Rock band Rage Against the Machine played live on tour for the first time in nearly 11 years. The band, who was previously known for their political commentary and activism, used their show Sunday night to put the spotlight on one of the most controversial topics of today.
What Happened: Rage Against the Machine played at the Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin on July 9. The show marked their first live show since July 30, 2011.
Fans have been patiently waiting for a reunion, which was delayed from 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Along with running through some fan favorite songs, Rage Against the Machine took time to share comments on recent events.
“Forced birth in a country that is the only wealthy country in the world without any guaranteed paid parental leave at the national level. Forced birth in a country where Black birth-givers experience maternal mortality two to three times higher than that of white birth-givers. Forced birth in a country where gun violence is the number one cause of death among children and teenagers,” captions read on a screen behind the band.
The comments were addressing the recent announcement that the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which will now make abortions a state-by-state legal decision.
“Abort the Supreme Court.”
Rage Against the Machine previously announced that it would donate $475,000 in ticket sales from the Wisconsin show and two shows at the United Center in Chicago (part of the band's tour) to reproductive rights organizations in Wisconsin and Illinois.
The setlist from Sunday was:
Bombtrack
People of the Sun
Bulls on Parade
Bullet in the Head
Testify
Tire Me
Wake Up
Guerrilla Radio
Without a Face
Know Your Enemy
Calm Like a Bomb/Sleep Now In The Fire
War Within a Breath
The Ghost of Tom Joad
Freedom
Killing in the Name
Related Link: Breaking: Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade
Why It’s Important: Rage Against the Machine was one of the most outspoken bands of their time in the 1990s. The band broke up in 2000 and played only a handful of shows from 2007 to 2011 during a brief reunion.
Along with captions about the Roe v. Wade decision, the group occasionally left the stage and showed images on a screen, including those related to police and border patrol.
Green Day lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong recently lashed out during a live concert at the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, suggesting he was renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
Other singers including Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish “dedicated” songs during live shows to the Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Photo: Courtesy of Scott Penner on Flickr
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