Musings…observations from the fourth line on the festival lineup poster

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Riot Fest 2021 Preview – Fishbone, Living Colour, and Hepcat

Fishbone – Friday

Legends.  Saw them a ton in late 80s and early 90s DC.  Freaking crazy spastic shows.  Their debut EP is one of my favorites…every song hits.  But, we saw them in 2017 at Riot Fest and they weren’t that good.  One thing, they were doing a full album play of Truth and Soul.  And I know Riot Fest loves their full album plays but even the best albums have dead spots.  And after the first two songs of the set (Ma and Pa and Freddy’s Dead) the air went out of the show.  Plus that lineup had a couple of fillers.  In 2018, the entire classic lineup (except one) reunited for the first time since the 90s.  Most notably trombonist Chris Dowd.  I got lucky to see this lineup at a super small venue with like 50 people in Scottsdale.  It had to be one of those trial shows they were doing to test out the band chemistry.  And they freaking killed.  I hope we get them back.  Would be a great addition to the aftershow schedule in a small place again.  Punk, Ska, Funk, Metal, Reggae, Soul all in one big ass cool as shit blender.

Living Colour – Friday

Really don’t need an intro for our generation.  Still have Vernon Reid on guitar and Corey Glover (sans Body Glove wetsuit) on vocals.  Listen to Cult of Personality and put it in today’s world.  Like Ozzy, these guys were years ahead with songwriting.  Actually kinda sad this is still as relevant as ever.  Memories Can’t Wait is a cover of Talking Heads, btw. 

Hepcat – Saturday

We became fans of them in the mid-nineties when they signed on Epitaph’s Hellcat label.  That was immediate street cred.  Plus they ended up at one of the many Warped Tours we went to.  Kinda ska, but not the goofy 90’s ska of the time.  More jazz-eque and cool kinda like the 2Tone bands of the late 70s.  I remember their singer was in the movie Swingers.  They disappeared from my radar for a long time.  Turns out they had a couple of tragedies in the lineup.  But it would be cool to see them again.  In a small setting.  Would be a great aftershow or sidestage.  Not sure they be able to carry a large stage.

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Riot Fest 2021 Preview – Dropkick Murphys, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Rancid

This week’s need no introduction.  Two from Boston, two that are touring together, one with bagpipes, one with a singer who works for Jimmy Kimmel, and one of our Surf City Blitz favorites.  Plus one has a new song about a member of The Clash stealing pudding from a former member of Flogging Molly. Really. All on Saturday which sets it up for an epic day or a cluster of conflicts…can we get the Cock Sparrer-Pennywise-Rancid run on the Rise Stage from ’19, or do we get the Rancid v Descendents inexcuseable conflict from ’19?

Dropkick Murphys – Saturday

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Saturday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTZ3MMBCAgE

Rancid – Saturday

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Riot Fest 2021 Preview – Sublime with Rome, Dirty Heads, and Gogol Bordello

Sublime with Rome – Friday

You probably know the story.  Sublime, one of the most popular of the nineties third wave of ska and punk disband after their singer, Brad Nowell, dies.  They form Long Beach Dub Allstars.  Then they reform Sublime with a new singer and get sued by the estate of Brad Nowell and rename themselves.  The drummer leaves and they are left with just the original bassist.  But they are good.  And in some ways a totally different band than Sublime.  But they still pay homage to the Sublime catalog.  So get ready for Santeria and What I Got.  Oh, and they’re tight with Dirty Heads.

Dirty Heads – Saturday

Could be the antidote after getting aggro in the pit.  They came up in Orange County about the same time as many of our punk friends, like Offspring.  But they took the reggae/ska route. 

Gogol Bordello – Saturday

Not sure how to describe them; they really have to be experienced.  Claim to be from NYC but they are international.  Their lead singer is Eastern European with a heavy accent.  And they are huge; there must be a dozen people on stage.  And very frenetic.  Plus have an accordion; how cool is that.  We’ve seen them before at Lolla on the bandshell stage but were far away.  This is a show that needs to be intimate.  They’ve done aftershows before and would be a great late night destination.

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Bonus – Your soon to be new favorite band

There is always at least one.  One band that you had never heard of before the festival but leave as a favorite….for me over the last eight years it’s been Grinderman, Frank Turner, Catfish, Wolf Alice, Ghost, Slaves, Drakulas.  Prediction.  This year will be Les Savy Fav.  Check out the video below.  And if you don’t have time just watch the first couple of minutes to get a sense of the intro, skip to about the five minute mark as they jump into the music and then just skip around a bit.  Crazy.  Cuckoo.  And would be an amazing show on the treed side stage or as an aftershow.  They play Saturday which makes me nervous about all the possible conflicts with some of my standards.  But put them at the Cobra at midnight and it’s on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voucmqFJUF0
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Riot Fest 2021 Preview – Circle Jerks, The Lawrence Arms, The Bronx

Circle Jerks – Friday

One of the godfathers of American Punk.  Really one of the first California punk bands with ties to Black Flag and Bad Religion and influencing a gazillion others.  Three of the four original members (missing the drummer) planned a reunion in 2020 to celebrate their 40th year but COVID-19 screwed that up.  So we got them reuniting in 2021.  Not sure how they will be but it’s a must see to at least kiss the ring of these punk gods.  95% of the Riot Fest lineup likely was inspired by them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2IBM7ovgvQ\

The Lawrence Arms – Friday

Chicago punk rock.  Named after their apartment complex.  Been on both Fat Mikes Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph, which gives them cred.  Got kicked off the Warped Tour and banned for life for criticizing it on stage during a show.  They made some good points though.  Near the top of my must see list.  Would be a great aftershow on Saturday.

The Bronx – Saturday

From LA, hardcore.  Also have another band that plays mariachi music called Mariachi El Bronx.  Saw them open for Pennywise at the Marquee (video below).  And are touring with Rancid and Dropkick.  So they have a punk street cred.