Rage Against The Machine Kicks Off The Public Service Announcement Tour at Alpine Valley!

Rage Against The Machine is BACK, People! Just as the world could not need this iconic band more, they returned Saturday night to launch their Public Service Announcement Tour at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin in what was their first show together since 2011's LA Rising show in Los Angeles. I was at that show too, and I can tell you that they have not missed a beat since then. WOW. 

 

People were tailgating in the massive parking lot for hours before the show began, and the anticipation level was HIGH. The merch lines stretched to the horizon, as everyone wanted a piece of this moment to last - and to show that they were THERE. The majority of the crowd were wearing Rage shirts from concerts past, though I was encouraged to see several statement tees in the crowd, like "Get a Vasectomy", "Fuck the Supreme Court!", and more of that ilk. This was a crowd of like minded folks, that's for sure - at least for this show. 

Alpine Valley really is a valley, with steep grassy hills leading down to the stage. The bad news about this is that there is absolutely ZERO cell service, making meeting up with friends and colleagues impossible. That was a huge drag, especially as my brother, Paul, had just flown in to road trip to this show with me, and was going to shoot the bands, but we were never able to connect ... so you'll have to settle for the old Iphone shots, sorry. But whatever, the show more than made up for any drags we encountered (we'll get to that more later). After grabbing some overpriced, mediocre concert food, we made our way down to our seats near the stage. I saw guys stretching, warming up for what was going to be maybe the most long awaited mosh pit ever - as this show was originally scheduled for over two years ago. It was about to go OFF. 

As weed smoke swirled above the crowd, more and more alcoholic beverages were being consumed while the excitement built. You could feel that it was going to be ROWDY. Opening act, the excellent Run The Jewels had their big inflatable fists hanging above the stage, and all of a sudden we heard Lionel Richie singing the opening line of "We Are The World", as Killer Mike and El-P took the stage. Everyone sang along until Killer Mike said, "Nah, I hate that song", and they launched into their song, "Run The Jewels" from their first album. They had the crowd in their big hands the entire set, even though I lost a shred of respect for Killer Mike when he admitted to being a Packers fan while shouting out Wisconsin. Boo. 

"We're so moved to be here, our friends Rage Against The Machine believed in us to bring us out, and we're here to see them too! Like, what would happen if Zak gained a lot of weight, and smoked a lot of weed - it would be us!", said El-P, with Killer Mike adding, "We are the scrappy opener though " ... and they hit us with their great, "Ooh La La" jam. "Nobody Speak" with the Wisconsin-born DJ Trackstar filling in on the DJ Shadow track was next, and they wrapped up their high-octane set with one dedicated to "People who died at the hands of the people paid to protect them!", the powerful "Walking In The Snow". It was great, and I thought they'd close with their "Ju$t" that features Zack de la Rocha on its chorus, but nope. Maybe later on in the tour? I love Run The Jewels, Man. They are the perfect openers for this tour of top shelf rock and rap."We love you! We're Run The Jewels!" - and Killer Mike urged everyone to remember "It's ALWAYS us versus them! That's right.

That was a perfect lob pass to Rage, as their message has always been that the People have the Power. The RTJ set began to disassemble, and the spare set for RATM was put together. It was getting dark now, and the excitement built more by the second. A drunk guy behind us was yelling, "You have no clue how excited I am!" - but I'm pretty sure everyone there got it. As Rage hasn't played live since 2011, many in attendance had never had the chance to see them before, so they were losing it. And were about to be richly rewarded with a show for the ages. 

Now, there have been performances of Rage songs in the last decade, with Chuck D. and B Real filling in for Zack de la Rocha ... but there's nothing like the real thing, and when the lights went down and a P.S.A. came over the P.A. with Zack's voice repeating a phrase that was impossible to understand with the incredibly loud yelling for Rage - and then lights came on, and there was everyone's favorite band, BACK with a "BOMBTRACK"!!!  The energy in that space was off the charts, and the pit immediately erupted in a sea of bodies flying, heads banging, and fists pumping in the air. It was so exciting, I felt emotional. I got all choked up, thinking about how long it's been since I'd been at a show like this, ROCKING my face off with a huge crowd, and all that has happened since. I was also so, SO happy for my friends rocking out on stage, with their wide smiles, it was clear that they too were extra happy to be back. It was also very moving, as my friend Tom's wife and young sons were there on the side of the stage, and it was the boys' first time seeing their dad rock the fuck out with Rage! How cool is that?! Super special, and I'm just so glad I was there. Again. 

 

"People Of The Sun" and "Bulls on Parade" were the one-two punch that came next, and a huge screen behind the band showed both them in close up, and real serious video content about the state of the world right now. For "Bullet In The Head", Tom Morello ripped out his famous solo, adding a riff with his teeth that had the bros in the pit losing their ever-loving shit. Every word of every song was being shouted along with the band, and there was not an ass in a seat in the whole place. You are on your feet at a Rage show the whole time - unless you're off them in the air (They say jump, you say how high?!). All of these songs were written in the 1990's, but all are even more relevant today. What an incredible feat that is for any music group, but for one that is so passionate about what they're saying (and walking the talk, by the way, with major proceeds from every show goes to charities that fight the power, they do more than any other band in that way), it really is incredible, and very moving. 

These guys are all in their 50's now, but they way they were jumping around the entire show, you'd think they were a college band getting their first big break. The energy was relentless, and they took a quick break as a video of a police van burning took over the large screen. It felt - and was - HEAVY. Tim Commerford's bass and Brad Wilk's drumming bore down like a rock freight train all night, and I found myself grateful for the ear plugs a man gave me, because I could feel the weight of it all in my heart. "Testify", "Tire Me", and "Wake Up" riled everyone up even more, if possible. "Wake Up" was SO forceful, I feared Zack might have ripped out his vocal chords, but nope. With its admonition that What you reap is what you sow! more prescient in today's world than maybe ever before. There is a global reckoning happening ... and we're here for it. 

They were right back with "Guerilla Radio" and "Without A Face" and then "Know Your Enemy", which had the audience screaming along with Zack, "All of which are American Dreams!" "Calm Like A Bomb" and "Sleep Now In The Fire" were next, and the force of it all was relentless, if maybe a little slowed down, as Zack went into his what I call Teacher Mode. He is so wise with those lyrics, and he was making points. Points that he made real sure were listened to, and as every fist in the valley went up, that was confirmed. "War Within A Breath" was sheer musical firepower, and then it was brought down just a little for the Springsteen cover of "The Ghost of Tom Joad", but bodies were still flying, even for that story song. 

"Freedom" merging into "Township Rebellion" was about to be the heaviest jam of the night, as we all know our freedoms are in true peril here in the United States. The screen behind the band lit up with various phrases and facts about forced birth, ending with a big "ABORT THE SUPREME COURT" as the crowd roared its approval, and the pit exploded at the same time as the band did, with Zack screaming, "YOUR ANGER IS A GIFT!!!" Phew. 

Then it was time for "Sleep Now In The Fire" and its chorus of "Some of those who work forces/hold office, are the same who burn crosses!" was to be the last song of the show, and zero punches were pulled. I mean, a video showed little kids swatting at a pinata of a cop - the point was well made. The music kept building, and building, and building, until the place absolutely BLEW UP with all the middle fingers in the air and every single ticket holder screaming, "FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!" at the top of their lungs, in total solidarity with Rage, and with each other. That is POWER, People. Let's use it. For GOOD. What better place than here? What better time than NOW? Right?

The last chord rang out, and the screams for more began, but that was it. The band embraced, and it was a beautiful thing. They soaked it all in, and left the stage with fists raised, reflecting the crowd. People stayed put, screaming for more, but soon Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" played over the P.A., and the exhausted. beat up crowd realized that was it, and began to file out, all effusive about how that was maybe the best show they'd every seen. It really was something else, and I'm so grateful I got to be there to see this band answer the call that the fans have been clamoring for for YEARS. Let's hope this tour fires us all up to band together and make some positive change here, and maybe the band will give us some new music that reflects it all. The 16 epic songs we got were all fresh as if they'd been written the day before, but also so much has happened since they last toured, that there should be ample inspiration for even more powerful music. I can't wait. 

THANK YOU, RAGE!!! WE NEED YOU! WELCOME BACK!!!  Have fun tonight, Chicago. You're in for one hell of a show. 

*A note to future show attendees: We waited for nearly THREE HOURS to get out of the parking lot after the show. Not a single car had moved two hours after the show ended. And don't forget there was no cell service, so no one could find anything out. There seemed to be no one in charge, or even working, with just a few Sheriffs to be seen as we left, and they were laughing about it. People were PISSED. They had been partying since the gates opened at 3 pm, and they were tired. But now they were drinking more in the parking lot while we waited, getting even more hammered, as they were about to drive on roads at 3 A.M. A complete shit show. The rumor began that the Sheriffs did it on purpose, closing it down to one road to get out, perhaps in retaliation for all the very well deserved Anti-Cop propaganda on screen during the show. Well, if that's true, they're not helping out their cause at all, because it only made everyone like them even less, if possible. So ... beware of Cops when you're leaving these shows. In other words, Know your enemy. And have a complete BLAST right in front of them. 

LA Rising - A Day Of Rage and Hope

There are many great bands in the world, but it's what they do with their greatness that actually defines that word. Rage Against The Machine is a GREAT band, and all you needed as evidence of that fact was to be present at their L.A. Rising Festival at the gigantic Coliseum last Saturday.


Black flags flew over the Coliseum in the bright sunshine of the day, indicating the rock rebellion that was about to go down inside. Rage curated the entire day, from the performers (Mexico's El Gran Silencio, Immortal Technique, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Rise Against, Muse and Rage) to the many organizations participating in the "Re-Education Camp" on the grounds, to teach about the people working hard, without profit, to fight for our rights to remain a free and just country. There was a LOT going on.


I got there just in time to be amazed by Ms. Lauryn Hill. I wore her Miseducation... album OUT, so was thrilled to be seeing her live - and only one week after giving birth to her sixth child! She tore it up, and she and her band had a much heavier sound than I've ever heard recorded. She strutted about the stage in her knee-high white boots, looking hot, and stronger than ever.


"Killing Me Softly" was her opener, followed by "Everything is Everything", "The Sweetest Thing", "This Is Crazy", the Fugees fave, "Fu-Gee-La", Stevie Wonder's "Where Has My Love Gone?" ... all in firm command of the stage. You could tell she was feeling it, even if many of those down front were camped out waiting for hours for Rage, and kind of indifferent looking. "Ready Or Not" and her classic, "That Thing" closed out her set in the sun, and made me want to see a show that was just hers. Soon.

I'm sure many of the black t-shirt wearing (the dominant outfit of the day) teens there will think I'm an idiot, but I skipped watching Rise Against to go learn more about the different organizations in the Re-Education Camp working for positive change. I already knew a bunch of them, having worked with them on The Nightwatchman's Justice Tour, so it was a delight to visit them and catch up on the latest actions being taken.


As Rise Against was thundering away inside the stadium, the crowd was pretty light inside the Camp when I was there, but I was told it was busy all day. It gives you such hope to see tough looking kids in black standing there listening to someone tell them about Axis Of Justice or Jail Guitar Doors or the SEIU or the South Central Farmers or Iraq Veterans Against War or Food Not Bombs or the IWW or Amnesty International or It Gets Better or or or or ... all the "true headliners of the day", per the meaning it organizers.


There were over 40 booths to visit, all with some way to help make our world a better, more just place. It all felt especially timely with the whole Debt Ceiling deadline looming, our still being in unnecessary COSTLY (in lives and treasure) wars, rampant unemployment, and and and ... All sorts of ominous injustice everywhere that you could just go on about for days, but with organizations like these, and the eager, open ears and hearts of those in attendance at events like these ... well, there IS Hope, everyone! You could just feel it it in the air.


You could also feel crackling, electric excitement in the air, as I overheard people from all over the WORLD getting hyped up for Rage. People flew in for the show, as you hear a lot, "You never know if Rage will play again." But the crowd was heavily Los Angeleno, and they LOVE their Rage. For damn good reason. I re-connected with a bunch of friends, and though we've all seen Rage a lot, the excitement never dwindles a bit. On the contrary, it BUILDS, because we know what we're in for!


The sun set and the stadium darkened. I've never gotten into Muse really, as their anthem-y KROQ tunes always felt a little derivative to me, though exceptional in their musicianship (Oh, there's their Queen rip-off, Oh, there's the Zeppelin homage, etc ... Singer Matthew Bellamy even said at one point, "Rage is our favorite band since we were kids - we'll be playing more of their riffs later, of course") but I'll tell you what, they put on a great live show, and are much heavier than I would have previously given them credit for. Re-educated!




They played all their hits, with all the bells and whistles (lasers, morphing video graphics), and were super tight throughout. "Super Massive Black Hole" was awesome, and Bellamy would switch from crunching guitar riff to classical piano in the same song without missing a beat. Bassist/Guitarist Christopher Wolstenholme held it down with his blue lit guitar neck and drummer Dominic Howard was extra tight. A little "Back In Black" tease led into a "Star Spangled Banner" intro for the stoked crowd to their "I Want It Now" anthem. It was big. Mosh pit big.


I learned that "Undisclosed Desires" is a rad song (featuring Bellamy on the keytar) with rad lyrics. I also learned during "Could Be Wrong" that I could have been wrong about Muse. They're way more awesome than I ever knew.


"Black Holes and Revelations" was a big sing-along and "Time Is Running Out" was timely, as their set was almost over. Giant smoke plumes blasted out of the stage, big inflatable blood-shot eyeballs were released for the crowd to bounce around to each other, and Muse blazed away on the first song I ever knew of theirs, "Knights Of Cydonia". With the chorus of You and I must fight for our rights/You and I must fight to survive ... it was both the perfect lead-in to Rage, and a really good summary of the point of the entire day's event. Hey, Muse - I'm into it! Thanks.


A short breather up in the VIP (which I prefer to call Friends, as everyone is important) tent was had, and then it was time for our gang to be rounded up and escorted to the fenced in area in the midst of the floor crowd. Coming out of the tunnel and into the stadium was so HUGE feeling, there really aren't apt enough descriptors. The place was about to go OFF.


People were already screaming their heads off before anything happened, and then it went dark and one's ears may still be ringing today from the cacophony of jubilant noise that ensued. The video screens lit up with past Rage memories (naked at Lalapalooza; causing riots at the 2000 DNC; walking the WALK for 20 years!) and the screams grew even louder. Then shrill air raid sirens went off, and the black tapestry with the Rage star (book-ending the one at the other end of the Coliseum blocking off an entire section of seats) slowly rose above the stage. EVERY hand was in the air with either a fist or a camera phone.


"We're Rage Against The Machine from Los Angeles!!!" screamed Zack de la Rocha as Rage took the stage and tore right into "Testify". It was sheer pandemonium from those opening seconds to the last hand clap of the night, without one second to even try to catch your breath. There was a sound glitch at the very start and Zack's mic went out, and it felt scary for a moment, with police conspiracy, riots, power, anger all running through our heads in the long seconds before it got sorted out. And then it ruled, of course. Phew.

"Bombtrack" and its chorus of Burn, Burn, yes ya gonna burn! was damn right as a fire broke out/was set in a back of the floor mosh pit (of which there were many - in the double digits - swirling around the entire show ... now if we can just harness that energy for GOOD, we'll really get somewhere!), sending smoke high in the air and bringing emergency vehicles with lights flashing into the tunnels. It was a Holy Shit moment, for sure. (No need for beach ball eyeballs or pyrotechnics during Rage. They - or their fans - provide their own).


"People Of The Sun". "Know Your Enemy" (Timely as ever. Fight the war, fuck the norm ... What? Land of the Free? Whoever told you that is your enemy!). A pretty Morello guitar intro into an ominous, angry "Bulls On Parade" that had the whole place screaming, They rally round the family, with pockets full of shells!! and freaking out over another sick Morello solo. SICK!


"Township Rebellion". "Bullet In The Head" had everyone jumping how high. That's the thing with Rage songs ... every opening of every song makes everyone go nuts because every song is a total classic, and they all feel IMPORTANT. Because they are. It's a real education to just sit and read Zack's lyrics - do it sometime. He lays it all out, unflinchingly, not caring at all about offending or getting in trouble or having someone disagree, or whether it's marketable - just shoving the truths right down your throat with wit and laser intelligence. Then you have the tightest, heaviest band ever (Seriously. No one out there, 20 years later, can come close to the beats and rhythms created by Tom Morello, Timmy C., Brad Wilk and their instruments. No one.) to go along with Zack's wisdom - and you can see why they can fill a Coliseum. Probably 10 Coliseums.


"Down Rodeo" was massive and true. Then Zack yelled, "Let me see your fists up in the sky!" and thousands and thousands of them rose up into the L.A. night. Just in time for "Guerilla Radio", which certainly deserved them. Zack sat on the edge of the drum riser, professorially, and taught the masses that "ALL HELL CAN'T STOP US NOW!" And looking around at all the charged up faces and energy, you knew that to be the truth. People were going insane by now, and it only got crazier when Rage threw down "Calm Like A Bomb". That was intense, but they didn't let up for an eye-blink before blazing into "Sleep Now In The Fire". That double-whammy felt actually dangerous, as the intensity inside the Coliseum had grown so thick by now that you were simply forced to jump up and down as you screamed, The Nina, The Pinta, The Santa Maria, the noose and the rapist, the fields overseer, the agents of orange, the priests of Hiroshima, the cost of my desire, Sleep now in the fire! (Um ... still ... two days later ... only now humming it.) I could feel Tim's bass thumping in my heart, and the drum beats vibrating up through my feet into my entire body. A Rage show is a completely visceral experience. A heavy one.


"Wake Up" was incredible, and within it, Zack broke it down to address the crowd: "Brothers and Sisters, Thank you! It's a beautiful night in a beautiful city ... but there's a tension growing in the city ... Foreclosure signs stretch to the horizon ... fancy hotels being built downtown full of empty rooms while the homeless are outside ... Public education is being forced to pay for illegal wars ... (*I'm paraphrasing a bit as I was scribbling in the dark while being jostled and my notes are almost illegible, but it's roughly verbatim) ... L.A. is a city of rebellion ... In '92 People rose up ... and I hope to see you in the streets, because they belong to US!!!" And then all mayhem broke loose as they finished the jam and Zack screamed the rallying cry of "WAKE UP!!!!", finishing with the reminder that "What you reap is what you sow!"

With that, Rage left the stage and immediately the chants for more began. It was then that I turned around in a 360 to absorb the enormous scope of the whole place, filled with people, yelling for and wanting the same thing: More. But not just more from the band that we all loved. More for ourselves, more for our city, more for our country, and more for the world - all of us, as the whole that we are ... or could be. In that spinning moment, it really felt/feels possible.

But just for starters, we got more Rage. A Commie anthem rouser came on the speakers, the guys returned to the stage, Brad struck that cowbell, and it was time for "Freedom"! Anger is a gift, remember? It sure felt like it on this night anyway. But nothing in the entire day was as much of a gift as the closing number, the super epic, "Killing In The Name". As the familiar opening chords struck, a guy near me said, "Oh, NO!" and looking around, that's what it felt like. Like the entire place was going to self-combust. Now EVERYONE was moshing. EVERYONE's fists were raised. EVERYONE was together in it, going hoarse yelling "FUCK YOU, I won't do what you tell me!" so loud that you had to believe that we meant it.


And I hope we did. As the band came to the front of the stage, arms around each other, smiling, clapping back, raising their fists to the thousands raised before them, I was thrilled, yes, but also encouraged. That the energy and participation in the entire day's festival of music and information would serve its lasting purpose - to re-educate and re-invigorate the PEOPLE. Energize them to stand up and really fight the powers that be (governments, media, mean people, etc ...) and say/mean that "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" so heartily sung at this show.


Backstage after the show, as we congratulated the band on a truly All. Time. Epic. Show (!!!), I kept thinking about what it means to be not just a great band, but great people. Using the massive platform Rage has to do good in the world. To help people lacking their bigass voice, and speak/play for THEM. To be out in the streets, actively fighting for a better world. To plan an event like L.A. Rising that forces their fans (really young - I saw babies, to really old - in wheelchairs ... what other band this heavy can say that?) to pay attention to the bigger picture around them. And make it cool to get involved with changing it for the much much better. As I said at the beginning of this story ... in my book, that makes Rage Against The Machine perhaps THE Greatest Band. Ever.

Now stop reading (thank you!) and don't just Rage. Go DO something about it all.