Rage Against the Machine has been absent from the music industry for seven years. Blacklisted for that terrible covers album they released that is played in Hooters kitchens all across the United States. They reunited at the Coachella festival over the weekend and closed the show last night (April 29).

They used the same backdrop they archived from their last tour, a simple black sheet with a red star on it. Suspiciously absent was the overly political tirades. Zach de la Rocha started the set with a simple introduction "Good evening, we're Rage Against the Machine from Los Angeles, California."

They didn't even need that introduction, the band has been sorely missed in the last seven years. Audioslave failed to capture the raw energy and emotion that the previous three members (Brad Wilk, Tim C, and Tom Morello) had in Rage Against the Machine. Even when Chris Cornell sang Rage songs, it just sounded polished and heartless rather than gritty, dirty, and emotional.

The only anti-Bush speech came during the last song of the main set, "Wake Up". "Our current administration needs to be tried, hung, and shot. We need to treat them like the war criminals they are." I think Ted Nugent would have something to say about that.

Rage Against the Machine setlist:

Testify
Bulls On Parade
People of the Sun
Bombtrack
Bullet in the Head
Down Rodeo
Guerrilla Radio
Renegades of Funk (Afrika Bambaataa cover)
Calm Like a Bomb
Sleep Now in the Fire
Wake Up
-Encore-
Freedom
Killing in the Name

Pictures of the event can be seen here: Wire Image, Film Magic.