Brought back to Europe by the Facebook campaign that saw their 1992 hit 'Killing In The Name' reach No. 1 in the UK, and No. 2 in Ireland at Christmas last year, Rage Against The Machine start their set with 'Testify', instantly transforming the O2 arena's standing area into an overwhelming, buoyant mass of bodies.
The band have lost none of their aggressive, politicised energy in the few years since we saw them last. At 40, frontman Zack de la Rocha is as wiry and iconic a presence as ever, leaping across the stage, lecturing the crowd on the world economic crisis and his disgust at the Israeli blockade of aid to Palestine before 'Township Rebellion', and dragging guitarist Tom Morello across the stage at one point to get the "too cool for school" crowd seated stage right – while everyone else in the building was on their feet – to "stand the fuck up!"
The relentlessly energetic set saw the American rap-metal giants run through other hits such as 'Bulls On Parade', 'Bullet In The Head', 'Know Your Enemy', and an unexpected cover of The Clash's 'White Riot', dedicated to Joe Strummer, who the band credited as an inspiration to them. 'Killing In The Name' was saved until last, the second song of a two-song encore, and caused a crowd reaction so riotous that from above the standing area looked like a scene from Dante's Inferno.
RATM have always been like an impenetrable gang, not least when, at the end of their encore, the four of them linked arms at the front of the stage and looked out at their audience, seeming thrilled and a little shocked by just how well the show had gone down.