REVIVAL TOUR 2012 REVISITED

Felipe M

In anticipation for The Revival Tour date in Chicago tomorrow, we take a fond look back at last year's date in Chicago.  

For those that don't know what The Revival Tour is, it's basically the Warped Tour of folk-punk/acoustic music.  There is no time slots for bands.  There are no headliners.  Best of all, there are no stops; once one act is finish, another one immediately follows, and there's plenty of collaborations and group songs on stage.  

The last time I went to this event was back on October, 25, 2009 at Reggie's Rock Club.  I thought I was there to see a Chuck Ragan show, but instead, was surprised to see the format that was being used.  I felt like I was part of a campfire event or a spontaneous hoedown that broke out in the middle of the city.  It was such a fun time and Chuck Ragan finally appearing solo for about 5-6 songs was the best part of the night.  He was so strong and energetic.  He definitely was the show-stopper.  But he then gave way to Jim Ward (former At the Drive-In guitarist) and he wasn't as loud or as forceful as Ragan, but his soft crooning was pretty captivating in itself as it really felt we were back in his hometown of El Paso, TX sitting beneath a dark open sky with a huge bonfire providing the only light in the darkness.  

That night, Ragan had announced that after the show, the rest of the group would make their way to the adjacent Reggie's Music Joint, which is the bar and grill wing of the concert venue and continue to play there for the rest of the night, taking requests, and having audience members sing along on the tiny stage at the bar.  Jim Ward was still playing well after 11PM and if I were to believe Ragan, they must have been jamming at the bar well past after midnight.  According to the schedule, they were due in Minnesota the next day as well so kudos to them for finding extra time to play in Chicago after their show.  Unfortunately for me, it was a Sunday and I had to go to work the next day, but that must have been pretty awesome. 

The participants in the 2009, Chicago stop of the tour were as follow:

• Ragan
• Ward
• Austin Lucas
• Bob Lucas
• Audra Mae
• Haywood Yards

So fast-forward to 2012 and I now know the difference between a Chuck Ragan show and The Revival Tour show and now I know what to expect.  Well, what happened next was beyond my wildest expectations:

April 9, 2012: THE REVIVAL TOUR, The Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL

Devon, Ricardo, and I were there really early.  Too early.  We arrived little before 6:30PM, supposedly the start time of the show.  Knowing what I know about this show, I made a concerted effort to arrive early for this gig.  We must have waited for 45 minutes, standing and staring at the stage and looking at nothing but acoustic guitars, microphones and their stands, and no people.  The crowd would scream out in anticipation and then the yells would die down as we collectively waited for the show to start.

Finally, after the long wait, all the musicians that were to perform that night came out and did a couple of songs together.  The musicians at this show were:

• Chuck Ragan (with Jon Gaunt and Joe Ginsberg)
• Dan Andriano
• Cory Branan
• Austin Lucas (special guest)
• Nathaniel Rateliff
• Surprise guest, Tim McIlrath

There was another "surprised guest" at this show, but I don't remember his name.  He was a lanky guy who played his guitar sitting on a stool. He was the only guy  who did that throughout the show.  He played fast-paced songs with a light, soft, high-pitched voice.  Andriano seemed to have been a huge fan of his.  If I remember correctly, he would reappear later that night in support of Andriano, singing the Alkaline Trio song, "Blue Carolina" from the album Good Mourning.  I guess I'll never find out who that dude was.

Austin Lucas was fun to watch.  He was running all over the place.  When Ragan went on stage to sing "Let It Rain," Lucas bolted from backstage and grabbed a mic, barely making it on time to sing the chorus of that song.  But his solo performance was good as well, with his honest songs of introspection.  He seemed to have the most fun interacting with people that night.  

Conversely, Rateliff was putting us to sleep with his stage presence (or lack thereof), and his slow and quiet, songs to match his inconspicuous delivery.  I was falling asleep on his set.  Every song was predictable, starting off very tranquil and every song finished with a short, abrupt, yelling of lyrics.  Tried giving this guy another chance by listening to his songs online, but got the same result.  He's just a bit boring for my taste.  

From my viewpoint, McIlrath looked awkward on stage.  He performed 3-4 songs, mostly new songs from his band Rise Against.  The awkwardness came in the fact that he looked like he felt like an intruder instead of being a guest on stage.  Even when all the musicians gathered on stage to perform collectively to finish the night, McIlrath seemed like he didn't want to be there.  He had to be coaxed on stage in order for him to be a part of the final couple of numbers. Not because he was being arrogant, rather because he felt like he was receiving undeserved spotlight.  McIlrath is a cool, classy guy, but too humble to a fault. His body language seemed to have dictate that all of the other acts had been touring and performing hard for months and he might have felt that they deserved all the attention and applause.  Tim is a big name in the punk scene, especially here in Chicago, so I guess he did not want to take anything away from the other performers, but the other performers, through an unspoken bond, made sure to let Tim know he was just as important to the Tour, even if he was just there for one stop.  They made sure to include him in every group song to finish off the show.  

And that's what this Tour is all about: friendship, camaraderie, unity, peace, and harmony through music.  Lucas, like McIlrath, was there as a guest and he wholeheartedly thanked Ragan throughout the night for letting him be a part of the Tour before and echoed the sentiments of the spirit of The Revival Tour.  It was a common theme throughout the night.  Nobody best exemplified this theme better than Andriano.

Dan Andriano, I believe, was making his final stop of the tour.  He admitted on stage how bittersweet it was to be home again and finally getting to see his family, but got really emotional when he explained that he was leaving the tour as well.  He couldn't praise the tour and Ragan enough.  He also might have been a bit drunk on his solo set as well.  But his set was genuinely heartfelt as he sang every song with much emotion, knowing this was the last time he would be sharing the stage with everybody involved.  

I've mentioned before how in 2009, Ragan was the show-stopper of the Chicago tour date.  Well, that title was rightfully earned by Cory Branan.  Ragan, appropriately enough, introduced him by saying, "If you don't know who this next act is, you will definitely know him by the end of the night."  His was the most energetic, extravagant, aggressive, and animated solo performance of all that night. He was cracking jokes with the audience and he performed with much gusto.  He was a lot of fun to watch as a lot of his songs had the most upfront and overt lyrics.  To my surprise, the album versions of his songs don't carry that same energy.  But if he ever comes to town, I'd highly recommend for anyone to check him out live. 

In the past, Chuck Ragan has talked about how he would like to see the Tour continue its future excursions even without him.  Although that would be the ultimate in success if a Tour can continue on without its star founder, The Revival Tour without Ragan would just not be the same.  He is The Revival Tour!  Regardless, we look forward to another installment tomorrow night at the Chicago House of Blues. 

More music is available here. 

Check out Chuck Ragan's website.

Check out The Revival Tour website.  

50 GREATEST BAD RELIGION SONGS EVER: Part II

Felipe M.




We move on to songs 41-45 on our countdown of the top 50 Bad Religion songs of all time.  Let's keep this party going:


#45. "Supersonic"--THE PROCESS OF BELIEF (2002): This song just explodes right off the bat and never lets up.  The music definitely fits the title of this song.  And so do the lyrics if you take them literally, basically is a snapshot of modern society and the need to keep up the fast pace that is demanded of us.  When future societies look back at the early 21st century, they can look to this song for clues as to what it must have been like to live during this time.  


Despite the convenient things that this modern world has given us, very few are actually happy.  If that isn't the damndest paradox...


Quote--"What's time but a thing to kill or keep or buy or lose or live in?"


#44. "God's Love"--THE EMPIRE STRIKES FIRST (2004): First of all, the first time I saw this band live was on DVD, LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM as they were on the heels of releasing this album so naturally most of the songs that were played in that DVD were from EMPIRE.  So I might be a bit biased when I mention a lot of songs from this album.  But also keep in mind that this was released four years after releasing their last CD for major label Atlantic Records.  If PROCESS was a vehicle to foreshadow the direction this band would take for the rest of the band's existence theretofore, then EMPIRE is the album, through culminations in the band's sound and vocals, that would cement the band's status in the punk rock world as the premiere band in the genre.  Every song is simply awesome and every track is very distinct.  


But back to the song, I've always considered "God's Love" to be a satirical outlook on the idea of God and the hypocrisy that "His" followers live justifying all the doctrine-bending that they do to accomplish most of their goals.  While some of "His" followers flourish, many other followers live through endless suffering of, to quote a song from another of my favorite bands, Between the Buried and Me, "Disease, Injury, Madness."  Of course, the punchline to all of this is that all the suffering is just a way that God shows his love. 


QUOTE--"Where is the love?  In a careless creation, when there's no 'above.'"


#43. "The Devil in Stitches"--THE DISSENT OF MAN (2010): I've heard mixed reviews and interpretations about this album, but regardless of others' opinions this is one of the band's best work.  It's a mid-temp, melodic sound track that fully takes advantage of Greg's vocals and the lyrics will have you using your powers of deduction trying to figure out the meaning of this song.  


Brett Gurewitz gets the writing credit on this one, not surprising as his songs tend to be more personal and less political adding a dynamic to the band's work.  Unfortunately, this song has proven to be very perplexing as there is no real explanation and it might be chalked up to something personal that happened to the songwriter.  However, the fact that "White Devil" is mentioned leads to believe that the general consensus that this is a love song might be correct, but seeing that "White Devil" is a play about adultery also opens the door to many possibilities.  


Perhaps it's a love song about a couple meeting for the first time and falling in love, but the catch is that the woman is married (perhaps to a preacher?) and the rest of the song explains the two trying to get together and overcoming that marriage barrier.  If anybody else can give a better explanation, please feel free to express yourself.  


Quote--"Angels fall down without warning [with] cherry lipstick on their teeth and all dangerous curves."


#42. "Let Them Eat War"--THE EMPIRE STRIKES FIRST (2004): First time I heard this song was on the DVD LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM with the rap part being sung live by Tim McIlrath from Rise Against, which I thought was the coolest thing because that band was one of my favorites at that time.  Later I found out that Sage Francis is the one doing the rap part on the studio version, which makes it that much cooler.


So many meanings, but where to start?  One of the times where the band is very overt with their lyrics.  An anti-war song, it is a great point to start when having to figure out how the Military-Industrial Complex work.  There are private businesses whose success depends on wars.  There's a government that overspends for defense contracts, creates military conflicts with the rest of the world, and that government has a growing population of poor people with no real job opportunities to speak of.  How to solve all these issues?  Let's have a war!  


Quote--As the Government and Power Elite, "We've got to kill 'em and eat 'em before they reach for their checks"


#41. "Fuck Armageddon... This is Hell"--HOW COULD HELL BE ANY WORSE (1981)--This song is still played live and usually fans get really excited when listening to the intro.  


Self-explanatory song about minimizing the afterlife and the idea of going to hell for being a "bad" person on Earth.  The song explains the "countries [that] manufacture bombs and guns" and the "smog [that] is ruining my lungs" for the sake of "helping everyone" is the real hell--a hellish society that encourages us to kill our fellow man, that justifies destroying our world, and to  minimize the use of free will and to conform to mainstream religious doctrine.


Quote--"In the end the good will go to heaven up above, the bad will perish in the depths of hell.  [However], how can hell be any worse when life alone is such a curse?"


For Part III of this countdown, click here....