Photos by Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish
Rancid returned to the Bay Area August 2 & 3 for a double header finale to their 2013 tour with The Transplants at the Warfield. Celebrating their 20st anniversary as bandmates, the East Bay punks busted out hits from their entire catalogue. A sold out crowd sang along with the boys, belting out lyrics that resonate amongst the attending generations of family members and fans alike.
The stage was filled to the brink with the bands’ entourage of friends, crew and kinfolk. A general pool of love and support, the band dipped into the VIP area throughout their set to pull members into the mix during their performance, and they sent direct dedications out the entire evening. Dancing in the corner, wearing their protective headphones, the Rancid and Transplant children remained visibly doting upon their fathers’ sets, and at times even stole the show along with the hearts of the hometown audience.
Beyond being simply pumped for Rancid’s annual Bay Area mecca, the audience this past weekend were also treated to the return of Tim Armstrong’s side project, The Transplants. The original lineup was present throughout the entire tour, including Skinhead Rob on lead vocals, the incomparable drumming of Travis Barker and Rancid bassist extraordinaire Matt Freeman. With a lineup so intrinsically affiliated, the show felt more like a two-part act than separate bands taking the stage. Providing vocal and musical support throughout each other’s performances, and offering impromptu back up dancing, the two bands truly melded into one full-forced entity, and it inspired more crowd participation.
Treating the back to back shows as a big family reunion, the Warfield was bursting at the seams with love for the local line up this past weekend. A punk rock sing along for the decades, these shows were truly a special experience for the max capacity of hardcore fans in attendance.
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