Rise Against is a term we’ve been hearing all over the world recently. Often, when things get bad socially, economically, or politically, we find bands spreading “their message.” While this is not a bad thing, as one show can help educate at least one person, Rise Against has been spreading their word since inception. The Chicago-based punk group came to Philadelphia on 10/4 at the Fillmore, with Alkaline Trio being direct support and Teen Mortgage opening it up. Both bands, which are very outspoken when it comes to important matters, teamed up to release their 7” split covering some of the most important songs in our genre. But let’s talk about the show. Rise Against came out storming, Tim, of course, leading the pack. RA was not reserved in the slightest, starting us out with the 2011 classic "Satellite". Going into this show, I did not know what to expect as it was a late call for me, but I’m so glad I went. This is a regular touring band, not a random reunion or a five-year tour band… the sheer amount of energy that arose from the crowd was unheard of and captured (in the gallery below). Walking around, everyone had Rise Against shirts; I saw numerous tattoos and signs. This wasn’t just a show; this was people’s Super Bowl. After a song and a half, Tim was given a megaphone, shouting what needed to be said. And then it broke loose, going into the crowd, standing over everyone like a conductor leading an orchestra. Everyone went to grab the mic; it almost made me feel like I was seeing a hardcore show at the church. Overall, this was an amazing experience. The show was splendid, perfectly curated openers, stage presence was amazing, setlist well curated, couldn’t of blind picked a better show! And I’ll make sure to mark it in my calendar, as you should too, the next time Rise Against is in my city.
