Tag: Riot Fest

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Riot Fest 2021 Preview – PUP, Devo, K. Flay

We’ve got 18 weeks until Riot Fest.  And a shitpot of bands to preview.  Not sure how I’ll do this going forward but here are a few to get started.  A couple soon to be your faves and a legacy act the deserves our attention.

PUP

A Canadian punk band (which means they rage but are very polite about it).  All original members still and really hit their stride in the mid 2010s touring with Modern Baseball and Menzingers and playing festivals like Lolla and Warped Tour.  Really like their sound and energy.  In that sweet spot between pop-punk and screamo hardcore.  One of my top bands to “discover” here.  By the way, PUP stands for Pathetic Use of Potential; of which I can relate.

Devo

Do we really need a preview for DEVO?  Prolly not but I bet if you get past Whip It and Girl You Want in their catalog you’ll find they were more punk that you thought.  Should have gotten in the Rock Hall of Fame this year.  Will one day so consider them a future Hall of Famer. 

K. Flay

Hip Hop maybe.  Alternative maybe.  Super fun and very good. She’s from the Chicago area which could be great news for us.  Sure to be a fave of KJ, but probably all of us.  She just released an EP of Offspring, Green Day, and Limp Bizkit covers.  Don’t know if she’ll do any but it may be the closest we get to The Offspring.

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Are you ready!!!! Riot Fest 2021!!!!

After our Glasto-like festival fallow year of 2020 I thought I’d look ahead to 2021.  And one of our go-to festivals has already announced the beginnings of their lineup.  Riot Fest 2021 is encouraging.  The first wave was just announced, and it satisfies and leaves excitement for the second and final wave releases.

The headliners are absolutely perfect.  They are solid enough to foreshadow some great bands for the second and final wave releases.  But they set me up to be able to leave early and avoid the clusterfuck of Uber lines and get to an aftershow or Lou Malnatis.  Two I’ve already seen enough times and don’t need to see them again, and two are interesting but not gonna keep me late.  But that’s okay.  I’ve heard it said before the strength of a festival is on the third line of the poster.  I have to admit that Run The Jewels might be the one I’m most interested in seeing. Before you doubt me, remember that Rage tapped them to open their reunion tour. In Zach and Tom I trust…

Below that first line it gets better.  There’s the token mix of emo/pop punk that Riot Fest will always have and that’s great.  The bands that learned the guitar to Dookie or Enema of the State.  Taking Back Sunday, The All-American Rejects, New Found Glory, Simple Plan, Mayday Parade.  They all are sure to be fun live, though I may not be able to tell them apart.

There’s the stoner ska punk rock of Sublime and Dirty Heads.  All we need is 311 and Pepper to be added for the second and final waves to complete the Chuckie quinella.

There are a couple acts sure to be a favorite of KJ’s.  K.Flay, Meg Myers, Best Coast, and Beach Bunny.  Especially Meg Myers.

There’s some legacy acts.  Legacy is a nice way of saying we’re old.  Acts that were popular in our youth.  Circle Jerks reunion is a big deal and seeing them is almost a necessity.  Old school punk from my high school days.  Living Colour.  I just want to hear Cult of Personality again.  Vernon Reid on guitar and Corey Glover in his Body Glove wetsuit (from the video…I hope he’s not wearing it still).  L7 were another of the sounds of the 90s.  They kinda follow Bikini Kill in the Riot Grrrl vein, though I think they’re more grunge than punk.  I saw them with Rancid a year or so ago and they still bring it.  And Toots and The Maytals.  Toots is probably 80 years old, so we won’t have this opportunity long.  They had songs covered by The Clash and The Specials, two of my all time favorites.  Need to see Toots just to kiss the ring and offer respect.  And Hepcat and Fishbone.  Fun sound.  One cool and calm and one cool and frenetic.  And there’s a place for both. I didn’t enjoy Fishbone at 2017 Riot Fest, but I’ve seen them since they reunited the original six and they’re so much more fun.  And Jawbox harkens back to the hardcore punk scene of DC in the 80s.

And then there’s the “odd”, not that there’s anything wrong with that.  Riot Fest does “odd” very well. And Gogol Bordello is odd. At one of our Lollas.  They have the Russian lead singer, accordion player, and almost seem like a Cirque De Soleil meets punk act.  Would be super cool as an aftershow or up close.  We were way far away at the bandshell at Lolla and it didn’t do them justice.  Another “odd” one is Coheed and Cambria.  I’ve never listened to them but recognize their name showing up on many festival lineups.  Reading about them and listening to them takes me to Rush’s 2112.  The sound isn’t Rush, though the singer does have a little Geddy Lee in his voice.  But they’re kinda prog rockish.  Their songs are based on a science fiction comic book that the lead singer writes.  I can’t explain it.  You just need to hear it.  Wouldn’t be surprised if they have a great show.

And there’s some newer punk.  KJ and I saw SWMRS open for our friends FIDLAR at the Metro.  I thought they were better than FIDLAR, and FIDLAR was great.  Billie Joe’s son plays drums.  PUP are Canadian Punks (oxymoron?) with a great sound. They are on the rise and should be seen. 7/23/20 UPDATE. SWMRS is cancelled maybe for good. And for good reason. Google “SWMRS” and “Joey Armstrong” and “Regrettes”. Basically, SWMRS made a big deal about being all inclusive and supporting women and then a story gets published where Joey (at best) sexually harassed the underage singer of the Regrettes. They’re done. And deservingly.

And there are more…and there will be more for the second and final wave announcements, which will lead to revisit my wish list post and an update. Speaking of soon, is it too soon to talk about September 2021. Maybe not. I need to get out of the house. The QuarantineFest was only good for four or five plays through….

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Riot Fest or Fallow Year?

I’m kinding feeling it’s time for a Glastonbury-like fallow year for festivals.  They do it every seven years, right?  I’ve got seven years of festivals running now; Coachella 2013 through Riot Fest 2019.  Haven’t even missed one day.  Never left a day early, got in a day late, left mid-stream to drive to Wisconsin and back for dad of the year honors.  As I feel it may be time for a break I am well aware the excitement that a lineup reveal can generate.  Kinda like the anticipation of Christmas for a kid.  And with the right reveal, any fallow year desire evaporates.  Replaced by a rally cry for others to join and commit. And with the watering down of festival lineups recently, it feels like it’s Riotfest or bust.

So what artists might generate that rally cry?  Riotfest has always tried to champion the reunion act; from Replacements to Jawbreaker to Bikini Kill last year.  And there are a bunch of reunion acts I’d jump for.  However, they probably already hit the reunion homerun with My Chemical Romance.  They’re a great get, but not for me.  What it tells me is that other reunion acts I had hoped for probably wouldn’t happen.  And the top two for me, Rage and Bauhaus have already announced Chicago dates too close to RF to be included. They are out as is likely any other big reunion act.

Alright already.  Here’s a few acts that I could rally around.  Fingers crossed.  Maybe.  All are acts I’ve never seen, and a few bucket lists.  First two crossed out as they were hopefuls but now out.

Edit…that was quick. No sooner than I published this I got an email from the Metro in Chicago announcing a June Propaghandi show, making them out for Riotfest. The list dwindles….

  • Rage
  • Bauhaus
  • Operation Ivy (not gonna happen, but if it did….)
  • Oingo Boingo (Danny Elfman is playing Coachella…)
  • Idles
  • Eminem
  • Morrissey
  • Madness
  • The Cure (I have seen them but it was the “Friday I’m In Love” era tour so it doesn’t count. No one wants a happy Cure).
  • Circle Jerks
  • PiL
  • Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes
  • Generation Sex (half Pistols half Gen X)
  • Propaghandi
  • The Hold Steady
  • Stiff Little Fingers
  • Stranglers
  • Kraftwerk 3D

And here are a few steady always-see-when-near acts.  Some of these could easily end up.

  • Buzzcocks
  • Bad Religion
  • The Specials
  • Dropkick Murphys
  • UK Subs
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Video Highlights….all the fests (almost)

It’s been a while.  Maybe I’m finally rested from Riot Fest 2019.  Or maybe I figured I’d take the month of October off.  But since my last post on September 23 with my Musings, Observations, and Lessons Learned from this year’s Riot Fest, it’s been almost six weeks.

I put together some video highlights from last years’ Surf City Blitz, and thought it was cool to revisit.  So I did the same for all of the other fests outside of Indio, CA.  And the videos are linked below.  It was fun for me to go back and re-watch these as all but two of the videos were taken by me (can anyone guess which ones I didn’t take?).  Might not be as interesting to anyone else, but maybe.  Let me know.  I might go back and dig up Coachella and Desert Trip also.

November 4th Update…Desert Trip (Day 2 and Day 3) added. Keep on rockin….

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Riot Fest 2019…Musings, Observations, and Lessons Learned

Freaking exhausting.  That’s my first reaction to Riot Fest 2019.  But that’s not a bad thing.  It’s actually a complement.  Pretty much non stop pounding driving punk-like music from the drop on Friday to late Sunday.  It wasn’t my best festival experience, but it was a pretty damn good way to spend a weekend.  But it was exhausting.  Maybe time for a Glasto-like fallow year.

Crowded.  It was.  My best times were getting there early to enjoy some smaller bands with just a few folks.  Drakulas, you’re welcome.  The most exhausting times were those after dusk sets trying to navigate around the throngs of folks to find my way to the next stage.  While pondering did Riot Fest oversell this venue a bit?  I’d pay 50% more to have 50% less people.  Of course I’d like to pick which 50%.  But the people of Riot Fest…the best festival goers.  Maybe it’s the lack of the bros or fashionistas from Coachella, but everyone was in a great mood.  Though Riot Fest grass isn’t Coachella grass, as a wise man once told me.

And the musical highlights.  I will forever be stoked to see Rancid’s “Journey to the End of East Bay” and Pennywise’s “Bro Hymn”.  And this time was not any different.  Calling out a few “Oi, Oi, Oi’s” with my similar coiffed brethren Cock Sparrer.  Being on the rail seeing Bob Mould lay into “Flip Your Wig” to open his set is a bucket list moment for a kid that grew up on Husker Du.  And though from a little distance, how cool is Patti Smith, especially doing a Midnight Oil cover?  And Drakulas, you’re welcome.  Well done.  And Frank Iero and The Beaches and The HU?  Dandy.  And seeing the side project of Anthrax’s Scott Ian and Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman up close on the small stage…quite a show of guitar mastery.  And OMG for Manchester Orchestra.  I love that sound and the way they do the quiet LOUD quiet thing (shout out Pixies) so well.  What a great place to be seeing them up close.  And because I never saw Queen, the Struts made me feel what it may have been like to see Freddy M and friends; in a Rancid-makes-me-feel-like-the-Clash way.  And, as I type this I know this is a redundant statement but, Jack White and the Raconteurs are pure awesome Rock and Roll.  What amazing musicianship.  Plus they had a nice shout out to Patti Smith with the snippet of Gloria, btw.  Without question we always end up at a killer aftershow, and Violent Femmes at the Concorde was no exception.   A perfect place to see them.  Too bad for anyone that had tickets that didn’t make it.  Hope you had a soft bed to sleep on instead. 

The let downs?  Not a lot, but a few.  The aforementioned crowds and the navigation at night.  While not high on my list of must sees (but you still have to see them, right?), Blink’s sound was atrocious, with a capital WTF.  Another sound Debbie Downer was the sound bleed between the stages.  Because of the proximity of the stages it was noticeable…did anyone at Bloc Party really hear anything other than Slayer?  Did Hot Snakes really need to Spinal Tap it and turn it up to 11?  I was fully supportive of that call as an aftershow (I even listed them as a hopeful aftershow), but knowing we could’ve seen Descendents or Cock Sparrer instead made it worse.  Of course if it was more than a 2.5 mile walk to a different aftershow we still might be missing someone.  Speaking of Descendents, them conflicting against Rancid doesn’t meet any logic I know of.  While there weren’t many conflicts, this one was unforgivable.  And it will always be a Riot Fest issue, but the exit and getting a ride afterwards is brutal.  Makes me want to disregard the headliners and get outta Dodge early each night.  Especially if the daily openers (Pkewx2 and Masked Intruder) are so good. Where are Don and Sue when you needed them most?

Drakulas, you’re welcome.

Each day was different.  Good Friday was the Surf City Blitz resurrection with a lot of time at the Radicals Stage.  Wouldn’t trade it for any day.  While Saturday had a metal feel (with Anthrax and Slayer) I spent a lot of time at the Rise Stage with Cherry Glazerr, Surfer Blood, The Struts, and Manchester Orchestra.  And Sunday, well let’s just say Village People and B-52s give it a particular feel, was different.  But posting up at the Roots Stage to see Bob Mould, Patti Smith, Raconteurs, and Bikini Kill was about awesome.

So a pretty good weekend.  Saw some old faves…Rancid, Pennywise, Violent Femmes….checked off some bands I’ve wanted to see (including a bucket lister)…Cock Sparrer, Bob Mould, Manchester Orchestra…saw a hall of famer and a future hall of famer…Patti Smith and Jack White…saw some amazing guitarwork with Jack White, Scott Ian, Fletcher Dragge…saw Butter Stamos…and discovered some super cool new music and have a few new favorites….Angel Du$t, Frank Iero, The Beaches.  And of course…

Drakulas, you’re welcome.