Rancid
at The Strand
by Jenn Zweig
photo by Joe Reilly
They’ve been caught in a highly publicized bidding war, splashed on the covers of Rolling Stone and Spin, and “featured” on MTV. It’s a wonder that Rancid has remained unscathed by sudden fame and fortune. Indeed, the boys played as raw as ever, while catering to a sold-out audience at The Strand. However, there’s no doubt that their audience has grown and is now a lot more diverse. At the beginning of the show, lead singer Tim Armstrong announced, “There’s a lot of different kinds of people here tonight, but remember you all came out here for the same thing, so take care of one another.” Apparently, fights have broken out during their last few shows; “That’s not what Rancid is about… if anything happens tonight, we’ll stop playing.”
When Rancid play, it’s pure magic. Their presence is overwhelming and the energy is consuming. Tim is an angel on stage, so vulnerable, yet powerful. While trading vocals and guitar with Lars, he barely manages to sing on time because he’s so absorbed in the music; he’s either dancing across the stage, joining Lars arm in arm, or is off by himself, spinning in circles, plucking at an oversized guitar.
Then, there’s Matt Freeman, who has to be the best bass player in the world. His double-time bass lines are insane and do not go unnoticed. The crowd squealed in delight during each song and did not hesitate to cheer him on. Last, but not least, is Brett Reed whose drumming has definitely progressed from a rudimentary beat to an aggressive and moving pulsation.
All in all, the show continued steadily without many troubles, just a minor technicality when Tim’s portable tape player wouldn’t play the interlude for “Junkie Man.” Frustrated and shaking his head, Tim tossed the box aside. Only Lars picks it up, then gives an understanding “Go on destroy it, I know you want to” look to Tim. Graciously, Tim smiles and then hurls the thing on the ground. Lars, like an obedient servant, picks up the pieces so Tim can finish the job. Other highlights included an acoustic intro to “The 11th Hour” and a solo Lars singing “The War’s End.”
The set finished with a three-song encore, the best being an extended version of “I Wanna Riot.” Yet, the crowd wanted more and kept shouting, “Tim, Tim, Tim….” While the rest of Rancid had already cleared the stage, a shy Tim emerged. Peering from under his black beanie and squinting from the bright lights, he bashfully waved to the crowd. Touched, he slowly uttered, “Thanks, thanks a lot guys, but I gotta go… I’ll see ya next time, I promise.” He then ran out. The new album, And Out Come The Wolves…. (Epitaph) is a definite must have!
