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Gives It All In Anaheim
November 27, 2024 Review by Joey Clark
In May of this year, Rise Against announced they would be hitting the road for a fall North American tour. Dates sold out rapidly after the announcement and it came as no surprise that SoCal fans showed up and sold out the November 20th date at the House of Blues Anaheim.
The Chicago-based punk band has been a cornerstone of my music collection since their 2008 release, “Appeal to Reason.” Through their music I was introduced to the concept of songs being more than a form of entertainment.
Music could serve as a vehicle to speak out against injustice and allow musicians to hold up a mirror to world and question it.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate to see the band multiple times in concert, and the four piece has always delivered a powerful performance that surpassed my expectations. They remain one of the best live experiences I’ve seen to date and only get better with time – like a punk-rock fine wine.
Hailing from Cleveland, Cloud Nothings kicked off the night with their unique flavor of indie rock. The band formed under lead vocalist and guitarist, Dylan Baldi and consists of drummer Jayson Gerycz, and bassist Chris Brown (not that one). The trio served solid setlist of eight songs to a packed House of Blues and went over well with the crowd.
L.S. Dunes was the second supporting act of the night, and while the band hasn’t been on the scene long – with only two years under their belt – they boast a stacked lineup of musicians: front-man Anthony Green (Saosin, The Sound of Animals Fighting), guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), guitarist Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria), bassist Tim Payne (Thursday), and drummer Tucker Rule (Thursday).
I’d gone in blind to L.S. Dunes, never knowing much about the project outside of the members it was comprised of, but their blend of post-hardcore and emo music was an absolute blast to enjoy.
I was floored from the minute they took the stage; their energy and ability to give a high-octane performance is unquestionable. It’s crystal clear to see the five are on the stage simply because they share a collective love of music and one another. I implore you to not wait to check them out and support them now in their early years.
The House of Blues was packed to the brim; fans were buzzing with anticipation after L.S. Dunes wrapped their set. A selection of sound bites played as the venue went dark; hundreds of phones were raised, ready to capture Rise Against’s entrance. Johnny Cash’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” broke through the sound bites. A tease of blue light illuminated the stage as the guys emerged from the shadows. Without any hesitation, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath started the evening off with “Satellite” from the group’s album, “Endgame.”
The pit was transformed into a blur of fun and chaos; crowd surfers poured over the barricade within that first song (I’d expect nothing less at a Rise Against show).
McIlrath punched through the chaos with his signature melodic hardcore voice, at one point taking a megaphone in hand and singing the chorus line of “Satellite” as lead guitarist Zach Blair riled up the crowd from his riser, all the while bassist Joe Principe, and drummer Brandon Barnes filled the room with a bombastic, rhythmic breakdown that electrified the audience.
With a helluva start, the show was well underway and Rise performed “Injection,” “Worth Dying For,” “Re-Education (Through Labor),” and “The Black Market.”
The latter of which McIlrath dedicated to openers Cloud Nothings because McIlrath had recognized how much they had poured themselves into their art and that “The Black Market” was about that amazing feeling when one gives themself to their art but also the trials and tribulations with such pursuits.
After closing out the song, McIlrath told the audience this was the first time Rise Against had been to the newer House of Blues Anaheim location and described it as, “the perfect room.”
McIlrath then explained, “We’re just having fun up here. We’re not here to sell a new record; we’re just here to have a good fucking time and play some songs we don’t really play all that much, including this one called ‘Whereabouts Unknown.’” Rise Against launched into the deep cut off their album, “Re-Education (Through Labor)” and the singer/guitarist stated he did not think they had ever played it in the Los Angeles area before.
Surprises didn’t stop there as the band regaled the audience with a three-song acoustic set which included the tour debut of “Forfeit” that was not initially planned until a fan had mentioned the tune earlier in the night. Watching Rise Against play stripped back and acoustically is one of the most beautiful concert experiences I’ve witnessed. McIlrath’s vocal strength paired with the delicate tone of his acoustic crafts a landscape that’s hauntingly beautiful given the subject matter of the songs.
Rise Against seemingly rounded out the night with a performance of “Behind Closed Doors” and “Prayer of the Refugee,” but finalized it with a three-song encore that consisted of “Make It Stop (September’s Children),” “Blood-Red, White & Blue,” and “Savior.”
For the second to last night of the tour, Rise Against gave it their all, from start to finish with an energy that was magnetic.
As a long-time fan of their music, I still remain in awe of their ability to serve up a show that allows me to escape the troubles of the world and experience a catharsis in its purest form, even if only for a few hours.
Rise Against hits the road early next year with Papa Roach for their Rise of the Roach tour and tickets are available now!
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