The iconic Chicago punk rock quartet, Rise Against, released two new singles, ‘Katy Bar The Door’ and ‘Living Undercover’. 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 they announced their 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.
Upcoming tour dates with Alkaline Trio:
September 22nd – South Side Ballroom – Dallas, TX
September 23rd – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park – Austin, TX
September 27th – Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC
September 30th – The Rooftop at Pier 17 – New York, NY
October 3rd – Stone Pony Summer Stage – Asbury Park, NJ
October 4th – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA
October 6th – The Factory – St. Louis, MO
October 7th – Vibrant Music Hall – Waukee, IA
October 9th – Harrah’s Stir Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
October 10th – The Rave / Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI
October 12th – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
October 14th – Arizona Financial Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
October 15th – Revel Entertainment Center – Albuquerque, NM
October 17th – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort – Las Vegas, NV
October 18th – The Union Event Center – Salt Lake City, UT
October 20th – WAMU Theater – Seattle, WA
October 22nd – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
October 23rd – Great Park Live – Irvine, CA