After drummer Neil Peart died five years ago, it appeared that the legendary prog rock trio Rush would never tour again. Surviving members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson repeatedly said they would not want to tour without him. However, the duo has come to terms with the fact that they are musicians, after all, and that they should be sharing their iconic music with the world.
Rush is officially touring in 2026.
“It’s been over 10 years since Alex and I have performed the music of RUSH alongside our fallen bandmate and friend Neil. A lifetime’s worth of songs that we had put our cumulative hearts and souls into writing, recording and playing together onstage,” Lee wrote on the Rush website. “And so, after all that has gone down since that last show, Alex and I have done some serious soul searching and come to the decision that we fucking miss it, and that it’s time for a celebration of 50-something years of RUSH music. So in 2026, my BFF Lerxst (aka Alex Lifeson) and I are going to hit the road once again to pay tribute to our past and to Neil by performing a vast selection of RUSH songs in a handful of cities. No small task, because as we all know Neil was irreplaceable.”
The “Fifty Something” Tour will hit seven cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The duo will be joined by drummer Anika Nilles, a German drummer and composer who launched her solo career on YouTube in the early 2010s and worked with artists like Jeff Beck.
Lee explained that they’re also planning to augment their lineup beyond a trio. “I love the idea of being able to wander [onstage] and just be a bass player, so I think we’ll find ourselves adding a keyboard player to the band,” he said, adding that “I think for songs like ‘Tom Sawyer,’ it will be important that I play those signature keyboard parts.”
Rush is well known for their epic musicianship, and the keyboard parts are no joke. Lee often switched between the synthesizer and electric bass, even playing both while singing.
We’re celebrating the news of their upcoming tour with one of their most epic keyboard parts with “Subdivisions” from the 1982 album, “Signals.”
The song reflected a stylistic shift in the band’s sound, specifically in its embrace of the synthesizer as a driving force behind the songs. Lee begins the song with an ostinato bass part to pound out a rhythm in 7/8. The right-hand part plays sustained chords that help to smooth out the feeling of the odd time signature. The song then plays with time and feel as it switches between 7/8 and 4/4 throughout its sections.
“Subdivisions” is also noted for its great synth sound. Check out this analysis of how to get Geddy Lee’s analog synth tone in this demo by New World Men:
“Subdivisions” is a masterclass in making unusual music feel natural, which is part of why Rush’s music is so special. We’re looking forward to the tour, but until then, we’ll be jamming out this live clip and the sheet music for “Subdivisions.”
