Tom Morello at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver

Tom Morello kicked off his electric full band tour at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on July 10 & 11 with a show that felt part protest, part family affair, and all rock fury. The Rage Against the Machine guitarist, known for turning distortion into a weapon and solos into statements, wasted no time. Flanked by his Freedom Fighters Orchestra, he kicked things off with “Soldier in the Army of Love” alongside his teenage son Roman, who shredded like a seasoned vet with his guitar above his head and a grin that matched his dad’s.

Before Morello took the stage, Haisla Nation hip hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids set the tone with a set packed with punchy bars, pointed politics, and mosh pit antics. Their last high-profile Vancouver performance was during the Juno Awards celebrations, and they proved once again they can hold a crowd with energy and message.

Morello’s set was a greatest-hits whirlwind. Rage Against the Machine medleys (“Testify,” “Bulls on Parade,” “Bombtrack”) bled into tributes to Audioslave and MC5. But it was the crowd-led scream-along of “Killing in the Name” that blew the roof off.

He closed his set with a cover “Kick Out the Jams” and brought back Snotty Nose Rez Kids on the stage.

Upcoming show dates:
07/16 Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Bluesfest
07/17 Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
10/18 Oakville, ON – Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
10/19 Mississauga, ON – Living Arts Centre
10/24 Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
10/25 Kingston, ON – Kingston Grand Theatre
10/26 Guelph, ON – River Run Centre
10/28 North Bay, ON – Capitol Centre
10/29 Ottawa, ON – Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe
11/01 Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre
11/02 Quebec City, QC – Imperial Bell
More information on his website at tommorello.com.

Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!

TOM MORELLO

SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS

All Photo Credit: Caroline Charruyer