The great achievement of Chicago-based punk foursome Rise Against is that the group has walked a tightrope on which few similar bands have managed to balance. Its original stance, down to its name, was largely political, and yet the group has mostly enjoyed the continued respect of fans and critics as its mainstream profile has exploded.
That's probably because the music — a fast, melodic style of new-school punk — has matured but never really lost its teeth. It's also probably because the group's politics were not as staunchly radical or anti-major-label as some of its peers who have been branded sellouts. (Hi, Against Me!) Still, Rise Against continues to stick to its guns, figuratively, when asked to stick to guns, more literally. The group canceled a planned South Florida appearance at the Buzz Bake Sale in 2009 when organizers moved it to a military-sponsored stage at the festival. This Saturday, it returns to the area on its own terms, headlining the Sunset Cove Amphitheater with support from A Day to Remember.
