Filmed in high-definition at London's Finsbury Park on June 6, 2010, Live At Finsbury Park finds Rage Against the Machine bringing their brute brand of rap-rock to a capacity UK crowd. The Los Angeles combo booked the free event to celebrate their 1991 single, "Killing in the Name," becoming the #1 Christmas song in 2009—a campaign mounted by English DJ Jon Morter and his wife, Tracy, as an alternative to the usual X-Factor winner getting the coveted spot. After RATM beat the pop competiton out, they donated the proceeds from the sales to charity causes. In addition, the free Finsbury Park concert was announced for the next summer.
Kicking off with the monster grooves of "Testify," Rage Against the Machine's Finsbury Park set doesn't let up over the course of 12 songs. While the entire band plays with marked aggression, vocalist Zack de la Rocha takes things up a notch, tearing through the material like a man half his age. The then 40-year-old performs such songs as "Bulls on Parade" and "Sleep Now in the Fire" like he's back in a VFW hall in Orange County, California circa 1989 with his former band, hardcore greats Inside Out. His stage presence on Live at Finsbury Park also brings to mind the wild energy of H.R. of the Bad Brains.
The 40,000 in attendance are blessed with a setlist that features songs from RATM's first three studio albums. The group also includes a revved-up version of The Clash's "White Riot" late in the set, a fitting inclusion in light of the concert's location and both bands' rebel spirits. Closing out the night is "Killing in the Name," and by the time Rage Against the Machine exits the stage, the crowd looks just as spent as the band does.
Watching Live at Finsbury Park on Blu-ray is a treat. Not only is the footage crisp, the sound is also spot-on. I cranked the concert in my living room and the surround sound enveloped me. Tim Commerford's bass guitar and Brad Wilk's drums cut through my speakers like I was sitting on stage in front of them.
The gang at Eagle Rock always does a spectacular job with these live concert Blu-rays, and Live at Finsbury Park is no exception.
Get It
- Amazon (Blu-ray)
