Rise Against

Rise Against are one of the most important rock bands of the 2000s. Yes, it’s a grandiose statement but in a time when more and more bands are focused on sounding great without making great music, every one of their nine releases has been a fresh air reminder of what a band can do with four instruments, a great vocalist and an ear for a song full of emotion, both human and political. 2021’s Nowhere Generation was another reminder of how vital music can be for providing a background for social commentary, with opener ‘Numbers’ and the title track both sounding like they would sit proudly in a package of the band’s greatest hits, let alone fantastic gig fodder. Add to this the fact that the band hadn’t toured the UK or specifically played London since before Covid and there was a real sense of excitement in the air for what should have been a glorious return.

It was certainly a good evening. The band do know how to work the crowd and get the obligatory clapping and fan participation and the crowd do their bit in response. But perhaps it was the muddy sound at Brixton, maybe it was because it was a cold Monday night or maybe the slightly lacklustre setlist made this a good show, one that will be forgotten in a few months time rather than a great one highlighting the best of the band past and present.

Some absolute classics were on show tonight, like opener ‘Re-Education (Through Labour)’. It’s raw, almost punky riffs accompanied by Tim McIlrath’s vocals are a perfect opener for a night of raw internal and external reflection. House on Fire and Satellite are delivered and received as the absolute classics they are, the crowd adding their voice to McIlrath’s already powerful delivery on two very personal songs about love and loss.

However, whilst the sing alongs were fun, it felt like about halfway through the show a collective malaise. The band weren’t quite as on point as at the start, the intensity returning in flashes for ‘Prayer of the Refugee’ and the acoustic ‘Hero of War’ but there was a feeling of everything starting to feel a bit rushed. Considering the show lasted just over an hour perhaps this isn’t a surprise. But what that also meant was there was no space for any of the fantastic new material from ‘Nowhere Generation’. And despite ending the show with a very good ‘Saviour’, the evening just felt a little flat.

This felt a little like a band who have been playing catchup on what’s been missed over the last couple of years. They seemed a little burnt out by the end, there was no usually obligatory encore. The crowd seemed more interested in making sure they were out of the venue than hoping for their heroes to come back for one more song. It was a good night, the set list and muddled sound worked against the band a bit. No doubt they’ll be back again soon and here’s hoping it’s a little more exciting than they were this time out.