Rise Against More Popular Than Rancid

Molson Amphitheatre

Toronto, ON

on Jul 31 2009

Ian Gormely (CHARTattack)

08/04/2009 3:46pm

Word that Rancid were opening for warmed-over hardcore band Rise Against on their summer tour ruffled more than a few feathers in the punk community. How dare they relegate a band that just last year played two headlining gigs at the Kool Haus to a support slot?

But this is 2009 and the reality is that Rise Against are on constant rotation on both traditional radio and music video networks while Rancid, despite releasing a pretty great record earlier this year, are well past their commercial and creative peak.

Burlington, Ont. band Saint Alvia (they've dropped the "Cartel") hit the stage first delivering a tight set of tunes that mixed punk rock with ska, roots and even a bit of dancehall and included a rather rousing cover of Tom Petty's "American Girl." They received a warm reception from the half-filled ampitheatre despite a crappy mix that buried keyboardist Brandon Bliss under a ton of thunderous bass.

It was apparent which band audience members had come to see as Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong strutted onstage, guitar hanging down around his knees and sang the opening notes of "Radio." A solid number jumped to their feet and passionately sang along to every word, while the rest kept their butts planted firmly in their blue plastic chairs.

But the East Bay heroes didn't let indifference faze them. The quartet dropped a 50-minute set of hits focused on their mid-'90s one-two punch of Let's Go and ...And Out Come The Wolves. That this spring's Let The Dominoes Fall existed seemed only a tertiary concern as they ripped through "Nihlism," "Roots Radicals" and "Maxwell Murder."

Everyone was on their feet by the time Rancid finished the set with "Ruby Soho." Anyone who didn't own a Rancid record before this night surely spent the rest of the long weekend acquiring one.

A montage of news clips deploring the state of the world preceded Chicago's Rise Against as they took the stage and quickly launched into "Collapse (Post-Amerika)" from last year's Appeal To Reason.

The quartet were backed by a minimalist set-up that flanked the group with a pair of upside down American flags, and ripped through an hour-and-a-half of tunes that struck a fine balance between their three major-label LPs. While at times their sloganeering rang a little hollow to this reviewer, it didn't seem to bother the packed crowd who pumped their fists along to every song.

For the first encore, frontman Tim McIlrath played a solo acoustic version of "Everchanging" from their first record before being joined onstage by guitarist Zach Blair to play the overwrought and downright depressing "Hero Of War." After another brief break all four members returned and blitzed a final three-song set, giving thanks to their "heroes" in Rancid before launching into "Ready To Fall" to end the night.

Rise Against may not have the crusty punk cred points to match their album sales, but there's little doubt they've won over eternal devotion of their fans.

To view some of Jess Baumung's photos of Rancid and Rise Against, click on the preceding band name.