It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
This weekend, tens of thousands will storm Douglass Park for three days of live music, food, and chaos. Now in their 19th year, Riot Fest will once again why they are the best festival in the world.
You don’t have to spend your entire weekend watching music, but if you want wall-to-wall action, Case the Producer from Brian & Kenzie has you covered. Here it is: his highly-anticipated Path to Greatness.
Friday
Winona Fighter: Cabaret Metro Stage (12:45-1:15)
I’m going to advise you to kick off your weekend with the best named band of the entire weekend. Winona Fighter has been releasing music since 2022, but over the course of the last six months, it feels like something is truly “happening” with this band. The Nashville-based trio have been ripping across the world this weekend playing set after set and picking up new fans at every stop along the way. I feel very safe in my assumption that the next time this band plays in Douglass Park, they’ll be playing much later in the day.
Home Front: Radical Stage (1:40-2:10)
In the spring of this year, I headed to Cobra Lounge for the one-two punch of Home Front and The Chisel (more on them in just a second), both of whom were playing for the first time ever in Chicago. I had high hopes for The Chisel, who by that point had garnered a reputation for being a thrilling live band, and was curious to see how Home Front, who’s 2023 release Games of Power blew me away upon first listen, would translate to a live setting. Home Front, who sound like a cross between Echo & the Bunnymen and The Damned, absolutely destroyed that night. My curiosity and perhaps skepticism about this band becoming a live act turned out to be so foolish. This band is full of rippers. As a live act, they’re a thrilling cacophony of sounds from punk’s bygone eras.
In short, go see Home Front.
The Chisel: Rise Stage (2:15-2:45)
Oi oi, it’s The Chisel. The street punks from London are back in Chicago after a thrilling first outing at Cobra Lounge earlier this year. If you find yourself being excited to see NOFX or Face to Face this weekend, the no-nonsense, uptempo approach of The Chisel is going to be right up your alley. I fully expect these guys to turn a lot of heads this weekend.
Spiritual Cramp: Radical Stage (2:50-3:20)
Listen to me carefully: if you are going to Riot Fest, you need to be at the Radical Stage at 2:50 on Friday. As far as I’m concerned, this is the band to watch this weekend. The Clash-meets-The Hives-meets Bay Area punk collection has been turning heads all year. The began the year opening for Iggy Pop before heading out on the road with Militarie Gun for the Life Under the Gun tour. They’ve spent the summer opening for The Hives and playing every festival imaginable in Europe. I expect big things in the coming years for Spiritual Cramp. I think they’re a brilliant studio band and one of the most engaging live bands I’ve ever seen.
When they opened for The Metz at Metro two years ago, it was one of the coldest nights of the year. The Metro was frozen and dull prior to them coming on stage. Within a song or two, the atmosphere in the room had completely changed. I was in the minority of people that had heard of them before that show, let alone seen them previously, but everyone in the building left that night buzzing about what they had seen from Spiritual Cramp.
I expect the same from those at Riot Fest this weekend.
Drug Church: Radical Stage (4:00-4:40)
You’ll need a Riot Fest Lemonade after seeing Spiritual Cramp. Drink up, eat up, and then get back to the Radical Stage at 4:00 for Drug Church. I fully believe frontman Patrick Kindlon is a genius. Some have even described me as a Full Blown “Kincel”. Whether it be in Drug Church, his experimental punk band Self Defense Family, or the highly underrated S.W.A.T. project, Kindlon has proven himself to be one of the most thoughtful lyricists and one of the most charismatic performers in all of music. Since opening for Alkaline Trio earlier in the spring, Drug Church has unveiled plans for their fifth studio album, “PRUDE”, which will drop on October 4. I say this as someone who has consumed nearly every bit of music Kindlon has ever recorded – lead single “Demolition Man”, which details the pointless experience that is life, are some of his most profound lyrics ever.
Sum 41: Cabaret Metro Stage (6:05-7:05)
I’ve never seen Sum 41 before and I’d like to see Sum 41 before they go away. That’s why they get the edge over The Lawrence Arms or Cypress Hill, both of whom share slight overlap with the Canadian pop punkers. I would go as far to say I’ve never fully understood Sum 41. It’s punk music that misses me. I say all of these put downs for a reason, however – “Landmines” is such an incredible song. I’m almost annoyed that it exists because it’s so good and I can’t believe it took them so long to write a song THAT good. So I guess when I say that I want to see Sum 41, I am really saying that I want to see Sum 41 performing “Landmines”.
The Offspring: AAA Stage (7:10-8:10)
I can guarantee you that I won’t have my fix of The Offspring from their Q101 Pop-Up Performance at the Metro the night before. I adore this band, I adore Smash, and I can’t wait to see them play it in its entirety on Friday night.
Fall Out Boy: Cabaret Metro Stage (8:15-10:00)
Bonus points if they play “Dead on Arrival”.
Saturday
Heart Attack Man: Radical Stage (12:15-12:45)
I’m convinced that Heart Attack Man, despite their years of aggressive touring and pumping out quality music, just haven’t found their audience yet. By this I mean, the masses haven’t heard Heart Attack Man, and that’s the only reason they aren’t huge. For years now, these guys have torn it up on every tour they’ve been out on and I expect them to kill it when they kick off the festivities on Saturday.
Buzzcocks: Cabaret Metro Stage (1:45-2:15)
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that the Buzzcocks were returning to Chicago for the first time since 2017 (when they played that year’s Riot Fest). The Buzzcocks are a defining British punk band who helped pave the way not only for the sound of proto-American punk acts, but countless “new wave” acts that dominated England when Thatcher still ruled with an iron fist. Music would be a lot different if the Buzzcocks had never existed. I will be paying my respects on Saturday.
The Hives: Cabaret Metro Stage (2:55-3:35)
I’m still kicking myself for missing The Hives when they played Bottom Lounge last year. Their most recent record, The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons, was excellent, which makes sense because after all, it was a Hives record. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about everything they’ve done in this era of the band. This is one my most anticipated sets of the weekend.
Sincere Engineer: Rise Stage (4:10-4:40)
What, are you not going to see the nicest woman in the world play some music? You’d sound like a real jerk if you were saying that. Luckily, if you’re on Q101.com, it’s a guarantee that you’re going to see Sincere Engineer on Saturday.
Basement: Radical Stage (4:45-5:25)
It’s been five years since Basement has played Chicago. Despite not releasing any music and hardly playing any shows since that show at the Metro, they’re a much bigger deal than they were the last time they were here. I say this not to discredit the artistic ability of Basement, but much like Deftones, they happen to have an incredibly friendly sound for TikTok. People love the loud, slow-and-steady approach of the British standouts. An entirely new generation of fans have discovered Basement since they last played Chicago, and they’ll get their chance to celebrate with them on Saturday.
Waxahatchee: Radical Stage (6:15-7:00)
Waxahatchee, the stage name of Katie Crutchfield, put out one of the best records of 2024 with Tigers Blood. While her sound is atypical to what Riot Fest usually brings to the table and a far cry from anything happening on, say, the NOFX stage, she’ll no doubt be a welcomed addition to this lineup.
Bright Eyes: Radical Stage (7:55-8:55)
There are two reasons to see Bright Eyes:
- They’re a great band.
- If they aren’t great, it’ll mean that someone on-stage (i.e. their singer, Conor Oberst) had a meltdown.
Either way, you’re guaranteed dinner and a show.
Sunday
Sprints: Cabaret Metro Stage (1:20-1:50)
I have to give credit to Crew Member Jess for turning me onto Sprints just a few days ago. She didn’t do it intentionally, but I saw her post on social media about them, listened, and then immediately determined that I liked them. I look forward to checking them out on Sunday.
Fiddlehead: Rise Stage (2:10-2:50)
Fiddlehead is one of the most important bands of my lifetime. Frontman Pat Flynn, who prior to this band was the vocalist for the iconic Have Heart (among others…shout out Sweet Jesus) splits his time between playing in Fiddlehead and teaching history to the future of America. I’ve learned more about myself, and about the world, by listening to Flynn than most other people in my life. I have never missed a Fiddlehead set in Chicago and I don’t plan on doing so anytime soon. In short, if you don’t like Fiddlehead, f*ck you.
GEL: AAA Stage (3:05-3:45)
The only good thing about Suicidal Tendencies getting moved from Sunday to Friday is that it allowed GEL to not overlap with Fiddlehead’s set. I caught the tail-end of GEL’s set at Metro last year when they were opening for Drain (I apologize to GEL for running late) and they absolutely killed. I do not know many bands with better reputations for their live act than GEL. I am pumped to see them again on Sunday.
Slaughter Beach, Dog: Radical Stage (4:15-4:55)
The last time frontman Jake Ewald played Riot Fest, he was doing it with famed DIY-punk outlet Modern Baseball. That was 10 years ago. Since then, Modern Baseball split up and Ewald became this generation’s Townes Van Zandt. A brilliant songwriter and tantalizing guitar player, Ewald has become the most exciting voice in the burgening world of alt-country. I haven’t had a chance to see SBD since the release of their last record, Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, and I will look to rectify that on Sunday afternoon.
Laura Jane Grace w/ Catbite: NOFX World (5:45-6:30)
Laura Jane Grace is coming to Riot Fest to perform a set of Operation Ivy songs. I couldn’t imagine doing anything better with my time than seeing that.
Oliver Tree: Rise Stage (6:50-7:50)
Olive Tree choked me out the last time that I saw him. I will be checking out this set, but I won’t be enjoying it. Instead, I’ll be plotting out my revenge.
Sublime: Rise Stage (9:00-10:00)
With all due respect to Sublime With Rome, who have trotted around the Chicagoland area with regularity since 2010, this will be the first time that Sublime proper have played Chicago since 1996. Bradley Nowell’s son, Jakob, will of course be manning vocalist duties this time around. I cannot wait.
