Rise Against

Times Seen Live: 3
First Seen: Taste of Chaos 2007. 28th November 2007
Last Seen: Brixton Academy, London. 21st November 2009
Best Show: Brixton Academy, London. 21st November 2009
Best Live Songs: Prayer of the Refugee, Blood to Bleed
Live Rating: ★★★★★
Notes: When I first saw Rise Against I had never heard of them. They were playing beneath The Used at Taste of Chaos in 2007, which I would now say is an absolute crime. I remember when I was there I was stood at the back watching and the entire crowd was going crazy for them before they came on. Not so much for headliners The Used, which is I guess is a plus (not for The Used). I was impressed by their set, but I didn't get around to listening to them until probably a year later. By the time Reading Festival 2009 came around they were up there with my favourite bands, and when they were announced to be headlining the Lock-Up stage I was thrilled. Rise Against were one of my favourite bands of the weekend, and they absolutely packed out the tent. In November last year I managed to see a headline show at Brixton, which was not only amazing, it also showed me how much better they are now than they used to be. I made this decision based on the fact that Blood to Bleed is one of the best live songs ever, but on their 2004 album 'Siren Song of the Counter Culture' it sounds a hundred times weaker. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't listen to Rise Against you are a bad person.