Touring in support of their brand new album, “Endgame,” they didn’t stray from performing songs off that album, including their current hit single, “Help Is On the Way,” a song whose video is inspired by and depicts the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. Lead singer Tim McIlrath’s vocals were a little lost at times amongst the over-powering guitar levels, but once the kinks were worked out, he sounded great and his voice filled the entire venue. One particular song that got me out of my seat and dancing around was my personal favorite, “Audience of One.” Playing hits like “The Good Left Undone” and “Prayer of the Refugee” off their 2006 album, “The Sufferer and the Witness,” they had the entire crowd fist pumping, head banging and singing along. When the main act of the night, Rise Against, came out on stage, the crowd went nuts and more moshing commenced immediately. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: get off your phones and enjoy the music, people! Who wants to be distracted by an incoming text when you’ve got great live music to stimulate you? It takes away from the full experience, so do yourselves a favor and either leave your phones in the car or just use them to snap a few pictures to commemorate the show and then put them away and enjoy the concert. The only problem I had with Bad Religion’s 12-song set had nothing to do with the band itself, but the three people in front of me who spent the entire set on their cell phones texting and Facebooking. They also performed “The Resist Stance” and “Cyanide,” newer tunes off of their most recent album, “The Dissent of Man.” They haven’t slowed down at all and had just as much endurance and gusto and twice the stage presence as any fledgling band that has only been touring for a couple years. Playing many of their classic hits and fan favorites, including “Infected” and “Sorrow,” it’s hard to believe that they’ve been doing this for 30 years. Maybe one of these days, I’ll be brave enough to try it, but in the meantime, I was quite content with my nosebleed seats.Īfter The Descendents opened the show, punk rock legends Bad Religion set the stage ablaze with their energetic and dynamic set. It was like little moving crop circles running clockwise in the crowd. I wasn’t disappointed.Īll three sets were fast-paced and high energy, complete with crowd surfing and several mosh pits that were fun to watch from the balcony seating. This would mark my first time seeing The Descendents, Bad Religion and Rise Against in concert. Die hard fans need only spin the disc to be hooked.It was a sold out crowd at the Long Beach Arena where we were all treated to a genuine arena rock concert. If you're new to Rise Against, maybe pick up their previous disc "Siren Song of the Counter Culture" before checking out The Sufferer and the Witness. Even with a few familiar songs, you don't feel like you've been ripped off by being charged for the same CD. Even with great stand out tracks, the album together works so well in its entirety and deserves to be heard from that way. The aforementioned "Roadside" seems to pick up the somber honesty of "Swing Life Away", however the song is far deeper and very stark compared to its predecessor. In fact it seems that the rage in fact grows during the ballads and is then released with greater ferocity during the other songs.Įvery time I put this CD on in the car I always end up giving "Chamber the Cartridge", "Drones", and "Behind Closed Doors" multiple listens before moving on to the next track. The high energy and screaming guitars and vocals are a staple for the whole record and even on slow tracks such as "Roadside", the following tracks never seem to loose their energy. The album starts out with a spoken line saying "This is noise," and then blasts straight into the album opener "Chamber the Cartridge". Each album is as fresh and different as the last, thus there are one or two "transition" songs that will remind you of what you have heard, but it's not a recreation. Rise Against is one of those bands that could get away with never changing their sound. Thankfully I was wrong, and The Sufferer and the Witness is a blaze of glory. When I heard that CD, I figured Rise Against had reached their creative peak and would try to expand their sound and fail miserably with their next album. Their last album spawned the single "Swing Life Away" which became a great anthem for the disillusioned teens around the world. Rise Against - The Sufferer and the Witness ReviewĪ few years ago I was introduced to a band called Rise Against, and I was immediately blown away by their blend of punk attitude and energy with the melody and angst from hardcore.
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