Anika Nilles' Rush Debut Earns Universal Praise: 'She Killed It!'

The reviews are in: Anika Nilles absolutely aced her first test as Rush’s new touring drummer.

Filling the late Neil Peart's shoes was never going to be easy, but Nilles did so with an impressive mix of talent and reverence. UCR’s live review, posted shortly after the band’s opening night concert ended, noted that Nilles “crushed it” in her new role, adding that the drummer’s' "brilliant talent was on display” all evening. As you’ll see below, many others shared our excitement.

Some of the loudest acclaim has come from a prog rock contemporary. Mike Portnoy, the drummer for Dream Theater and a man who was at one time rumored to be in line for the Rush job, shared effusive praise for Nilles’ performance.

“Anika absolutely KILLED IT in the best way imaginable,” Portnoy wrote. “I was so happy for her…nailing all of the big Neil moments with a giant smile on her face the whole time! She really is the perfect choice for this!”

Reviews of Anika Nilles’ Rush Debut

Across the rock world, reviews have lauded Nilles’ opening night performance. “If fire could be packaged, it would be Nilles,” declared USA Today. “Not only did Rush find a drummer worthy of succeeding Peart so the band could perform live again, but they chose a musician who is an absolute phenomenon on her playground of percussion.”

Rolling Stone hailed her “mix of precision and snare-snapping brutality,” noting that she “simply nailed everything, down to the last 32nd note.”

The Los Angeles Times called it a “monster performance,” and described the moment as a “coronation of sorts” for Nilles. “She nailed complex paradiddles and splashed nearly a dozen cymbals with abandon. Rarely did her expression stray from a furrowed brow. (To be fair, Peart’s never did either.) This is the most fearsome repertoire in all of pop music, and Nilles supplied its heartbeat and muscle, and most of its nuance.”

Louder gave a deeper analysis of Nilles’ performance, noting two points in the show that really stood out. Among them, her impressive delivery of Peart’s famous drum fills in “Tom Sawyer.” “It's a moment of genuine triumph,” they wrote. “And, it appears, there isn't a dry eye left in the house.

Meanwhile, veteran rock journalist Mitch Lafon noted that Nilles “didn’t just nail it. She absolutely owned it.” He also pointed out that the drummer had “not a sign of first night jitters.”

But most importantly, the Rush diehards – notoriously among the most difficult fanbases to impress – have joyously celebrated Nilles’ performance. Social media and Reddit have been flooded with compliments for the drummer, praising her as “amazing,” “unbelievable” and and “absolute beast.”

Rush's Fifty Something tour will continue across North America through December, with further international dates scheduled for 2027.