Rise Against, O2 Academy Brixton, London

Nowadays, it’s unsurprising to think there aren’t very many shows prefaced by any form of political goings on. So when we arrive at Brixton Academy to the news that one of tonight’s acts has already earlier joined forces with a student protest, performing a short acoustic set as a prelude, it’s a little unusual, at least. A theme that looks set to continue tonight.

Opening up this eventful evening, we have Polar Bear Club. Despite usually crossing the Atlantic to visit the UK’s more modest venues, the upstate New Yorkers seem to look entirely at home in front of such a large audience. Showcasing - to a mostly unknowing crowd, we must admit - an array of tracks from their three albums, vocalist Jimmy Stadt impressively leads his band, bearing a voice that you’d never imagine could come from such a small stature.

Next to take to the stage at Brixton is someone a lot more recognisable. To be honest, the only word to describe the next set of the evening is surreal, because that’s exactly what everyone - young or old, fan or bystander - is thinking. Thus, as Tom Morello takes centre stage, you can almost hear the mutters of, ‘holy shit, he really IS playing’ echo around the venue.

The music of Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman itself is fairly unsurprising. A mix of bluesy folk, characterised with an American twang, is knitted together perfectly with Morello’s trademark guitar stylings and has the crowd convinced from the start. What the crowd isn’t expecting so much is his cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’, a one man rendition of ‘Sleep Now In The Fire’s intro and an impromptu Rage Against The Machine riffathon. It’s genuinely all kinds of unreal.

Finishing up with a call to arms which includes having Billy Bragg and half of Rise Against onstage for the ultimately bizarre singalong of ‘World Wide Rebel Songs’, he makes his exit and we’re still not totally sure of what just happened.

By the time that Rise Against then appear, the strangeness of previous events has worn off (maybe) a little, leaving the headliners to do what they do best and unleash carnage. Before the photographers even exit the pit, streams of young people are thrust out from in front of the barrier, already indicating that Rise Against’s high energy performance is very much worth a crowd surf. Or seven.

With few lulls in the set, the Chicago quartet pummel through their back catalogue, proving exactly why they’re still one of the great punk bands of our modern day. Their songs are both incredibly powerful, whilst still sincere and their political messages feel genuine, rather than contrived.

Inevitably, crowd favourites lie within songs like ‘Ready To Fall’, and there’s nothing quite like the explosive final chorus of ‘Prayer of The Refugee’. Even the quieter moments - in which frontman Tim McIlgrath and Zach Blair take on acoustic guitars and perform the gorgeous ‘Swing Life Away’ and ‘Hero of War’ - are wonderful.

The best part about tonight though, no doubt lies in the incredible atmosphere. Bearing witness to such performances may well feel entirely surreal to most of us, but as Rise Against close their set with ‘Give It All’ and ‘Saviour’, it’s impossible not to feel a least a little in awe at the level of dedication shared by everyone involved tonight; on stage or in the crowd. It might be a regular Wednesday night for most people in London, but anyone at Brixton knows that this one was special.