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| Zach Blair of Rise Against at the Aragon Ballroom, November 2017 |
Rise Against hails from Chicago, so this gig was surely a highlight for them as well as me. I love seeing a band play their hometown because there's always a special vibe in the air. Being hugely successful, having toured all over the world, I would imagine there is nothing like coming back to your city and be reminded of how far you've come. Plus, instead of jumping back on a tour bus to hit the road to play to a room full of strangers, you can simply hop in your car and go home! Which is what I witnessed firsthand after the show, when bandmembers left the building. But not before stopping to talk to their loyal fans who waited outside in the freezing cold, knowing at least a few of them by their names upon first sight.
I've seen Rise Against quite a few times since my first show of theirs in 2007 opening for the now, sadly, defunct My Chemical Romance. Their ferocity and energy had not slowed down at all 10 years later. If anything, crowd response seems to have gotten even more intense as songs that were new back then are now classic favorites like "Prayer of the Refugee", "The Dirt Whispered" and "The Good Left Undone." Newer hits like "Satellite" and "Help Is On The Way" also made the cut as well as songs off their latest record, Wolves, "The Violence" and "House On Fire."
One thing about Rise Against is they will never shy away from expressing their feelings about what's going on in the world. Tim McIlrath took to the mic to say that, to him, it's "common sense" to say "F**k homophobia" and xenophobia, showing support for human diversity instead of demonizing it out of fear. He also openly declared that it's also "Common sense to say f**k Trump", which was met with deafening cheers right before going into "Savior." Bands like Rise Against are needed the most in times where people seem to be trying more than ever to censor anyone who doesn't agree with the current administration.
To check out my photos of the show, click here.
