Riot Fest Chicago 2014 Day Lineups Revealed
Finally, the wait for this year's Riot Fest day lineup is over! The festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary with an amazing commemorative program, is my personal favorite festival of the year, and with the lineups set, proper planning can effectively begin immediately. Friday's lineup will feature such bands as Jane's Addiction, Slayer, The Offspring, Stiff Little Fingers, GWAR, Radkey, Gogol Bordello, and NoFX. Saturday's lineup highlights include The Flaming Lips, Wu-Tang Clan, Descendents, Metric, Taking Back Sunday, Streetlight Manifesto, Rx Bandits, Wavves, The Pizza Underground. Sunday's highlights are The Cure, Weezer, Primus, ShowYouSuck, Laura Stevenson, Andrew WK, Naked Raygun, Blue Meanies, Superchunk, and the Bouncing Souls.
There's literally something here for everybody to love, especially with all of the ska love on Saturday's lineup. Riot Fest Chicago 2014 will be taking place September 12th - 14th. Tickets are still on sale, so pick some up in case you haven't already!
Riot Fest Announces "10 Years. 10 Essential Albums" Program
Excuse me while I compose myself long enough to write this post. Last year was my first return to Riot Fest since 2006, thanks in no small part to the balls to the wall amazing lineup. In case you missed it, you can read our Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 recaps; go ahead, I'll still be here when you're done. I'll admit, while I was looking forward to this year's lineup announcement, I had a cautious outlook. After all, last year's festival raised the bar not only for the festival itself, but for Chicago festivals as a whole. The directors and promoters over at Riot Fest definitely rode the wave from last year's high crest to ensure their 10th anniversary would be the de facto Chicago music festival this year, but that wasn't enough.
Earlier today, Riot Fest made one of the hugest festival announcements of the year by announcing their "10 Years. 10 Essential Albums" program. Basically, 10 bands will be playing their most pivotal bands in their entirety from front to back. The bands and their albums announced so far are Weezer (Blue Album), Jane's Addiction (Nothing's Shocking), The Offspring (Smash), Slayer (Reign in Blood), Samhain (Initium), NOFX (Punk in Drublic), Descendents (Milo Goes to College), Naked Raygun (Throb Throb), and The Get Up Kids (Something to Write Home About), with another mystery band to be announced. Weezer, Slayer, and NOFX will also be performing their full album sets on the Denver branch of Riot Fest, as well.
Let the speculation for the mystery band begin! The hopeful optimist in me really, really, really wants Fugazi to be added, especially with the prospect of 13 Songs played in full. Adversely, Jawbreaker and 24 Hour Revenge Therapy would be just as amazing. The odds of either happening are ridiculously slim, but a punk in his late-20s can dream, right? If you're unfamiliar with any of the bands or albums mentioned, I highly recommend checking them out. Weezer's Blue Album is a staple for indie/pop-punk, Naked Raygun's Throb Throb represents the debut of one of Chicago's most pivotal punk bands, The Offspring's Smash is what "smashed" the door open for pop-punk's mainstream success in the early to mid-'90s, NOFX's Punk in Drublic carried Smash's wave, Samhain's Initium introduced the music world to Danzig post-Misfits, Jane's Addiction's Nothing's Shocking set the standard for alternative rock, Slayer's Reign in Blood goes without any contextual explanation, and The Get Up Kids' Something to Write Home About represents a more contemporary indie/emo sound.
Riot Fest 2014 is going to be amazing.
[RH Interview] White Mystery
One of the many awesome moments of Riot Fest this year was when I got the chance to chat with heavy rocker siblings Miss Alex White, and Francis Scott Key White of White Mystery. This rad, in-your-face two-piece out of Chicago headlined the rebel stage on Sunday night. Check out the interview below and read about their love for Chicago, their latest album, Telepathic and the perks to being in a band with your red-headed sibling.
[RH Interview] Dave Davison (Maps & Atlases)
Chicago based experimental math-rock band Maps & Atlases have been together for almost a decade. Since the group came together in 2004, they have released numerous EPs and two studio albums, most recently with Beware and Be Grateful in 2012. I have a special place in my heart for math-rock and an even bigger soft spot for Dave Davison's extremely unique, lovely voice and compelling lyrics. Because I'm a lucky lady, I got the opportunity to pick his brain a bit at Riot Fest after Maps & Atlases killed their set -- the first to hit the Roots Stage that Sunday afternoon.
[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
[Video] ArtWareness Recap
About a week and a half ago, as the city prepared for Riot Fest, Johnny Boucher was toting artwork around the city and setting up for the ArtWareness suicide prevention showcase put on by Hope For The Day. The event, held in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago amongst a sea of antiques in an renovated warehouse, featured artwork from a slew of talented artists, including street artist Shepherd Fairy, Peter Cook, Jason Hoodrich and more. Among those highlighted by the event was Jugrnaut Brand Manager Tony Bohn, who's pieces lined the southwest corner of the opulently-decorated room. "It's amazing to get a chance to feature my work somewhere like this and even better to be able to be part of such a good cause," said Bohn the day of the event. Along with the event, during which the artwork was auctioned off, Bohn designed a Jugrnaut limited-edition t-shirt for the event. All in all it was a classy, uplifting way to start the Riot Fest weekend on a high note. Check out the full video with footage from the show below.
http://youtu.be/bfei-nFn4KE
Video by Cornelius Kite & Fragd Films
[RH Photos] Riot Fest Day 3 Recap
Mother Nature wasn't on our side for Riot Fest Day 3 as the day began covered amidst a gloomy, overcast Sunday morning with an on and off mist of rain through the early afternoon. While the rain eventually proved to be triumphant in keeping me at bay, it wasn't enough to dissuade me from seeing a few choice bands on the festival's final day. Read along as I share my thoughts on Against Me!, Rocket from the Crypt, and Brand New, while Brynn opens up about her experience with Saves the Day and The Pixies.
The festivities started later than the rest of the weekend with Against Me!'s 2:30pm set. As I have previously expressed, Against Me! used to be one of my favorite bands, but their musical output over recent years took a negative toll on me. However, with their recently released True Trans EP and Laura Jane Grace's transition, I felt hopeful for the band's future. A steady rain shower greeted the audience once Laura Jane Grace took the stage. Opening with an eletric version of True Trans' "FuckMyLife666," Against Me!'s set seemed hopeful, especially as the fan classic "Pints of Guinness Make You Strong" followed. Unfortunately, the set was tailored with a preference towards newer songs from the dysmal New Wave and White Crosses albums with a meager smattering of older songs (with "Walking is Still Honest" being the best of the bunch). Even the Against Me! staple, "We Laugh at Danger (and Break All the Rules)," was eschewed for an admittedly New Wave standout, "Thrash Unreal," as the band's closing song. Any hope I had for the band's future was essentially shattered with their disappointing Riot Fest set. However, it was great to see Laura Jane Grace's comfort on the stage in her new skin, so to speak, as her standard confidence seemed to have grown hundredfold since her transition. - Geoff Henao
Riot Fest attendees braved the relentless rain to catch Saves The Day's unstoppable set on the Rock Stage. Filled with endless pop-punk goodness, the set started with "Firefly," a track off of the fan favorite album Stay What You Are. As soon as that song started I forgot how cold and wet I was (there's nothing punk-rock about ponchos); it instantly put a smile on my face. Lead singer Chris Conley beamed as well, seemingly overcome by the audience's upbeat attitude despite the crappy weather. Saves The Day pumped out song after song, and only stopped to thank Chicago for being so awesome. When the band started "Sell Your Old Clothes, I'm Off To Heaven," I almost died. It's probably my favorite Saves The Day tune of all-time. I have many memories of singing that song while driving around in my red Volkswagen Beetle at 16, thinking nobody could write a song that resonated more strongly with my teenage broken heart than Saves The Day. After bassist Rodrigo Palma invited the entire crowd to come hang at his apartment after the set, Saves The Day closed with "At Your Funeral," which received the loudest sing-a-long of all. The band released their new self-titled album this week, which you can and should check out here. - Brynn Bixby
Rocket from the Crypt was my second band of the day and a last-minute decision made by our good friend Auggie the 9th and I to catch while we waited for the next band on our list. Honestly, I don't know much about the band and only chose to watch them just to have extra photo coverage since Sunday was a light day on my schedule. Based off of the few songs I heard, they had a solid Rockabilly sound. Not really my thing, but very uptempo stuff. - Geoff Henao
Boston rock geniuses, The Pixies shut down the Roots stage at Riot Fest with an excellent set of covers and originals that were just what the ecstatic, giddy and soaking wet crowd ordered. Though we all missed Kim Deal dearly (thank god for her performance at Pitchfork with The Breeders), there was no shortage of hit tunes to get the crowd dancing and cheering wildly. I was lucky enough to get backstage to witness the band rocking out up close, and the sheer joy of front-row fans was awesome enough to bring a tear to my eye. The band played many of the greats, including "Wave of Mutilation," "Here Comes Your Man," "Debaser," and an awesome cover of Neil Young's "Winterlong," to name a few. Closing with the ever-popular "Where Is My Mind," The Pixies performance at Riot Fest was one for the books. - Brynn Bixby
Brand New was the final band I saw on Day 3 due to the weather (and Breaking Bad). I think the band amassed the biggest crowd of the weekend for a non-headlining band. As the aforementioned Auggie the 9th's favorite band, I was intrigued to see what Brand New could bring beyond the one song ("Sic Transit Gloria") I knew from them. The post-hardcore band brought some bite to their set as the crowd of both young girls, frat bros, and everybody in between shared lyrics with vocalist Jesse Lacey. By the end of their set, the baseball field on which the stage was situated had become a muddy cesspool due to the mixture of mosh pits and rain. - Geoff Henao
Below are some of my photos of Against Me!, Rocket from the Crypt, and Brand New. As I mentioned, the weather deterred me from staying longer, so the selection is pretty meager. You can find the rest of my Day 3 photos on my Flickr.
[RH Photos] Riot Fest Day 2 Recap
Following an amazing Day 1 of Riot Fest, Day 2 had a very high bar to exceed if it was going to live up to the hype I built up for it. Sure enough, the 12 hours I spent on the Riot Fest grounds this past Saturday consisted of the best highlights of my weekend. Every band I saw on Saturday (Mephiskapheles, X, Glassjaw, The Lawrence Arms, Rancid, and blink-182) were all bands I was seeing live for the first time with the majority of them being very influential on my younger self.
The day began just after noon with Mephiskapheles' set. As I mentioned in our Riot Fest preview, Mephiskapheles is a third-wave ska band with a Satanist gimmick complete with Satanist iconography and lyrical allusions to demonology. However, whether or not you agree with their gimmick, their catchy third-wave sound can't be denied. The horn section plays some of the tightest horn lines I've heard in ska, a thumping electric upright bass, and vocalist Andre A. Worrell's gravelly voice carrying over the crowd full of curious onlookers and circles of rude boys and rude girls skanking up a dirt cloud on the Humboldt Park baseball diamond the stage was situated on.
Afterwards, I decided to catch X due to the long downtime in my schedule. To be honest, I don't know much about X outside of them being a '77 punk rock band. In a nutshell, 1977 was when the first major wave of punk rock bands began making moves to overtake the music scene. That's my little history lesson for the day.
Glassjaw was my next stop for the day. The post-hardcore band has always been on my list of bands to check out for the past decade, yet Saturday proved to be my first live experience with the band. As the first note began, the crowd erupted into a frenetic rush of moshing, screaming, and crowd surfing. A funny thing I noticed from vocalist Daryl Palumbo's performance was how he kept his eyes closed for the bulk of their set.
The Lawrence Arms followed an hour after Glassjaw's set ended. After years of following the band, it was good to see them live. The Chicago-based band amassed a huge crowd full of late-20s/early-30s punks singing along to every one of Brendan Kelly's raspy words and Chris McCaughan's sleepy vocals. While I'm admittedly a bigger fan of The Falcon than The Larry Arms, it was still amazing to sing along to older songs from the band's catalog alongside the smattering of older and younger punks in the crowd.
I made the long trek between the Rise and Roots stages to make it in time for the influential punk rock band, Rancid. As I had prayed for in our preview, Rancid ended up playing a majority of songs from ...And Out Come the Wolves. There were a few snoozers in the set from their post-Life Won't Wait albums, but hearing "Time Bomb," "Maxwell Murder," "Roots Radicals," "The 11th Hour," "Journey to the End of the East Bay," "The War's End," "Nihilism," "Radio," "Old Friend," "Olympia, WA," "Ruby Soho," "St. Mary," and even the Matt Freeman-led "Gunshot" was amazing. You could also separate new fans from the old based off of their ability to sing along to the more obscure songs from Let's Go! Side note: Riot Fest 2013 had the largest volume of Operation Ivy shirts I've ever seen in a public space. If only Op Ivy played... There's always next year. Side note 2: Security eschewed the "3 song" photographer rule, essentially handicapping myself and my fellow photographers from taking more varied photos of the band. Sorry, Lars and Matt, but I had to focus on Tim.
Finally, after 13 years of pining, I saw my junior high and early high school idols, blink-182 live. Just like Rancid's set, the photo policy was broken as we were only allowed one song to shoot photos of the band. However, that didn't rain down on the Geoff parade as I was able to carve a spot in the audience alongside Ruby Hornet homie and HOY photographer, Roger Tino Morales, to revel in the experience. While their set favored songs from their newer albums, blink-182 and Neighborhoods, they still played some personal favorites from Dude Ranch and Cheshire Cat, as well as some of the fan staples from Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. Applause goes out to the 6' tall kid who stood in the middle of the crowd playing along on his acoustic guitar; that was both the stupidest and more awesome thing I saw that night.
My photos from Riot Fest Day 2 are below. As always, you can see the full set on my Flickr.
