Tickets for all 58 shows on Rush's upcoming Fifty Something tour are now on sale, and it will kick off next June in Los Angeles, running all the way through the end of 2026 (and possibly on into 2027). A new Canadian Press interview with Geddy Lee was published earlier today, where Ged discusses his and Alex Lifeson's plans for the upcoming tour and how a recent trip the pair took to a European spa influenced their decision to crank up the tour machine once again:
... [Alex and he] had batted around the possibility of a Rush reunion, but thought that Lifeson's ongoing health issues made it impossible for the two 72-year-olds to hit the road. Then, one of their mutual friends offered up a suggestion. "(He said,) there's a clinic in Europe that specializes in the issues Alex has struggled with over the last number of years, and he sort of convinced him to go," Lee said. "For moral support, I said, 'I'll go with you, let's both go. We can get healthy together.'" Lifeson has spoken about his recent health struggles, including stomach surgery two years ago, which left him with gastroparesis, a condition that slows food digestion and can cause discomfort and weight gain. In January, Lee joined him at the health resort in Austria. "We spent a couple of weeks there. It was really life-changing. (Alex) dropped a bunch of weight. I was recovering from knee surgery at the time, so it didn't do me any harm," Lee said. "When he came back, he was a different guy. He was feeling great and very optimistic. I think that's when he knew that he could manage his diet and health in a way that would allow him to do some shows." ...
Geddy also talked a little bit about the tour itself, and what He, Alex and Anika might have in store for the fans:
... Lee said they've rehearsed at least 19 songs with Nilles so far, with about 38 songs on their ultimate set list. They plan to hire an additional keyboardist who will step in for Lee. "Every time we play those songs, it's more fun," he said. "By the time the tour starts, we'll have months of rehearsal under our belt." So far, Lee has no regrets about Rush's comeback, though he said it's impossible to ignore that Peart is the missing piece of their original trio. "When we used to have meetings, it was the three of us ... talking about the future," he said. "Now it's just me and Al. Being the buddies we are, it's taken our friendship a little deeper." As for the reunion itself, Lee said he can't help but feel optimistic. "The world is crazy right now," he added. "I think when you find something that makes you happy, you have to follow it."
You can read the entire interview online at this location.
