Finally, after over a decade away, Rage Against The Machine played their first reunion show, on July 9 in East Troy, Wisconsin. Unsurprisingly, they got political, specifically about the Supreme Court and the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade.
As the band performed a medley of “Freedom” and “Township Rebellion” towards the end of their set, a message on the screen behind them read:
“Forced birth in a country with no universal healthcare and where the cost of giving birth is $4,000 to $15,000.
Forced birth in a country that is the only wealthy country in the world without any guaranteed paid parental leave at the national level.
Forced birth in a country where Black birth-givers experience maternal mortality two to three times higher than that of white birth-givers.
Forced birth in a country where gun violence is the number one cause of death among children and teenagers.
ABORT THE SUPREME COURT.”
Back in May, the band shared a statement that read, “Rage Against The Machine stands in support of reproductive justice and will continue to fight against any attempts to restrict or control reproductive freedoms. Criminalizing access to abortion will only add to the suffering disproportionately felt by poor, BIPOC and undocumented communities. The constant rightward shift of both major parties should alarm us all — a wake up call that we desperately need to organize radical people power against a warfare state that continues its assault on people’s lives.”
Check out the full concert below, with the on-screen massage starting at 1:14:28 into the video.