Music Vice: Rise Against at CEPSUM, University of Montreal

Rise Against at CEPSUM, University of Montreal
Review and photos by Music Vice contributor Elizabeth Keith - December 17, 2008

Alas – due to a schedule mix-up on my part, I miss the one guy I especially wanted to see: I arrive just as Thursday takes the stage, and have completely missed Sage Francis’s set. I am incredibly disappointed – not that I wasn’t looking forward to finally hearing what all the fuss surrounding Rise Against is all about, nor did I know much about Thursday – but I have been quite impressed with Francis’ brooding, emotionally-exposed rhymes for awhile and was looking forward to seeing what he was like live. Side note: I’m unable to watch the video for Conspiracy to Riot – an indictment of state repression of citizen dissent, see it here – without wanting to punch something. Always adept at making an impact, Francis is an eloquent combination of poet and pugilist, and I’m sad to have missed his performance.

I go later to console myself at his merch table, manned by none other than The Man himself. I get a copy of his live album Road Tested 2003-2005, which is definitely worth a listen, but… not the same as the live thing. Sigh. Next time…

Moving on: Moments after I arrive, Thursday go on (“Hey, that’s not Sage Fr – FUCK.”) and I’m distracted trying to find a coat check that’s not full so I can dump the five layers of clothing I’m swaddled in. It’s a bloody stadium. It shouldn’t be that hard. I’m not quite out of luck though, because the awesome nice guy at the RA merch booth took pity on this simple photographer and hid my jacket behind a bunch of t-shirts. Thank you, kind sir, whomever you are.

When was the last time I was at a decent punk show? Far too long, apparently. Although both bands playing tonight stray a bit more into the pop-punk territory (or “post-hardcore”, whatever that means…. god how I hate media-bred monikers) than I would usually find myself listening to, and though Thursday’s set is a bit uneven there is the potential for greater things.

"For Thursday the potential is there, certainly, just a bit more individuation within their chosen genre and they’ll find their feet. Their heart is in the right place, though – attached firmly to sleeve."

Through the first couple of songs, lead singer Geoff Rickly reminds me at times of Sloan’s Jay Ferguson or Chris Murphy – when not screaming, natch – as his voice has a very similar pitch to it. The first couple songs, I’ll admit, don’t really grab me, so when Rickly proclaims that “fencing is fucking metal,” and charges back onstage in a fencing mask and sword before launching into Dead Songs I’m ready for something a bit more. The song is supposed to be a bit more metal, and while the sound is there, the balls-out confidence isn’t.

Resuscitation of a Dead Man delivers a bit more edge than what I’ve heard so far and by the time For the Workforce, Drowning roars through I’m a bit less ambivalent but still not completely sold. Some of the songs just don’t seem all that cohesive, like they’re still trying to find their own sound. The potential is there, certainly, just a bit more individuation within their chosen genre and they’ll find their feet. Their heart is in the right place, though – attached firmly to sleeve. Nothing really grabbed my attention, though, and by now I’m ready for a change. Next.

A decades-long embargo on listening to mainstream radio has two consequences: not knowing what The Kids These Days are into, and not being subjected to what The Kids These Days are into - the latter usually makes up for the former. Unfortunately, I tend to miss out on some things, and Rise Against has been one of them. Their politics and earnestness certainly are part of their appeal, and they deserve kudos for sticking to what they believe in, instead of the usual throwaway posturing that can afflict many mainstream acts. As Henry Rollins once said about his current involvement with famine-relief organizations, “As far as I’m concerned, this is what punk should look like when it’s grey-haired and long in the tooth.” One could argue that it’s what punk should look like all along, but hey. On with the music.

"Rise Against pack a lot of indignation and resolve into their art, couched in well-crafted, poignant lyrics and hard-hitting and complex hardcore."

Blistering and hook-laden, Rise Against charge out of the gates through the first couple songs before launching into their current single, ReEducation Through Labor. The first time I heard this song it was while watching the video that accompanied it, which really turned me off – not being a big fan of the fetishism of “justified” violence, myself. Listening to ReEducation out of that context, it’s a catchy diatribe against the Powers That Be, perfect for angst-ridden teenage consumption. How much those in the audience get out of it, I have no idea, but they enjoy it nonetheless. Followed up later by Ready to Fall, Chamber the Cartridge, and Stained Glass and Marble, RA pack a lot of indignation and resolve into their art, couched in well-crafted, poignant lyrics and hard-hitting and complex hardcore.

Not all the songs grab me, but the performance is enjoyable anyway. For the encore, lead vox Tim McIlrath and guitarist Zach Blair come out on stage for two acoustic songs, Hero of War and Swing Life Away. One of my favorites form the night, Hero asks questions about what exactly constitutes patriotism and duty, and to what extent both can be defended or acted upon. Swing Life Away, meanwhile, is an utterly sweet song, emotive but manages to escape the saccharine.

The swoon-worthy gives away to the fist pumping as the band closes out with Survive, Audience of One and Prayer of the Refugee. How much of the message sinks into the audience, I have no idea – but then again it was concerts like this that I went to, where bands made no bones about mixing music with the personal and the political - and weren’t afraid of being called preachy for doing so - that introduced a lot of new ideas and ways of relating that weren’t really available in the outer environment to me. Whether the kids show up for the message of hope spiked with rage, or simply to have a good time, they show up nonetheless, don’t they?

Photos of Thursday and Rise Against (click the thumbnails to view large...derrrrr like we need to tell ya!)