Serj Tankian& The Nightwatchman Entertainment Art The Vic Chicago, Ill. October 12, 2007

Serj along with Tom Morello, his fellow co-founder of the nonprofit organization Axis of Justice, picked Chicago’s intimate Vic Theater for the tour opener. “The United States with a peace sign is my fuck’n dream”, Serj confesses looking more like the ring master in his white hat and suit after someone throwing a flag onto the stage.

Anyone who is familiar with the voice of SOAD is well versed to his unique vocal styling rhythm. Tonight the audience welcomed his new material and reacted surprisingly well to a set list that included 99 percent of new material, material that was still weeks away from being released. Serj opened with “The Unthinking Majority” the second track off his first solo album entitled, Elect the Dead and started a mood that continued through the brief set.

Tonight Serj surprised the crowd taking turns picking up the guitar for new tracks like “Saving Us” and “Baby” and even taking a seat on the surprising instrument on the stage, piano. Serj proved tonight he is the man in control of this new musical outing unlike the last few SOAD albums where SOAD guitarist, Daron Malakian, had dominated much of the vocal duties.

Serj has started on a path not far removed from his previous work with SOAD. Yet unique enough to prove himself with his own haunting melodies covered in personal and political themes to help in finding his own voice. The audience reacted by making the Vic into a full fledge mosh pit and kept security busy. You felt the Dead Kennedy’s cover build as Serj introduced the band known as The FCC (“Flying Cunts of Chaos”) before “Holiday in Cambodia” was finally let loose. The song delivered a similar reaction when he performed it with the Foo Fighter’s at the VMA’s just a few weeks before in a Vegas “fantasy suite,” at the Palms.

Last year SOAD confirmed the band was going into hiatus and this album continues to display their murky future. Tonight Serj decided to stick with the new material and offer us no SOAD nuggets, yet you didn’t walk away feeling cheated. If you end up missing his first leg never fear, Serj and The FCC are set to go on the road with the Foo Fighters.

Much like the days when Rage Against the Machine passed through Chicago, Tom Morello’s Mother walked onto the sparse stage to introduce her son. But instead of the guitar god, The Nightwatchman, Morello’s alter-ego appeared out of the shadows to engage us with his power to the people collection of tunes. Morello has successfully found the delicate balance between rock guitar god (that he is known for) and his common man persona that he so obviously believes in.

This is at least the 3rd time this year The Nightwatchman has passed through Chicago and the crowd was obviously more prepared and ready for the new persona. “I’m going to buy most of the merch because I’ve been bad”, Morello confesses after announcing that the bulk of the money was going to go to a variety of Chicago area charities.

Who knew Morello could be so engaging without all of those foot pedals and flashy electric guitar sounds. Yet Morello has successfully crossed over as the new Woody Guthrie of our era. A new revolutionary for the blue collar is well over due indeed. Much like his previous performances, The Nightwatchman performed much of his solo album along with a bombastic, bare bones acoustic rendition of the Rage track “Guerrilla Radio.”

Morello closed the night with the Woody Guthrie sing along folk song “This Land is Your Land” complete with the uncensored verse. A song, that was a response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” Morello educates us on the more political slant that Guthrie original had intended and is a perfect closure to a wonderful set.

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