Rush Returns to Stage at 2026 Juno Awards with New Drummer

Rush, the iconic Canadian prog-rock band, made a triumphant return to the stage Sunday night, opening the 2026 Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario, with a performance featuring new drummer Anika Nilles, marking their first live show in more than a decade and the first since the death of Neil Peart in 2020.

The trio of founding members Geddy Lee on bass and vocals and Alex Lifeson on guitar, joined by Nilles on drums and keyboardist Loren Gold, played "Finding My Way," the opening track from the band's self-titled 1974 debut album. The song had not been performed in full live since the mid-1970s, according to band members. Video clips of Peart, the band's longtime drummer and lyricist who succumbed to brain cancer at age 67, played on screens behind the musicians during the set, turning the appearance into a poignant tribute.

Speaking to reporters backstage at the FirstOntario Centre, Lee reflected on the emotional weight of the moment. "Music lives beyond tragedy, beyond anything that can happen in your life," he said. "One thing we've learned over the last 10 years is that music is still a part of us, and so to play it now with someone as young and exciting as Anika, it's just...