A couple of non-Riot Fest bands have been added as opening acts to our aftershows at the Cobra Lounge. Both are interesting. If we like them, likely we’ll have to cut out before the headliner is finished to catch the opener (Slayer on Saturday and Bikini Kill on Sunday). We’ve had some great surprises with aftershows and openers. Potty Mouth and Slaves. ‘Nuff said. No opener has been announced for the Femmes on Friday night yet.
Editor’s note, The Garden has just been added as the opener for Violent Femmes. They play early on Friday so opening for the Femmes might be the best shot we have to see them. They are previewed here with a brief description and a few videos (some from this year’s Coachella). Definitely interesting.
Opening for Hot Snakes on Saturday is Des Demonas. They’re from DC and most of the band has been playing in and around DC in various bands for a while. Plus they’re signed to Dischord Records, the label of Minor Threat’s and Fugazi’s Ian MacKaye, which tells me they are legit. I can’t find any videos with great audio quality, so you may need to check them out on my BullChip Riot Fest Aftershows playlist. But I do love the video of them playing in what looks like a diner all squeezed into a corner next to some booths.
Opening for Teenage Bottlerocket is Melbourne, Australia’s Clowns. They’re punk. They play fast and they scream. I’m not sure if I like the screaming (as if that’s not exactly what I would do I had ever been in a band), but I sure like the energy. Their latest album seems a lot less screaming (on the BullChip Riot Fest Aftershows playlist, too). Like the street cred that Des Demonas gets with Dischord Records, Clowns are on NOFX’s Fat Wreck Records. That’s cool.