Chris Number 2, Anti-FlagAnti-Flag brought their Silence Equals Violence tour to Mr. Smalls Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 2018. With bands like Sharptooth, The White Noise, and Stray From the Path on board aside nonprofits PETA, Amnesty International, Love Hope Strength, and Voices for the Innocent, the tour was heavy with not only protest but also action.
The passion on the stage was matched pound for pound by the passion in the crowd for all of the bands, but it seemed Anti-Flag was the one everyone was waiting for. As it was a hometown show for them, this is no surprise. An Anti-Flag show is a communal event, and it was clear that everyone in the pit wanted nothing more than to come together as one to support their band and sing every single word back to them.
In true punk fashion, Justin Sane and Chris Number Two captivated the crowd with their voices and strings, leading what eventually became a sing-along of tracks ranging from their early days to their newest singles off of American Fall. Chris Head’s fingers seemingly had minds of their own on guitar, as he ripped through note after note, killing it all night. It was clear that these guys have played together for a long time – they never missed a beat and seemed to riff together and ride each other’s vibe from the first note to the last. It’s always fun to see bands work so well together. A true brotherhood, for sure, was before us all on the stage.
Can we talk quick about the fact that these guys NEVER AGE?! Their energy was as high that night as when they first started out. In fact, I would go out on a limb and say that their stamina and endurance is likely higher now than it was then! They are absolutely unbelievable to watch live. Drummer Pat Thetic was unable to be in his usual spot behind the kit, but his tech did an amazing job filling in and handling duties on the sticks. It was a seamless transition for the night, and the energy never died down.
From top to bottom, the show was an amazing night of passion, protest, action, and good old fashioned heavy punk rock fun. This was a tour not to miss, and I personally am looking forward to their next run announcement. If you have not been to an Anti-Flag show, fix that soon. It’s a decision you will not regret, and you can thank me later.
