Rush Delivers A Poignant Look Back As Terrific Reunion Run Continues

Alex Lifeson (left) and Geddy Lee (right) perform on stage with Rush during the ‘Fifty Something’ reunion tour at United Center. Thursday, July 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois

Photo by Ethan Chivari

“All this machinery making modern music…” mused singer/bassist Geddy Lee on stage as Rush offered up “Spirit of Radio” midway through the group’s first of four sold out performances in Chicago, as their “Fifty Something” tour continues.

The irony of that lyric is that in an age when songs are often constructed by teams of songwriters and producers, and increasingly via non-human elements like AI, Rush needed just four on stage participants to deliver a raucously magical evening of live music on stage at United Center.

Written by drummer Neil Peart nearly 50 years ago, “The Spirit of Radio” remains resonant, one of many examples of the way Peart’s relatable lyrics continually speak to strange times decades after the fact.

Upon joining up in 1974, Peart penned the overwhelming majority of the group’s lyrics moving forward, cementing one of the more unique fan/band bonds in rock history prior to his untimely passing in 2020. On their first tour since, Lee and co-founding guitarist Alex Lifeson are joined by powerhouse drummer Anika Nilles and keyboard player Loren Gold.

Gold joins following outings alongside acts like Chicago and The Who while Nilles, who emerged via viral YouTube performances in 2013, nearly stole the show from behind the kit during a 2022 run with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck and actor Johnny Depp.

The Rush catalog touts 24 gold records and 14 platinum, placing the group behind only the Beatles and Rolling Stones in terms of rock acts tallying consecutive gold/platinum albums (with album sales of nearly 30 million in the United States alone). Despite the crazy numbers and heady company, the band infamously cracked the top 40 of Billboard’s hot 100 singles chart in America just one time with 1982’s “New World Man,” a sort of fitting stat.

“Thank you and hello!” said Lee on stage early during the Chicago opener, hand over his eyes as he peered out over the sold out crowd while setting up “Limelight” and introducing the band. “We’re just so happy. Thank you all for still being here,” he continued. “We’ve got quite an agenda tonight. There’s a lot we want to do. Celebrating 50 years of music. We’re here to pay tribute to Neil. A body of work that is unparalleled amongst drummers and lyricists.”

That a reunion will work following tragic loss is never a guarantee. But, from go, this Rush show just felt different, with the band delivering one of the more seemingly genuine displays of emotion and catharsis as they made their way through close to a three hour set, delivering the type of rock and roll show that’s become increasingly rare in the arena expanse while drastically shaking up the setlist most nights.

“Living in a fisheye lens / Caught in the camera eye,” sang Lee during another Peart-written classic in “Limelight.” “All the world’s indeed a stage / And we are merely players.”

Those prescient lyrics were written in 1981 and followed one of Lifeson’s grittiest, most recognizable intros, with Lee, 73, hopping in place as Nilles drummed the standout track to conclusion while sparks flew.

Lee’s pummeling bassline kicked off “Far Cry” with Lifeson offering a backing vocal as pyro soared.

“Subdivisions / In the high school halls / In the shopping malls / Conform or be cast out!” sang Lee during “Subdivisions,” breathing new life into Peart’s rumination on suburban adolescence during today’s tumultuous times. Lee skipped, then stomped along in a circle as Lifeson shredded, with Gold shining on synths late as Lee smiled, nodding in approval.

“One of the blessings I’ve had over the last 50 years was watching Neil grow as a lyricist,” Lee began as the respectful Chicago audience grew incredibly quiet, a shockingly attentive moment in a concertgoing era often defined by downright abysmal fan behavior. “Later on, baring his soul a bit more. Talking about his own life, at times autobiographical. So, we pay tribute to that development. This is ‘Freewill.’”

While the idea of “Freewill” seems at times these days like the relic of a bygone era, Nilles nevertheless made the Permanent Waves standout her own, driving the cut alongside Lee as Lifeson cut through, with the crowd exploding during a late instrumental segment, a perfect example of Rush’s functioning as one of the all-time great power trios.

“I consider my whole career to be a reflection of me at 16 and what my values are,” began Peart on screen during one of several tasteful, respectful tributes. “I do turn to that kid often. And I do like to think that 16 year old would still be cool with me.”

The band continued with “Bravado” as images of Peart appeared on screen, with pyro and fireworks soon soaring throughout “Caravan” and Lee taking on keys during “La Villa Strangiato.”

“We’d like to do this next song from the Moving Pictures album,” said Lee. On some nights of this tour, the band has been playing that album in full. On night one in Chicago, an album cut brought the group just about to intermission. “It’s interesting to me how this song has grown in stature over the years. This is ‘Vital Signs.’”

Nilles destroyed the intro to “Spirit of Radio” as the crowd roared in approval. On any night, that particular cut could close the show. But on this evening, it signaled the end of merely the first half.

Chanting along with fists in the air early, Rush returned with much of “2112.” Nilles smiled wide as Lifeson soloed during the opening overture, with Lee and Lifeson both moving to the drumkit to face their incredible new drummer as the song concluded.

In its address of everything from the environment to mid-80s politics, from 1984’s Grace Under Pressure, “Distant Early Warning” found Rush in fine form during the second half.

“Time Stand Still” followed, with the group appearing as South Park characters on screen prior to “Tom Sawyer.”

A lower key lent an almost sinister Black Sabbath like vibe to “Working Man,” following “By-Tor & The Snow Dog” as Rush wrapped up its reunion residency in Chicago (a run which continues this week in Toronto, running across North America into June).

“My music, my drumming is very much a reflection of my character,” said Peart on screen during a late Rush tribute. “Chicago!” marveled Lee later. “You haven’t changed!” shouted the Rush frontman excitedly. “Thank you so much.”