LA Rising

[Gwen]

So I went to LA Rising this weekend, and it was pretty freaking awesome!

I got to the event about an hour late so I missed the first band. It was some hispanic group that I have never heard of so I wasn't that concerned about missing them. When we got our seats the band Immortal Technique started. I now know what going to a rap concert would be like, and it would be pretty boring! The group was ok… but rappers are just so boring. they all just stand around, and have one dude with a laptop, and turntable that plays the music. I could go to a frat party and see that. Anyways like i said they were ok... they were pretty political, and they dissed the Renzo's in the crowd saying that you arnt acting like a man when some dude bumps into you and you spill your beer and start a fight... but instead you should act like a man when you see Renzo touching a little kid in the park, or when you see a lady being dragged off into the bushes.... thats when you need to be a man!

Then Lauren Hill came on... I only knew one of her songs, so I wasnt too interested in her. I was busy watching the video guy mess with the effects button on the video. It looked like he just got the system for Christmas and was trying to figure out what button did what.... it was giving me a headache watching him switch between polarize and blur, to star fade, to wipe!

After that it was time for the big boys....

Rise against came on and they were really good. I knew of them, but i didnt really know what songs they did. Now I realize i like a lot more of their songs then I thought i did. Once again I was distracted from the concert tho... the floor was separated into 3 sections. Well the guys in the last section didnt like being all the way at the end anymore so they decided to try to bum rush the gates separating them from the second field and were met with a lot of security. Security was pushing them back and bringing in more barricades... it was pretty cool to watch the swarm and security fight for the tiny spot of land. Then some guys decided to climb over the railing.... one guy made it over and bolted for the middle of the crowd in the second area. A GIANT security guy chased him down and tackled him to the ground. Then a few others tried too, but I think i only saw like 2 guys actually get away from the security guards. I hope it was worth getting kicked out of the concert for that!

So now Muse comes on.... they were EXCELLENT!!!!! they had some cool little honeycomb video screens that they would play some cool little videos. One song the released these large eyeball balloon things that were filled with confetti, and the crowed batted them around until some people popped them and the confetti came out. One of them came towards us and i went to hit it away and the guy in front of me punched my wrist... it felt like he almost broke it.... :(
They had a neat laser show, and were just all around really good. If you have a chance to see them i would highly recommend them!

Then Rage came on and the place went nuts! But like 5 seconds into the first song the speakers went out and everyone started booing. this happened like 3 times, and I thought it was going to be a riot, but they got it fixed and the rest of the show went on without any problems. Some guy climbed to the top of a speaker rack and was dancing around it. I was waiting for him to fall... but I must have been tired, and my powers of will were not strong enough that night, and he safely climbed down. Not sure if he got arrested or not because it was pretty dark. Then in the second section a large mosh pit formed, and they started lighting fires and were jumping around the fire... it looked like lord of the fly's. then the cops, and fire department came in and put it out, but like 5 mins later they started another one.... they must have had like 5 of them going throughout the concert. Then someone in the stands decided they wanted to start a fire so they lit one at the top of the stands... i think it went out because i didnt see any firemen go up there.
I was a little disappointed in Rage. I dont know if he was sick or what but in the first song he was only half way through the song, and when Tom did his solo, Zach was hunched over drinking a ton of water, and just didnt look that well. Needless to say tho he did the whole set flawlessly and was energetic through out the concert. One other thing i was sad about was he wasnt political at all... I was expecting him to go off on one of the many issues going on like he normally does, but he didnt talk to the crowd at all. They also seemed to play a short set. It was a 2 hr. performance, but they only did a 2 song encore, and it just felt quick. Dont get me wrong they were amazing and totally rocked it, but i was expecting something more, like when i first saw them.

picture time... i wish i brought my real camera instead of trying to use my phone :(

the guy in the blue shirt above the guy with the 1 on his back in the middle right is where the fire pit was.

torch and thermometer

Immortal technique on the monitor

Awesome plane that has lights under it and displays messages, Ive never seen anything like it before… couldnt get a good pic with my phone to :(

Muse's stage

If you look hard enough you can see the fire pit

Rage's stage with the torch lit

Torch

Some videos of the fire pit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0FX95cRbgY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWib3nk4Bjk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5CzvesaKSY

[ddunit]

Seems like you had great fun, cool.

[SawQuart]

Is this like a Metal/Rap version of the EDC or something? I've never heard of it.

[Gwen]

You have never heard of Rage against the Machine?!!!!!!!!!!!!! or are you talking about la rising?

All tho I've never heard of EDC so we might be even.

LA Rising was just the name of this concert event. I guess it was supposed to get people to get informed about some of the issues that are going on in LA… immigration, unemployment, environment... i dont really know because i was more interrested in the music, and I dont like people so i didnt venture out in to mass of people walking around.

[Anna Comnena]

Ah sounds cool… it's bit big of a venue and event for my blood though.

[Tyr]

Hell yeah, if RATM ever decides to come and visit us poor little Belgium I'm in! I saw Deep Purple last week, another classic I just couldn't miss :)