Photos + Review: Rise Against @ Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, MN)

Rise Against (Chicago, IL), Papa Roach (Vacaville, CA), Underoath (Ocala, FL)
April 13th, 2025
Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN

We’ve officially reached the twenty year mark of being a fan of Rise Against.

After I got my first iPod and was in my phase of downloading and listening to any and all music I thought interesting or in the realm of what I was currently listening too, Rise Against were the offshoot to getting heavily into the Offspring. I vividly remember recommendations online to listen to The Sufferer and the Witness and downloading it, then taking my iPod outside to listen to the album out on the deck to sit in the sun.

Also, this month marks 9 years I’ve been doing concert photography. One of the reasons I started was by shooting and going to the show – that the days wouldn’t just blend together and fly by anymore. Being able to recall shows, and when they happened, and what I was doing around that time, really has provided a benefit to me. While the years still absolutely flew by, perhaps even faster than before, I’m really appreciative of how full they’ve been and the memories and friends I’ve been able to make along the way. All because I told myself “Hey, ya know what? I can do that. I’m going to do that.”

I got to catch one more set of Rise Against, one of my no-question-about-it favorite bands of all time, last Sunday. I’m currently still riding on that high while writing this as this show ranks as my second favorite time seeing them. The passage of time has made Rise Against’s music hit so much harder than when first listening, not only because of the political situation we’ve been forced into these days, but because of the overarching themes throughout their catalogue of persevering through tough times and standing up and for one another. Ya know, we give it all.

The band sounds on top of their game, the best I’ve heard them in the 8 years I’ve been seeing them live. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve continued to be impressed with Tim and how his vocals seem to sound better and better. This night was the last night on this first leg of this tour, way to end it on an insane high.

This time around seeing the band was a bit different than previous times. This was the first time seeing Rise Against as not a headliner (Papa Roach), and also the first time seeing them in such a big venue (Xcel Energy Center, in St. Paul). I like opener Rise Against. There were no deep cuts in the setlist, which I’m sure some people were upset about (I mean, it is a tiny bit a bummer), but the setlist we did get was all hits, all gas, no breaks. “The Good Left Undone” being back was so good.

Newly released track “Nod” was also played, and hearing it live for the first time made me a fan. While I’m not the biggest fan of the way the recorded version sounds, hearing it live proves that there’s a good song beneath everything, and I’m glad I got to experience that.

I’m glad I got to experience the whole thing, actually. It never gets old seeing these guys.

With hope in our hearts and bricks in our hands, we sing for change.