Riot Fest

Riot Fest is a punk, rock and alternative music festival formed in Chicago in 2005. The festival proposes a diverse lineup consisting of buzzed-about reunions, one-offs, special guest appearances and popular punk mainstays. It was expanded in 2011 for Riot Fest East in Philadelphia.^[1] Incarnations of Riot Fest have also been held in Brooklyn, Toronto, Denver and Dallas. Despite the multi-city expansion Chicago has remained the festival's flagship event with nearly three times as many bands as the others.

Musical Styles

The majority of bands that play Riot Fest fall somewhere on the punk spectrum with punk rock, new wave and hardcore punk being the most heavily represented genres. Emo, alternative rock, pop punk, ska and metalcore have also had a strong presence at Riot Fest. The occasionally novelty hip hop, psychobilly, thrash metal, post-hardcore and indie pop bands have also appeared at Riot Fest.

Riot Fest has a strong emphasis booking local Chicago bands such as Naked Raygun, The Lawrence Arms, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Fall Out Boy, Screeching Weasel, Flatfoot 56, The Tossers and Slapstick on a regular basis.

History

Riot Fest began in Chicago in 2005, started by music fanatics with a yen for DIY shows and low ticket prices catering to fans of great underground music. Riot Fest spent 7 years as a multi-venue festival, utilizing the cream of the Chicago venue crop, from Metro, Subterranean, Double Door, Cobra Lounge and the Congress Theater to present bands over a 3 day weekend, such as: Social Distortion, Danzig, Cock Sparrer, Weezer, Alkaline Trio, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bad Brains, Dead Milkmen, Fun., The Lawrence Arms, Bad Religion, Murder City Devils, Butthole Surfers, Suicide Machines, and more.

Punk, rock, indie rock, alternative, psychobilly, metal, skate punk and ska are celebrated at Riot Fest, and the organizer, Riot Mike, has demonstrated a knack for reuniting influential bands like Naked Raygun, Screeching Weasel, WAX, Blue Meanies, Articles of Faith, Plow United, Jesus and Mary Chain, Chiodos, and The Replacements.

2012

In 2012, Riot Fest moved to Chicago’s beautiful Humboldt Park, which boasts picturesque gardens and lagoons with a view of the Chicago skyline. The fest expanded to become Riot Fest & Carnival, with rides, games, wrestling, gourmet food vendors and three stages. Iggy And The Stooges, Rise Against, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Offspring, Descendents, A Day to Remember, Coheed and Cambria, Dropkick Murphys, Gogol Bordello, NOFX, Andrew W.K., Alkaline Trio, Hot Water Music, Slapstick, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Gaslight Anthem, Awolnation, Minus the Bear, Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, The Promise Ring, Chiodos, Gwar, August Burns Red, Less Than Jake, Built To Spill, Frank Turner, Cursive, Reverend Horton Heat, The Addicts, Fishbone and many more rocked from September 14–16 (with the kickoff at Congress Theater).^[2][3]

2012 was a huge year in other ways as well, with Riot Fest expanding through North America. The Fest was staged in Brooklyn (September 8), Toronto (September 9), and Dallas (September 22).^[4]

2013

Riot Fest and Carnival was held September 13-15th in Humboldt Park, Chicago. Lineup included:

Friday, September 13: Fall Out Boy, Sublime with Rome, Danzig with Doyle, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Bad Religion, Atmosphere, Yellowcard, Screeching Weasel, Andrew W.K., Gwar, Hatebreed, Smoking Popes, Dessa, Saul Williams, The Flatliners, Masked Intruder, Flatfoot 56, Environmental Encroachment

Saturday, September 14: Blink-182, Violent Femmes, Rancid, Blondie, Public Enemy, FLAG, Guided by Voices, Taking Back Sunday, Dinosaur Jr., X, DeVotchKa, Pennywise, Best Coast, The Lawrence Arms, Glassjaw, The Devil Wears Prada, The Selecter, T.S.O.L., Stars, Say Anything, The Dear Hunter, Surfer Blood, The Interrupters, Empires, New Beat Fund, Radkey, Mephiskapheles, Kitten, Environmental Encroachment

Sunday, September 15: The Replacements, Pixies, AFI, Brand New, All Time Low, Pierce the Veil, Rocket from the Crypt, The Dismemberment Plan, The Broadways, Against Me!, Bob Mould, The Lillingtons, Suicidal Tendencies, Quicksand, Bad Books, Mission of Burma, Saves the Day, Bayside, Peter Hook and The Light, Reggie and the Full Effect, The Wonder Years, Maps & Atlases, Chuck Ragan, Memphis May Fire, Peelander-Z, Touché Amoré, Off with Their Heads, Deal's Gone Bad, Twin Peaks, White Mystery, Direct Hit!, Pet Symmetry, Hostage Calm, Environmental Encroachment

The Fest was also staged in Toronto (August 24–25), and Denver (September 21–22).^[5]

Volunteers

Riot Fest allows volunteers to help make each event happen every single year. Those that are committed to volunteering at a specific venue will receive payment in the form of a ticket to attend one day at Riot Fest. A ticket deposit is required to ensure responsibility of the employee but the small deposit will be returned once the festival is over.

Footnotes

References