Riot Fest 2021: Friday in Review
Riot Fest Friday attendees experienced an epic display of scorching sun, dramatic lightning, and rain shower to close the night. Entering the gates around 1 p.m. I noticed that the crowds […]
Riot Fest 2021: Preview Party in Review
It felt good to riot again. I’ll admit it, after two years away I wasn’t sure my rusty festival skills and pandemic jitters could handle a fourth day of Riot Fest. The […]
It’s Riot Fest Eve, Let’s Get Ready for One of Chicago’s Best Music Fests
Riot Fest is set to start melting your face with their myriad of heavy and eclectic sounds at Douglass Park…let me check my notes… TOMORROW! With so many festivals […]
Festival Season 2021: Riot Fest Continues into the Late Night with Fantastic Aftershows
Festival season is approaching and the awesome lineups are starting to come in. With everything going on concerning the pandemic, it’s easy to forget that festival season is a thing. […]
Festival Season 2021: Riot Fest Unveils Their First Look at This Year’s Festival!
Festival season is approaching and the awesome lineups are starting to coming in. With everything going on concerning the pandemic, it’s easy to forget that festival season is a thing. […]
Will Lollapalooza Be Canceled This Year?
Yesterday Governor Pritzker shared his viewpoint that all summer events should be canceled, though Mayor Lightfoot is less comfortable making that call … yet. My personal history with Lollapalooza goes […]
Reader’s Choice–Your Favorites of 2019
This time of year, there’s a lot of looking back –for better or worse. We see what worked and what didn’t, what we want more of and what we want […]
Riot Fest 2019: Day 3 in Review
There’s a noticeably chiller vibe when I show up to Douglas Park for day 3 of Riot Fest 2019. If Friday was like the final moments of the last day […]
Riot Fest 2019: Day 2 in Review
My second day at Riot Fest was another one of firsts—first time that I used the port-o-potty at the festival, first time I rode a divvy bike into oncoming traffic, […]
It’s Here! Riot Fest Is Here!
I admit I always flinch a little when I read articles describing Riot Fest as a punk and metal festival. Sure, the booking ethos behind the band choices is driven […]
Riot Fest Turns 15 and Reveals Its Incredible Lineup
Riot Fest will turn 15 this year, just a few months after my solar clock hit 40. Chicago’s premiere punk festival has come a long way since its beginnings as […]
A Dozen Riot Fest Bands (That Aren’t Headliners) You Should See
This year’s Riot Fest is a wealth of riches. Yup, that’s a cliché but it’s so true. When you’re done with your whining over this or that headliner going up […]