Riot Fest Archives - Page 9 of 20

June 1, 2021May 31, 2021

Riot Fest 2021 Preview – Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Coheed and Cambria

Bad news last week as one of my early favorites, PUP, dropped from the lineup. Rumor is that Canadian bands are having a hard time getting in and out of the country. Sucks. And if the rumor is true a couple more may drop.

Faith No More – Saturday

Alright, you remember them for the “Epic” video with the fish dying at the end, right? You may have heard them before with “We Care a Lot”. I remember that on MTV 120 Minutes and it was on a 120 Minutes Compilation CD too. Oh yeah; they were pioneers of funk metal. I don’t think I had heard anything like that before. At least not mainstream on MTV. So we now know who to blame for Limp Bizkit. Most of the original lineup is intact with the biggest change being their lead singer. Mike Patton joined them between “We Care a Lot” and “Epic” so he is really the only singer I really ever knew. They broke up for a while and reunited about 10 years ago so this is a little bit of a reunion. Could be interesting. They do some non-sequitur-like covers every once in a while.

Mr. Bungle – Sunday

I have no idea what to expect from them. “Experimental” rock is the best description. They can go heavy metal or disco or between. This was Mike Patton’s band before (and during) he joined Faith No More. They have a crazy fan base that may know what to expect but I can’t tell. Rumor was they would only play Riot Fest if they could play immediately before Devo. So we’ll see about that. They were broken up for 20 years and reunited in early 2020 for a reunion that lasted three shows before COVID. Scott Ian (Anthrax) and Dave Lombardo (Slayer and Suicidal) joined the band. I’d love to see them join them at RF but who know post COVID. If it’s any indication of what we’ll see, they’re reunion shows covered hardcore and metal bands like Slayer, Circle Jerks, The Exploited, and Corrosion of Conformity. Plus some Mr. Rogers (Won’t you be my neighbor) and Seals and Crofts. Again, don’t know what to expect.

Coheed and Cambia – Friday

Well prog rock is alive and well with these guys. They put out concept albums based on science fiction comic books. And you can’t tell me you don’t hear Geddy Lee when you listen. There has to be some 2112 in there somewhere. But they look like a fun live act. I’ve seen their name on many festival posters and they have a big following. Might be worth checking out. I’m jealous of the lead singer’s hair.

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021

Riot Fest 2021 Preview – NOFX, Fever 333, Meg Myers

We’ve got 17 weeks until the return of Butter Stamos (or some other butter sculpture).

NOFX

So stoked to see these guys. They go way back to the early days of California Punk with Rancid, Green Day, Offspring. The 90s. Always walking a fine line around controversy with their lyrics and fashion but great musically. For me they got lost up in that wave of mid 90’s punk and I never embraced them, but their recent collaboration with Frank Turner put them back on my radar and I’m so glad it did. Still in the midst of controversy (google them and see why they aren’t at Punk Rock Bowling) but so important to punk. They were at many Warped Tours I was at but my memory of them is missing so I’ll consider this my first time seeing them. Oh and a head’s up the lead singer may be wearing a dress and have blue or pink hair. His name is Fat Mike.

Fever 333

New band outta LA. Rap Core, Hardcore, Metal Funk? I dunno but when I heard them I had visions of RATM, if Zach screamed more. I bet you will too, not to disservice them or Rage. And there’s only three of them-vocalist, drummer, and guitar/bass. Check them out. I predict they take the prize for the Slaves-surprise-in your face-what was that award.

Meg Myers

Soon to be a fave of KJ, Meg Myers is from Nashville but broke through after moving to LA. Considered art pop or alternative.

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

May 22, 2021May 22, 2021

Riot Fest 2021 Final Lineup and Daily Schedule Release Reaction

New adds Rancid, Dropkick, Knuckle Puck, The Bronx. Rancid is an all time best, Knuckle Puck is on the good end of pop-punk/emo, and The Bronx are full on hard core punk. But the cherry in this group for me is Dropkick. They’re always one of the best shows (bagpipes and punk…fuhgettaboutit) plus they have a new album that calls out Mick Jones of the Clash as a cleptomaniac for pudding, yes pudding. The best.

But with the new release we lost a few more. Saves the Day (pop punk/emo) is gone. Word on the street is the lead singer has issues with young girls. Also lost L7, Don Broco, and Boston Manor. Don Broco and Boston Manor are from the UK and could have travel issues, but each is showing Thursday on their website. Maybe they were pulled from the poster for the preview night? We’ll see. It’s possible the same for L7, but they also dropped off Aftershock so maybe there’s something else going on. Too bad; they f-ing kill it.

I count 92 bands. 2019 had about the same, 91. Even though this year feels light it’s probably a COVID-19 hangover and comparing it to the colossal lineup of Lolla. This lineup brings it. And we don’t even know what Thursday holds yet, or who will be the butter sculpture.

We know headline acts can be hit and miss. Once the sun goes down it’s difficult to get a good spot. And if they don’t have the sound dialed in well you can have a Blink-182 like disaster. In 2019 I didn’t make it through a headliner set, leaving early to get to aftershows or pizza. But the lead ups to those headliners were amazing: Rise Against and Raconteurs. And in 2017 we skipped two headliners; cutting out early from QOTSA to catch the mother of all aftershows (Slaves and Buzzcocks) and skipping Jawbreaker after rightly ending the weekend with the intense and fittingly finale of Prophets of Rage. But one headliner was absolutely amazing. Nine Inch Nails in 2017. So while headliners have been generally a throw away I am looking forward to two this go round. Smashing Pumpkins and NIN. I am already getting excited for that pause in March of the Pigs. And it’s been a while for SP but it’s time to come back, Billy. Sorry Run The Jewels but Saturday may be our aftershow night. Who has the key to the condo?

Friday for me is three bands and the headliner. NOFX, Circle Jerks, and PUP are the three must sees and I’m stressing they will conflict. If Dirty Heads and Sublime played on the same stage back to back it might have the largest mj cloud this side of sunsplash. Would love to see Living Colour or Fishbone on the small side stage. And Smashing Pumpkins to close is cool. While unlikely because they’ll probably play their latest album, CYR, how cool would an album play of Siamese Dream be? Riot Fest does love its album plays.

Saturday is a banner day just with Rancid, Faith No More, Dropkick, and the Bosstones. Pretty please don’t let any of them conflict. I’ve still got emotional scars from Descendents conflicting with Rancid in 2019….how do you do that RF when Rancid and Descendents have exactly the same fan base. There’s also a little crossover with these bands. The whole Boston thing with Bosstones and Dropkick (the first time I saw Dropkick was opening for Bosstones) and the Bosstones just released an album on Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat records and he sings on at least one track (The Final Parade). Can there be a RiotFest collaboration with any of them?

And Sunday has the #1 and #2 must see of the weekend for me. #1 Devo and #2 Hall of Famers Nine Inch Nails. Can’t conflict with those two. In a perfect world they’d be on the same stage back to back. And add Pixies playing at the adjacent stage. Let’s plan it right now; Devo at 6:30 on the Riot Stage, Pixies at 7:40 on the Roots Stage, and NIN at 8:45 on the Riot Stage, Lou Malnati’s at 11pm. Great way to wrap it up.

Is it September yet?

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

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.

June 20, 2020July 27, 2020

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….