The night thickened with humidity, bringing sweat to the foreheads of anarchists and others in the crowd at LeBreton Flats. However, this wasn’t the scene of some guerilla army hangout, this was another night at Bluesfest as rock fans eagerly awaited Rage Against the Machine.
Black shirts and people cradling beers filled the grounds as early as possible to catch some of the night’s high-energy acts. Anticipation for the night’s lineup of performances was radiating through the crowd.
Although the crowd was ready to rage, the mood was set by hip hop duo Run The Jewels. With a fist and gun prop hanging behind them, they kicked off the night on the RBC Stage. Smoke clouds rose from the packed crowd as the two rappers gripped their mics and broke into their first song.
Brooklyn-based rapper EI-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike complemented each others’ verses and strutted the stage like they owned it as they got the crowd moving to “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F**k).”
The crowd rapped along and helped the duo recite catchy samples that boomed through the speakers. Hyping up the crowd even more, the rappers got everyone jumping as they performed “Legend Has It” and “Nobody Speak.”
As many of their songs deal with the theme of ending police brutality, Killer Mike chanted to the audience, “There will always be more anti-racists than racist cops.” The duo then closed by rapping the last of their fast-paced verses into the crowd, performing effortlessly off of each other’s energy.
As if the crowd wasn’t packed enough, the fields were then jammed tighter than a can of sardines with tense anticipation for the evening’s headlining act to appear onstage.
Screams flooded the crowd as the band members of Rage Against the Machine, clad in military fatigues and clothing covered with revolutionary patches, took to the stage exploding into “Bombtrack” while the screen behind them featured the words, “Fear Is Your Only God.”
It was almost impossible to escape the hectic moshpits as the crowd jumped and raged to the booming, funky metal rap rock characteristic of the band.
Vocalist Zack de la Rocha, who was seated for the performance due to a leg injury he sustained at a show in Chicago, Ill., on July 11, blasted the crowd’s ears with his political lyrics as if preaching to an army about to go berserk.
While the band played songs like “Wake Up,” “Guerilla Radio” and “Bulls On Parade,” the screen behind the band showed footage of civil disobedience and clips of police cars in flames. Guitarist Tom Morello, invigorated the crowd with heavy, funky rock riffs while occasionally running his hands up the strings, playing a sound reminiscent of record scratches.
When the band finally closed the night with “Killing In The Name,” many shoved through the masses in hopes of getting closer to the action.
The night came to a close after the crowd had finished screaming the lyrics, “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me,” and the band who reunited for their world tour after disbanding more than 20 years ago, finished playing in front of a cheering crowd.
Featured image by Sean Sisk.
