Rise Against // L.S. Dunes // Spiritual Cramp // Live Review // The Telegraph Building // Belfast
Tonight is going to be something pretty special! Three killer bands join us for an evening jam-packed with Alt-Rock, Punk-Rock and everything in between going by the lineup! We are here this evening to celebrate the mighty Rise Against, all the way from Chicago, Illinois, after two-plus decades as a band we get to soak them up live in Belfast at one of its finest music venues, the magical Telegraph Building.
In support we have two killer bands, a supergroup by all accounts, LS Dunes, who has been garnering attention over the last few years, ripping it across the UK and US whenever they can, building up an army of fans and in front of them Spiritual Cramp, a band lesser know to me but who hit the stage at 7:30 pm and make an immediate impression!
Their addictive energy and balls-to-the-wall attitude can’t be ignored. The six-piece takes to the stage and in a flurry of synth sounds, breaks out into a punk-infused frenzy, a relentless pace and frenetic passion just set the Telegraph Building alight. A quirky-looking band of brothers, knowing you’d assume a European vibe, but not these guys. Regardless it doesn’t matter, what counts is what they deliver on stage over a short set, can they make an impression on a Belfast crowd on a cold winter’s evening? The guy’s ever-changing sound, from all-out punk to reggae-inspired songwriting has the Belfast crowd glued to the stage wondering where this set will go next. It’s a sonic feast for the ears, one explosive start to the evening, well-played gentleman!
Up next L.S. Dunes, what a collection of musicians we have here, fronted by Circa Survive, Saosin and The Sound of Animals Fighting vocalist Anthony Green, with My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero, Coheed and Cambria guitarist Travis Stever, bassist Tim Payne, and drummer Tucker Rule from the band Thursday. an alt-rock supergroup you could say, a wealth of experience and a group doing their own thing, and oh my god! What a vibe! These guys are explosive from the offset, a wealth of experience as live musicians just show as soon as they hit the stage, the vibes man I just can get over the vibe live, as a collective they just perform a blistering set that makes you wanna rock the fuck out! If you walk away from this set unimpressed you must be dead inside ! L.S.Dunes are killer live, with only two albums thus far under their belts, 2022’s Past Lives and a new album ‘Violet’ coming in the next few days no doubt they will win over an army of fans with their latest offering ‘Violet’. The band just rips The Telegraph Building a new one, the audience taking in every second of their majestic performance with everything they have. This is one of those memorable ‘I Was There’ moments, this will no doubt go down as an iconic performance at an iconic venue, caught by an enthusiastic Belfast audience who were lucky enough to bear witness, where L.S. Dunes will go from here, who knows but the future is bright if they can keep this beast rolling!
https://found.ee/LSDunesViolet
Now for the main act, Rise Against. I honestly did not know they had such a strong following locally, so it was great to see a packed-out Telegraph Building, a cavernous space swallowed up by fans all eager to catch a glimpse of their fave Illinois rockers.
I’ve been a casual Rise Against fan for a while—love their anthems, and respect their message, but somehow never managed to catch them live. That all changed last night at Belfast’s Telegraph Building, and let me tell you… I was NOT ready.
The moment the band hit the stage, the energy in the room exploded. They kicked things off with Satelite, and from that second on, it was all-out mayhem. Tim McIlrath’s voice—somehow even more raw and powerful live—cut through the noise like a battle cry, while Joe Principe’s bass shook the walls. even in the pit, the entire floor felt like it was moving.
By the time they launched into Injection it was clear that this wasn’t just a concert—it was a full-scale riot, and I was all in.
Every song felt bigger than life. Re-Education (Through Labor) had the crowd shouting every word back at the band, while Paper Wings sent fists flying into the air. And then came Dancing For Rain.
I expected chaos all night, but suddenly, everything slowed down. Just Tim and an acoustic guitar, and the whole room singing along like one massive, sweaty choir. Phones lit up the venue like stars, and for a moment, it felt like the entire place was holding its breath.
Then, just as we caught a second to breathe, they ripped back into Nod and Prayer of the Refugee, reminding us why we were all there—to scream our lungs out and feel alive.
One of the best things about Rise Against? They actually stand for something. Between songs, Tim took a few moments to talk about activism, standing up for what’s right, and how music has the power to bring people together. “Belfast, you know what it means to fight for something,” he said, and the roar that followed? Spine-tingling.
When the first notes of Savior hit for the encore, the place absolutely erupted. I’ve never seen a crowd sing louder than the band before, but Belfast gave it a good shot. Bodies flying, voices gone, pure catharsis.
As the band took their final bow, sweat-drenched and grinning, I realized I’d just witnessed something special.
If you haven’t seen Rise Against live, fix that immediately. I walked in as a casual fan and left feeling like I’d been part of something way bigger than just a gig. Punk rock isn’t dead—it’s alive, screaming, and still fighting. As the sweaty mess that was a packed out audience streamed out into the cold air of a late night in Belfast’s city centre, life was good, faith in humanity was restored once again and the smiles that can be seen far and wide tell me it wont be so long before we catch Rise Against back on this island once again.
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Photography: Mark McGrogan
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Rise Against 2025 UK and EU tour dates
Tuesday January 28 – 3Olympia, Dublin, IE
Wednesday January 29 – Telegraph, Belfast, NI
Thursday January 30- The Key Club, Leeds (Headline tix)
Sunday February 2 – L’Olympia, Paris, FR
Tuesday February 4 – O13, Tillburg, NL
Wednesday February 5 – Forrest National, Brussels, BE
Thursday February 6 – O2 Brixton Academy, London, UK
Saturday February 8 – O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, UK
Sunday February 9 – O2 Academy, Birmingham, UK
Monday February 10 – The Globe, Cardiff, UK (Headline tix)
Wednesday February 12 – Velodrom, Berlin, DE
Friday February 14 – Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Düsseldorf, DE
Saturday February 15 – Sporthalle, Hamburg, DE
Monday February 17 – Zenith, Munich, DE
Tuesday February 18 – myticket Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt, DE
Friday, February 21- Stattbanhof, Schweinfurt, GER- (Headline tix)
Saturday, February 22 – Volkshaus, Zurich, CH
Sunday, February 23 – Stadthalle, Vienna, AT