PHOTOS: BRIGID GALLAGHER | Finding its new Chicago home in Douglas Park, Riot Fest returned this year with an all-star lineup to definitively close out the Summer. While the festival focuses mainly on punk acts, it boasts a surprisingly diverse lineup of metal, ska, reggae, and hip hop acts, and the fans are happy to indulge in the variety of genres. For many of the bands that may have had their heyday a decade or two ago, it’s great to see their excitement playing in front of crowds magnitudes larger than their normal club shows.
Due to difficulties with the Humboldt Park community (which hosted the previous 3 Riot Fests), including its frustrations with the condition the park had been left in and the already growing gentrification concerns, Riot Fest was forced to move to Douglas Park in Chicago’s west side. And unfortunately for the second year in a row, rain storms leading up to the fest created wet and muddy conditions for the duration of the weekend. Luckily the concert hours were mostly clear and sunny, so morale and excitement remained strong.
The new fest grounds were considerably smaller than the prior versions at Humboldt Park, but the layout also allowed fans the ability to bounce between the stages far more easily than in previous years. The downside of this spacing was the frustrating sound bleed between the stages at various times throughout the weekend, but the organizers definitely laid out the festival the best way the space would allow.
As people filtered in from their Friday work day, Against Me! started off the early evening with an energetic set on the Rise Stage. Lead singer Laura Jane Grace (who recently came out as a transgender woman in 2012) sported a “Gender is Over” sleeveless t-shirt and passionately sang punk classics concerning social justice and anti-trans-phobia. Fan favorites like “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong” and “I was a Teenage Anarchist” allowed the crowd to join in with the singing, and the group kept a consistent groove throughout their set.
Many might have looked forward to seeing Lee Scratch Perry and Subatomic Sound System, but soon found that the most entertaining part of the show was Scratch’s extensively blinged out and cosmic outfit. In his defense, he’s pushing 80 years old, but he seemed confused and out of it the entire set. Still, it was great to see a living production legend in person.
Anthrax, one of several metal bands at the fest, fit in quite well with the spirit and energy of Riot Fest. Their power chord driven rhythms gave the feel of punk rock, while their speed and precision screamed heavy metal. Lead singer Joel Belladonna’s vocals sound just as soaring as they did in the ’80s, and the addition of Jon Donais (formerly of Shadows Fall) to the lineup in 2013 allowed for some shredding lead guitar work. Hit songs such as “Mad House” and “Caught in a Mosh” garnered an immediate crowd reaction as the metal legends powered through the spirited set.
Chicago natives Alkaline Trio treated the audience to a melodic set filled with nostalgia. Using a Chicago flag as their backing banner, they made numerous references to the city and spoke about playing the famed Fireside Bowl back in 1997. Rocking songs like “Armageddon” got everyone moving their feet, and ballads like “Radio” had us all swaying back and forth. While the delicacy of certain parts was lost due to the invading sound from the other stages, the group was clearly enjoying themselves and the audience was pleased with the performance.
Motörhead was up next, and even though there was a smaller crowd, you could tell it was devoted. With his boom stand cranked up and his voice sounding as gravelly as ever, Lemmy led the group through their rocking set with comfort and ease. The crowd banged their heads in rhythm and fistpumped to classics like “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill.” While it might not have been the most dynamic set of the weekend, you simply can’t consider yourself a metal fan without seizing the opportunity to see Lemmy, the God himself.
Providing some reprieve from a rock-centric afternoon, Ice Cube brought some hip-hop into the mix as he performed Straight Outta Compton in its entirety. The rapper simply exuded confidence as he powerfully blazed through the rhymes that made him famous. He utilized a backing screen to show various videos throughout the set, and even included a shameless plug in the form of a full preview for the new movie NWA. The eclectic crowd excitedly watched on as the star dominated the stage and performance.
No Doubt closed things out on the Rock Stage, and the group put on one of the most energetic sets of the day. Lead singer Gwen Stefani strutted back and forth across the stage with a distinct swagger and constantly egged the crowd on to scream louder and louder. Her stage demeanor can only be described as “sexy as hell.” All of Tom Dumont’s guitar solos were pitch perfect, and the group stayed true to their ska roots by utilizing a horn section throughout the show. As they played older hits like “Don’t Speak” and “Spiderwebs” the crowd was happy to jump in and scream the lyrics as if it were 1995. It was a great way to close out the day, and we all headed home to clean off our boots and recharge for day two.
