\n<\/p>\n
Now that Anika Nilles<\/a> has found her comfort zone with Rush<\/a>, she’s got some ideas on changes they could make to the setlist. Actually, one song specifically is on her wish list.<\/p>\n The drummer made her debut with the Canadian rock legends earlier this summer<\/a>, stepping into the formidable shoes of the late Neil Peart<\/a>, who passed away<\/a> in 2020 after a private battle with cancer. Though the odds might have been stacked against her, she’s quickly become a big fan favorite, generating a lot of conversation about both her performance skills and sense of humor<\/a>.<\/p>\n In a new interview, she shared that Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have been extremely welcoming and supportive every step of the way\u00a0during the ongoing Fifty Something reunion tour.<\/p>\n Now, they’re about to expand things even further with the upcoming Elevate From the Norm<\/a> residency at Sphere<\/a> Las Vegas, which begins May 21.<\/p>\n In a conversation with USA Today<\/em><\/a>, she notes that it’s been a dream gig, of course with many challenges. But she’s been more than up for the task at hand and has thoughts about a song she’d really love to play with Rush \u2014 “Kid Gloves” from 1984’s Grace Under Pressure<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI told Geddy, if I can ever have a wish list song, can we do that one? And he was like, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s interesting,\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cI play it a little bit in the dressing room just for fun. I love the grooves, the buildup and everything. I love the harmonies and the vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong>\u00a0Rush Rehearsed ‘Mistakes’ When Preparing for Tour With New Drummer Anika Nilles<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Nilles would score a major victory with the fans if she can ultimately convince Lee and Lifeson to add it in.<\/p>\n The band hasn’t performed “Kid Gloves” live since the lengthy tour in 1984<\/a> for Grace Under Pressure<\/em>, where the track was a frequent inclusion in the concerts for that run. According to Setlist.FM<\/a>, it made its final appearance on the first of two nights in Honolulu in late November, sandwiched in between fan favorites “Closer to the Heart” and\u00a0 “YYZ”<\/p>\n Nilles noted during the USA Today <\/em>interview she’s really looking forward to playing Las Vegas with Rush during the residency next year, since she’s only been to the city once \u2014 and the idea of performing at the groundbreaking venue is something she’s excited about. She’s also keen to explore Sin City.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything is new for me there,\u201d she said. \u201cI saw video of No Doubt<\/a> and Metallica<\/a> and U2<\/a> and that was great.\u201d<\/p>\n For Lee, the upcoming shows check off some more unexpected boxes on the heels of their current reunion.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first heard of Sphere, I thought to myself, \u2018Wow, what a shame that Rush is no longer touring, because this venue sounds tailor made for the kind of visual attitude with which we have always designed our shows,'” he said\u00a0in a press release when the Elevate From the Norm run was announced. “Normally we spend months designing the visual effects for our shows and this scenario seemed like the cherry on top of the ice cream for our design team. But life is nothing if not surprising and now, here we are, living and touring in the present tense and we are able to make that particular dream come true.”<\/p>\nThe Rush Song Anika Nilles Would Love to See in the Set<\/h3>\n
Watch Rush Perform ‘Kid Gloves’ in Toronto in September of 1984<\/h3>\n
The Sphere Residency Is a ‘Dream Come True’<\/h3>\n