After prog-rock legends Rush confirmed plans to reunite in 2026, Alex Lifeson explained how Paul McCartney told him to get the band back together.
The tour, titled Fifty Something, will take Rush across arenas in North America, beginning in Los Angeles on June 7th at the KIA Forum. They will also play in Mexico City, Fort Worth, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Cleveland.
Following the death of drummer Neil Peart, Lifeson and Geddy Lee have recruited Anika Nilles, who previously worked with Jeff Beck, as their new drummer. Upon announcing their return, Rush also shared their hopes to have “one or two” more members in the fold for their forthcoming live shows in 2026.
During a new interview on the radio station Q1043, Lifeson detailed an encounter he had with The Beatles legend backstage at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert which took place at Wembley Stadium in London in 2022.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s Paul McCartney standing beside me’. I’m having a drink with him, and we’re talking, I’m making him laugh, I’m joking around,” Lifeson gleefully recalled.
The guitarist then attempted to do an English accent, adding, “He said, ‘I don’t really know much about your band, I know the name, but I don’t really know the material. You’re quite good, you know. Are you touring?’”
Lifeson continued, “Geddy said, ‘No, we’re not, you know, our drummer passed, and we haven’t been touring and Alex is not really interested any more.” Reverting back to his McCartney impression, he added, “He said, ‘Oh no, you should definitely be touring, and I said, ‘In that case, how about you manage us?’ He laughed, and said, ‘Oh, right, you’ve got a deal – I’ll do it.”
He added, “I made a mistake then, as I said, ‘In that case, why don’t you be our caterer as well?’ I immediately regretted it because he’s vegan, but he laughed.”
Meanwhile, at an invite-only event at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame’s Foster Theater in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 6th, Lee explained how the reunion was organically born.
The bassist admitted it was a “very difficult decision on many levels” before describing the passing of Peart as “devastating”, and noting, “it was a very sad time”. He added, “I mean, this is a relatively recent decision. And I would say it was kind of out of the question for the longest time because of those circumstances. And how do you replace someone who’s irreplaceable?”
While Lifeson and Lee were hanging out on a regular basis, playing Rush songs together was never up for conversation, until one day, when that all changed. “We were laughing so hard and we were enjoying it so much. And it was almost like playing those songs dispelled the dark clouds,” Lee shared.
Rush tour dates 2026:
June
- 07 – Los Angeles, CA, Kia Forum
- 09 – Los Angeles, CA,Kia Forum
- 18 – Mexico City, MX, Palacio de los Deportes
- 24 – Fort Worth, TX, Dickies Arena
- 26 – Fort Worth, TX, Dickies Arena
July
- 16 – Chicago, IL, United Center
- 18 – Chicago, IL, United Center
- 28 – New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
- 30 – New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
- 07 – Toronto, ON, Scotiabank Arena
- 09 – Toronto, ON, Scotiabank Arena
- 17 – Cleveland, OH, Rocket Arena
