit higher notes and raise the “Dreamline” chorus an octave.
Insurers monitoring the tour flagged Lee’s exuberant jumps as a risk concern.
Guitarist Alex Lifeson moved from restraint to roaming the stage, posing for cameras and amplifying his solos.
Drummer Anika Nilles answered audience questions, kept drummer Neil Peart’s fills, and added her own flair.

History

Historical Context

Live Aid’s July 13 1985 dual-venue concert, organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, drew 72,000 fans at Wembley and reached an estimated 1.9 billion viewers, raising about $150 million for Ethiopian famine relief. Its star-studded, televised benefit model—later echoed by Live 8 and Farm Aid—now underpins Rush’s Fifty-Something tour, using legacy performances to boost ticket sales and cultural relevance.

1 of 3

Rush Opens Tour

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson opened Rush’s Fifty Something tour at Kia Forum.
The show, featuring Anika Nilles on drums via bass tech John ‘Skully’ McIntosh, opened with “Xanadu,” a “Moving Pictures” set featuring “The Camera Eye” and reviving “New World Man.”
During the show Geddy’s bass died into “2112,” prompting a guitar-and-drums interlude and two Peart tributes—audio before “Bravado” and a video with Aimee Mann during “Time Stand Still.”

1 / 3