"She Crushed It!"

Song of the Week: Rush “La Villa Strangiato” featuring Anika-cam

The Rush “50-Something” tour has become the story of the moment in the world of rock music. Rush had been one of the biggest bands in the world for 50 years before calling it quits in 2015. When one of their founders, Neil Peart (widely regarded as one of the great rock drummers of all time), died in 2020, the fans’ grief also came with the realization that their dreams of a comeback were over.

Except that they aren’t over. The comeback is happening. A band this big coming out of retirement would be a story any time, but this one has a huge twist: The drummer they picked to try to fill Peart’s shoes was a) a relative unknown, with very little touring experience; and b) a woman in what remains an overwhelmingly male space.

Millions of Rush fans were hopeful but nervous, to say the least. Some were openly hostile, creating intense pressure on Nilles. She weathered it by throwing herself into months of intensive preparation for the gig.

After their opening concerts, starting June 7, the reception for Nilles has been overwhelmingly positive. To paraphrase many reviewers and fan comments: “She crushed it.”

I wrote about much of this a couple of weeks ago, with a focus on Nilles’ background and lots of clips of her in previous gigs, here:

In that article, I included a link to a full-length fan-cam recording of their opening night in L.A. The intrepid cameraman somehow managed to keep a steady hand for around two-and-a-half hours, and the sound quality is surprisingly good.

For the Song of the Week, I want to revisit that fan-cam footage, to focus on a song that, for me, is one of two highlights of the concert. It is a 10-minute extravaganza of gorgeous, intricate conversations among the three musicians, with lots of tempo and key changes that keep you guessing what’s next. It demands a wide dynamic range from the drummer, from whisper-quiet touches on the cymbals to crushing power on the toms and bass drums.

Few drummers could even attempt something like this, let alone do it so impeccably. I have replayed this segment of the concert many times now, trying to take in all the details.

La Villa Strangiato, from the Kia Forum in LA, June 7 2026:

(You need to click on “Watch on Youtube” to drop you at the start of this song. Of course, you can just click the red arrow and watch the whole show!)

Post-script: Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are both 70, and there was always speculation about how they would hold up under tour conditions. Five days ago, as this is written, the band announced that they are postponing several upcoming dates because Geddy came down with bronchitis and laryngitis. Rush-world is hanging on, praying for good news.