(Live report) Rage Against The Machine in Quebec

The news of the cancellation of the Rage Against The Machine concert planned at Rock en Seine at the end of August disappoints fans who have been waiting for them for decades. WECB crossed the Atlantic to see them in Quebec, capital of La Belle Province, on July 16.

A month and a half before what should have been the concert of the year in France with their participation in Rock en Seine, canceled on August 11 by medical order – Zack de la Rocha, the singer, broken kneecap will not be able to perform the shows planned for the legendary group's European tour – the four guerrillas offered a spectacular preview of the reformation of Rage Against The Machine, in the city of Quebec, capital of the French-speaking Canadian province.

The Plains of Abraham, located in the heart of Quebec City, had not seen such a battlefield since September 13, 1759, the date of the clash between the British and the French. From the beginning of the afternoon, t-shirts bearing the image of Che invade the cobbled streets of the city and a compact mass of nearly 100,000 people settles down very early in front of the stage.

©Thomas Mafrouche

If heavy bands have always united the Quebec public, like Rammstein or Metallica, this evening we feel a particular euphoria in the former capital of New France. According to Ibrahim, our friendly taxi driver, Rage Against The Machine's popularity is unrivaled here: “Of course Metallica is still huge in Quebec, but the thing is that it mainly attracts guys. Whereas Rage Against The Machine, the girls are as into it as the guys! It's going to be total madness! ». Indeed, Zack de la Rocha may be stuck in his chair because of his broken leg, but it is indeed the audience that puts on the show for almost two hours. North America obliges, the spectators chant in chorus almost all of the texts, even going so far as to surprise the group on “Testify” and “Take the Power Back” (performed for the first time on this tour).

©Thomas Mafrouche

An energy which feeds the machine and which pushes Zack de la Rocha to try to get off his chair, without however succeeding. In these cases, the lion can count on the reinforcement of Tom Morello, who places himself right next to him to let his funk solos bleed (including with his teeth, Hendrix style!). In addition to the best-of setlist and an impeccable performance (the mind-boggling drum solo on “Sleep Now in the Fire”), the group also gave us an insane version of “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” this boozy Bruce Springsteen cover of feedback which appeared on Renegades.

This powerful live performance without downtime ended with the bastos “Killing in the Name”, a transgenerational anthem sung with raised fists by the 100,000 spectators, security agents, staff and barmaids. As if time had stopped for four minutes. An exceptional welcome which will push Zack de la Rocha to bow for a long time at the end of the show to properly thank this invulnerable human tide, without which the concert would not have been the same.