April 2, 2026 – Feelings on Rush performing again

I feel like it’s about time I weighed in on this topic. So, as most of us probably know, back in October, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson posted a video to the Rush YouTube channel announcing that, after over a decade away from touring, and over five years since Neil Peart’s passing, the two had decided to return to performing on the road, this time with Anika Niles taking over on drums. A few days ago, the new incarnation of the trio made their surprise performance debut at the Juno Awards.

Not surprisingly, the news of Rush returning to doing live shows has sparked a whole host of different reactions. It was only a matter of time before fans old and new weighed in on the situation through YouTube videos and social media groups dedicated to the band. The majority of the reactions I’ve read appear to be positive and supportive, so I’m ok with addressing some of the inevitable disapprovals and critiques.

When the news first broke out, the first critical reactions I read were regarding feelings of betrayal at their decision to continue on as Rush without Neil. While there are multiple spoken and written sources of either Geddy or Alex insisting they would never tour as Rush without Neil, many of those comments were said as far back as 2010 and 2015. A decade and a half later, six of which have been without Neil, is a long time to consider things and potentially have a change of heart, so I personally don’t consider this decision to be “hypocritical” or “disrespectful towards Neil.” It had to have been a bold move to try putting themselves back out there without really knowing if the public demand for their shows would still be there after over a decade. The Internet being what it is, there’s also been some people who have resorted to ageist attacks, questioning the mental clarity of Geddy and Alex, and calling them “senile,” “washed up sell outs,” and more, which is very disappointing. I think we all can relate to how the passing of time can influence our mindsets. I’m definitely not the same person that I was a decade ago. There are the longtime fans who swear by the assertion that there is no Rush without Neil, and that’s fine. To a degree, I get it. It must feel strange and surreal to see a band you’ve followed for so many years suddenly change their image. But I, personally, only reacted to the news with excitement. Maybe it’s easier for me to adapt to the change in lineup since I have only been a fan since 2012 and saw them once with Neil.

And then the next most common critical remarks I’ve seen are aimed at Anika’s musicianship, with some people insisting on directly comparing her to Neil. I don’t personally see the point in not liking her simply because she’s “not Neil.” We know that. No one is Neil, so it doesn’t make sense to expect anyone to be his clone. There can only be one Neil Peart. I 100% agree with that. I was lucky enough to see Anika with Jeff Beck on Beck’s last show in Thousand Oaks, just two months before his death, and I have no doubt she’ll do Rush proud by honoring Neil’s essence while also incorporating her own style. I know the Juno Awards didn’t convince everyone of her capability since their choice of song was “Finding My Way,” the first song off of their self-titled first album, which had John Rutsey on drums, which led to people deciding to reserve their judgment until they perform Peart-era material.

The last critical comment I’ll weigh in on is probably the one I’m most inclined to agree with: the quality of Geddy’s voice. While I think he overall did fine at the Juno Awards, I do understand the concerns about him possibly straining his voice by trying to hit some of those higher notes. I do wonder why he doesn’t either change the key of the song, or at least change the melody line so that it’s easier on his voice. I hear singers of all ages do it all the time, and no one ever seems to mind it. I certainly don’t. I would rather someone make changes to a song to suit their current voice and perform it well than try to be a hero and perform it the same way they did decades ago.

Am I surprised at all the controversy? Not at all. It is the internet after all, and it just goes to show how it’s impossible to please everyone. People weren’t happy when Rush called it quits, and now they’re coming back to the road, and they’re still getting criticism. People can think what they want. As for me, I trust Geddy and Alex’s judgment and believe that they did this band resurrection with the best of intentions. I look forward to seeing this new incarnation of the band in July during two nights in Chicago.