Ramfest 2013 Durban Review

Finally! The 15^th of March was here... and that meant only one thing: Ramfest 2013 Durban! Thanks to Running Wolf’s Rant, my younger brother Mitchell and I were given the opportunity to see one of our favourite bands, Rise Against, live for the first time. After weeks of excitedly waiting, we arrived at the Wavehouse with some time to spare before the first act, Durban punks Lowprofile. 

Equipped with VIP passes, we settled into the occasion in style. After making ourselves comfortable, we made our way towards the stage to see our locals boys make us proud. Lowprofile played a really great set and despite the fact that many people had not yet arrived at the venue, they really entertained those who were there. Later we got to hang with the band and they proved to be just as cool offstage as on. Then it was time for Pestroy who were also really solid on the night. Like Lowprofile, they graciously took the time after their set to talk to the fans and give autographs.

The stage was then set for the international acts to make their appearances. Bring Me the Horizon was first and what a blistering set it was. Opening with new song “Shadow Moses,” the crowd went absolutely wild and it wasn’t long before the mosh pit was in full motion. This was followed by fan-favourite “Chelsea Smile” and a few numbers from their 2010 album, There Is A Hell..., before they moved on to some of their more atmospheric and textural numbers. Any thoughts of the band slowing down were quickly dismissed with closer “Anti-Vist,” a song from upcoming album Sempiternal. Heavy and aggressive was the order of the day, underlined by the wall-of-death that took place in the moshpit during the song’s breakdown. 

After Bring Me the Horizon it was time to recover and rehydrate before the almighty Rise Against took the stage. As expected, they were simply phenomenal. Playing songs from all six of their studio albums, there were many highlights to choose from but special mention must be given to “Prayer for a Refugee,” the acoustic encore featuring “Hero of War” and “Swing Life Away,” and the final song “Savior” which was the perfect ending to the show. It was easy to see that the band was genuinely humbled by the response to their shows in South Africa thus far, and this was made clear by vocalist Tim McIlrath when he told the crowd, “It’s taken us twelve years to get here [South Africa] but I can assure you it won’t be another twelve years before we come back.”

All in all, Ramfest 2013 was a simply unforgettable experience. The crowd turnout was really positive and all the bands, local and international, really seemed to enjoy their time onstage. Let’s hope that the 2014 edition is even better!