Making her debut as Rush's drummer, Anika Nilles gets praise from Mike Portnoy

JAKARTA - Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy gave high praise to Anika Nilles for her debut performance with Rush.

As is known, Nilles performed stunningly as the new drummer in Rush's opening concert, titled "Fifty Something", at the Kia Forum, Los Angeles, USA, last weekend.

The concert marks the return of two classic Rush members, Geddy Lee (vocals/bass) and Alex Lifeson (guitar), after a long time of vacuum following the departure of the late Neil Peart (drums).

Through a post on his personal social media, Portnoy, who also monitored Rush's comeback, admitted to being very emotional and proud of the performance of the German female drummer.

Portnoy emphasized that Nilles successfully executed every difficult part perfectly. Nilles' slick performance was judged to be able to revive the spirit of the late Neil Peart's game.

"Anika really performed in the best way imaginable. I'm so happy for her. Conquering all the big moments of the late Neil Peart with a big smile on his face all the time! She really is the perfect choice for this!" said Portnoy.

Before being elected to occupy the throne of the drum in the progressive rock band from Canada, Mike Portnoy's name was actually rumored by fans to replace Neil Peart's position.

However, Portnoy actually felt relieved because he was not selected, considering the huge pressure and burden of history that must be borne to replace the position of a genius drummer like Peart.

On the other hand, Portnoy praised the courage and technical ability of Anika Nilles, who was previously known for touring with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022.

Portnoy assessed Nilles' performance on stage proved that the decision of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson to choose him was the right move.

Portnoy's praise also confirmed his recognition before the concert began. Portnoy, who was initially curious and immediately hunted for Anika Nilles's game videos on YouTube, now admits that he can't wait to see Nilles's stage performance up close in the rest of Rush's upcoming tour schedule.

Anika Nilles' powerful yet precise drumming style proved successful in bringing a fresh wind to the new era of Rush.

The latest Rush lineup, which is also strengthened by Loren Gold (keyboards), is scheduled to continue shaking the international music stage through a series of 58 concert schedules that stretch across Canada, the United States, to Mexico throughout 2026.