Rise Against returns to Denver

Colorado musicians represent at KTCL's Not So Silent Night show

Rise Against returned to Denver Tuesday for the second time in 2011, heading up KTCL's annual Not So Silent Night show. The arena-punk band hit the 1STBANK Center stage with a fury (if a bit late, especially considering the all-ages show was slated to end by 10:30 p.m.), reeling through mostly newer, more recognizable material.

Weighty songs including "Help Is on the Way" and "Survive" didn't deter the crowd from creating twin circle pits (possibly the first ever at 1STBANK) and semi-frequent crowd-surfing. If the songs in this set started to sound sort of the same after a while, you at least couldn't fault the band's skill and enthusiasm.

Since the Flobots replaced Celtic rockers Flogging Molly on the bill at the last minute, Colorado-based acts occupied all three opening slots (Rise Against drummer Brandon Barnes is also a local). This led to several cool moments, including Rise Against singer Tim McIlrath joining the Flobots onstage for "White Flag Warrior" and a quick appearance by punk guru Bill Stevenson, who runs The Blasting Room studio in Fort Collins. — Matt Farley, Metromix

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