Riot Fest 2015 Lineups Revealed
It's been a busy month for Riot Fest organizers as they went from facing problems with Humboldt Park to being named USA Today's top summer music festival to eventually relocating to Douglas Park for their flagship Chicago festival. Finally, after incessant badgering on Twitter, the first wave of the Riot Fest 2015 lineup has been revealed. Some of the announced headliners are a bit surprising, considering the festival's typical M.O. However, it just further illustrates how large and popular the festival has grown over the past few years.
Riot Fest Chicago highlights include a few bands performing full albums like Rancid playing ...And Out Come the Wolves, Snoop Dogg playing Doggystyle, Ice Cube (and guests) performing NWA's Straight Outta Compton, The Academy Is... performing Almost Here, and The Dwarves performing Blood Guts and Pussy. Other musical highlights include No Doubt, Tenacious D, Modest Mouse, Motorhead, Less Than Jake, Modern Life is War, Lifetime, Cypress Hill, and local acts like Alex Wiley, Into It. Over it., and Psalm One.
Riot Fest Toronto highlights include Alexisonfire, Wu-Tang Clan, Tyler, the Creator, and Coheed and Cambria.
Riot Fest Denver highlights include Modest Mouse, Iggy Pop, Flogging Molly, Alkaline Trio, and Pixies.
Pre-sale tickets are already sold out, but you can still find 3-day passes for Chicago, Denver, and Toronto.
[Video] Bruno Mars' Super Bowl Performance
To tell the truth, it's been all Janet and Justin's fault. If you're in your mid-twenties or below at the moment, then a good percentage of the Super Bowl halftime shows have been set on tape delay and toned down to just above audible, with movements highly scrutinized. Two years ago, the NFL tried to fine M.I.A. for her middle finger at the end of her performance. That and a general sense of boredom that has perpetuated the half time show of the year's biggest contest since Justin Timberlake stripped Janet Jackson's left breast bare for the world to see.
Last night though, Bruno Mars put on one hell of a performance, playing on the 50s/60s-esque aesthetic complete with a dancing backing band and footwork that James Brown would grin at. Aside from an odd inclusion of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who performed only "Give It Away," as Flea and Anthony Kiedis flexed their manliness over Mars by forgoing shirts in the frigid New York night. Alas, though, Mars was entertaining from beginning to end as he held the tempo in his hand throughout, ending the performance with a rousing take of "Just The Way You Are," which was preceded by a dedication from military members to their families. While the game was less of a contest than many would have liked, Bruno Mars made sure they were entertained in between. Watch the whole thing, streaming below.
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