While Scarlett Johansson's duet with Jesus and Mary Chain at last weekend's Coachella Festival stirred up some internet buzz, Rage Against the Machine's return to the stage after a seven-year hiatus left fans afire. As the band took the stage on the final night of the festival, original singer Zack de la Roche blasted away all remaining memories of the short-lived Audioslave project.
The Rage reunion crowned the three day Indio, CA festival, which drew an impressive 60,000 fans. Although most attendees showed up to chill or gawk at celebs, de la Rocha's abhorrence of the current administration weighed heavily on his mind. The set leaned significantly toward de la Rocha's anti-war stance with Rage classics like "Wake Up," "Killing in the Name," and "Sleep Now in the Fire." Before finishing up ninety-minute performance, de la Rocha shared his thoughts with the captivated crowd:
"The current administration needs to be tried, hung and shot. We need to treat them like the war criminals they are. But the challenges we face go beyond the current administration ... It's a system we have to tear down, generation after generation."
(WENN)
More on Rage Against the Machine's Coachella performance, plus this week's free MP3 after the jump.
Yowza. Although a bit heavy for a music festival, no seemed to mind; Rage Against the Machine fans expect de la Rocha to speak his mind. With any luck, we'll hear more of Rage's anti-war attitude this year; Rage planned an appearance at the Rock the Bells hip-hop festival this summer, unfortunately, they declined to confirm any long-term plans, such as albums or tours.
MP3: Rage Against the Machine - "Know Your Enemy" (Live @ Coachella 1999 with Maynard from Tool)
Lourdes says:
Coachella is about the music. Not about the celebrity's that attend.
?! says:
Um, isn't the band called "The Jesus and Mary Chain"?
The Beef says:
Most people are most certainly not there to gawk at celebs. I actually take offence at such a view. Most people were there to hear Rage and enjoy a weekend of excellent music, good solid vibes and extreme heat. Check it out sometime....but with the punters. Fuck the VIP!
Zach says:
Check out this video of Rage performing at Coachella, it's only 3 songs but it's the best of the videos I've seen so far.
http://musicplustv.com/26790