I just got done watching Rush’s live concert DVD Rush in Rio. Whoa! What a great concert. It was performed as part of their Vapor Trails tour — not my favorite of their albums, but honestly, there was only one song I didn’t like: “Secret Touch.” (Of the other Vapor Trails songs in this concert, I halfway like “Earthshine” and am indifferent to “Vapor Trails,” “One Little Victory,” and “Ghost Rider.”)

But the things I liked! Wow! If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be “Spirit of Radio” followed by “YYZ” or “The Big Money.” (I know, I’m a fan of 80’s Rush. Sue me.) But even the really-oldies were excellent: long excerpts from “2112” and “Cygnus X-1,” plus “Bytor” and — I figured this had to be the encore when they played “Spirit of Radio” in the main part of the show — “Working Man.”

The crowd was excellent. I was surprised how many of the songs the crowd knew. I don’t know how popular Rush is in Brazil, or whether they get lots of airplay, or what. Maybe both: the chief language in Brazil is Portuguese, and Rush songs are in English, but they were singing along with everything.