Rise Against Drop New Singles Ahead of Fall Tour Starting Sept 22
Vocalist Tim McIlrath discusses the songs' themes of power, secrecy, and recording at The Blasting Room.
RISE AGAINST released two new singles, KATY BAR THE DOOR and LIVING UNDERCOVER, the Chicago punk band announced. The songs arrive as the group prepares to launch a headlining North American tour with support from ALKALINE TRIO, set to kick off September 22 in Dallas at South Side Ballroom before visiting cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco.
These two new releases embody their original spirit of rebellion that they have held over a quarter century.
'Katy Bar The Door' takes its name from an old expression meaning trouble is coming and that all hell is about to break loose. 'I don't know where I came across this expression, but I immediately was taken with it,' says vocalist Tim McIlrath. 'While an obscure reference now... I liked the idea of resurrecting it for this song, and that it sort of fits what it feels like to be alive in 2026.'
The track was written in the aftermath of some of the most violent ICE raids in Minneapolis, and McIlrath sees it as part of a longer historical reckoning with abuses of power. 'This is not the first time in history we have reckoned with abuses of power,' McIlrath says. 'Bearing witness to the fragility of democracy is a scary thing, and it demands a response.'
The band describes 'Living Undercover' as a song about the things we hide in plain sight. 'Sometimes it's because we're building something beautiful behind the curtain, other times we're hiding some kind of darkness,' McIlrath adds. 'I like the cloak and dagger feel of the song that ties into its central theme.'
Both 'Katy Bar The Door' and 'Living Undercover' were recorded at The Blasting Room, a longtime home base for the band. 'The studio there is a home away from home, and we know those rooms like the back of our hands,' McIlrath adds. 'It'd been a while since we worked at the studio, and it was good to be under their roof again.'
These releases come just after the band announced its headlining tour dates in the fall across the U.S. with support from Alkaline Trio. They will kick off the tour in Dallas, TX on September 22nd at South Side Ballroom and will be visiting cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and more. In the meantime, the band is currently on tour in the UK supporting Jimmy Eat World.
A full list of tour dates can be found below, and all tickets are available to purchase at https://riseagainst.com/tour
RISE AGAINST TOUR DATES 2026 w/ Alkaline Trio
September 22 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
September 23 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
September 27 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
September 30 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17
October 3 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
October 4 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
October 6 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory
October 7 – Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
October 9 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah's Stir Cove
October 10 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave / Eagles Club
October 12 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
October 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
October 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center
October 17 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort
October 18 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
October 20 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
October 22 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
October 23 – Irvine, CA – Great Park Live
Both tracks were recorded at The Blasting Room, a studio the band has used throughout its career. RISE AGAINST is currently touring the UK in support of JIMMY EAT WORLD ahead of the U.S. dates.
Photo Credit: Mynxii White
Photo Credit: Mynxii White
