Rush Live at Mohegan Sun: Finding Their Way Back

Concert Review | October 30, 2026 | Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut

I never thought I'd see Rush again.

After Neil Peart passed away in 2020, I figured that chapter of rock history was closed. How could Rush possibly continue without the man who was not only one of the greatest drummers in rock history, but also such an important part of the band's identity?

And yet, on October 30, 2026, I found myself inside Mohegan Sun Arena, watching Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson playing together again.

And here's the thing.

It felt like Rush.

Not a tribute band. Not two musicians trying to recreate something that was gone. It genuinely felt like I was watching Rush again.

But there was something different about this performance, and it might have been the best part of the entire evening.

They were having fun.

Two Old Friends Finding Their Way Back

I've seen Rush a few times over the years. My earliest show was around the Moving Pictures and Exit... Stage Left era in the early 1980s. I also saw them during the Roll the Bones tour.

So I have some history with this band.

Watching Geddy and Alex onstage in 2026, what struck me wasn't simply how well they could still play. It was how happy they looked.

You could see it in their faces and in the way they interacted. There was laughter, joking, and the kind of chemistry that comes from spending decades making music together.

At one point, Geddy introduced Alex and jokingly asked him what his name was again.

Alex replied, "Frank."

Well, that happens to be my name, so I got a pretty good laugh out of that one.

Geddy also joked about needing a hip replacement, which got plenty of laughs from an audience that probably understood exactly what he was talking about.

Underneath all the humor was something genuinely touching.

These two guys clearly missed playing together.

And now they were doing it again.

Anika Nilles: An Impossible Job Done Remarkably Well

Let's talk about the elephant in the room.

How do you replace Neil Peart?

You don't.

And that's exactly why I was so impressed with Anika Nilles.

She wasn't trying to become Neil Peart. She wasn't trying to imitate his personality or pretend that nothing had changed.

What she did was approach the music with tremendous respect while bringing her own personality and playing style to the performance.

And she was unbelievable.

I watched her closely throughout the evening, particularly when the cameras showed her on the giant screens.

You could see the concentration on her face. She took the responsibility of playing this music seriously, but you could also see how much she was enjoying herself.

She was smiling, interacting with Geddy and Alex, and clearly having a great time.

The technical demands of Rush's music are enormous, and she handled them beautifully.

She played the songs the way Rush fans expect to hear them without losing herself in the process.

And perhaps that's the greatest compliment I can give her. She helped make this feel like Rush without pretending to be Neil.

Neil Peart can never be replaced.

But Anika Nilles proved that his music can continue to be celebrated by an extraordinary drummer who understands the responsibility she's been given.

Geddy Lee Is Still Geddy Lee

Geddy Lee is 73 years old.

Let's remember that for a moment.

Some of these Rush songs were challenging to sing when he was in his twenties.

And yet, throughout the evening, his voice sounded remarkably good.

Were there moments when he had difficulty reaching some of those extremely high notes, particularly during the "Temples of Syrinx" material from "2112"?

Sure.

But those moments were minor compared with how well he sang overall.

He sounded like Geddy Lee.

And then there's his bass playing.

As someone who played bass for years, I have always admired three particular musicians: John Entwistle, Steve Harris, and Geddy Lee.

Steve Harris was probably my biggest influence. I loved his aggressive fingerstyle playing and spent plenty of time trying to learn his techniques.

John Entwistle influenced me in another way. His unusual bass guitars were part of what inspired me to buy a sunburst, Z-shaped Washburn bass back in the day.

And Geddy?

I spent countless hours trying to figure out his bass lines.

"Tom Sawyer" alone was enough to keep a young bass player busy.

Watching Geddy perform those parts tonight, especially when the cameras showed close-ups of his hands, reminded me just how extraordinary he is.

He doesn't simply provide the low end.

He plays the bass almost like a lead guitar, weaving melodic lines through the music while somehow managing to sing over them.

It's incredible musicianship, and seeing it live again was a treat.

Alex Lifeson was equally impressive, delivering the distinctive guitar work that makes Rush sound like Rush.

These guys don't need to prove anything anymore.

But they certainly haven't forgotten how to play.

A Suitcase Full of Rush Cassettes

Something unexpected happened to me during the concert.

I started thinking about a kid I worked with roughly forty years ago.

One of the guys I worked with was absolutely obsessed with Rush.

I mean obsessed.

He had a suitcase filled with Rush cassette tapes. Every album, right up to whatever the latest release was at the time.

And he brought that suitcase and a boombox to work.

Every shift, he'd start playing Rush from the beginning of their catalog, album by album, in order.

When his shift ended, he'd stop.

The next time he worked, he'd pick up exactly where he'd left off.

Then he'd repeat the whole process.

This guy was running his own personal Rush radio station in the kitchen!

He also played bass, owned a Rickenbacker, and showed me a few things on the instrument.

We had that connection because we were both bass players, and both believed that bass was meant to be played with your fingers, not a pick.

I can't even remember his name for certain anymore. I think it might have been Tim.

But I remember those cassettes, that boombox, and his enthusiasm for Rush.

And as I sat watching Geddy and Alex play tonight, I found myself wondering whatever happened to him.

For all I know, he might have been sitting somewhere in that same arena.

He might even have tickets to both shows.

It's funny how music can bring back people and memories you haven't thought about in decades.

A Celebration of Neil Peart

Neil Peart's presence was felt throughout the entire evening.

Not physically, of course, but in the stories, the video footage, the humor, and the music.

This wasn't a concert where the band tried to avoid talking about the person who was missing.

Quite the opposite.

The evening felt like a celebration of Neil's life and everything he contributed to Rush.

There were video clips, memories, and moments that reminded everyone just how important he was to the band.

And I appreciated that the mood wasn't overwhelmingly sad.

There was warmth. There was laughter. There was a genuine sense of affection.

Neil wasn't simply Rush's drummer. He was an extraordinary musician, a lyricist, and an essential part of what made the band special.

Without him, there would never have been the Rush we all came to know.

And Geddy and Alex clearly understand that.

The Music, the Lights, and an Incredible Performance

Musically, Rush was outstanding.

The show opened with "Xanadu," and hearing that familiar music again immediately brought back memories of seeing them decades earlier.

"Limelight" was another highlight, and the appearance of "2112" was a particularly exciting moment.

The giant red 2112 display onstage was a striking visual introduction to one of the band's most ambitious compositions.

The stage production was excellent throughout the night.

There were impressive lighting effects, large video screens, camera close-ups, and visuals that complemented the music without overwhelming it.

And that's something worth emphasizing.

Rush doesn't need an elaborate stage show to impress an audience.

The musicianship alone is enough.

But they delivered the complete package anyway.

I've attended quite a few concerts this year, and I've enjoyed everything from theatrical metal productions to straightforward, guitar-driven performances.

Rush operates on another musical level.

The precision, the arrangements, the interplay between instruments, and the sheer difficulty of the material are remarkable.

And they made it look effortless.

"The Garden": A Song That Means More Now

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came when Rush performed "The Garden" from their final studio album, Clockwork Angels.

I'll admit something.

I never really followed Rush's later albums closely.

Moving Pictures is one of my ten favorite albums of all time, and I love the band's early material and live recordings. But somewhere around Roll the Bones, I gradually stopped keeping up with their new releases.

So Clockwork Angels is an album I never really explored.

But hearing "The Garden" tonight, especially after Geddy and Alex spoke about Neil, made me appreciate what an extraordinary song it is.

There's something almost prophetic about its message.

The song reflects on life, what we leave behind, and the importance of love and respect.

Knowing that it became the final song on Rush's final studio album makes it particularly meaningful.

And hearing it performed now, after everything the band has experienced, gave it an emotional weight that I wasn't expecting.

I think I have some catching up to do with Clockwork Angels.

Remembering Where It All Began

Another meaningful moment came with "Working Man," the classic song from Rush's 1974 debut album.

That record featured original drummer John Rutsey, before Neil Peart joined the band.

With so much of the evening devoted to Neil, it was fitting to acknowledge the band's earliest chapter as well.

"Working Man" is one of those songs that reminds you just how heavy Rush could be in their early days.

It's raw, bluesy, guitar-driven hard rock, and I've always loved it.

Hearing it again was a reminder that Rush's musical journey began long before the progressive rock masterpieces that would eventually define their career.

Final Thoughts: Finding Their Way Back

After more than three hours of incredible music, I walked out of Mohegan Sun feeling something I hadn't expected.

I'd seen Rush again.

Earlier this year, I made a point of getting back out and attending more concerts. I've seen some wonderful performances, but this one was different. I genuinely believed I'd never have another opportunity to see Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson together onstage.

And there they were, playing the music I'd grown up with.

Neil Peart will always be irreplaceable. His influence, musicianship, and contributions to the band's history are beyond question.

But watching Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson laughing, joking, and performing together again made something very clear.

They still love this music.

And with Anika Nilles behind the drums, they've found a way to honor their past while enjoying the present.

There was no sense that they were trying to erase what happened or pretend the band hadn't changed.

Instead, they celebrated everything that made Rush special.

The music. The friendship. The memories. And the man who helped create so much of it.

For a few hours, I was transported back to the days when I was a young bass player trying to learn Geddy Lee's riffs, listening to Rush albums, and hanging around with friends who loved this music.

Forty years later, the music still sounds incredible.

And seeing those two old friends smiling at each other onstage reminded me that sometimes, even after you think a chapter has ended, there's still another page to turn.

Rush found their way back.

And I'm glad I was there to see it.

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