Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson just proved that Rush's comeback tour isn't a nostalgia cash grab—it's a full-throttle rock resurrection.
Night two at LA's Kia Forum outdid the already spectacular tour opener, with the band pulling out all the stops for a show that left fans reeling. This is Rush's first tour since 2015, and the first without late drummer and lyricist Neil Peart since 1974—so the emotional weight is undeniable.
The setlist was completely different from night one. Ten tour-debut songs, plus the full "2112" album suite performed in its entirety for the first time since 1997. They shuffled the order, dropping "The Spirit of Radio" as song two instead of closing the first set.
Geddy Lee's vocals were stronger than ever, hitting those impossible high notes that Rush fans thought were retired. He even tackled the stratospheric "Anthem" from 1974's Fly By Night—though he joked afterward it pushed him into "Mickey Mouse" range.
New touring drummer Anika Nilles has the hardest job in live music right now, and by night two she had settled into a groove so deep with Lee's bass work that the whole machine felt tighter, looser, and somehow more dangerous all at once. Loren Gold, the band's first-ever outside keyboardist, anchored the middle.
Sabrina Carpenter was in the crowd—and she's a Rush fanatic. The pop star's love for the band was inspired by her dad, and "The Trees" is apparently her favorite Rush song. One of the tour-debut night-two tracks? You guessed it.
After years where it seemed like they'd never tour again, Lee and Lifeson are determined to make every second count. Fans are getting more than they dared dream.
