The Factory at Deep Ellum, Dallas, TX
I have so much speculation about the current trend of co-headlining tours. No doubt it’s a result of the year-and-a-half of basically no touring at all. I can think of at least four or five good reasons why this might be happening, but whatever the reason, bills are stacked right now and I’m here for it.
The Factory, if you haven’t been, is a relatively large room, boasting a capacity of 4,300 and includes a spacious balcony. It is open, roomy, clean, and inviting – one of the better show venues I’ve been to post-Covid.
I’d like to point out one more thing about this show, before I get into the actual performances. I have been very regularly attending live music shows for almost 25 years, from holes-in-the-wall and house shows, all the way to stadiums and arenas and literally everything in between. I can honestly say, hand-to-God, that I have never – NEVER – in all my years of concert going, seen anywhere remotely near as many fans wearing shirts of the performing bands as there were that night. Quite literally a third of the crowd was wearing a shirt for one of the bands performing, a great deal of them purchased at the merch table that very evening. I am not commenting on whether or not this is acceptable behavior, but it was too noticeable not to mention.
There is something quite unique about the generation of bands that came forth in the Myspace/Warped Tour era, regardless of what musical subgenre they gravitate toward. All of them that still exist (and I’ve seen quite a few of them this summer) are carrying with them an attitude of appreciation for what they do. It’s probable that this wasn’t true a decade or so ago, but with both Myspace and Warped Tour going the way of the buffalo, it was questionable whether mainstays of that culture would survive into the 2020s. Some have been going strong uninterruptedly, but many others had to disband for some amount of time before reuniting. Either way, these bands know that the era that made them famous is long past, and they are grateful for the opportunity to still be relevant.
Senses Fail was a heavy hitter in the emo-to-mall-punk crossover scene, and they were always known for their irresistible choruses and high-energy live performances. Admittedly – it seemed to me that it took a song or two for them to find their groove at the show I attended. I was careful not to write them off too soon, as I understand that there could be any number of reasons for a band to get off to a slow-ish start – especially the first band of the night. By the third song or so, you’d have thought it was 2008. Senses Fail had really found themselves, and being the first time I’d ever seen them, they became much more the band I expected to see. By the time they lit into “Lady in a Blue Dress,” roughly midway through the set, the room was alive with sing-along fans nearly drowning out frontman Buddy Nielsen. Their pervasive sense of humor, another surprise to me, climaxed on the tag to their last song, “Bite to Break Skin,” where they tore through sections of “Down With the Sickness” (by Disturbed), “Break Stuff” (By LImp Bizkit), and “Bulls on Parade” (by Rage Against the Machine). It was at the same time amusing and awesome. Honestly, by the end, I really would have liked for them to play a couple more of their old tunes and keep me in 2008 a little longer.
I was first introduced to The Used when their debut album dropped in 2002. A group of friends and I were obsessed with the Vagrant Records emo bands from the previous few years, and were primed for something even edgier. Enter The Used, with their unforgettable, driving riffs and Bert McCracken’s schizophrenic vocals. The Used was the first band I ever heard described with the word “Screamo.” Even though The Get Up Kids’ “Something to Write Home About” prepared me for a world where singers were allowed to be a little off pitch in order to express real, raw emotion, McCracken’s (at the time) completely off-the-wall vocal style ruined my life. The way I consumed music was never the same after I heard that record.
The Used is still very ready to ruin your life. Fueled more by passion than precision, The Used’s show, right now, is a masterclass in emo-tinged rock-and-roll charisma. Every note, from the first to the last, is ablaze with the energy and excitement of all of the best moments of your adolescence. I hadn’t realized until that night how often imitated The Used are. So many of the Hot Topic bands wanted to be The Used, but none of their frontmen could come close to McCracken’s emotional vulnerability coupled with the very real impression you get from him that he might genuinely be a little unhinged. His sense of humor, while at times a little twisted, tastefully juxtaposes some of the band’s heavier lyrical content, such as in set opener “Maybe Memories” or crowd favorite “Buried Myself Alive.”
“Should Rise Against mention anything about us, I want you to boo as loud as you can. Let’s practice,” McCracken jested. Also, I think this would be a good time to mention McCracken’s shirt – a shirt bearing the logo of his own band, something that I didn’t know he was somewhat known for doing. He fit right in with this Dallas crowd wearing shirts of the bands that were playing.
While McCracken’s antics permeated the set throughout, I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment about how his energy was matched completely by the fiery performances of the other three men on the stage with him, especially (to me, anyway), by drummer Dan Whitesides. Rich with emotive creativity, dynamic spiritedness and tasteful musicality, Whitesides stretched the stationary limits of the standstill, introspective concert observers like myself.
It’s hard for me to say much more about The Used’s set. They really are an extraordinary band that can back up their reputation as one of the most influential bands of the Warped Tour age. I certainly didn’t envy the band that had to follow this indescribable performance.
I had a lot of wrong ideas about Rise Against. For starters, I always perceived them as being a very politically motivated band, lumping them with artists like Anti-Flag. While Rise Against certainly brings social awareness into the fold with their lyrical content, they are certainly not shoving an agenda down anyone’s throat. I also always assumed they were really, gravely serious all the time. I think I have been interpreting their brand incorrectly all these years. The fact of the matter is, while Rise Against does, in fact, stand for some things and does take themselves fairly seriously, they also know how to show an audience a really good time. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Rise Against is pretty fun.
“We sing songs about change. About Revolution,” frontman Tim McIlrath announced after a few of the band’s opening songs. He went on to name some ideas that are not a part of real revolution, such as racism and homophobia. He then explained that a revolution involves dancing. I’m telling you, if you’ve never seen Rise Against before, you wouldn’t believe how fun this band is.
I had forgotten how many songs I knew by Rise Against. I found myself joining in the choir for a great number of songs, singing along to their famously catchy choruses, feeling like some part of the revolution as my voice blended haphazardly with the voices of some 4000 other Rise Against fans and then on with McIlrath’s unmistakable roar. Again: fun.
In short – yes, Rise Against have convictions. They have standards. They don’t apologize for them or otherwise diminish them in any other way. The difference, though, between Rise Against and many of their politically charged colleagues is that they still know how to show an audience a good time. They place value on the entertaining and emotive aspects of what they do. They want their audience to feel things, and they want the things they feel to be positive things. It’s honestly very refreshing to come across a band like this in 2022, when everyone knows better than everyone else – especially if they happen to be in a punk rock band.
All three artists on the bill are laboring intensely to put to bed every last lingering thought from parents in the early 2000s that told their kids that this punk/emo thing was a fad and that it wouldn’t carry them through adulthood. I would argue that what these bands are saying and what they are offering culturally is not only relevant, but important. Honestly, art and culture could use a little more of Senses Fail’s oddball humor, The Used’s emotional authenticity, and Rise Against’s conviction. If you have the chance to see these guys live, even this long after your parents said their music wouldn’t matter, do yourself a favor and do it.
For more dates on this tour, check out RiseAgainst.com.