What to know about Anika Nilles and Rush
Anika Nilles would like Rush to add “Kid Gloves” to the setlist, and the band is also preparing for its Sphere Las Vegas residency. This article covers Nilles’s song request, the track’s history in Rush’s live shows and the announced concert dates.
- Song request: Anika Nilles has asked Geddy Lee about adding “Kid Gloves” to Rush’s setlist.
- Live history: Rush last performed “Kid Gloves” live during the 1984 tour for Grace Under Pressure.
- Sphere residency: Rush’s “Elevate From the Norm” residency is scheduled to begin May 21 in Las Vegas.
- Tour schedule: The “Fifty Something” tour dates listed here include shows in North America, South America and Europe.
Anika Nilles’s “Kid Gloves” request is the focus of this article, alongside Rush’s planned Las Vegas residency and tour schedule.
Which Rush song would Anika Nilles like to play live?
Anika Nilles would like Rush to perform “Kid Gloves,” a song from the band’s 1984 album Grace Under Pressure. She told USA Today that she asked Geddy Lee about adding the track to the setlist.
Nilles has asked Rush to consider “Kid Gloves” for the setlist.
The drummer made her debut with the Canadian rock band earlier this summer, taking over the role previously held by Neil Peart, who died in 2020 after a private battle with cancer. During the ongoing Fifty Something reunion tour, Nilles has spoken about the support she has received from Lee and Alex Lifeson.
In her conversation with USA Today, Nilles described the role as a dream gig with significant challenges. She said she enjoys the song’s grooves, buildup, harmonies and overall feel.
“I told Geddy, if I can ever have a wish list song, can we do that one? And he was like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting,’” she says. “I play it a little bit in the dressing room just for fun. I love the grooves, the buildup and everything. I love the harmonies and the vibe.”
READ MORE: Rush Rehearsed ‘Mistakes’ When Preparing for Tour With New Drummer Anika Nilles
Adding “Kid Gloves” would bring a rarely performed Rush song back to the band’s live set. The song has not appeared in a Rush concert since the group’s 1984 tour for Grace Under Pressure.
According to Setlist.FM, “Kid Gloves” was a regular part of that tour’s concerts and was last played on the first of two nights in Honolulu in late November 1984. It appeared between “Closer to the Heart” and “YYZ.”
Where can you watch Rush perform “Kid Gloves” in Toronto?
This heading introduces a performance of Rush playing “Kid Gloves” in Toronto in September 1984.
Rush performed “Kid Gloves” in Toronto in September 1984.
Why is the Sphere residency a major opportunity for Rush?
Anika Nilles is looking forward to playing with Rush at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a city she has visited only once. She said the venue’s large-scale visual productions are part of what makes the residency exciting for her.
Rush’s Sphere residency brings the band’s live show to a venue known for visual productions.
Nilles said she had seen videos of No Doubt, Metallica and U2 performing at the venue, and she is also interested in exploring Las Vegas.
“Everything is new for me there,” she said. “I saw video of No Doubt and Metallica and U2 and that was great.”
For Geddy Lee, the upcoming shows fulfill an unexpected possibility following Rush’s reunion. When the Sphere was first announced, Lee thought the venue would suit the visual approach the band had used in designing its shows.
Lee said the Sphere’s visual capabilities fit Rush’s approach to designing live shows.
“When I first heard of Sphere, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, what a shame that Rush is no longer touring, because this venue sounds tailor made for the kind of visual attitude with which we have always designed our shows,’” he said in a press release announcing the Elevate From the Norm residency. “Normally we spend months designing the visual effects for our shows and this scenario seemed like the cherry on top of the ice cream for our design team. But life is nothing if not surprising and now, here we are, living and touring in the present tense and we are able to make that particular dream come true.”
The first round of presales for the Las Vegas concerts begins Nov. 6, with further presales continuing the following week. Tickets go on sale to the general public Nov. 13. The group’s official website has more information.
When are Rush’s “Elevate From the Norm” Las Vegas dates?
Rush’s “Elevate From the Norm” residency is scheduled for five dates at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The listed shows run from May 21 to May 30.
The Las Vegas residency includes five Sphere concerts in May.
05/21 – Las Vegas @ Sphere
05/23 – Las Vegas @ Sphere
05/26 – Las Vegas @ Sphere
05/28 – Las Vegas @ Sphere
05/30 – Las Vegas @ Sphere
Where is Rush playing on the 2026–2027 “Fifty Something” tour?
The listed 2026–2027 “Fifty Something” tour dates span venues in North America, South America and Europe. The schedule includes multiple-night stops in several cities.
The “Fifty Something” schedule lists concerts across three continents.
11/7 – Hollywood, FL @ Seminole Hard Rock Live
11/9 – Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
11/11 – Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
11/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
11/20 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
11/22 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
11/25 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/27 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
12/1 – Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
12/3 – Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
12/10 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
12/12 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
12/15 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
12/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
1/15 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Movistar Arena
1/17 – Santiago, CL @ Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida
1/19 – Santiago, CL @ Estadio Bicentenario de La Florida
1/22 – Curitiba, BR @ Arena da Baixada
1/24 – Sao Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque
1/26 – Sao Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque
1/30 – Rio de Janeiro, BR @ Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos (Engenhao)
2/1 – Belo Horizonte, BR @ Estadio Mineirao
2/4 – Brasilia, BR @ Arena BRB Mane Garrincha
2/19 – Paris, FR @ Plenitude Arena
2/21 – Berlin, DE @ Uber Arena
2/23 – Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome
2/25 – Munich, DE @ Olympiahalle
2/28 – Cologne, DE @ LANXESS Arena
3/2 – Hamburg, DE @ Barclays Arena
3/4 – Stuttgart, DE @ Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle
3/8 – Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
3/10 – Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro
3/12 – Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
3/14 – Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
3/16 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
3/18 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
3/21 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
3/27 – Krakow, PL @ TAURON Arena Kraków
3/30 – Milan, IT @ Unipol Dome
4/1 – Basel, CH @ St. Jakobshalle Basel
4/4 – Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena
4/6 – Oslo, NO @ Unity Arena
4/8 – Stockholm, SE @ Avicii Arena
4/10 – Helsinki, FI @ Veikkaus Arena
Which song is least played on each of Rush’s 19 albums?
The least-played songs on many of Rush’s 19 albums have still been performed live numerous times.
Gallery credit: Joe DiVita
What do listeners want to know about Anika Nilles and Rush?
Anika Nilles has joined Rush as the band’s drummer for its reunion tour and upcoming residency. These answers summarize her “Kid Gloves” request and the announced live performances.
Anika Nilles has asked about adding “Kid Gloves” to Rush’s setlist.
What Rush song did Anika Nilles request?
Nilles requested “Kid Gloves,” a track from Rush’s 1984 album Grace Under Pressure.
When did Rush last play “Kid Gloves” live?
Rush last performed “Kid Gloves” during the 1984 tour for Grace Under Pressure, according to Setlist.FM.
When does Rush’s Sphere residency begin?
Rush’s “Elevate From the Norm” Sphere residency is scheduled to begin May 21 in Las Vegas.
Where can I find the listed Rush tour dates?
The listed “Fifty Something” tour dates appear in this article and cover shows in North America, South America and Europe.
