Anthrax and Pantera drummer Charlie Benante shared his thoughts on Rush’s comeback shows featuring new drummer Anika Nilles. He posted a heartfelt and detailed review on Instagram.
Benante reflected on his lifelong connection to Rush, praising the performances of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. He also spoke to the band’s enduring impact on his own musical development.
“Rush, what can I say but Thank You?” Benante said. “They have been a guiding force in my musical career. They showed me that you can do this by connecting with your audience, not the radio play; they showed us that a record sold was a ticket sold, they figured it out!”
Benante went on to describe the emotional weight of attending the shows, drawing on memories that stretch back decades.
“I saw them for the first time on the Permanent Waves tour and never missed them after that,” he continued. “The phrase ‘going to church’ is something I’d say to describe their performance, it’s like a religious experience — the energy, the love, the everything! When I was younger, I was so inspired by them that I would run home from school and play along to their records. I would learn every drumming phrase, beat, fill, etc. Those Neil ride patterns were so important to the song, it drove it! Seeing them this week inspired me once again.”
He also touched on a personal conversation with guitarist Alex Lifeson and offered high praise for both Lifeson and bassist Geddy Lee.
“Talking to Alex about the step up from Hemispheres to Permanent Waves was a conversation I’ve waited years to have,” Benante said. “I have always said that Alex is one of the greatest guitarists; the way he can make one guitar sound like three — he is amazing. Geddy is just another level of class and musicianship, watching him this week made me see again how ‘the music takes over.'”
Benante closed his review with warm acknowledgments for everyone involved in the run of shows, noting several highlights from the performances.
“These guys love playing and the music keeps them youthful,” he said. “They have made me happy for so many years and still continue to. Thank you to Geddy, Alex, Anika and Loren for 3 great shows. Thank you to a bunch of great people for this week’s festivities — Jaime Horton and crew, Geddy, Alex, Neil, everyone at QP. They did play ‘Witch Hunt’ and Moving Pictures in its entirety. Alex played a killer Explorer on W.H.”
The reunion shows marked a significant moment for Rush fans. Anika Nilles stepped in as the band’s new drummer following the passing of Neil Peart.
The run of concerts represented Rush’s first official performances since 2015, when the band concluded what many believed would be their final tour. More than a decade later, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson returned to the stage to celebrate the band’s music and the legacy of the late Neil Peart, who passed away in January 2020. The shows were described by attendees as a three-hour celebration that felt simultaneously like a comeback and a tribute.
Anika Nilles, a 43-year-old German percussionist, was widely regarded as a central figure in the emotional tone of the reunion. Her presence behind the kit was seen as a kind of coronation on Peart’s drum throne — a moment that carried enormous weight for a fanbase that had spent years grieving the loss of one of rock’s most celebrated drummers. She earned standing ovations at multiple stops on the tour, with audiences embracing her on her own terms rather than measuring her against Peart.
The chemistry between Nilles, Lee, and Lifeson was visible throughout the performances. All three musicians were frequently seen smiling at one another on stage, a detail that did not go unnoticed by fans in attendance.
The reunion tour spanned multiple cities across North America. The band performed sold-out shows that included full renditions of classic albums alongside fan favorites. The setlists drew emotional responses at every stop, reinforcing what Benante captured in his review: that Rush’s music carries a power that transcends time, and that the band’s return gave both longtime fans and fellow musicians something genuinely worth celebrating.
