Anika Nilles Reflects on “Tom Sawyer” Fill at RUSH Kickoff Show: “Don’t F**k It Up”
Nilles opens up about her experience playing with RUSH in a cover story for Modern Drummer. Anika Nilles Reflects on “Tom Sawyer” Fill at RUSH Kickoff Show: “Don’t F**k It Up” Langdon Hickman
Anika Nilles, the newly appointed drummer for RUSH, recently shared her reflections on her debut performance with the band at their June 7th kickoff show at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. The drummer expressed her excitement and nerves leading up to playing the famous "Tom Sawyer" drum fill, explaining, "I was a little bit, like, ‘Oh, what’s going on?’
But, yeah, it felt really good to just bring that one out off the table. That was the most important song, I think, for the fans, and also for me to just nail that. And that was such a relief." Nilles spoke about the camaraderie she experienced with RUSH's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, crediting their humor and approachability for making it easy for her to connect with them.
She emphasized the importance of respecting the late Neil Peart's drum parts while also finding room to express her own personality and style. Nilles has been part of RUSH's "Fifty Something" tour, which has received widespread praise, and she encourages fans to purchase tickets for upcoming shows.
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