Live Review: Rise Against, Dan Cribb & The Isolated

Rise Against are currently in the country supporting the Foo Fighters on their Sonic Highways tour.

Taking fans by surprise, they announced a last minute headline show at a tiny venue in Perth, the Amplifier Bar. Rise Against are a band that can fill stadiums in their own right, having a low capacity venue host their sole headline show left many fans brokenhearted, as evidenced by the outcry on social media minutes after the tickets went on sale. Those fortunate enough to secure a ticket knew they were lucky to be at such an exclusive and intimate show.

Dan Cribb & The Isolated had the honour of warming up the crowd for Rise Against. You could feel that they were happy to be on that stage and that enthusiasm was infectious. They were a great choice of support playing catchy, upbeat ‘90s pop-punk that had the majority of the crowd bouncing along. There were one or two hecklers trying to unsettle the band but this just resulted in some hilarious between-song banter. Kudos to Jay Swenson for filling on drums and doing a commendable job behind the kit despite having less than a week to prepare.

The venue was so tightly packed that by the time Rise Against hit the stage, it was near impossible to move, even for a trip to the toilet! No time was wasted before launching into Give It All, with crowdsurfers already flinging themselves from the pole situated in the middle of the room. Fans were treated to seldom-played tunes such as Reception Fades, Amber Changing, Drones and Worth Dying For. The setlist also featured many favourites such as Good Left Undone, Survive and Savior.

The extremely lucky ticket holders were treated to an explosive and energetic show, despite the limited space the boys had on the tiny stage. The band’s genuine love for their fans showed through their interactions with the audience, and the crowd reciprocated by singing along so loudly that Tim McIlrath decided to let the crowd take over vocals during Satellite. When a show is already over before it feels as though it’s even begun, you know it was an amazing one! This is a memory that those in attendance will treasure forever.