August 21, 1997. Rage Against the Machine played Great Woods in Mansfield with the Wu-Tang Clan and it was the most beautiful mayhem.
Since Boston Calling isn’t happening this year, we’ve been revisiting the best-ever Boston moments from the headliners as part of our Boston Calling at Home Weekend. And when it comes to Rage Against the Machine, that Great Woods set in the summer of ’97 is the pinnacle.
I wasn’t at the show, but I was able to dig up this blow-by-blow account of Zack de la Rocha’s ankle injury almost causing the band to cancel, the Wu-Tang Clan pulling a no-show because they assumed the show was cancelled, and Rage finally taking the stage way past curfew.
Check out the setlist below, and listen all Memorial Day weekend for blocks of Rage, Foo, and Chili Peppers as part of our Boston Calling at Home Weekend.