Anti-flag recently announced their guest-packed concept album Lies they tell our children and released the lead single “LAUGH. CRY. SMILE. DIE.” (ft. Shane Told of Silverstein) (which we named one of the best punk songs of July), and now they’ve shared the one that contains rise up against singer Tim McIlrath and Bad Religion / Minor Threat / Dag Nasty guitarist Brian Baker. Like the latest single, it’s exactly the kind of catchy, raised fist, social justice punk anthem that Anti-Flag has excelled at for 25 years, and the bridge sung by Tim McIlrath is a really nice touch. Here’s what the band has to say:
For us, this song is a unique demonstration of the power of community. Bringing in Tim and Brian was just to drive home the point that this shit gets to us all. The preaching of punk rock, leaving things better than you found them, giving a damn about more than yourself… The planet can’t spare one more day before we take massive action to stop a catastrophic disaster from happening. human origin. Nuclear arsenals are on the increase. Millions of people are displaced around the world. From Ukraine to Yemen, there are currently 27 major conflicts on the planet. Corporate and terrorist networks are reaping huge profits from the ongoing bloodshed and division.
A growing international neo-fascist crusade is spreading across the globe, determined to advance a movement rooted in racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and every other form of bigotry imaginable. Extremist religious movements are emboldened to take power over the governments of the world by enacting laws such as the Supreme Court of the United States, where the human right to abortion is prohibited.
We are truly in the fight of our lives. It’s time to stand up and be counted. We are at a historic turning point in human civilization where we can swing towards peace, empathy, optimism, justice and human rights for all, or we can swing towards more of this disturbing rising tide that has already brought so much inequality, pain and death.
Like the last single, the video was produced by INDECLINE Activist Art Collective. Find out and check out AF’s upcoming tour dates below.
Rise Against is also on tour, and Brian Baker’s band Beach Rats just released their debut album last month.
Anti-Flag – 2022 Tour Dates
9/16—Burlington, VT—Higher Ground (with Brendan Kelly, Mint Green)
9/17—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall—ANTIfest (early show) with Mint Green*
9/17—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall—ANTIfest (Late Show) With Brendan Kelly*
9/18—Hamden, CT—Space Ballroom (With Brendan Kelly, Mint Green)
9/23—Birmingham, AL—Furnace Fest—Sloss Ovens*
09/24—Charleston, SC—Music Farm (With Doll Skin, Teens in Trouble)
9/25—Louisville, KY@ Louder Than Life Festival—Highland Festival Grounds—KY Expo Center*
9/30—Washington, DC—Black Cat (With Suicide Machines, Catbite, Celebration Summer)
10/1—Pittsburgh, PA—Roxian Theater—ANTIfest (With Four Year Strong, Microwave, Catbite, Dissident)*
10/6—Boise, ID—The Shredder (With Bad Cop / Bad Cop, The Last Gang)
7/10—Seattle, WA—El Corazon (with Bad Cop / Bad Cop, The Last Gang)
8/10—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom—ANTIfest (with Good Riddance, Bad Cop/ Bad Cop, The Last Gang, The Macks)*
10/13—Richmond, Va.—Canal Club
10/14—Virginia Beach, Virginia—Elevation 27
10/15—Sayreville, NJ—Starland Ballroom—ANTIfest (With Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Anti-Flag, Surfboart, The Black Tones, Catbite)*
10/29—Gainesville, FL—FEST 20—Bo Diddly Plaza*
10/30—Gainesville, FL—FEST 20—Bo Diddly Plaza*
4/11—Chicago, IL—The Metro—ANTIfest (Featuring We Are The Union, Suicide Machines, Gully Boys, Blind Adam and the Federal League)*
5/11—Detroit, MI—The Sanctuary (We’re Union, Blind Adam, and the Federal League)
6/11—Silverado, CA—Punk In The Park—Oak Canyon Park*
12/4—Phoenix, AZ—Crescent Ballroom (Doll Skin and With We Are Union)
9/12—Buffalo, NY—Recreation Hall (with Cancer Bats and Plasmid)
10/12—Toronto, ON—Danforth Music Hall—ANTIfest (With Cancer Bats, Dilly Dally, Dead Fated, Indian Giver)*
*DATE OF THE FESTIVAL
WITH VULGAR MACHINES AND MUDIE:
12/11—Sherbrooke, QC—Granada Theater
11/13—Quebec City, QC—Imperial Bell
11/15—Joliette, QC—Roland-Brunelle Room
11/16—City of Saguenay, QC—Palais Municipal Theater
11/18—Trois-Rivières, QC—Cogeco Amphitheater Cabaret
11/19—Montreal, QC—MTELUS
