With a catalog containing 19 studio albums dating back to 1974, Rush has an incredible amount of music to choose from for its current Fifty Something tour.
The trek’s second night, held June 9 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, emphasized this vastness of choice, with the band playing a 22-song setlist that was roughly 50% different from night one, which happened at the same venue on June 7.
Notably, the night two setlist included the complete “2112: Overture,” a 20-minute opus from Rush’s 1976 album 2112. The six-part suite turns 50 this year, with this June 9 show marking the first time the band played it in its entirety in 29 years. (Opening night did include select elements of “2112: Overture,” which, like the complete “Overture,” were played as the opener of the show’s second act.)
The June 9 concert marked the second time that mighty drummer Anika Nilles played as part of a Rush tour, with the German instrumentalist filling in for Rush’s legendary drummer, Neil Peart, who died of brain cancer in 2020. The show contains many tributes to Peart, with Rush’s remaining members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson thoughtfully incorporating their late friend through the visuals, song selections and segments during which Peart’s voice booms through the speakers while video and photo montages of him play.
Made up of 88 shows, the Fifty Something Tour will travel across North America through the end of 2026 and then make its way to South America and Europe in 2027. Tuesday’s show was the second of four sold-out Rush shows at the Kia Forum this week.
Here’s the complete setlist from night two of the run.
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“Xanadu”
The song from 1977’s A Farewell To Kings was also the opener for the night one show on June 7.
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“The Spirit Of Radio”
The opening track of 1980’s Permanent Waves came much earlier in the set on night two than it did on night one.
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“The Analog Kid”
The second song on 1982’s Signals was added to the setlist for night two.
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“Free Will”
The second song on 1980’s Permanent Waves.
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“Subdivisions”
The opening track on 1980’s Signals was also included during on the night one setlist.
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“Bravado”
The second song from 1991’s Roll The Bones was also included in the night one setlist.
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“Leave That Thing Alone”
The instrumental track was a night two add to the setlist, and also the first instance of any music from Rush’s 1993 album Counterparts being played on the Fifty Something Tour.
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“The Trees”
A new add on night two, “The Trees” comes from Rush’s 1978 album Hemispheres.
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“Headlong Flight”
The song from Rush’s final studio album, 2012’s Clockwork Angels, was a new add to the setlist on night two.
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“Limelight”
The all-time classic from 1981’s Moving Pictures was played on both night one and night two.
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(Intermission)
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“2112 Overture: / The Temples of Syrinx / Discovery / Presentation / Oracle: The Dream / Soliloquy / Grand Finale”
The 20-minute epic forms the complete side one of Rush’s 1976 album 2112, with the June 9 show marking the first time in 29 years that Rush played the rock opera suite in its entirety.
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“Animate”
The opening song from Rush’s 1993 LP Counterparts.
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“Closer To The Heart”
The rousing ballad from 1977’s A Farewell To Kings made its tour debut on night two.
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“A Passage To Bangkok”
A new add for night two, “Passage To Bangkok” is the second track on 1976’s 2112.
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“Time Stand Still”
Also played on night one, the emotional song from 1987’s Hold Your Fire functioned as one of show’s major tributes to Rush’s late drummer, Neil Peart.
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“YYZ”
Also played on night one, “YYZ” comes from 1981’s Moving Pictures.
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“Anthem”
New to the tour on night two, “Anthem” is the heavy opener to 1975’s Fly By Night.
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“Red Barchetta”
Played on both nights, this song about a special car is the second song from 1981’s Moving Pictures.
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“Witch Hunt”
New for night two, “Witch Hunt” is the penultimate song from Moving Pictures.
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“Tom Sawyer”
For both nights, the song was introduced with a video segment featuring the cast of South Park.
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(Encore)
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“Finding My Way”
The lead song from Rush’s self-titled 1974 debut was a new add for night two.
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“Working Man”
As with night one, Rush closed the show with this burly ode to the proletariat, the last song on the band’s 1974 debut LP.
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