Rise Against and Alkaline Trio Photos and Concert Review
Rise Against and Alkaline Trio – Great Park Live – October 23, 2026
Two great bands were on the dance card Friday night in Irvine, CA, but the early star of the show was Mother Nature. The doors to the outdoor venue opened at 5:30pm, and those who arrived early were treated to an amazing sunset. As day shifted to night, a massive black cloud could be seen to the east, seemingly moving at a snail’s pace towards the venue. As showtime got closer, bright flashes of lightning could be seen on the horizon, and the entire sky became eerily dark. Small drops of rain began to fall, and suddenly there was a warning broadcast over the PA system urging people to return to the safety of their cars due to incoming severe weather. I asked a security member near the exit what this meant and he said that the concert had been cancelled. I wasn’t sure if that was true, but others around me were bummed and took his words as gospel – walking to their cars and driving home. I feared it might be true, but dragged my heels leaving the venue in case more information was provided or something changed to cause optimism. Just then, the screens lit up with “Weather Alert!! Due to lightning in the area, we are temporarily evacuating the venue for everyone’s safety.” There was also a message over the PA system telling fans to go to their cars and await further instructions. I wasn’t sure how anyone would be able to hear the further instructions from their cars, but I was happy there was still a possibility the show would happen
Rise Against
Irvine’s Great Park Live is a temporary concert venue in a large park that once housed fields of lima beans and oranges, before being converted to a Marine training base in the immediate aftermath of Pearl Harbor and the impending US involvement in World War 2. It lies in a strange area of Orange County where it is flanked on one side by a large housing development, by industrial warehouses on another, the I-5 Freeway on another, and the remains of a landing strip from the decommissioned Marine base on the other. The venue holds 10,000 people, and is essentially a massive park surrounded by a fence with a large stage at one end. Inside it is very reminiscent of a large-scale music festival – food trucks and vendors surround the grounds in a horseshoe, and a massive, manicured grass lawn stretches from one end to the other – it reminded me of a scaled-down Aftershock Festival.
As I sat in my car sheltered from the rain and lightning while awaiting news that the show might continue, I witnessed hundreds of cars driving past me on their way home. Those that hung in there and didn’t listen to the bad information I’d been given by security, got to witness a fantastic show. The rain was nowhere to be seen by the time Rise Against hit the stage at 10:00pm, but the memory of the storm fueled an amazing set, and the fans who had been through so much to be there fed off the performance – people were REALLY stoked to be there and participated fully.
Prior to Alkaline Trio or Rise Against playing a note, the thousands of people who had been evacuated to their cars had to get back into the venue. I had a great parking spot near the entrance and within visual range of the huge screens. I could see when the evacuation notice was taken down, and I promptly stepped out of my car to try and ascertain if/when we would be allowed back in the venue. Someone had heard that they’d be opening the doors at 8:30pm, so people started working their way to the gate. Thousands upon thousands of people stood outside the venue awaiting a sign that we’d be allowed back in – the good news was that the rain had stopped by this point. Someone in line had the good idea to shout, “Let us in!!”, and the entire crowd picked it up and started chanting it over and over. Finally, the doors opened and we started inching forward – I was in the middle of the pack, and it took me 25 minutes to get back inside.
Rise Against were in Southern California on Friday night as part of the Ricochet 2026 Tour, in support of last year’s Ricochet album – their 10th studio release. They formed in 1999, and have delivered their own brand of rock since their inception - unflinchingly charged lyrics with socially conscious commentary, combined with aggressive but undeniable hooks. There are lots of bands with passionate fan bases, but Rise Against seem to have some of the most ardent. Everywhere you looked in the mass of humanity, people had huge smiles on their faces – people were genuinely excited to be there and sharing a night with their people and their band. Crowd surfers were everywhere, and the mosh pits looked lively on the jumbo screens, but were too hard to get to with cameras wrapped around my neck to see in person. People in the very front row up against the barricade held signs of support, and there were more children in attendance with their parents than any show I can remember. Multiple people I’d talked to had driven for hours to watch their favorite band and revel in the atmosphere, and after the threat of the show being cancelled, the diehard fans had made it their mission to let loose.
Both Rise Against and Alkaline Trio’s sets were shortened to allow for the weather delay and a strict noise curfew due to the nearby housing development, but each band put out extra effort to ensure that things were right with their fans. Tim pulled out the bullhorn for “Make It Stop (September’s Children)” and jumped off the stage during “Give It All”, and spent half the song standing on top of the security barricade to interact with fans and high-five crowd surfers. Fans and band alike were happy to be there to share the evening with each other after the threat of cancellation, and both took full advantage of it. What looked like a disastrous evening at 7:00pm had morphed into a euphoric experience by the time the gates opened at 8:30pm.
Rise Against is:
- Tim McIlrath – Vocals/Guitar
- Zach Blair - Guitar
- Joe Principe - Bass
- Brandon Barnes – Drums
Setlist:
1) Satellite
2) Make It Stop (September's Children)
3) Give It All
4) Help Is on the Way
5) Under the Knife
6) The Good Left Undone
7) Katy Bar the Door
8) Prayer of the Refugee
9) Swing Life Away (Acoustic)
10) Re-Education (Through Labor)
Encore:
11) Survive
12) Savior
Alkaline Trio
Like Rise Against, Alkaline Trio is from Chicago, forming 30 years ago in 1996. Another similarity is their fanbase, which is also borderline fanatic. Fans were beyond excited to be back inside the venue after the weather event and threat of cancellation…Alkaline Trio’s set was up first, and the fans, many of whom had driven hours to be there and risked missing it due to lightning were ready. People were ecstatic about being there, and when the lights finally came up to reveal the three-piece on stage, the roar from the crowd was deafening. The fact that the set was shortened didn’t matter – people were there to live in the moment, and Alkaline Trio put on an amazingly energized show.
Vocalist/guitarist Matt Skiba is a founding member, and did double-duty on guitars and vocals in Blink 182 from 2015-2022 when Tom DeLonge left that band. Dan Andrian, who alternates lead vocals with Matt and plays bass, joined just after they formed and has been featured on all ten studio albums. Newcommer Tosh Peterson on drums joined earlier this year after the departure of Atom Willard. Despite being in the band less than a year, Tosh was captivating to watch, bringing an Animal from the Muppets aesthetic to the kit, while keeping the train rolling down the tracks. Alkaline Trio was incredibly tight, and delivered a short but passionate set that was exactly what their fans hoped for.
Alkaline Trio is:
- Matt Skiba – Vocals/Guitar
- Dan Andriano – Vocals/Bass
- Tosh Peterson - Drums
Setlist:
1) We've Had Enough
2) Calling All Skeletons
3) Private Eye
4) Is This Thing Cursed?
5) Cringe
6) Oblivion
7) Every Thug Needs a Lady
8) Warbrain
9) Mercy Me
10) Radio
Brooks Robinson is an LA-based concert photographer, and 30+ year freelance camera operator for film, television, and music videos. He has photographed some of the largest film/TV projects in history, and hundreds of music videos in MTV's heyday.
