Riot Fest 2014 The Crombies by Geoff Henao (3 of 8)

USA Today and 10Best Name Riot Fest Best Music Festival

This post was originally published by our affiliate site, Chicago Music.

Riot Fest has consistently been Chicago's best music festival for the past few years, and finally, the festival has been recognized for doing so. USA Today and 10Best have named Riot Fest the country's Best Music Festival as voted by fans, beating out other festivals like Electric Forest Festival and Bonnaroo. Notable music festivals like Chicago's Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Festival, Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin City Limits, and SXSW, and California's Coachella didn't make the Top 10.

The accolades come at an uncomfortable time for Riot Fest organizers as they are currently facing some backlash from some Humboldt Park residents and Ald. Roberto Maldonado over the damage caused to the park from last year's festival. A change.org petition was recently started to keep the festival at Humboldt Park, but it appears that it's been taken down. Nevertheless, despite any opposition, Riot Fest has plenty of support. Being named the country's best music festival goes to show just how much the festival and its organization have grown over the past 10 years. Here's to 10 more!

[via 10Best]


Red Scare 10th Anniversary Logo

[Interview] Toby Jeg (Red Scare Industries Founder)

Toby Jeg of Red Scare Industries

This year marked the 10th anniversary of Chicago's Riot Fest, but it's not the only Chicago punk rock establishment celebrating the decade mark in 2014. Red Scare Industries, one of the most popular and critically-acclaimed punk rock labels still in existence, has played host to an amazing catalog of punk bands, including The Falcon, Cobra Skulls, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Methadones, and more. To commemorate the label's 10th year, I had the chance to exchange emails with Toby Jeg, Red Scare founder and all-around awesome dude. Click along to read about his relationships with the bands, why he moved the label from San Francisco to Chicago, and what's coming up next for the label.

If you want to get involved with the festivities, you can make your way to the Northside for a trio of amazing punk shows. Friday at the Gman Tavern will feature acoustic sets from Nothington and Elway, a set from Dan Vapid, and some secret guests (tickets can be purchased here). Saturday is an all-day affair at the Metro with Reaganomics, The Brokedowns, Elway, Direct Hit!, The Holy Mess, Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Sidekicks, Enemy You, Masked Intruder, The Methadones, The Lillingtons, and THE FALCON all performing. Trust me, the price is worth it for The Falcon's reunion set alone (tickets can be purchased here). The party returns to the Gman Tavern Sunday night for a special Brendan Kelly solo set, an acoustic Cobra Skulls set, and more (tickets can be purchased here).


Solids promo photo

[Video] Solids: "Haze Away"

When I realized Solids was a duo, I was pretty shocked.  No way could two people create that much sound (other than Death From Above 1979). The Montreal based two-piece (Xavier Germain-Poitras on guitar and Louis Guillemette on drums), rip and rage through every track on their new album Blame Confusion released Feb. 18 via Fat Possum. Solids has been compared to Japandroids, Superchunk, Dinosaur Jr., and multiple other punk rock groups but have their own brand of grit and madness that I am digging on very hard.

Check out the video for "Haze Away," the latest single off of Blame Confusion, and scan their tour dates to catch a show in a city near you. I will be attending their show in Chicago this weekend at Schubas, so make sure to check back for a review coming at you next week!

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TOUR DATES

20/02/14 Silver Dollar, TORONTO, ON

21/02/14 Call The Office, LONDON, ON

22/02/14 PJ's Lager, DETROIT, MI

23/02/14 Schubas, CHICAGO, IL

25/02/14 Union Sound Hall, WINNIPEG, MB

26/02/14 O'Hanlon's, REGINA, SK

27/02/14 Vangelis, SASKATOON, SK

28/02/14 Wunderbar, EDMONTON, AB

01/03/14 Palomino, CALGARY, AB

03/03/14 Media Club, VANCOUVER, BC

04/03/14 Sunset Tavern, SEATTLE, WA

05/03/14 Holocene, PORTLAND, OR

07/03/14 Milk Bar, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

08/03/14 The Church, LOS ANGELES, CA

9/3/2014 The Void, SAN DIEGO, CA

10/03/14 The Western, PHEONIX, AZ

12/03/14 SXSW Festival, AUSTIN, TX

13/03/14 SXSW Festival, AUSTIN, TX

14/03/14 SXSW Festival, AUSTIN, TX

15/03/14 SXSW Festival, AUSTIN, TX

16/03/14 Circle Bar, NEW ORLEANS,

17/03/14 Proud Larry's, OXFORD, MS

18/03/14 The End, NASHVILLE,

20/03/14 529, ATLANTA, GA

21/03/14 Local 506, CHAPEL HILL

22/03/14 Crown 2, BALTIMORE, DC

23/03/14 Kung Fu Necktie, PHILADELPHIA, PA

24/03/14 Glasslands, BROOKLYN, NY

25/03/14 Mercury Lounge, NEW YORK, NY

27/03/14 Great Scott, BOSTON, MA

28/03/14 TRH Bar, MONTREAL, QC

29/03/14 TRH Bar, MONTREAL, QC

09/04/14 Casbah, HAMILTON, ON

10/04/14 Detour Music Hall, STE CATHARINES, ON

11/04/14 Jimmy Jazz, Kazoo Festival, GUELPH, ON

30/04/14 Birthdays, LONDON, UK

01/05/14 The Exchange, BRISTOL, UK

03/05/14 Live at Leeds Festival, LEEDS, UK

04/05/14 Sounds from The Other City, Lambchop, MANCHESTER, UK

06/05/14 Mono, GLASGOW, UK

07/05/14 Hare and Hounds, BIRMINGHAM, UK

09/05/14 013, TILBURG, NL

10/05/14 London Calling, AMSTERDAM, NL

14/05/14 Stengade, COPENHAGEN, DK

16/05/14 Oetinger Villa, DARMSTADT, GE

17/05/14 Prinzenbar, HAMBURG, GE

19/05/14 Nero Bar, BERLIN, GE

20/05/14 Kleines Forum, BIELEFELD, GE

21/05/14 Péniche, LILLE, FR

22/05/14 Les Nuits Botaniques, BRUSSELS, BE

23/05/14 File 7, MAGNY-LE-HONGRE, FR

25/05/14 Nouveau Casino, PARIS, FR


Pussy Riot Released From Prison

Two members of Russian all-women punk band Pussy Riot were released from prison two months early, after having spent nearly two years behind bars for performing a punk-infused protest in Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow. The act brought hooliganism charges against three of the band's members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich. Shortly after their sentencing Samutsevich was freed. Both Tolokonnikova and Alekhina, released just before Christmas day, issued a statement claiming their release to be a publicity stunt by the Kremlin, prompted by the impending Olympics in Sochi that have drawn stark criticism from world human rights leaders for the imprisonment of the band members, as well as noted repression of gay rights. For now, the pair have pledged to help inmates and continue working toward their progressive movement. Watch more on the story below.

[Via The Guardian]

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King Krule Photo Chicago Nolis

[RH Photos] King Krule in Chicago (12/11/2013)

Photography by Nolis

On a blistering cold Wednesday night on the North Side of Chicago, everything I thought I knew about British indie artist King Krule was blown away. The 19-year-old artist, formerly known as Zoo Kid, took the stage in front of a sold out Lincoln Hall crowd that seemed to be almost frothing at the mouth for him to play just a note. Cat calls from women likely twice his age rained down on him as the young artist sang with his deep baritone voice, resolute and certain in a way that permeated inner confidence. It felt like a small miracle every time he opened his mouth that Krule could produce such a powerful voice from such a slight package.

King Krule has the most intense, radiating crop of red hair I have ever seen. As if showing it off, the lights continually strayed from the artist's face, masking it in shadows as his hair became highlighted, almost illuminated by the cascading, colorful lighting. Introducing his first song, Krule simply said, "This is a song about me." For his next song: "This is a song about living under a sea." And another was introduced by simply saying, "This song is about reptiles," before tearing into a library of songs that ranged from blues-y stories of loss and disappointment to uptempo surf/punk jams that seemed to leave the crowd wondering where the kid who made the self-titled, ambient electro-influenced project earlier this year went. Confused, but interested, the crowd gravitated to Krule, reacting to every pluck of the string and nasally-deep melody. From the get-go, the crowd was Krule's.

The thing I noticed almost immediately during my first King Krule show was that he seems to cover every genre. Not musically, per se, but from the punkish-intonations in his voice, the hip-hop influenced way he grips the mic when not on guitar, to the frenetic foot and head movement that makes him look like he's at a SBTRKT set at Bonaroo. At 19, Krule appeared more self-assured and confident than men three times his age, forgoing petty chit-chat between songs to dive headlong into each arrangement, his deliberate movements and passionate intensity keeping the crowd nearly silent, save for applause.

King Krule's star has risen exponentially throughout 2013, and he's poised to rise even higher in the coming year. If his set at Lincoln Hall Wednesday was any indication, though, we'll be seeing (and hearing) a lot from King Krule for a long time to come.


The Lawrence Arms Riot Fest photo taken by Geoff Henao

[Video] The Lawrence Arms: "You Are Here"

It's been a long seven years since Chicago punk rock band The Lawrence Arms' last album, Oh! Calcutta! was released, but 2013 has shown that the band hasn't lost the beat during their absence. Their set at this year's Riot Fest was full of energy and sweaty, older punks, fully justifying their placement on our list of recommended Riot Fest bands. Their first album in eight years, Metropole, is set for a January 23rd release on their new label, the legendary Epitaph Records.

Yesterday, the Larry Arms premiered the first video from the album, "You Are Here," on Noisey. The lyric video mixes live footage of the band from Florida's massive punk festival, The Fest, earlier this month. "You Are Here" is primarily sung by guitarist Chris McCaughan with choruses and backing vocals shared with bassist Brendan Kelly. Check out The Lawrence Arms' return below!

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[Album] Death Grips: "Government Plates"

Death Grips just continue to do things the way they see fit. The off-kilter hip-hop/punk band that left fans waiting at North Coast Music Festival earlier this year dropped their latest release, a free album titled "Government Plates" that originally premiered on the band's website, thirdworlds.net, before being taken down. I have to admit, I don't fully get Death Grips yet and their antics and seeming disregard for fans has turned me off thus far, but maybe this latest album will help dispel that. The 11-track project comes complete with videos for each song, a somewhat forward-thinking idea that acts as a sort of overload of Death Grips media all at once. Can you handle all of it? Find out by watching/listening below. Check for download  HERE.

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[Video] Radkey: "Romance Dawn"

The Radke brothers are back with a new video for their single "Romance Dawn"off their latest project, Devil Fruit, due out October 15th. Radkey has been making waves for a minute now so I wouldn't front on the below video. Check it out here and stay posted for the album coming  soon.

http://youtu.be/udMGjzuYNTw

Tour Dates:

9/27 Kansas City, MO @ Berkley Riverfront Park (KRBZ Beach Ball)

10/2 Carlisle, UK @ Brickyard*

10/3 Newcastle @ The Cluny*

10/4 Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts*

10/5 Dundee, UK @ Non Zero's*

10/7 Liverpool, UK @ East Village Arts Club*

10/8 Exeter, UK @ Cavern*

10/9 Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store*

10/12 Nottingham, UK @ Bodega Social Club*

10/14 Cambridge, UK @ Portland Arms*

10/15 Manchester, UK @ Roadhouse*

10/16 Stoke, UK # Sugarmill*

10/17 London, UK @ Blackheart

10/18 Cardiff, UK @ SWN Festival

10/19 London, UK @ Billingsgate Market (Supporting Pure Love)

10/21 Berlin, Germany @ Bi Nuu%

10/22 Hamburg, Germany @ Knust Bistro%

10/23 Cologne, Germany @ Stereo Wonderland%

10/24 Amsterdam, Holland @ Paradiso

10/25 Eindhoven, Holland @ Nui Zes%

10/26 Zwolle, Holland @ Lets Get Lost Festival

11/25 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater+
11/26 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge+
11/27 Boise, ID @ Neurolux+
11/29 Seattle, WA @ Neptune+
11/30 Vancouver, BC @ The Rickshaw Theatre +
12/1 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom+
12/2 Humboldt, CA @ Humboldt Brews+
12/3 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore +
12/5 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre+
12/6 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues+
12/7 Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress+
12/8 Albuquerque, NM @ Low Spirits+

12/15 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter#

12/16 Chicago, IL @ Logan Square Auditorium#

12/17 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock#

12/19 Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep#

*w/ Drenge

%w/ Japanther

+w/ Black Joe Lewis

#w/ Red Fang