Tonight, the Enmore Theatre plays host to one of rock’s most politically potent figures — Tom Morello. The Grammy-winning guitarist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has carved a singular career through bands like Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and Prophets of Rage, where revolutionary ideas and blistering riffs have long gone hand-in-hand.
Morello’s influence extends beyond music. He’s a committed activist whose output continues to be a megaphone for social justice and workers’ rights, a tradition that runs in the family. His mother, Mary Morello, is a former teacher and founder of Parents for Rock and Rap, she celebrated her 100th birthday in 2023, and remains a fierce advocate against censorship and systemic inequality — values echoed in every chord her son plays.
A lasting memory for me remains a night in Melbourne when Morello joined Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder for a fiery take on AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” That performance felt like lightning in a bottle — but tonight in Sydney, with a crowd bristling with anticipation, it feels like the storm is just beginning.
Opening the evening is BIG NOTER, a brand-new heavy project from Briggs, one of Australia’s most commanding voices. Known for his work in hip-hop and community activism, Briggs now pivots into crushing guitar-driven territory — a move that makes perfect sense for a night loaded with both musical firepower and political weight.
Tom Morello opens his Enmore Theatre set with precision and purpose, launching into “Soldier in the Army of Love” with his signature blend of effects-heavy guitar work and political messaging. The setlist balances original material with well-chosen covers, each delivered with the technical flair and sonic experimentation Morello is known for.
Between songs, Morello speaks—not just of politics and global crises, but of brotherhood and grief. A hush falls over the crowd as he recounts a story about his late friend Chris Cornell, who once vanished for a month before sending a text message (“If you swallow the coin from the wishing well, your dreams will come true in heaven or hell”) that would inspire the haunting “Garden of Gethsemane.” Morello asks for silence before playing it, and somehow, in a room brimming with anticipation, he gets it. It’s a moment of stillness, a rare breath before the storm returns.
Because storm it does. “Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine” bleeds straight into a vicious take on MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams,” the transition seamless, the intent ferocious. Morello’s guitar prowess is on full display—at one point he’s shredding with one hand, then switching up and picking with alternating hands like it’s second nature. In one memorable moment, he flips his guitar over and plays it with his teeth, revealing the Australian Aboriginal flag on its back and earning a wave of cheers from a crowd that knows exactly what that gesture means. Then comes a blitzkrieg medley—“Bombtrack” and “Bulls on Parade”—where the spirit of Rage Against the Machine roars back to life. But it’s his brooding, bone-deep version of Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad” that draws the night’s most fervent response. In 2025, its lyrics hit like prophecy.
Morello announces that he wants to play “an old Indigenous, Aboriginal folk song to finish the night” and launches into “Killing in the Name.” And just when you wonder how this iconic tune could possibly land without Zack de la Rocha’s vocals, Morello flips the script. He turns the mic over to the people, and Sydney answers. They scream. It’s not just a singalong, it’s an exorcism. The roof of the Enmore rattles under the sheer force of collective rage and joy to the primal yell of, “F*ck you I won’t do what you tell me!”
The night closes with Lennon’s “Power to the People,” a rallying cry delivered with six strings and steel resolve. In an age of apathy, Morello remains a firebrand with a conscience—and tonight, Sydney burns brighter for it.
Tom Morello will be playing Bluesfest next – not to be missed.
Images Deb Pelser
