Rancid – Live (December 10th, 2006)

You could tell there was a punk show in Toronto near Front Street Sunday, because of all the 2-foot mowhawks milling around loud and proud. It was refreshing to see all the kids amongst the uppity shopper’s, drinking high priced coffee. And those kids, like me were on their way to go see Rancid at the Kool Haus.

I will you spare you on how much Rancid’s music means to me, but I have to say my hands where shaking, as the screen began to play the intro video, and the gents walked out with their instruments, and took position.

Rancid started out swinging belting out Radio, Roots and Radicals, and Nihilism. They were so tight, and didn’t seem to miss a beat. It was so genuine of them to make up the four dates they had to cancel, because of Lars Frederiksen’s collapse on stage in Montreal last fall.

They then went into jukebox mode, and belted through their entire discography, pulling out gems and classics. Their adversity live is quite incredible as they played as hardcore as they could in a song like “Dead Bodies”, and seamlessly move into a reggae influenced jam like “Hoover Street” as it was nothing at all, and I feel that takes a lot of talent. They even got nostalgic and played Operation Ivy’s ska sing along “Unity”.

I found it interesting at one point during a solo for “Black Derby Jacket”, Tim and Lars crowded their new drummer Brendan Steinekert’s kit and appeared to be testing to see if the new guy could keep up to the older rockers. Steinekert was up for the challenge as he pounded the skins like it was his business.

And I knew how this show was going to end, when I saw their roadie Big Jay Bastard tuning some acoustic guitars. The fella’s took centre stage for the encore with their acoustics, and did some old songs a little softer, and everybody loved it.

Seeing Rancid live is much like their song title seeing an “Old Friend”. Because in a way they really are. If you appreciate brilliant, honest, and retrospective lyrics delivered with highly intense, diverse, and soulful music then you probably love Rancid.