Rush have postponed their second San Jose concert after drummer Anika Nilles became too ill to perform, moving the Saturday, 17 October show at SAP Center to 6 December.
The band announced the change on the day of the concert. All previously purchased tickets will be honoured for the new date, according to the statement reported by The Music Universe.
Alex Lifeson explained that Nilles had already been unwell during the band’s first San Jose performance on Thursday, 15 October. She completed that show while in the early stages of flu, but her condition worsened over the following two days.
In a video message transcribed by Blabbermouth, Lifeson said: “It’s a real bummer. We’re crestfallen.” He praised Nilles for getting through Thursday’s performance and apologised to fans for the postponement.
The postponement comes during Rush’s Fifty Something tour, their first touring run since 2015 and their first since the death of Neil Peart in 2020. Geddy Lee and Lifeson are performing with Nilles and keyboardist Loren Gold in the band’s expanded live lineup.
The tour began at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum on 7 June. As Rush’s official announcement explained, returning to that venue connected the new run with the final night of the R40 Tour, which Lee, Lifeson and Peart played there on 1 August 2015.
Nilles joined the project with a career of her own as a drummer, composer and producer. The band’s introduction highlighted her work touring with Jeff Beck and her solo recordings, as Lee and Lifeson prepared to return to Rush’s catalogue with a new musician behind the kit.
The shows are built around two sets each night, with changing song selections across the tour. Rush framed the run as a celebration of more than 50 years of their music and a tribute to Peart.
The wider itinerary also includes European and South American dates in early 2027. For San Jose ticket holders, the replacement performance is now scheduled for Sunday, 6 December 2026.
MORE IN Music
