RUSH bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee has addressed the decision to use the band's name for the upcoming "Fifty Something" tour with guitarist Alex Lifeson — their first major live run since the death of drummer Neil Peart in January 2020 from glioblastoma.
Speaking in a new interview, Lee was blunt about why the duo ultimately chose to carry the RUSH banner rather than an awkward alternative branding: "What the fuck should we call it, IRON MAIDEN? We were twisting ourselves into a pretzel to try to avoid using the name that we have had for fifty years. It just seems silly to go on as 'Lee And Lifeson Present The Music Of...'"
The pair received the blessing of Peart's family to use the RUSH name. "When the band ended, we said it's only RUSH with Neil in it," Lee acknowledged. "But over five gigs we will be playing forty RUSH songs. What else do you fucking call it?"
The "Fifty Something" tour kicks off in June 2026 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The initial 2026 leg spans 58 shows across 24 cities, with over 500,000 tickets already sold. South America and Europe dates have since been added for early 2027 — marking the first European tour since 2013 and the band's first South American visit in 17 years.
Joining Lee and Lifeson on the road are drummer Anika Nilles, known for her work with Jeff Beck, and keyboardist Loren Gold.