After searching for parking for nearly 20 minutes throughout Echo Park, we finally made it to the Echoplex to experience Tom Morello’s Defend LA, a benefit concert for The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). The show, which sold out in about four minutes from the moment tickets went on sale, was packed with people wearing Rage Against the Machine shirts, keffiyehs, and “F*ck ICE” shirts. There was also no shortage of “LA” shirts.
Los Angeles is a proud city, with a majority of its residents embracing their rich and diverse communities, many of which consist of immigrants from all over the world, particularly from Latin America, including both legal and undocumented individuals. We take care of our own, and when authorities violently and unconstitutionally come for them, we’re going to show up. From the numerous protests for immigrant rights in downtown Los Angeles to the massive No Kings protests that took place not only in various cities across Los Angeles County but also throughout the entire USA, it is clear that the people support immigrant rights and are rising up against all oppression at the hands of/and funded by the U.S.
And while this was a benefit concert, it also created a safe space for those who wanted to express their dismay with our current government and leadership. Let’s just say, from the floor to the stage, there was plenty of “F*ck ICE” and “F*ck Donald Trump” chants.
Sadly, we missed the opening act, The Neighborhood Kids. After spending a good 20 minutes looking for parking and then another 5 to 10 minutes walking to the Echoplex after finally finding a spot, we all walked in to the sound of The Neighborhood Kids’ last song.
Artist and DJ Shepard Fairey was laying down everything from Minor Threat to A Tribe Called Quest. Hearing songs like The Clash’s “Guns of Brixton” and Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown” took me back to my high school and college years when I was an angsty youngin who was anti-establishment and didn’t align with either party. Fast forward 20 years, through various presidencies, wars, HOPE, and human and civil rights atrocities, and I’m finding myself aligning with that young adult once again. Those feelings against a very unfair world led by corrupt leaders, fueled by billionaires and corporations, were valid then, and they’re more than valid now.
Next on stage, K. Flay turnt shit up with her high octane set. Middle fingers were swaying above heads as she bounced around the stage yelling, “Let me see all those middle fingers in the sky, f*ck ICE, f*ck Donald Trump, f*ck facism, f*ck racism, f*ck homophobia, fuck all these tools of dissension, we will not stand for it …” middle fingers up till the reaper shows up!”
The last time I saw K.Flay perform was in 2019 at the Women Who Rock Event. This was before the hearing loss she experienced in 2022, and let me tell you, her vocals and energy were next level at Defend LA at the Echoplex. You would have never known about her hearing loss, because her stellar performance spoke otherwise. And by the way, the girl can legit flow live! Her cadence and clarity as she spat venom against the establishment was impeccable.
In between sets, comedian and actor George Lopez showed up looking like someone’s elderly Tia with long grey hair. When Defend LA was first announced with Lopez on the bill as the evening‘s host, there was much pushback from fans considering Lopez’s past public scandals. But it appears he has made amends and is a changed man. At Defend LA, Lopez was welcomed by lots of laughs in between fiery sets. There was a lot of “f*ck that puto” in reference to Donald Trump, and the crowd could not have agreed more.
“Right now there’s more people here than Donald Trump’s birthday party, said Lopez.” “F*ck that puto.”
As soon as B-Real hit the stage, the room started to smell like my college dorm room, where there were bong tokes aplenty. It was all ACAB from the jump with B-Real opening his set with a two-punch combo.
“I’m gonna take two f*ck the police songs and make them one,” said B-Real. “F*ck the pigs.”
DJ C-Minus laid down the beats for KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police” as B-Real rapped the lyrics to “Pigs” off Cypress Hill’s self-titled debut album (1991). And you best believe during “Dr. Greenthumb,” the plumes geysered up above the crowd like Old Faithful on a good day. B-Real got the crowd dancing, and I was more than happy to join with my elbows up, side-to-side.
As Defend LA’s main event, the legendary guitar, God, and all-around good f*cking human, Tom Morello took to the stage. While many fans had high hopes for some sort of Rage Against the Machine reunion, hearing Morello speak and lead us through his own protest songs, as well as many Rage Against the Machine tracks where he obliterated his guitar solos, was quite cathartic. And while we did not get a Rage Against the Machine reunion, we did get a guitar mashup of various Rage songs like “Testify,” “Take the Power Back,” “Freedom,” “Bombtrack,” Know Your Enemy,” and more. Many fans sang in the absence of Zack de la Rocha’s vocals, while others jumped with their fists in the air or played the air guitar, wishing they could have a smidgen of Morello’s skills.
Morello is not only a legendary guitarist but also a wonderful speaker and activist. He really honed in on the importance of these protests and speaking up for all oppressed people.
Like a preacher spreading the gospel, Morello’s voice fired us up. “Los Angeles, California, are you ready to defend LA”?
The crowd’s thirsty roar was a “yes.”
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In a heartfelt performance, Morello performed “Like A Stone” as a tribute to his dear friend and Audioslave bandmate, Chris Cornell. His signature guitar solo, complete with all those pedal effects, provided a welcome release, allowing us to get lost in the sounds.
Throughout his set, Morello performed songs from his own catalog as well as Rage Against the Machine, and even Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” with various Defend LA performers.
As the evening neared its close, the crowd reveled in more protest bliss with “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine. Fans were fired up as B-Real called on them to sing. And of course, they knew every word (not just the chorus), singing with such passion as though they were de la Rocha.
The show wrapped with an inspiring performance of John Lennon’s “Power to the People.” Morello was joined by The Neighborhood Kids, Pussy Riot, K.Flay, and B-Real. It was a meaningful send-off as we retreated from the Echoplex, invigorated and ready to buy those bootleg “Rage Against the Machine Ice Out of LA” shirts, with the iconic spray-painted artwork and all, a play off the band’s Battle for Los Angeles album.
Our community needed this night. It was a necessary release and break for joy. Even with hard skin, we hurt. Hearing songs of resistance against systemic oppression and protest led by artists we love and admire was a much-needed boost to keep fighting the good fight.
“Every act of ART right now is an act of RESISTANCE. Every TRUTH spoken is a beacon of LIGHT in the gathering darkness. And every SONG sung is a trumpet of HOPE to future generations who will undo this madness.” ~ Tom Morello
Photography: Bryan Olinger
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