Step (or fly) aside, Geese. Circle back later, Turnstile. Take five and go flaccid, Viagra Boys. There can only be one rock band that is unquestionably and certifiably the cool kids’ choice in 2026, and whatever indie cred the rest of you kids may carry, this town ain’t big enough for both you and Rush.
The reconstituted version of the recently dormant group just wrapped up a sold-out, tour-opening four-night stand at the Kia Forum that was a triumphantly climactic week in Rush’s unexpected reentry as a cultural and musical force in the 2020s. Two heroes walked into the Forum — Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson — and three walked out, as new drummer Anika Nilles may now be able to claim the title of the woman who’s most popular among American men at this particular moment. (And, sure, that newfound veneration extends to some women, too; Rush’s popularity is not as completely lopsided on the gender front as has been joked about for decades.)
But what was most clear going down to Inglewood tour was just what a wide swath Rush fandom cuts in 2026. Some fans may claim that is as it’s always been, but it seems fair to say a tide has shifted. As a snobby 1970s kid, I would have considered myself not dweeb enough for Rush; going to the Forum fiftysomething years later, it was more about doubting I was hip enough.
