Tom Morello and Friends perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 14, 2025.
“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me,” is what Tom Morello had to say to anyone trying to enforce a curfew on his Nov. 13 performance at The Vic Theatre in Chicago.
The legendary Rage Against the Machine guitarist, who grew-up in Libertyville, IL, treated the hometown crowd to an epic setlist that featured encore after encore after encore. Along with the above quoted RATM hit “Killing in the Name” – during which the audience handled vocal duties – Morello and Friends closed-out the show with venue-wide sing-alongs of John Lennon’s inspiring protest song “Power to the People” and the KISS classic “Rock and Roll All Nite.”
“Welcome to the last big event before they throw us all in jail,” Morello exclaimed at the top of the show to a sea of cheering fans.
The entire evening felt like a punk-powered party to protest the unconscionable acts occurring in America on a daily basis. And, as Morello pointed out early in his set, every effective revolution needs a great soundtrack.
“Brothers and sisters, it is a historical fact that there is never been a successful social movement in the United States of America that does not have a great soundtrack,” said Morello before noting a few choice examples. “’We Shall Overcome’ steeled the resolve of the Freedom Riders of the civil rights movement. Jimi Hendrix’s, ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ channeled the moral cacophony of the Vietnam War-era through a Marshall Stack.”
Of course, he ended by mentioning how Rage Against the Machine’s songs can still be heard playing in the streets of Chicago – where currently ICE raids are terrorizing communities – before shredding a medley that included “Testify” “Freedom” and more RATM hits. “Hold the Line,” “Soldier in the Army of Love,” and “Pretend You Remember Me” were among Morello’s solo songs that connected with the sold-out crowd.
Fans enjoy as Tom Morello and Friends perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 14, 2025.
The evening was billed as “Tom Morello and Friends” and along with his talented backing band, several special guests including Ike Reilly – who was on hand for a rousing rendition of “This Land Is Your Land” – and Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath – who sang lead vocals on “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and “Kick Out the Jams” – were also on hand. Jakeim Hart and Billy Rude, two of the cast members of the Goodman Theatre’s production Revolution(s) – which features music by Morello and runs through Nov. 22 – also stepped into the spotlight to perform “The War Inside.”
A second Rage Against the Machine instrumental medley, featuring “Bombtrack,” “Sleep Now in the Fire,” “Bulls on Parade,” and more, was another highlight especially as it’s conclusion of the Audioslave hit “Cochise” led into a beautiful tribute to Morello’s former bandmate, the late Chris Cornell. An empty mic stand was placed at center stage in honor of the consummate vocalist as the band played “Like a Stone.” Earlier in the evening, you could hear a pin drop when Morello performed a touching, acoustic version of “The Garden of Gethsemane,” which was written with Cornell in mind.
Tom Morello and Friends perform at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 14, 2025.
Morello might have set out to start a “One Man Revolution,” but by the time the night came to a close, he found himself with a legion of like-minded revolutionaries ready to fight the powers that be at every turn.
“This is not a time to be comfortable. But we can take comfort in that decision to be counted among those who care,” he said earlier in the set. “We are living in a time where ideas are a crime, where lifestyles are a crime, where skin color is a crime. And so by entering this hall tonight, I, Tom Morello, officially deputize each and every member of this congregation as anti-fascist crime-fighters.”
Let’s fucking go!
Check out photos of Tom Morello and Friends, along with the evening’s opener The Neighborhood Kids, below and click here to pick-up tickets to future tour dates. More information can be found at Tommorello.com.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
