I have to confess, I really can't back that up. Tuesday's Rush concert at the i wireless Center with roughly 5,500 fans was my first experience seeing the Canadian trio.

Shame on me. Rush is one of the best bands I've seen, giving off more energy than bands with twice the membership (and more than half their age). I'm not going to go as far as to say it was the best show that I've seen, but those guys are probably the most talented rock musicians to grace a Q-C stage.

It's simply master craftsmanship. Guitarist Alex Lifeson is extremely gifted. He has to be to stay out in front of a rhythm section with Geddy Lee on bass and arguably the best rock drummer ever, Neil Peart.

They also have to be on top of their game to keep up with their rapidly changing music. Rush songs are very elaborate pieces that change gears several times throughout a composition.

"Natural Science" was a prime example. That song was all over the place, slowing down, speeding up, chord changes ... the works. The end result from a lesser band would have been a choppy mess. But Rush has a remarkable ability to put it all together. It's no wonder most cover bands won't touch a Rush song.

While it was amazing to see Rush work hard to keep up with one another, it was a joy to see Peart go solo. Normally a drum solo is some obligatory portion of show that gives fans an opportunity to get more beer or grab a smoke. Not at a Rush show.

Peart's performance was nothing short of amazing. He started off with an amazing rock solo. When he was done, he stood up and his kit spun around.

The smaller, electric kit allowed hit to show off some different skills, like tapping on a keyboard with a drum stick while maintaining a rhythm with his other hand. When that was over, the kit spun around again and he played to some piped-in jazz music.

He truly is amazing.

Another highlight was "Spirit of Radio." Lifeson had a small 12-string acoustic solo that sounded great, but it nearly was forgotten when "Radio" came out of nowhere, sounding like canon fire.

The show was broken into two sets, with the former lasting more than one hour. Everyone needed the 20-minute break -- Rush, obviously to rest their bones, but the audience needed it, too.

Rush played for at least three hours. Because of deadline constraints, for all I know Rush may still be playing.