Rise Against

Venturing to the Hi-Fi Bar on a warm Sunday night in Melbourne to catch American rockers, Rise Against, was a nice way to say goodbye to the weekend.

After walking down those iconic stairs to the underground venue, I was welcomed by the sight of the Hi-Fi bursting at the seams with music lovers. The heat and smell of sweat fused with beer was a punch in the face - signs of a classic rock show.

Closer to the stage, blue stage lights cut through the darkness, as deep bass tunes kept the atmosphere electric. With a quick glimpse around the venue, I realised this was going to be an epic show; from the staircase to balcony, every inch of the Hi-Fi was crowded with people.

As silence fell, and the lights focused on the stage, everyone knew Rise Against were ready to play. Loud chants of "Rise" shook the walls, until sounds of a crackly political speech boomed from the speakers, hypnotising the audience. Following this was a thunderous instrumental opener.

Rise Against kicked off their Big Day Out sideshow with 'Collapse (Post America)'. For fans of this larger than life band, it comes to no surprise that the crowd were subject to face melting guitar solos, insane drum work, and tight riffs. The group sounded just as good live as they do on record. The volume levels between instruments and vocals were perfect.

Rise Against were dynamic onstage, constantly changing positions and bouncing off each other. Lead vocals, Tim Mcllrath, is a true performer; balancing his singing and instrumental duties flawlessly. Mcllrath constantly incorporated the audience with the music. Singing on the edge of stage, pointing to the crowd, and throwing his water on the mosh. Mcllrath sang to the audience, not for the audience.

Songs such as 'State of Union', 'Paper Wings', 'Ready to Roar', and 'Audience of One' were a hit with the crowd, invoking mad screams and dancing.
But one of the biggest audience reactions was for 'Re-Education (Through Labor)'. The crowd fell into anarchy with wild cheers, fist punches, thick moshes, and head thrashing. On stage Rise Against’s performance was thoroughly entertaining during these iconic songs. Each band member played their instrument faultlessly, while jumping and running around stage. I don’t think I have seen a more energetic bassist like Joe Principe.

Rise Against’s set was full of high energy from start to finish. The band showed everyone that they have a massive stamina. Not only because they can play big tracks, working their fingers to the bone for over an hour, but they never took a prolonged break during their set. After each track they quickly jumped straight into the next. Whenever they did take a minute to grab a drink between songs, Zach Blair (drummer) would play a tight loop, or Mcllrath would talk to the audience.

The light show accompanying their set is also worth mentioning. Blue, red, white, and pink lights worked harmoniously with the music, strobing and panning the audience at the right time.

There were a few moments during the set that I really enjoyed; one being Mcllrath getting the crowd throwing their fists in the air chanting "Rise". The other involved a quick chat between Mcllrath and the audience about the loss of Melbourne’s music venue, The Tote. These are to perfect example of Rise Against’s ability to connect with their audience, getting them involved with the set.

The band finished off their mammoth show with an encore, featuring 'Ready to Fall'. The audience let out a deafening roar, telling me this was a song everyone had clearly been waiting to hear.

You could not go to a Rise Against gig without getting completely involved in their music. Everything from their performance and sound, to their infectiously crazy fans made the night engaging. These American boys know how to play one top quality rock show.

Share this review on Facebook