RATM, New Haven Colliseum, Dec. 5th

I have seen rage three times before (on tour w/ Wu Tang, K-Rock DFP, and Mumia Benefit), but I have never seen a more intense, hard rockin' show in my life. I have seen many other bands live too, but nothing compared the New Haven performance. There were two reasons why this show kicked so much ass: One is that I have floor tickets, so I was about ten feet away from the stage. The second reason why the show kicked so much ass was the what they played and how they played it.

After the two opening bands (At the Drive In and Gang Starr) finished their sets, the crowd was amazed by how that such a good band like RATM could have such bad opening acts. It's not just that At the Drive In, couldn't play for shit or that Gang Starr opened with "Where are my rebels in Hartford," (we were in New Haven...), but that made rage's set that much more better, because it was WELL anticipated. Rage opened with "Bulls On Parade," with was the most amazing version of it I have yet to hear (whether live or mp3). Tom then switched his guitar and "Testify," Tom was whaling on his guitar and Zack was screaming, "Who controls the past now controls the future." Next, they one of their trademark songs, "People of the Sun," there is not much to say about it except it kicked ass as usual. After Tom switched guitars again (he had 7 guitars and one double neck guitar on stage...) "Calm like a Bomb," started up with Timmy beating the living day lights out of his bass. I didn't like that song on BOLA, but when I heard it live, one word, "Wow." Next on deck it was a classic, "Bullet in Your Head," this is probably the best song from the self titled album (maybe, maybe not...). Tim was once again kicking the shit out of his bass and Tom was just plane old kicking ass and Brad was holding the beat strong. Zack was on his knees and making a gun out of his hands and pointing at the cops who were "controlling," the situation. The next started out with about a 5 second acoustic guitar version, I was confused it what song it was, but then Tom started up with his opening solo, so I immediately knew it was, "Sleep Now in the Fire." This is going to be one of the classic rage song's and to top it off it's incredible live. The next song, was "Broken Man," which is another amazing some. The pit went absolutely crazy. Tom switch to the double neck guitar to play, "Ghost of Tom Joad." I really love this song and what rage did to it live was great. Another classic was up next, "Know Your Enemy," and for everyone who has seen them live, you know what it's like (AMAZING!!). Next was a track I truly thought that it should have been on BOLA (it's on the Austrian version), it was "No Shelter." "No Shelter," I think is the first single of BOLA, its the same sound and everything and it kicks a lotta ass live. "War Within a Breathe," was up next, and the band played it with some much energy and it turned the pit into almost war zone (I saw one guy brake his nose, another probably his leg and more!). Rage then left the stage to come back on 5 minutes later with "Guerilla Radio," and uhh hell can't put out a better live song then that! Next it was another classic, "Freedom," or as Zack now sings, "Freedom for Mumia!" The final song was, yup you guessed it, "Killing in the Name," which gets better and better everytime I hear it live.

The only real disappointment was not Vietnow, Wake Up or Mic Check. When I saw Mic Check live at the Mumia Benefit, it was the best all-time live rage song ever! But this was a great show and FREE MUMIA

Jesse