Phillyist Playlist: Billy Talent, Rancid, Rise Against at Festival Pier

Saturday at Festival Pier up-and-coming Canadians (read: HUGE in Canada, but just starting to get attention in the US and Europe), Billy Talent will be supporting punk veterans, Rancid, and semi-recent mainstream punk-pop crossover, Rise Against. Our first impression of the Canuck's brand new album, Billy Talent III is that it's instrumentally intriguing. There's definitely some nice guitar work and a couple of cool baselines, but unfortunately the lyrics and vocals aren't quite as strong. Luckily, we hear lead singer Ben Kowalewicz delivers an intense, high energy stage performance. And we can't wait to check a hard-hitting live version of single "Rusted from the Rain," a song Kowalewicz describes as having been built upon an "epic Soundgarden-like riff."

While Billy Talent is still building the momentum needed to break through from the indie scene into the world of mainstream radio, Rise Against has succeeded. The straight-edge, veggie munching, animal lovers' (nope, not from West Philly, these guys are out of Chicago) 5th album, Appeal to Reason hit number three on the US Billboard 200. Their singles, "Savior" and "Audience of One" and have gone into regular rotation at radio stations across the country, including Concert Presenter, Philly's own Radio 104.5.

Rancid, too has tasted some radio success over their 18 years in the music industry, but is mostly legend—wait for it—dary thanks to their cult following built over almost two decades worth of touring. In May all of the material off of the newest album, Let The Dominoes Fall was streamed on their Myspace page. It's no longer available there, and we're slackers and missed it, but we have it on good authority that the new stuff is awesome, so we're definitely not going to miss their set on Saturday.

With three seperate punk bands at very different stages in their careers in converging all in one place this weekend, best to come armed with a good strategy for navigating your way through the crowd of aging punks, emo teens, and Canadians sure to be storming the waterfront venue.

Rise Against with Rancid and Billy Talent
Saturday, 7/25/09 7 p.m.
Festival Pier @ Penns Landing
Tickets: $30 GA

Image Credit: Dustin Rabin