PROPHETS OF RAGE In Washington, D.C. [Photo Gallery]

Prophets Of Rage

Prophets of Rage, the rap rock supergroup consists of members of Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Wakrat, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill played to a packed crowd at the iconic 9:30 Club in Washington DC on last Wednesday night. While my political views no longer resonate with the lyrics of RATM and Prophets Of Rage, my opinion on their music has remained unchanged. I well and truly believe that the original quartet of RATM are a bunch of creative geniuses, and that is why they had been so successful in capturing the imagination of millions around the world. Tom Morello is consistently ranked among the finest modern guitarist. My primary interest in this show was because of the RATM songs the lineups were playing. And tonight was the night.

Prophets Of Rage

The vibe in the venue was electric, with a long line outside the 9:30 Club. The security was intense, with multiple pat downs and screenings through metal detectors. I had never been through anything quite like it. The show had been sold out months in advance. “Prophets of Rage’”and “Unfuck the World” were the first two songs of the setlist, not a bad way to start. Next came the RATM classic “Take The Power Back”. While I have not listened to RATM in ages, the lyrics and tempo of songs like ‘Take The Power Back” have been etched in my memory forever. I am certain that PoR played this song at a tempo slower than the recorded speed. “Guerilla Radio”, “Sleep Now in the Fire” made appearances as well. The band closed out the set with “Bulls on Parade” and “Killing In The Name Of”, two of the most famous songs by RATM. The crowd was jubilant to hear all of the songs, but the major attraction were the RATM songs for sure, if the energy of the crowd was something to go by. In another era, or universe, you would have probably thought that there was a revolution brewing. The revolution would have to wait for another day. It is time to go home, for tomorrow is a work day. The Cadillac Escalades parked behind the venue were ready to whisk the band away to their next stop on the Make America Rage Again Tour. A good show in the middle of a work week. What more can a man ask for… Tom Morello and Tim Commerford did not disappoint with their bass and guitar work. The drumming of Brad Wilk provided the necessary backbone. This is not Rage Against the Machine, but it seems to be the closest thing we will get. If you go to the concert expecting Zach de La Rocha-esque vocals you may be disappointed, but Chuck D and B Real are amazing vocalists in their own right and are the best suited to front a band of this magnitude. No one knows if and when there is ever going to be a reunion with a tour, and thus lineup makes for the strongest possible case of being the next best thing. I consider attending this show money well spent. We will be covering them again at Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky. You should attend this show if you can. And don’t forget to let us know what you think of their performance!

Additional Tour Dates:

10/1 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival

10/15 Houston, TX – Houston Open Air [Cancelled]

10/27 New Orleans, LA – Voodoo Music + Arts Experience

11/4 San Bernardino, CA – Ozzfest Meets Knotfest

11/10 Paris, France – Le Zenith Paris

11/13 London, United Kingdom – 02 Forum Kentish Town

11/15 Dusseldorf, Germany – Mitsubishi Electric Halle

11/16 Tillburg, Netherlands – 013