‘Prophets’ Rage, But Fans Ask ‘Where’s the Love?’
By JOHN DALY
The mystery is over.
Tom Morello and his Prophets of Rage political “movement” have announced a massive 35-city U.S. tour that wraps in mid-October, prior to the Presidential election.
The Morello, Chuck D and B-Real band has played three gigs, two in Hollywood and one in Brooklyn, and has been encouraging its fans to Take The Power Back. But fans wonder how.
Prophets of Rage hit the Hollywood scene to rave reviews, they played New York, and say they will launch their U.S. campaign July 19, during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where they plan to cause a “ruckus.” But there’s no clear support of any one candidate, and while the band is asking fans to rage with them, what are the musicians actually advocating?
A Music Campaign
It’s been a whirlwind for the band and fans, as POR first announced its existence through a website with a countdown clock and kicked off its political “movement.” People lined up at the Whisky A-Go-Go as early as 5 a.m. last Tuesday morning to obtain a wristband to gain entry to a show there that night. They lined up early again to get into a show at the Hollywood Palladium. The Prophets announced they would appear at the Governor’s Ball Music Festival in New York City, but the fest was rained out on the third day and they played the Warsaw in Brooklyn.
The Prophets of Rage To Appear at the RNC
And while the Prophets announced they would bring their protesting to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 19, all the hoopla has led some to ask what actually is the band’s call to action. How is the band getting the people to “Take The Power Back?”
Morello has only hinted at the group’s mission and indicated during a televised report that Hillary Clinton is the presidential choice by default.
The group has expressed disappointment with the two party system, referring to the current presidential candidates as a “racist demagogue,” a “sort-of dreamer” and “the lesser of three evils” in the middle.
“They’re saying how much they dislike Donald Trump, but they aren’t steering the crowds to vote for Bernie,” said Maria Sinclair, a Bernie Sanders supporter from Silverlake. “Who do they like? I’m really disappointed that they can’t put out a positive message. If they can’t lead the people to vote a certain way, or help influence the vote, how are we ‘taking the power back?'”
Others say the shows at the Whisky A-Go-Go, the Hollywood Palladium and Brooklyn’s Warsaw were fine and the group can only do so much to influence the vote.
Entertaining Shows
“The show at the Hollywood Palladium was amazing, one of the best shows I’ve ever been to,” said photographer Michelle Howard, whose images are featured here. She said Chuck D of Public enemy was in rare form.
“I’ve been lucky enough to see Public Enemy perform a few times live but last night was entirely new for me, like as if I’d never heard him before and I was so impressed.”
A positive note: The band says a portion of the proceeds from the shows go to charity, seemingly squashing the moniker ‘Profits of Rage,’ that was bandied about.
“I believe there are probably many things they don’t like, but what action are they proposing from their crowds,” asked Tony Spieret of West Hollywood via the U.K. “They’re not fond of the police, they’re not fond of the government, and they say they want things better. I’m not sure what that really means. I suppose we just need to accept that Prophets of Rage are musicians and that’s all, but I was hoping for a little bit more.”
PROPHETS OF RAGE TOUR DATES
July 19 – Cleveland, OH – TBA
August 19 – Fairfax, VA – EagleBank Arena
August 20 – Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion
August 21 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
August 23 – Hartford, CT – The Xfinity Theatre
August 24 – Toronto, ON – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
August 26 – Holmdel, NJ – P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
August 27 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
August 28 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
August 30 – Noblesville, IN – Klipsch Music Center
August 31 – Burgettstown, PA – First Niagara Pavilion
September 1 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
September 3 – Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
September 4 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
September 5 – Kansas City, MO – Providence Medical Center Amphitheater
September 7 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
September 10 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
September 11 – Ridgefield, WA – Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre
September 13 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
September 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
September 17 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion
September 25 – Dallas, TX – Gexa Energy Pavilion
September 27 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
September 29 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
October 1 – Tampa, FL – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater
October 2 – West Palm Beach, FL – Perfect Vodka Amp
October 4 – Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
October 5 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
October 7 – Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
October 8 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
October 9 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
October 11 – El Paso, TX – El Paso County Coliseum
October 12 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheatre
October 14 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay Event Center
October 16 – Chula Vista, CA – Sleep Train Amphitheatre
