Rage Against the Machine Album: “Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium [PA]”

When i found out Rage Against The Machine broke up three years ago, i was pretty disappointed. I loved their music, but at least they ended on a good album, Renegades. Earlier this month i was on Rage's official site for the first time in about a year. As i scrolled down the screen i saw something new! "Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium" I was very excited! This is a recording of Rage's last two nights together as a band. Once again they proved they were one of the most creative and politically active bands to ever hit the stage. They also porve they're the most powerful bands of the last decade. Not only is Rage a great band, but they're at their best live! So i decided to buy this CD the day it came out. I did and i was not disappointed! This CD is everything i expected and more. If you'd like to hear one of the greatest rock bands ever, then pick up this CD or one of their earlier ones. If you don't like rock much, i'd still recommend you check Rage out. Or if you like a much softer version of Rage then listen to Audioslave, Rage's sister band.

Track Listing

1 Bulls On Parade

2 Bullet In The Head

3 Born Of A Broken Man

4 Killing In The Name

5 Calm Like A Bomb

6 Testify

7 Bombtrack

8 War Within A Breath

9 I'm Housin'

10 Sleep Now In The Fire

11 People Of The Sun

12 Guerrilla Radio

13 Kick Out The Jams

14 Know Your Enemy

15 No Shelter

16 Freedom

I loved Rage Against the Machine before this album, but this album made them my favorite band ever. It blew me away right from the start with "bulls on parade". The intro to that song works perfectly with the bass that would later start it off. This album might have been the worst thing that has happened to Rage. Because after listening to all those songs live, it made their studio versions sound quieter and not as energetic and fun. Especially songs like "born of a broken man" and "know your enemy". Most of the songs were nailed perfectly like "killing in the name", "calm like a bomb", and "testify". I think that is just a tribute to the band and shows how talented they are. Zack is very explosive and i love how he changes his singing styles. I could just feel all of his emotion in "FREEDOM!"

The one song that I did not think was too good was "kick out the jams" i thought his singing was way faster than the music and sounded sloppy.

I also recommend the DVD, so you can see their performance at the 2000 Democratic National Convention.

This album conjures forth one very important question...WHY THE HELL DID RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE BREAK UP?!!!! This was a tight band that had all the elements in place- heavy drums (Brad Wilk), and insane bassist with great tattoos (Tim Commerford), a phenomonal guitarist (Tom Morello), and an intelligent,angry political activist on vocals using words as weapons ( Zack de la Rocha). Rage is also the only band who combined the worlds of hard rock and rap successfully ( the beastie boys being excluded because they're more punk than hard rock). They CREATED the genre that todays Linkin Parks and Limp Bizkit's are desperately- and embarassingly-trying to hang on to.

So what do they do? They break up. After 3 records of original material, and a posthumous album of covers, they break up. And for what? For Audioslave? Rage minus Zack plus Chris Cornell, though some good music, does not equal the force and/or the importance of Rage Against the Machine!

...but alas, for the fans, we are giving one more morsel of goodness from the past in the form of this cd. Recorded over the course of 2 days at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in LA, we are giving front row seats to the final 2 shows the band ever played. Whether or not the band knew that these shows were the end or not, I am unsure of, but you'd think that they did by looking at the setlist, for it's got virtually all of the songs you'd hope to hear: "Testify," "Bombtrack," "People of the Sun," "Know Your Enemy," "Kick Out the Jams" ( a MC5 cover- one of the original political radical hardcore bands) and "Freedom" just to name a few of my favorites...

This album is so good it pisses me off!!!

In a time where the average teenager is bombarded with inane and worhtless products such as MTV's The Newlyweds, and horrible excuses for movies like "Love Don't Co$t a Thing," Rage Against the Machine proved that the average young adult understands and even cares about deep political and social issues. Every song is rooted with something that the entire band, most of all Zach De La Rocha, feels very passionately about. It's almost impossible to find this kind of passion and intenisty in music. RATM goes beyond the normal musical spectrum to fuel the activist and protestor inside all of us. There's no way you can listen to Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Bull's on Parade, or No Shelter without being inspired to take action. The standout songs are Bull's On Parade, Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Guerilla Radio, and People of the Sun. To fully appreciate the aspect of Rage Against The Machien you would've had to experience them live. That is why of all their albums I like this one the best. Even if you're not a Rage fan, you have to recognize the sheer intensity and raw power of their concerts. No band since MC5 has embodied the spirit of the socially conscious youth like Rage Against the Machine.

The lyrics, although being a live album can be hard to understand at times, are where the real power lies. "Coca-Cola was back in the veins of Saigon, Rambo troops with a dope pair of Nike's on." But even if you're not a fan of lyrics, and enjoy the roaring of electric guitar, then this too is also the album for you. Tom Morello is the modern god of the guitar and a legend all in his own.

I give this CD 5 stars and I really think you should go out to get it. I also would reccomend the DVD that goes along with this, but if you buy any Rage Against the Machine DVD's make sure they're official ones from the band, not boot-legged knock offs.

OK, this is a fantastic set. Buy the DVD instead. The sound mix is 100 times better.