1500 punks new and old crammed into one of Manchester’s most iconic venues on a humid Tuesday night – the occasion, one of only two UK shows played by Chicago rockers Rise Against, topping off a long leg of European festival dates.
This is going to be a biased review; they’re my favourite band.
“Manchester…” vocalist Tim McIlrath leered around at the crowd, shooting a knowing grin to his band. “We’ve been looking forward to this one.”
Within minutes, my 2014 tour shirt felt like it had just been through the wash and I’d lost my friends and I had my fist in the air, only to break through the hurricane of bodies to find them again as the chorus hit and we chanted the words to Re-Education, or Help Is On The Way, or Make It Stop (I only cried twice this time).
This weekend is Manchester Pride. “Yesterday, we walked through your city, down Canal Street. It seems like you guys have got it covered. This seems like the right place to be.”
They played a new song, I’m not even sure if it was from a released record or not, and the energy dropped. We were there for one thing and one thing only - to shout the angry words that marked our youth. Though, I was glad for the chance to have a breather. Stay hydrated, keep your sugar levels up, get back in the pit.
I can consider my heartstrings thoroughly tugged, reflecting on the quiet songs – Hero of War and Swing Life Away. I go to a lot of shows, but to see the songs that punctuated my struggle through high school, my turning into a young adult and all of the difficulties that could bring, was spiritual. “And I have some friends, some that I hardly know; and we’ve had some times I wouldn’t change for the world…
With the echoes of Prayer of a Refugee, Survive, and Savior still ringing through my ears, I marked another one for the books. I wonder where I’ll be when Rise Against next visit Manchester. I hope I’ll be right back in the middle of it, drenched in beer and other people’s sweat, angry and full of love.
