“You really can’t ask us what song to play. If we have to choose one song, it’s almost impossible”: Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee perform with new drummer Anika Nilles for the first time at Canada’s Juno Awards

Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson debuted their new Rush lineup yesterday (March 29) at the Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, marking their first live performance with new drummer Anika Nilles.

The duo and Nilles performed Finding My Way – the first track on Rush’s self-titled 1974 debut album, which featured John Rutsey on drums in the studio, rather than the late Neil Peart, who joined the band later that year.

As for why they decided to go for this seemingly unlikely pick for their first performance with Nilles, Lee told reporters post-show, “You really can’t ask us what song to play. If we have to choose one song, it’s almost impossible. We have so many. So we just asked management, and they said first song, first album.”

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“Also, it’s the only song we know how to play,” Lifeson quipped.

In what must have been one of the most pressure-filled moments of her career so far, Nilles proved she is more than worthy of stepping into Peart’s shoes, as she accompanied a Les Paul-wielding Lifeson and Lee on his eye-catching Seafoam Green Fender Jazz Bass.

Rounding off the lineup was keyboardist Loren Gold, who will also join the band on their upcoming tour.

Lee and Lifeson also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Peart, with video footage of the beloved drummer and bandmate flickering on the screen behind them.

The appearance served as a preview of the upcoming Fifty Something tour – Lee and Lifeson’s first shows under the Rush banner in 11 years. It kicks off in North America on June 7 at the Forum in Los Angeles.

What was supposed to be a limited, 22-show run ended up extending to the UK, Europe, and South America, with dates in 2027 added just a few weeks ago.

Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.