Rush, 6/13/07 Tampa, FL

I won't lie to you and tell you that I am some 7th-level die hard fan of Canadian prog-rockers Rush, but I admit that I am continually and consistently fascinated by the religious-like fervor of their fans and their Harry Potter-esque enthusiasm for the band. Their current tour blows through Las Vegas this weekend, and in every walk of life, every strata of desert society, the 2112 zealots have been glowing with a giddy grin that seems reserved for only those who understand the inside joke. Rush was a puzzle to me when I was young, but now in retrospect seems like that nerd in school that was so ridiculously smart that even the most soulless of bullies left him alone; a band so good that even if you don't like them, you still kinda like them. This is an excellent soundboard recording from last month. Check out the surprising cover of "Summertime Blues" and the use of South Park on the stalwart "Tom Sawyer." Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four.