Rage Against The Machine Plays First Public Performance On This Date In 1991

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the first public performance from Rage Against The Machine. On October 23, 1991 Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk came together for a set at The Quad of California State University in Northridge, California.

Nearly an hour’s worth of fan-shot footage from the quartet’s live debut circulates and contains early versions of a number of songs that would appear on the band’s self-titled debut album a year later. The set starts with an instrumental take on “Killing In The Name” before the politically-charged band launches into “Take The Power Back.” Rage Against The Machine’s first ever set also includes a cover of “Clampdown” by The Clash and ends with a powerful version of “Freedom.”

Rage Against The Machine wound up releasing four studio albums between 1992 and 2000. De la Rocha left the group in 2000 and the remaining members went on to form Audioslave with Chris Cornell. The band reunited in 2007 and played a number of shows through 2010. Rage performed a set at L.A. Rising in 2011 which currently stands as the quartet’s final concert.

Watch fan-shot footage from the first RATM show: