"We should've come here a long time ago!" Tom Mcllrath, lead singer of Rise Against, stated at the band's first show in Portland, Maine, ever on Sunday.

Rise Against really made their name in the early 2000s, but just now they can say they've played in Maine and it was well worth the wait.

But let's start with Anti-Flag. Total legit punk rock to get the show going, and it didn't take long for the packed State Theatre to get fired up! Keeping in mind I have a personal love for punk, they were my favorite act of the night! Bonus, Chris #2 ended the set by playing on pieces from their drum set in the pit.

Kristen Farrington, Townsquare Media
Kristen Farrington, Townsquare Media
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Next up, AFI. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Davy Havok ripped the stage up. Silly me, AFI are veterans of the scene and certainly showed their inner fire by raging over the stage, jumping off the speakers and not missing a single beat.

Ophelia Hathaway
Ophelia Hathaway
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And the moment almost 20 years in the making came. Rise Against stepped up.

The State Theatre was charged up, and midway through the show the entire pit was singing along. The stage emptied shortly after to bring out an acoustic set of a few favorites, including "Swing Life Away," before energy sparked back up for the encore.

Maybe it was the tequila, but it's been awhile since I've personally seen performances that had that much energy flowing through the crowd for all sets.

If you missed Portland's Mourning In America date, you might want to fly out to catch the tour while you still can!

 

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