Rise Against Proves Punk is Alive and Well With The Nowhere Generation Tour

Since the very beginnings of punk rock, the movement has always been about more than just the music. The counter-culture that developed around the music often delved deep into political and societal issues resulting in a commentary on the world like never before. Songs like “God Save the Queen” by the Sex Pistols and later Green Day’s “American Idiot” forced the listener to really listen. For Chicago punk rockers Rise Against, the two ideas have gone hand in hand over the years with politically charged music at their forefront. With the recent release of their ninth studio album, Nowhere Generation, the band tackles the plight of Generation Z and the erosion of the middle-class American dream. With long-time producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, Rise Against has gone back to their roots with a hardcore punk album that is infused with undeniable pop melodies.

This summer, the band has taken the album out on the road on the Nowhere Generation Tour, bringing along punk stalwarts the Descendents and the Menzingers along for the ride. Last week, the tour touched down in the Queen City, taking over the Charlotte Metro Credit Union Ampitheatre for an evening of rock that was just what the audience needed.

It was unusually cool for an August night resulting in weather that was absolutely perfect for an outdoor concert. Kicking off the festivities was the Menzingers led by guitarist and vocalist Tom May. The band has kept busy with their latest two records, Hello Exile came out in 2019 and once COVID hit, they decided to switch things up and do an acoustic version of the record which resulted in the 2020 release of From Exile. The band played a short but solid set with Tom May trading lead vocals with guitarist Greg Barnett as bass guitarist Eric Keen and drummer Joe Godino kept a charging pace. Included in their set was my personal favorite “I Don’t Wanna Be an Asshole Anymore.”

Next up was the Descendents whose seminal album Milo Goes To College was released all the way back in 1982. The band consists of vocalist Milo Aukerman, guitarist Stephen Egerton, bass guitarist Karl Alvarez, and drummer Bill Stevenson who just happens to be the same Bill Stevenson that produced Rise Against’s last few albums making the band a perfect fit for the tour. Most of the band’s songs are super short in true punk fashion and they flew through a total of twenty-four songs before they were done. Highlights of the set included “I Like Food” and “Everything Sux.”

After a short break, it was finally time for the main event of the evening and Rise Against. The stage was set with a series of LED lighted monitors across the front with the stacks of amplifiers on each side of the stage similarly lit. The band came out and quickly got things started with “The Numbers” off the new album. As they played, the LEDs kept changing revealing a series of ever-changing numbers while lead vocalist and guitarist Tim Mcllrath got the crowd pumped up. The lighting was at times extremely dark and others extremely bright with lots of spots utilized throughout the night on individual band members.

Rise Against always sounds great in a live setting and tonight was no exception. Drummer Brandon Barnes was behind his kit on a small riser at rear center stage, flanked on each side by lead guitarist Zach Blair and bassist Joe Principe. The fans in the pit up front were pumped and ready to rock and things really started to get going with “Re-Education (Through Labor)” and “Satellite.” The setlist leaned heavily on the Nowhere Generation and The Sufferer & the Witness albums for most of the evening. A highlight of the night for me was an acoustic set that featured Tim solo with an acoustic guitar chatting with the audience and running through “Forfeit” and the poignant, emotional “Swing Life Away” during which he shared a story about a porch swing he had as a child. There was a lot of slow dancing, swaying, and bro-hugging during this part of the set before the full band came back on for two more songs finishing up with “Prayer of the Refugee.”

The chants of “Rise A-gainst!, Rise A-gainst!” could be heard in the parking lots across the street as fans weren’t ready for the night to end. The band obliged by returning for a three-song encore capping off an incredible night of music with a crowd-surfing frenzy during the final song “Savior.”

Whether you’re part of the Nowhere Generation or not, this is a tour you won’t want to miss!