Review: Rise Against/ Alkaline Trio/ Thrice/ Gaslight Anthem

Thunderbird Arena, UBC
Sunday, November 9th, 2008
By Kristina Mameli, the Link

Sunday nights are the worst possible days to host shows. Particularly all-ages stadium shows out at UBC. If the trek alone doesn’t kill you, fighting legions of sweaty kids fresh from the mosh pit to catch a bus home certainly will. Or if you’re me, you could start out the evening by walking to the wrong venue in the rain.

I arrived just in time to catch the opening act, New Brunswick, New Jersey’s the Gaslight Anthem, whom I had been anticipating for far too long. They’ve become my favourite band since the release of their sophomore album, the ’59 Sound, but only managed to deliver a disappointingly short set, playing for a half hour to an essentially empty arena with minimal energy. They also neglected to play my favourite tracks instead opting for a mix almost solely from their first album. The whole time, I couldn’t help but think of how much better they would’ve been in a more intimate venue with a decent amount of time.

Californian screamo outfit Thrice was also mediocre at best, delaying their set for some time due to a series of equipment problems. Towards the end, they did, however, manage to produce an entertaining version of “Helter Skelter.”

Surprisingly, I was truly impressed by Chicago’s Alkaline Trio. They were the highlight of the opening acts, their brand of pop punk, though a genre I’ve never identified with, was fantastic for what it is. Their set was energetic and got the diverse masses perfectly primed for the headliners.

It’s interesting to watch a band develop and grow from playing side stages at Warped Tour to headlining their own stadium tour, all the kids screaming every word. It always makes me feel old.

From the minute Chicago’s Rise Against took the stage, the atmosphere changed. It was apparent what the assortment of concert goers were there to see. The walls of the new venue began to rattle as the first power chords burst forth and vocalist Tim McIlrath sized up the crowd.

The band played a series of their radio hits from Sufferer and the Witness, and touched on the lack lustre material from their latest, Appeal To Reason.

How engaging McIlrath is undeniably became apparent during the ballad “Hero of War.” I nearly cried during the well executed, but brief acoustic set, his piercing eyes meaningfully scanning the crowd as he energetically and passionately rasped at the audience. Whether you’re standing at the back of the arena or screaming along at the front, you feel his sincerity.

The consensus remains that the show was a hell of a way to christen the venue and a more than triumphant return to Vancouver for a confident band that has come so far.