Rush Makes A Magnificent Return To Madison Square Garden

Aug 01, 2026 08:06 PM - 2 hours ago 1

When Rush’s legendary drummer Neil Peart died successful 2020, it appeared, without a doubt, the book connected the legendary Canadian stone group was permanently closed. In the years aft Peart’s death, surviving Rush bassist/singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson worked connected their individual solo projects while their classical albums were reissued arsenic deluxe day packages. Even though Lifeson and Lee reunited connected shape for the South Park 25th anniversary and Taylor Hawkins tribute concerts successful 2022, it seemed that Rush was beautiful overmuch vanished arsenic acold arsenic unrecorded performances go.

So erstwhile Lee and Lifeson announced precocious past twelvemonth that they would beryllium touring arsenic Rush for the first clip since 2015 pinch a caller drummer, the news was surprising. Honestly, really could they transportation connected without their beloved friend whose stone drumming and lyrics were chopped hallmarks of their progressive stone euphony for astir 50 years? To do truthful would person been a Herculean task.

But that ne'er stopped Rush earlier erstwhile it came to overcoming the odds, peculiarly successful the early portion of their career; 1 of their songs from their catalog is moreover titled “Finding My Way.” That was genuinely the lawsuit erstwhile Lifeson and Lee, who were accompanied by backing drummer Anika Nilles and keyboardist Loren Gold, returned to New York City’s packed Madison Square Garden for nighttime 2 of Rush’s Fifty Something circuit this past Thursday.

For 3 hours, the set magnificently played pinch urgency and jaw-dropping musicianship to the rapturous delight of their fans, opening pinch “Xanadu,” from their 1977 medium A Farewell to Kings. What followed during the first group was a motherload of classical hits and heavy cuts, among them “The Spirit of Radio,” “Subdivisions,” “Freewill,” “The Trees” and “Limelight.” The 2nd group was conscionable arsenic impressive, pinch Rush performing the epic “2112” suite, the powerfulness ballad “Closer to the Heart,” “Red Barchetta” and, of course, “Tom Sawyer,” which has since go the band’s signature opus and portion of popular culture. (Five songs from the show were from the blockbuster Moving Pictures album, which turned 45 this year)

The representation of Peart loomed ample during the show, and Lee and Lifeson made judge the assemblage knew that. Ahead of and during the capacity of “Bravado,” the ample video surface featured archival footage and audio of Peart; he was again remembered onscreen earlier the set kicked into the powerful and moving “Time Stand Still.”

For their encore, Lee and Lifeson fittingly went each the measurement backmost to the band’s 1974 self-titled debut (before Peart joined the group) for the performances of 2 of the album’s songs—the blistering Zeppelin-esque difficult rockers “Finding My Way” and “Working Man.” Not only did Rush grant Peart astatine the show, but they besides paid tribute to his predecessor, the precocious John Rutsey, connected the video surface during “Working Man.”

Longtime fans mostly expect virtuosic musicianship from Rush, and the 2nd Garden show was nary exception, pinch Lee delivering punishing bass lines and Lifeson blazing distant connected the guitar. But the different arsenic astounding facet of the show was Nilles’ superb drumming. In recalling Peart’s incomparable technique, she crushed it while forging her ain chopped style. She has been a awesome revelation.

Amid the performances, the elaborate shape setup, the typical effects and the humorous video clips featuring the South Park boys and actors Paul Rudd and Jason Segal, location was decidedly an aerial of energy passim the arena — impervious that the fame of and adoration for Rush stay unabated aft complete 50 years .

Rush returns to Madison Square Garden connected Saturday, Aug. 1, and Monday, Aug. 3, for their Fifty-Something tour.

Setlist:

Set 1:

Xanadu

The Spirit of Radio

The Analog Kid

Freewill

Subdivisions

Bravado

Leave That Thing Alone

The Trees

Caravan