Against Me!: Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC, July 17, 2015

Against Me! (photo: Ben Wittrock)

By Jason Schreurs

The last time I saw Against Me! play live it was on the Searching for a Former Clarity tour almost a decade ago. A lot has changed for the band since then, to say the least.

First and foremost, Against Me! have, over the years of steady touring, become a rock-solid live band, thanks in no small part to the addition of a powerhouse rhythm section (drummer Atom Willard and bassist Inge Johansson), who have challenged guitarist/vocalists Laura Jane Grace and James Bowman to give their absolute all every night, as well as raise their level of playing.

Not to say the Florida punk band weren’t always a great live act. I remember being in awe of their performance more than 10 years ago, but seeing them again after all of these years, there was something special and somehow otherworldly about watching the band combine songs from their first three folky punk albums with the later-era material that they produced once they had the confidence and control to make truly great rock records (see 2007’s New Wave and last year’s excellent Transgender Dysphoria Blues).

As they have changed themselves, another huge shift with the band has been their audience. No longer the hidden gem of the underground punk scene, Against Me! now draws an impressively diverse audience, including a large transgender demographic inspired by Grace’s own transitional journey. Being part of a show where there’s a hanging sense of inspiration in the air is a special treat indeed, and Grace led by example, explaining how much certain lyrics mean to her, then leading the band through flawless renditions of the songs that have influenced our lives. Looking around the room and seeing a convergence of so many proud, strong people in an environment we could call safely our own, singing along to some of our favourite songs, felt like a colossal event.

Sing-alongs, group hugs, pileups and smiles were the order of the night, and when Against Me! returned for a three-song encore everyone in the building wanted more and more of a band seemingly at their best.

Try seeing one of your favourite bands a decade apart, who have grown and changed in ways you never thought possible. It’s a pretty mind-blowing trip. No, they didn’t play “Rice and Bread,” but the overwhelming amount of Against Me! staples more than made up for it.

What a night.

Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! (photo: Ben Wittrock)