Category: Riot Fest

How strong is Riot Fest 2023’s lineup?  Spoiler alert.  It’s very strong.  Very.  Should we make a return to Douglass Park?  Stay tuned.

I know I’ve never seen a RiotFest lineup I didn’t like.  Where I couldn’t find some reason.  Last year’s lineup on the surface was the weakest we’ve seen, and I had a blast; maybe my favorite.

This one is top heavy.  Three headliners that will be hard to pass up.  Two of them are must sees.  The Foos and The Cure.  Can’t miss them. 

The Cure?  Saw them in early 90s at the Cap Centre and was disappointed.  They were the happy Cure and I wanted the sad cure.  Well they’ve been touring again and have been doing 3 hour shows with amazing set lists.  This won’t be three hours but they are on top of their game right now and as sad and mopey as ever.  I think I need to see them fresh.

And I don’t need to explain why Foos are a must see.  I have to say I was late to their “live” fandom.  And seeing them at Lolla in 21 was amazing.  I think all of you have seen them before so this is redundant.  But after the year they had last year they are a must see.  And will need to be up close in case Dave calls me up to play guitar.

And Death Cab.  They still owe Kyle and I from before the pandemic.  Shoot, they caused the pandemic.  Wuhan Lab?  No it was Death Cab that unleashed COVID-19.  Plus the Postal Service…which is just better Death Cab.  It would take a Frank or Aimee aftershow to chase us out on Saturday.

That’s a challenge with this lineup.  The aftershows may not happen.  Because leaving early doesn’t look likely.  Which also puts us in the throngs trying to get out at 10pm.  Tough first world problem for sure.  The headliners are so good we’d have to stay.

Another challenge is that it’s gonna bring in a different crowd for the Foos.  Probably a bunch of people that look a lot like us.  And for the Cure on Sunday?  Another different crowd.  Probably a lot of people our age, but just dressed a lot differently than us.

The rest of the lineup?  Pretty stacked.  I have never seen a better line on a festival poster than line four on this one….Interrupters, Flogging Molly, Frank, Pennywise.  If you haven’t seen Flogging Molly, they will impress.  They were Dropkick before Dropkick.  Not as much punk, but a little more Ireland.

We have classic punk, a al our GBH show in 2017, with The Exploited and Gorilla Biscuits.  We have nineties alternative with The Breeders and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth).

There’re punk supergroups; LS Dunes (Circa Survive, My Chem, and Coheed and Cambia), Fake Names (Refused, Minor Threat, and Bad Religion), and Plosivs (Hot Snakes, Offspring, Social D).    We’ve seen some great supergroups before. The Damned Things. Drakulas. You’re welcome.

And when will you ever be in a position to see George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic again?

“Classic” pop punk with AFI, Bowling for Soup, The Used, H2O, and the previously mentioned Pennywise.

Newer punk with PUP (remember we missed them in ‘21 since they were in the Catfish and the Bottlemen 12 noon slot on a Friday), The Bronx, Bayside, White Reaper, Nothing (remember they opened for Janes at our roofie show at the Metro).

While we’re missing GWAR*, they threw us Insane Clown Posse.  So we have costumes and make up and wild stage shows.  Shoot, it may be worth it just to see the Juggalos (the name of ICP’s fans who dress up).   RiotFest always throws us the spectacles of bands.  Plus Corey Feldman?  Think he’ll bring Corey Haim? Or Corey Hart?

And there’s even some great girlie pop with Ani Difranco and Tegan and Sara.  Where else will you ever see a lineup with Ani Difranco, Insane Clown Posse, and Pfunk.

And while I don’t like Queens of the Stoneage, rumors are that Dave Grohl will be playing drums for them.  He was a brief member of the band and recorded one album with them plus was in Them Crooked Vultures with Josh Homme.  

Speaking of Dave and drums and Joshes, latest rumors have Josh Freese taking over drums for Foo Fighters.  We saw him play with Devo and he was recently in the Offspring.  He’s amazing.

*And for rumors, word on the street is GWAR will be a late add to RF23.  I guess they have an August show in Chicago and they don’t want to be announced until that show is over to not affect the August ticket sales.  We’ll see.  RiotFest has done the wave #2 thing before and added bands late.  Though they are already at 90 bands which is about their capacity.  Would love to see Propagandhi added too.  They were a strong presence in the lineup teasers that Riot Fest dropped last week hint videos and were noticeably absent..

As this is the 10th year of our festival going, this feels like a celebration of many of those.  We have two Surf City Blitz bands.  We have Frank, Postal Service, and AFI from Coachella #2.  We have Foos from Familypalooza ‘21.  Death Cab paying Kyle and I back for Innings Festival March 2020.  And Nothing is back to remind us why we couldn’t remember them from the roofie night at Lolla.

Anyway, I’m in if anyone else is an wants to go Deluxe.

Oh, and one more thing….Riot Pop.