There aren’t many punk rock bands who could justify booking an arena show, let alone comfortably fill a venue the size of the Margaret Court Arena. To put this gig into perspective, on the same night the adjacent Rod Laver Arena was hosting A Night with Oprah. Sadly, she didn’t make a cameo appearance at Rise Against, but it was still entertaining to observe the two exceedingly different crowds. One only needed to bypass the hundreds of mums dressed in their evening best, then follow the bustling flow of punters decked out in black jeans and Rise Against merch flooding into Margaret Court.
Melbourne hardcore legends Outright opened the night to a steadily growing crowd, bringing high energy and an authentic aesthetic. Although the set was short, punters were left grinning ear to ear after an intense aural assault. Next came another Melbourne act, Clowns. This band have been garnering waves of ecstatic praise from fans and fellow bands in recent years. After watching this performance, it’s easy to tell why. Clowns navigated the large stage with ease, exuding the kind of confidence usually reserved for acts with a hell of a lot more experience. It’s exciting to think what’s next for a group of lads as talented as this.
By the time Rise Against were set to play, the venue was filled to capacity. The air was so thick with quivering anticipation you could’ve sliced through it with a knife. It soon became obvious why the band are still selling out shows over ten years into their career. Rise Against fans stick by them for life, and with good reason.
To be expected, the band played a fair swag of material from their most recent release, 2014’s The Black Market. Though, they also catered to die-hard fans, providing a decent blend of older material. Most notable of which was Prayer Of The Refugee from their 2006 album, The Sufferer & the Witness. This song’s chorus had the entire the crowd screaming along with wild, unbridled excitement.
One of the best parts of the show was that despite their raging success and massive following, Rise Against still wanted to showcase local and emerging Australian talent. This is a testament to the kind of inclusive attitude the band advocates and it’s probably one of the reasons they are loved so much by their fans.
BY BEL RYAN
Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Loved: The super enthusiastic crowd.
Hated: Oprah didn’t chuck a stage dive.
Drank: Jameson and Red Bull, only because the beer ran out.
