On January 27^th, Rise Against and A Day To Remember gave us a show to remember. The two groups packed the UIC Pavilion on a Friday night and brought heat to the Windy City. Both bands were touring for their latest studio releases. Rise Against’s sixth record, Endgame, came out last spring and even sparked a two night live extravaganza in Chicago this past summer, while A Day To Remember’s most recent album, What Separates Me From You, hit the shelves in Fall 2010. The album has fans coming back for more and more as the band has taken the stage numerous times in the Midwest over the past two years.

A Day To Remember is known for their constant display of high energy, catchy melodies, and intense hooks. The band blended their greatest songs into a killer thirteen song set, leaving fans begging for more. One thing often underplayed about the band is their stage presence. The band succeeded in getting everybody in the arena moving after cranking up the volume and delivering their opening number, “Downfall of Us All”. This first song would prove to be only an appetizer for their set, clocking in at almost an hour long. Their set consisted of such antics as lead singer Jeremy McKinnon pedaling through a rabid and rowdy crowd on a giant hamster ball, as well as an appearance from Gumby, the popular character from 90s Nickelodeon, who fired off official A Day To Remember t-shirts from the stage. During their finale, “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle”, they requested some fans to be held upright by the audience and, using the body of another fan beneath their feet, literally crowd surf. Although this was my first time seeing A Day To Remember, I can say they have a fresh sound and presentation and are definitely a group to see more than once.

Fans packed the pit hours before hometown heroes Rise Against took the stage around 9:00 pm. Absolute passion echoed throughout the arena from the first drum kick and frontman Tim McIlrath’s first note containing a voice that sends chills down a listener’s spine. The band was spot on and they knew it from the start. Many bands claim that Chicago is their favorite city to perform for, but it seems Rise Against sincerely mean it and are absolutely beloved by Chicago natives. The fans never stopped moving and showed their support throughout the show. One of the most impressive aspects of the concert was their mini-acoustic set. “Audience of One” and “Swing Life Away” were definitely crowd pleasers as they sang along to every word at the top of their lungs. Things got out of hand when the show was temporarily halted by the band when a man was injured during the encore rendition of “The Strength to Go On.” The band immediately stopped playing and requested that the paramedics aid the man out of the arena. After a brief fifteen minute setback, they replayed the song and the show raged on for the closer, “Savior.”

When I first took my seat for this concert I was merely a casual fan of both bands. I knew their mega hits and mumbled the words. However, I left rather impressed. I believe this is the mark of a truly great band; when the show ends, the set is taken down and the fans drive home, the magic lingers. If you are a rock fan and have not witnessed either one of these groups live, I would advise doing so. It has been said the rock genre has been struggling recently, but if bands like these continue to tour there should be no worries.

-Aaron Clark