She Almost Ignored Geddy Lee’s Invitation — And Nearly Missed Rush’s Reunion
For the first time since Neil Peart’s passing in 2020, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee have returned to the stage as Rush, joined by acclaimed drummer Anika Nilles. During the opening night of their four-show residency at the Kia Forum near Los Angeles, Aimee Mann made a special appearance to perform “Time Stand Still,” the song she originally recorded with the band in 1987. The performance was so well received that she returned for all four nights.
What fans didn’t know was just how close Mann came to saying no.
In a recent comic shared on Instagram, Mann revealed that when Geddy Lee first reached out to her about joining Rush onstage, she was going through a difficult period in her life. She admitted that even responding to the invitation felt overwhelming, and as time passed, she worried Lee might misinterpret her silence.
Despite her uncertainty and concerns about performing in front of a packed arena while feeling emotionally drained, Mann eventually decided to accept the offer. The experience ended up being far more meaningful than she expected. She later praised Lee, Lifeson, and the entire Rush camp for their kindness, support, and warm welcome throughout the residency.
What began as a difficult decision ultimately became one of the most memorable moments of her recent career, proving that sometimes the opportunities we almost miss become the ones we cherish the most.
Outside of her Rush appearances, Mann has remained busy with several creative projects. She recently contributed music to the off-Broadway adaptation of Girl, Interrupted, appears as herself in the sci-fi comedy-drama O Horizon, and is preparing for a Midwest tour celebrating her 2000 album Bachelor No. 2 Or, The Last Remains Of The Dodo, including a stop at the revived Eaux Claires Festival.
Rush setlist: Kia Forum, Los Angeles: July 7, 2026
Set 1
Xanadu
Limelight
Far Cry
Subdivisions
Freewill
Bravado
Caravan
La Villa Strangiato
Vital Signs
The Spirit of Radio
Set 2
2112 Part I: Overture
2112 Part II: The Temples of Syrinx
2112 Part VII: Grand Finale
Distant Early Warning
Red Barchetta
Dreamline
Natural Science
Time Stand Still
Red Sector A
YYZ
The Garden
Tom Sawyer
Encore
By-Tor & The Snow Dog
Working Man
Rush: Fifty Something tour dates 2026
Jun 09: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Jun 11: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Jun 13: Los Angeles Kia Forum, CA
Jun 18: Mexico City Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico
Jun 20: Mexico City Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico
Jun 24: Fort Worth Dickies Arena TX
Jun 26: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Jun 28: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Jun 30: Fort Worth Dickies Arena, TX
Jul 16: Chicago United Center, IL
Jul 18: Chicago United Center, IL
Jul 20: Chicago United Center, IL
Jul 22: Chicago United Center, IL
Jul 28: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Jul 30: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Aug 01: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Aug 03: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Aug 07: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Aug 09: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Aug 11: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Aug 13: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Aug 21: Philadelphia Xfinity Mobile Arena, PA
Aug 23: Philadelphia Xfinity Mobile Arena, PA
Aug 26: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI
Aug 28: Detroit Little Caesars Arena, MI
Sep 02: Montreal Bell Centre, QC
Sep 04: Montreal Bell Centre, QC
Sep 12: Boston TD Garden, MA
Sep 14: Boston TD Garden, MA
Sep 17: Cleveland Rocket Arena, OH
Sep 19: Cleveland Rocket Arena, OH
Sep 23: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX
Sep 25: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX
Oct 05: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Oct 07: Denver Ball Arena, CO
Oct 10: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA
Oct 12: Seattle Climate Pledge Arena, WA
Oct 15: San Jose SAP Center, CA
Oct 17: San Jose SAP Center, CA
Oct 25: Washington Capital One Arena, D.C.
Oct 27: Washington Capital One Arena, D.C.
Oct 30: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Nov 01: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Nov 05: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL
Nov 07: Hollywood Hard Rock Live, FL
Nov 09: Tampa Benchmark International Arena, FL
Nov 11: Tampa Benchmark International Arena, FL
Nov 20: Charlotte Spectrum Center, NC
Nov 22: Charlotte Spectrum Center, NC
Nov 25: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA
Nov 27: Atlanta State Farm Arena, GA
Dec 01: Glendale Desert Diamond Arena, AZ
Dec 03: Glendale Desert Diamond Arena, AZ
Dec 10: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB
Dec 12: Edmonton Rogers Place, AB
Dec 15: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Dec 17: Vancouver Rogers Arena, BC
Rush: Fifty Something tour dates 2027
Jan 15: Buenos Aires Movistar Arena, Argentina
Jan 22: Curitiba Arena da Baixada, Brazil
Jan 24: São Paulo Allianz Parque, Brazil
Jan 26: São Paulo Allianz Parque, Brazil
Jan 30: Rio de Janeiro Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos. Brazil
Feb 01: Belo Horizonte Estádio Mineirão, Brazil
Feb 04: Brasília Arena BRB Mané Garrincha, Brazil
Feb 19: Paris La Défense Arena, France
Feb 21: Berlin Uber Arena, Germany
Feb 23: Amstersam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands
Feb 25: Munich Olympiahalle, Germany
Feb 28: Cologne Lanxess Arena, Germany
Mar 02: Hamburg Barclays Arena, Germany
Mar 04: Stuttgart Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Germany
Mar 08: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
Mar 10: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK
Mar 12: Manchester Co-op Live, UK
Mar 14: Manchester Co-op Live, UK
Mar 16: London O2 Arena, UK
Mar 18: London O2 Arena, UK
Mar 21: London O2 Arena, UK
Mar 27: Kraków Arena Kraków, Poland
Mar 30: Milan Unipol Dome, Italy
Apr 01: Basel St. Jakobshalle Basel, Switzerland
Apr 04: Copenhagen Royal Arena, Denmark
Apr 06: Oslo Unity Arena, Norway
Apr 08: Stockholm Avicii Arena, Sweden
Apr 10: Helsinki Veikkaus Arena, Finland
