WATCH: Prophets of Rage play their first live show!
Tom Morello says "we're here to confront this mountain of election year bulls***"
Prophets of Rage have played their first live show together last night (31st May) at Los Angeles’ legendary Whisky A Go Go venue.
Consisting of Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk alongside Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real, all proceeds from the supergroup’s show went to PATH (People Assisting The Homeless).
Rapturously received by the 500 capacity crowd, Prophets of Rage played a sprawling 21-song set that delved into all three parent groups’ back-catalogues.
Cypress Hill were represented by anthems like ‘Rock Superstar’, ‘Hand on the Pump’ and ‘Insane in the Membrane’, Public Enemy’s ‘Can’t Truss It’ and ‘Welcome To The Terrordome’ featured, while Rage Against The Machine dominated the setlist with the likes of ‘Testify’, ‘Know Your Enemy’ and the ultimate ‘Killing in the Name’.
There was also a brand spanking new song from the collective in the shape of ‘The Party’s Over’.
The band will be performing another show at Hollywood Palladium on Friday. Details will be announced soon. Check out videos of the performance here:
As widely expected, Prophets of Rage are formed in direct response to America’s highly eventful election year.
Directly mimicking Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan, the band promoted last night’s show with the hashtag #MakeAmericaRageAgain.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Tom Morello said: "We're not a supergroup. We're an elite task force of revolutionary musicians determined to confront this mountain of election year bulls***, and confront it head-on with Marshall stacks blazing."
Tim Commerford added: “There's nothing quite like playing "Killing In The Name" in front of a live audience. It's a live wire and it's a beautiful thing.
“We're in troubled times, so we need this. We've missed these opportunities in the past, and we're not going to miss them this time. We're gonna be here. It's needed. It's gonna be scary.”
Surmising the ethos behind the group, Morello continued: “It's my contention that we can no longer stand on the sidelines of history. Dangerous times demand dangerous songs. Both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are both constantly referred to in the media as raging against the machine.
“We've come back to remind everyone what raging against the machine really means. It's a voice that's been missing too long in the national/international dialogue and it's back. What better place than here? What better time than now?”