Anti-Flag Change And Adapt

Just before a recent gig in London, England, Anti-Flag discovered that one of their opening bands, Cancer Bats, were still stuck in Canada. Since Cancer Bats were also serving as the backing band for fellow opening act Black Lungs, it was a bit of a problem. Luckily, another Canadian band who were also in the U.K. to play some festivals were able to fill in.

"Interestingly enough, all the gentlemen in the Alexisonfire Canadian rock band filled in for Cancer Bats last night at our London show, so last night Black Lungs played without the Cancer Bats backing band that they have, but with the Alexisonfire backing band, and then Alexisonfire went on and we played," says vocalist/bassist Chris #2. "So it was really interesting and funny to see everybody taking care of each other and helping one another out."

Sticking together and adapting to suit the times have been central to everything Anti-Flag have done in their career. They're touring in support of their eighth album, The Bright Lights Of America, which came out earlier this year via RCA. While the album features Anti-Flag's trademark political punk, it's also the first to feature strings and orchestral instrumentation — much of which was handled by the band. That might seem anathema to most punk bands, but not to Anti-Flag.

"I think that's sort of the idea of what punk rock has always been to me, at least musically, is that it didn't matter if you were the greatest musician," Chris #2 says. "As long as you played with passion, that passion would translate into that music, and I guess that's just us trying to extrapolate our musical vision by adding different textures and different sounds to it."

But as much as the band have changed, their core message and political ideals have remained the same. Chris #2 says part of the reason Anti-Flag have been around so long is their progressive agenda, which keeps them grounded.

Chris #2 is passionate about this fall's American presidential election. He doesn't find either Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama "ideal," but will closely monitor whoever's elected because he says there are still many things to work on, which ties in to Anti-Flag's core message. But ultimately, he says it's up to the band's fans to make changes, since Anti-Flag can only be advocates.

"We know that bands and songs don't change the world, that people do. There have been times in my life and times in many others' lives where they've gone to shows and they've heard a band talk about specific issues and they've looked around and they said, 'That issue affects me, and all these people are cheering for it. And I'm not alone. I look around and I see all these people that live in my own city that feel the same way that I do.'

"That gives people strength and confidence to go into work and stand up to a boss that maybe is taking advantage of them or someone else, or go into school and stand up to the shutting down of creativity in your average public high school at this time… It's hard to be away from home as much as we are and to work as hard as we do, but you know, the hour that we play a day and the hours that we connect with the audience there and talk to the kids that come out to the shows and the communities that come out to the shows, that makes it all worthwhile."

You can see Anti-Flag here:

Aug. 31 Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Cultural Centre w/The Creepshow, The A.K.A.s and One Second 2 Late
Sept. 4 Calgary, AB @ The Warehouse w/The Creepshow, The A.K.A.s and One Second 2 Late
Sept. 5 Regina, SK @ Riddell Centre (University Of Regina) w/The Creepshow, The A.K.A.s and One Second 2 Late
Sept. 6 Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre w/The Creepshow, The A.K.A.s and One Second 2 Late
Sept. 7 Thunder Bay, ON @ The Outpost (Lakehead University) w/The Creepshow, The A.K.A.s and Forever Dead
Sept. 10 London, ON @ Call The Office w/The Creepshow, Black Lungs and The A.K.A.s
Sept. 11 Ottawa, ON @ Babylon w/The Creepshow, Black Lungs and The A.K.A.s
Sept. 12 Quebec City, QC @ L'Imperial De Quebec w/The Creepshow, Black Lungs and The A.K.A.s
Sept. 13 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda w/The Creepshow, Black Lungs and The A.K.A.s
Sept. 14 Toronto, ON @ The Opera House w/The Creepshow, Black Lungs and The A.K.A.s