June 13, 2009 – Led by the ever vehement Tim McIlrath, Rise Against closed down the night with a fiery set after stellar sets by Rancid and the Riverboat Gamblers.
‘
Photographer's Notes:
I'd photographed Rise Against last year, so I was excited to cover their live show again when I heard they were coming back.
This time, the show was an outdoor event, so I wasn't sure what to expect with regard to the stage treatment and overall setup. As it turned out, the whole gig was great, from the lights to the lively atmosphere. I dare say that this tour had better lights than the last.
The stage was about 5-feet tall, with three ego-risers at the front of the stage setup for the band. Three spotlights at the back of the pit kept the three frontmost members fairly well lit. In addition, plenty of red and white light blasting in from the back to kept things interesting. Despite an open stage, there was even a nice mix of haze to help diffuse the light.
I shot primarily with the Nikon 24-70mm and Nikon 14-24mm, switching to the Nikon 70-200mm for the third song to pick up a few tighter shots of singer Tim McIlrath and drummer Brandon Barnes. The latter was difficult due to poor lighting and lines of sight – but one's gotta try.
As usual, this was a three-songs-and-out situation.
End Notes:
If these guys are playing your area, definitely check them out. You won't be disappointed with the show.
