Top 10 Bands to See at Riot Fest 2015
Header by Geoff Henao
As Riot Fest inches closer to it’s biggest and baddest debut, it’s time for you to know what to sing during this year’s fest. Changing the scenery from Humboldt Park to Douglas Park, we hope to catch you at Riot Fest this year to dance with us. Filled with old, new and reunited acts, there is a little bit of everything this year at Riot Fest. With the help of Ruby Hornet contributor, Bridjet Mendyuk, we’ve put together 10 songs that are essential to your Riot weekend. If you haven’t yet, you can still get your tickets here.
Bridjet's Top 10 Albums of 2014
As 2014 comes to a close, I reminisce on all of the albums I've had the pleasure of almost blowing my speakers out to. These are my absolute favorite records of the year and a little memo of why they rule so god damn hard. Like a little league coach to his players, I wish they could all be #1.
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10. Grey Gordon - Forget I Brought It Up
I’ve had the extreme pleasure of seeing Grey perform in my friend’s living room multiple times and I’m glad I heard him when I did. Fusing together the deep rawness of his lyrics with the upbeat, yet soulful guitar, this record is nothing short of amazing.
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9. Mastodon - Once More ‘Round The Sun
Mastodon killed it when I saw them perform Once More ‘Round The Sun at Bonnaroo this year. I honestly felt my face being melted off by the world’s tastiest riffs. When I got home, I was so excited to get the album. I’ve been listening to it ever since.
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8. Against Me! - Gender Dysphoria Blues
When lead singer Tom became Laura Jane Grace in 2012, the scene exploded with praise and understanding, which was amazing to see. What’s even more amazing is this album packed full of heartfelt lyrics and that beautiful folk-punk guitar you can’t help but turn up to.
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7. Interpol - El Pintor
I’ve been an Interpol fan for years, but they haven’t had anything that has caught my attention in a while. When I saw them play El Pintor at Lollapalooza this summer, I felt like I shot myself in the foot for not giving the upcoming album a notion earlier. It’s crisp, clean and nostalgic of Antics.
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6. New Found Glory - Resurrection
Back with a vengeance, NFG released a banger this year after their bassist “left” the band in 2013. Energetic as well as revengeful at times, this album shows that the kings of pop-punk are more than ready to be back on top.
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5. Modern Baseball - You’re Gonna Miss It All
Holy cow, this album is the ultimate pop-punk fairytale of how every 20-something feels 99% of the time, but doesn’t want anyone to know unless they’re on Tumblr. Loaded with goofy and cheesy lyrics, YGMIA is something I’ve played at least once a day since its release.
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4. Angel Du$t - A.D.
Angel Du$t’s first album is 15 minutes of pure, thrashy punk rock at it’s finest. A definite scene favorite, A.D. doesn’t disappoint with this record.
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3. Candy Hearts - All The Ways You Let Me Down
I’m a sucker for cutesy, pop-punk; especially if there’s a female vocalist. Girl power.
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2. Katy Perry - Prism
If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge Katy Perry nerd. I was front row for her show on my birthday and it was the best day of my life. This album has a very 80’s pop feel to it as well as some uplifting tunes. In short, this album makes me feel like I’m Katy; fabulous and sassy.
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1. Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown
The party kings of southern metal have graced the world with flawlessness that even Beyonce is jealous of. That, my friends, is the perfection From Parts Unknown holds. If you want to gain the wisdom of 100 wizards, go listen to this album.
[EP] Against Me!: "True Trans"
At one point in time, Against Me! represented the future of punk rock. I remember my Senior year of high school when I bought their first full-length, Reinventing Axl Rose. You could just feel the energy and desperation in singer/guitarist Tom Gabel's growl... man, to be 17 and listen to that album for the first time again... Yet, with every release following Reinventing, a little something that made the band so amazing was taken away from the band, coming to a head for myself with their major label debut, New Wave.
Through their songs, a secret was hinted at within Gabel's songs, coming to a head last year when he came out as suffering gender dysphoria and opening up about his plans to transition. Now known as Laura Jane Grace, she was one of the first public figures to open up about her transition, making headlines across all forms of media. However, many wondered how Against Me! would fare following her announcement, with the bulk of the questions focused on whether or not she'd retain her very distinct style of singing.
With their first album since Grace's announcement, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, set to come out later this year, the band has released a two-song acoustic EP, True Trans, of songs recorded during the Transgender Dysphoria Blues sessions. The songs, "FuckMyLife666" and "True Trans Soul Rebel" are about Grace's journey as she made her transition. Finally, that desperation and honesty that was missing from her voice after (arguably) As the Eternal Cowboy sounds like it's back, especially for the message and story she wants to tell.
You can download True Trans for free right now. All you have to do is enter your email in the widget below. Keep note: The free download is only available for a limited time. Don't forget to catch Against Me! at this year's Riot Fest, too!