Rush‘s Fifty Something reunion tour has hit yet another snag. Just hours before they were slated to take the stage a Dixies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, the beloved Canadian prog rockers announced on Tuesday (June 30) that they would need to push back that night’s gig as well as a show on Thursday (July 2) at the same arena due to 72-year-old singer/bassist Geddy Lee’s health.
“We are deeply sorry to share that we must postpone our June 30 and July 2 shows.
Geddy has been diagnosed with laryngitis and bronchitis. After being evaluated by his doctors, he has been advised that he needs additional time to rest and recover before returning to the stage,” read a statement from the group on Facebook.
“This is incredibly disappointing for all of us. We know many of you have made travel plans and have been counting down the days to these shows. Please know this decision was not made lightly. After more than 50 years of touring, we’ve always believed that if we’re going to step on stage, we owe you the very best performance we can give — and right now, that simply isn’t possible.”
As a result, the show originally scheduled for Tuesday night has been pushed back to July 11, while Thursday night’s (July 2) gig will now take place on July 13, with tickets for both shows to be honored on the new dates; fans who cannot attend the rescheduled shows can get refunds at point of purchase.
“Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and for always standing with us,” the band added. “We look forward to seeing you in just a couple of weeks and appreciate your continued support while Geddy makes a full recovery.”
It’s the latest setback for the tour that kicked off on June 7 in Inglewood, Calif. with the first of four shows at the Kia Forum, before moving on to a pair of gigs at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City on June 18 and 20. The band, which also features co-founder guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer Anika Nilles — who has taken over the drum seat formerly held by the power trio’s legendary longtime drummer and lyricist Neil Peart, who died in Jan. 2020 at age 67 — had to push back the originally scheduled first night in Fort Worth on June 24 due to what they described at the time as “travel and border-related delays”; that show was rescheduled for July 2, then pushed again due to Lee’s illness.
Following next week’s rescheduled Fort Worth shows, the group is slated to move on to a four-night stand at the United Center in Chicago on July 16, 18, 20 and 22. The reunion tour is currently scheduled to wrap up with an April 10, 2027 gig in Helsinki, Finland.
