Rise Against Raises the Roof at The Fillmore in Philadelphia

11 minutes ago

5 min read

Legendary punk rock band Rise Against has recently embarked on an extensive North American headliner tour, starting on September 22 and will continue until October 23 in Irvine, CA. This follows the band releasing two new singles, “Katy Bar the Door” and “Living Undercover”, via Loma Vista Recordings on August 14, signaling a new era for the band. On October 4, the band stopped at The Fillmore in Philadelphia. Performing a 17-song set full of new tracks and old fan-favorites to a sold-out crowd, the fans were in for a night they would never forget.

Kicking off the night was DC-based punk duo Teen Mortgage. Consisting of vocalist and guitarist James Guile and drummer Ed Barkauskas, the band’s unrelenting energy permeates through fast-paced punk rock tracks, immediately hyping up the crowd. In true punk fashion, the band also made sure to use their platform to speak on political issues throughout the set. As soon as they walked on stage, James yelled out “Fuck Trump, and free Palestine”, which was received with cheers from the crowd. Prior to playing their third track “Tuning In”, James directed it at mainstream media that hides the truth of what’s happening in the world, especially in regards to the genocide occurring in Palestine. After a set full of moshing and circle pits, Teen Mortgage successfully warmed up the crowd for the rest of the night.

TEEN MORTGAGE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Teen Mortgage:

James Guile - vocals, guitar

Ed Barkauskas - drums

Teen Mortgage - Setlist

Doctor

Sick Day

Tuning In

Hybrid Moments (Misfits cover)

Burn

Devil Ultrasonic Dream

Disappear

Democracy Manifest

I Don’t Wanna Know

Party

S.W.A.S.

Falling Down

The second and final opener of the night was legendary punk rock band Alkaline Trio. Opening with “We’ve Had Enough” from their 2003 album Good Mourning, the instant enthusiasm that filled the venue was infectious. The passion of the fans was evident as their voices boomed throughout the room. The band performed an extensive 16-track set, with songs ranging from the beginning of their discography to their newest singles, like “Private Eye” which was just released in September. Alkaline Trio also got the first crowdsurfers of the night halfway through their set, continuing to ramp up the energy. The band closed with their 2000 hit “Radio”, and the voices of the crowd almost rivaled the band’s as they sang along to every lyric. Despite being an opener, the crowd seemed just as excited for Alkaline Trio as they were for the upcoming headliner, and the energy would only go up from here.

ALKALINE TRIO: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube

Alkaline Trio:

Matt Skiba - lead and backing vocals, guitar

Dan Andriano - bass, lead and backing vocals

Tosh Peterson - drums

Alkaline Trio - Setlist

We’ve Had Enough

Calling All Skeletons

Private Eye

Is This Thing Cursed?

Take Lots With Alcohol

Stupid Kid

Cringe

Oblivion

Emma

Clavicle

Blue Carolina

Every Thug Needs a Lady

I Wanna Be a Warhol

Warbrain

Mercy Me

Radio

At around 9:15, the lights began to dim for the final time that night as cheers filled the room. A recording of several different voices began playing on the speakers, with people being asked the question of what the “American Dream” is. After several people answered the question with similar ideas of stability, the recording then began to mention that our current reality is more like a nightmare, with that “American Dream” becoming further and further out of reach. Once the recording concluded, Rise Against walked onto the stage as the room burst with enthusiasm. The band opened with their hit “Satellite” from their 2011 album Endgame, and fans already started crowdsurfing. The track was followed by the fan-favorite “Make It Stop (September’s Children)”, for which vocalist and guitarist Tim McIlrath jumped down to the barricade to interact with fans, and even grabbed a fan’s sign that stated “Make It Stop saved my life”.

Rise Against certainly made sure to kick off their set with a bang. During the third track of the set, “Give It All”, Tim jumped down to the barricade once again and sang directly to the crowd, high-fiving the fans in front of him once the song was over. Despite being around since the early 2000s, Rise Against’s unrelenting energy was boundless, with nearly every member running and jumping across the stage. With high-energy riffs, fast-paced rhythms, and poignant, politically relevant lyrics, the band had no problem getting the fans off their feet. Throughout the set, fans kept moshing and crowdsurfing like the night was never-ending. The band also mentioned that that night was not only their first time back in Philadelphia since 2024, but it was also their first time playing The Fillmore. Not only that, but they also pointed out that their FOH operator Chris is from Philly, thanking him for making them sound great at all the shows they play.

Towards the end of the set, the band slowed things down a bit and performed the anti-war acoustic track “Hero of War”, followed by another acoustic song “Swing Life Away”. The band ramped things back up with the fast-paced punk track “Collapse (Post-Amerika)”, and the mosh pits and crowdsurfing immediately ensued once again. After performing their 2006 hit “Prayer of the Refugee”, which got countless crowdsurfers, the band briefly left the stage, causing fans to chant for an encore. Soon enough, Rise Against returned to the stage and performed “Survive” and their major hit “Savior”. The fans moshed and crowdsurfed until the very last note, making it a memorable night for both the fans and the band.

RISE AGAINST: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube