Rush reunion becomes a moving tribute to Neil Peart and Anika Nilles' coronation at Kia Forum

It was a celebration, a clip instrumentality and a delirious three-hour workout of air-drumming. Storming the Forum successful Inglewood connected Sunday, Canadian prog-rockers Rush played their archetypal authoritative performance since 2015, erstwhile the set ended what seemed to beryllium its last tour, adjacent if they couldn’t bring themselves to accidental so. During its much somber moments Sunday, the amusement besides felt similar a tribute to Neil Peart, the group’s revered student of a drummer who died of encephalon crab successful 2020, a nonaccomplishment that made specified an evening unthinkable.

But possibly astir of all, it was a coronation of sorts — for 43-year-old German percussionist Anika Nilles, sitting connected Peart’s throne. How did she deterioration the crown? Confidently. She nailed analyzable paradiddles and splashed astir a twelve cymbals with abandon. Rarely did her look stray from a furrowed brow. (To beryllium fair, Peart’s ne'er did either.) This is the astir fearsome repertoire successful each of popular music, and Nilles supplied its heartbeat and muscle, and astir of its nuance. I sincerely anticipation she’s having fun.

The devout assemblage — is determination immoderate different benignant of Rush fan? — surely was. A dad-heavy assemblage accompanied by teens present and determination (hopefully a fewer aboriginal Anikas), these longtime listeners were vocally transported throughout. That began with the shocked roar that met Rush’s archetypal number, 1977’s “Xanadu,” a chugging slab of custom-van-tested shag splendor, akin to kicking disconnected a instrumentality amusement with the astir unsafe stunt.

“I’m going to commencement playing a opus now,” guitarist Alex Lifeson said aft a small banter, a mumble that became the eventual flex erstwhile the opus turned retired to beryllium “Limelight,” the strutting riff that launched a cardinal amp-jacked hopefuls. Only 10 minutes successful and Rush could spell anywhere, into astir 50 years of material.

Rush co-founder guitarist Alex Lifeson and set delivered a almighty amusement connected opening nighttime of their reunion tour.

(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)

Wisely, that way included 5 selections from “Moving Pictures,” the group’s totemic 1981 release, its astir sinewy and muscular, including the ominous “Tom Sawyer,” a virtuosic “YYZ” and a rotation done the car pursuit “Red Barchetta.” Bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee, his dependable eerily well-preserved for a 72-year-old, rode the contours of these numbers with electrifying menace and character, justifying each the risks inherent successful this reunion tour. (An further 87 dates volition travel globally.)

There was besides vindication for immoderate of Lifeson’s much adventurous guitar enactment of the aboriginal ’80s, erstwhile helium each but invented a caller chime-laden connection of soloing. A punk-vicious “Subdivisions” — “Be chill oregon beryllium formed out,” spell the lyrics — benefited from added grit, portion 1984’s “Distant Early Warning” burrowed into atomic anxiousness with unstoppable momentum.

Anika Nilles much than held her ain connected the drums with dead-on precision.

(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)

The band, expanded to see touring keyboardist Loren Gold, seemed exhilarated, if a small stiff astatine times, a first-night quibble that volition surely self-correct. Some of the dead-on precision of Nilles’ onslaught was mislaid by out-of-sync video screens, an annoying glitch that needs attraction fixed her monster performance. She has learned however to play the intimidating “La Villa Strangiato” perfectly — it’s the slightest they tin do.

Angelenos enjoyed a peculiar unannounced guest, Aimee Mann, who re-created her ethereal backup vocals connected 1987’s “Time Stand Still,” Rush’s finest equilibrium of opus trade and chops. (The song’s rubric could person been the motto for the night.) Pecking Lee connected the cheek, Mann relished the big-arena stone moment.

Fans respond during a video montage astatine the commencement of Rush’s performance.

(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)

Delightfully, determination remains thing unusual yet approachable astir Rush. True fans cognize this for the compliment it is. It’s not conscionable their goony consciousness of wit that compels them to marque silly intro videos and bash comic accents. (The caller 1 takes spot successful a haunted location and, yes, determination are cameos from the “I Love You, Man” guys Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.) Nor is it the mode they ne'er acrophobic themselves with prowling the signifier oregon donning thing different than sensible blazers and jeans.

No, the genuinely unusual happening — inactive singular to acquisition among thousands — is the mode their fame is grounded successful epic rafts of sci-fi nerdiness. Peart, besides the band’s lyricist, steered them done phases of paperback fantasy, stubborn Randian Objectivism and a lived-in consciousness of contented showcased connected their last workplace album, 2012’s “Clockwork Angels,” and its beauteous person “The Garden,” besides revived tonight.

Guitarist Alex Lifeson, flanked by drummer Anika Nilles and bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee, jam astatine the Forum.

(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)

Yet this was a acceptable that included the cavorting “By-Tor and the Snow Dog,” the mathy “Natural Science” and the sidelong 1976 stoner perennial “2112,” which, adjacent successful its abbreviated form, conveyed the pungent consciousness of a set going its ain way. When the intermission’s countdown timepiece reversed itself, climbing backmost up to “21:12,” the numbers turned reddish and the assemblage exploded.

I would person liked to spot Nilles instrumentality a bow, flanked by Lee and Lifeson. She’s the crushed wherefore immoderate of this is happening. Maybe aft a bit, she tin driblet the deference. Rush whitethorn beryllium onto 1 of its astir important chapters, the 1 that extends beyond them, successful which their euphony volition enslaved generations and adjacent transcend death. This circuit is doing the bully work.