Drink. Drank. Punk.

Anti-Flag, a punk band hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania decided to make my day when they announced they were coming back to Vancouver after six and a half years since their last tour. Their current lineup consists of Justin Sane (vocals/guitar), Chris Head (vocals/guitar), Chris #2 (vocals/bass) & Pat Thetic (drums).

Anti-Flag has been a huge part as they had led me into punk rock with the albums "The Terror State" [2003] and "For Blood and Empire" [2006.] They have always been outspoken and progressive in regards to many political issues, including the Bush Administration. Furthermore, they've given their support to Amnesty International, Democracy Now!, Greenpeace, PETA and most recently, the Occupy Movement.

I had the chance to meet Justin Sane prior to the show and the rest of the band really briefly. They are probably the most down-to-earth musicians I've met to date - they don't let the fame get to their heads unlike many larger acts, despite being in the game since 1988. They were super friendly and accommodating the second I walked in the door to ask for my photo pass!

The show in itself was filled with circle pits, chants and moshing. The energy was unreal - the aura that they gave to the ecstatic members of the audience was incomparable to a majority of the previous 40 or so concerts that I've attended. The split-second the first song came on, we had stage-divers left, right and centre. Anti-Flag is one of those bands that reinstate the belief that punk isn't dead - it may appear very different compared to its roots displayed in the 70s but have always maintained a large social presence and aren't afraid to piss people off for their beliefs. I would definitely give them a listen if you're looking for punk rock with melodic elements, have some pent-up angst or simply looking for high-energy music.

Below are the images I had taken at Venue Nightclub on Friday, March 13th; followed by the setlist & gear list.