Rise Against with special guest The Menzingers and A Day to Remember
As most fans of Rise Against know, Chicago is their hometown. Whenever they come back to play, it’s homecoming. Tonight, playing at University of Chicago campus pavilion, in the heart of the city and home to thousands of college students on a Friday night, was perfect planning as 9,000 fans came to show their support.
Opening band, The Menzingers kicked off the show with a 30 minute set that got the crowd warmed up, as they opened up a small circle pit. While the pit was not much moshing but more running in a circle and high fiving, at one point a big group went into the center and did the now famous, Tim Tebow kneel-to-the-ground pose.
After a short set change, A Day to Remember came out and gave the crowd a memory for sure. Opening with The Downfall of Us All, the fans crowded the front stage to catch singer, Jeremy McKinnon as he went from hardcore screams to clean vocals effortlessly. He thanked Rise Against for having them out on tour and Chicago/UIC was the biggest indoor venue they have played outside of festivals.
ADTR puts on a great show and interact with their crowd by throwing beach balls out into the crowd and even having McKinnon get inside a giant ball and roll out into the crowd. They played hits like, I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are you Made Of?, Have Faith in Me and ending with The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle. ADTR is a great opening band for Rise Against and will be on tour with them until 2/5/12 and then back with them in April.
As the stage was being set for Rise Against, the building felt like a tea pot ready to blow, as the lights dimmed the crowd was chanting over and over “Rise Against” like a mantra.
Rise Against is:
Tim McIIrath on Vocals
Zach Blair on Lead Guitar
Joe Principe on Bass
Brandon Barnes on Drums
With small video screens on stage, the opening showed scenes from war and catastrophes around the world before launching into Survivor Guilt followed by Ready to Fall, Collapse (Post-Amerika). Rise Against have always been known for their political lyrics and their stirring lyrics about the wrongs of the world which was the perfect setting for a city known for its blue collar ways and city of big shoulders.
If you’ve never seen Rise Against live, you’re missing out on one of the best shows you will see. With tons of energy and stirring lyrics that touch your soul that leave you walking out that you can make a difference. Some of the highlights from the show was Help is on the way, Drones, and Re-Education (Through Labor) which had the crowd jumping up and down and moving as one body as well as Blair jumping all over and kicking as he tore into riffs.
They ended the 13 song set with Prayer of the Refugee and they followed this up with a 4 song acoustic set that included, Audience Of One which sounding amazing to go along with Swing Life Away that had the crowd singing along. They ended the acoustic set with Make It Stop (September’s Children) that had the lighters out and sounded as if Tim McIIrath was singing alone in a room - a very Goosebumps moment as he ended it with Give it All.
The crowd did not want the night to end as they roared their approval as Rise Against came back out for an Encore of Midnight Hands, The Strength to Go On, and Savior.
You can check out what’s going on with Rise Against at http://www.riseagainst.com
All Photos by Peter Lizano
