By Dylan Fair
Staff Writer
Gainesville based folk punk band Against Me! is known as one the most emotional and energetic bands of the past decade. The group lived up to their reputation on Jan. 29 at Anaheim’s Chain Reaction, which was packed to the door with fans.
The pre-concert energy was a mix of excitement and concern. Many fans worried that the band’s recent flirtation with larger record labels could be a sign of “selling out,” and some believed this might affect Against Me!’s performance.
This feeling continued through opening acts Fences and Cheap Girls. It was clear that Against Me! was the main attraction, however, when the building began to buzz with anticipation after Cheap Girls’ set.
Melodic chanting shook the foundations of Chain Reaction until the band took the stage, and Against Me! started to play without introduction from front man Tom Gable.
Critics’ questions were silenced when Against Me! performed a powerful rendition of “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong,” a fan favorite from their debut album. As expected, the crowd knew every line.
Against Me! truly connected with concert-goers. Their stage presence was great, and their interaction with the crowd showed an obvious mutual respect for their fans. Gable sang directly into the faces of his supporters, and even passed the microphone around the crowd on his group’s more famous songs. The belief that Against me! had forgot their fans proved to be a fallacy.
Technical precision isn’t usually expected from Against Me!, as the band usually strives for raw emotional connection instead. Against Me! played extremely precisely, however, and were able to combine emotion and musical talent. They presented a refreshing original blend of emotion and skillful musical composition that many punk shows lack.
Hardcore fans enjoyed that the majority of tracks played were from the band’s first three albums, and not from the more recent “White Crosses” and “New Wave.” The final track of the night was arguably Against Me!’s most popular song, “Sink Florida Sink.” This powerful, slow ballad was sung by the entire crowd, microphone passing back and forth between Gable and the audience.
The band reemerged to perform an encore and played four songs: “Rapid Decompression,” “Problems,” “Baby, I’m an Anarchist,” and finally “We Laugh at Danger and Break all the Rules,” a track known to close the group’s performances. During the final track many members of the crowd piled onto the stage to sing along with the band.
Against Me! truly gave the Chain Reaction a performance to remember, and a fifteen-dollar ticket was a steal for this show. Although this was the last show in California on the “White Crosses” Tour, new or old fans of the band should take any opportunity to see Against Me! live.
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