Review: Riot Fest 2022

 

☆ JOHN COTTER ☆

 
 

RIOT FEST 2022 WAS A PUNK-ROCK PARTY —  of immense proportions. Offering up blasts from the past and present, attendees were indulging in the nostalgic sounds that filled much of their childhoods, while also discovering what their next favorite band might be. The Douglas Park festival in Chicago wears the ironically chuckle-inducing tagline “Riot Fest Sucks” like a badge of honor, and rightfully so. There’s something for everyone here, especially if it’s your first time - like it was mine.

Each day saw a variety of performers and stylings, from progressive pop-punk stars like Yungblud to the bloody, metal satire that literally drenched the audience during Gwar’s set. That’s really what makes this festival so special for its audience. You may see hordes of My Chemical Romance or Misfits shirts during the three days, but it’s really the sets that you never know you’d stumble across - like Pvris and Poliça - that make staying the whole day worth your while. 

Friday’s sold out lineup kicked things off to a busy and crowded start. Friends in the merch line waited literal hours to get their My Chemical Romance merch before camping out near the Riot and Roots stages for pretty much the whole day. There was shared optimism though, as thousands of other eager fans awaited Gerard Way and the band’s long-anticipated Riot Fest show. Other highlights included the dad-rock group The Descendents, whose high-energy show contrasted their old age. Also worth noting is Foxy Shazam, who probably had the most impressive performance of the day. Their outfits ranged from disco inspired, skin-tight apparel worm by vocalist Eric Nally, to the blacked-out, punk-fitted outfit from crowd-surfing pianist Schuyler Vaughn White. Taking Back Sunday brought some chaotically controlled energy, as they cycled through its like “MakeDamnSure” and “A Decade Under The Influence.” Alkaline Trio - who are Chicago natives - brought a dimly lit, smoke heavy set towards the end of the night, leading perfectly into the MCR show that show many had been anxiously awaiting. 

A highlight for Saturday was the pop-punk takeover on the Roots and Riot stages, where Yungblud turned Douglas Park into an intimate and involved performance. His most vocal fans were right up front, and he gave them what they waited for and showed me just why he has such adoring fans. But what I didn’t expect was the rambunctiously appealing show from Jxdn right before Yungblud’s set. His was truly basking in the sunlight and soaking up all the bravado that he was continuously exuding. Then, to really cap things off, Yungblud brought the young punk rocker out to end his set. It’s a great example of the subgenres and fanbases that simultaneously see their favorite bands and artists at certain times in the day, and then explore beyond that. It’s a melting pot of punk and rock subgenres in the best possible way. The best part of it all is seeing the older generations react to the newcomers in their beloved genres. The merch of the day was that of the coveted Misfits skull, as a collection of punk and rock demographics showed their admiration for the “Walk Among Us” legends. Seeing these dedicated fans - many of whom buy tickets just to see the headliner - sulk in the Riot Fest experience of music and cultural discovery is a beautiful thing and a reminder of the true purpose of music festivals. Oh yeah, and someone stage dived over me during Madball’s hardcore set, which is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget. 

Day 3 found a sweet-spot with rap fans more than any of the prior days, while also giving many indie and pop-rock lovers some very special performances. Pvris dominated the Radical stage, as lead singer and guitarist Lyndsey Gunnulfsen delivered an emotive, intimate performance. Following that was a nostalgic trip down memory lane with 2000’s pop-rock band Jimmy Eat World, who were locked in for a whole hour of running through hits like “The Middle” and “Sweetness.” Then, it was time for rap to have its moment in the sun. 

I was grateful enough to be able to catch Coolio’s symphonic and evocative set, where he began by paying tribute to the rappers and artists who’ve gone too soon, like Nipsey Hussle and DMX. Just over a week after the festival, it was announced that Coolio had passed away, leaving myself and the thousands of fans at his set left with fresh memories of a man who clearly loved what he did for a living. It transcended my naivety when it comes to Coolio’s discography, and that’s the marker of a truly great performer and entertainer. 

Shortly after Coolio’s show, Action Bronson took the Rise stage with an iron fist. The thing that immediately stood out to me about Bronson’s set was the lack of an MP3 in the background, which is something that has become an unfortunate commonality within hip-hop performances. Nobody wants to hear your recorded vocals layered on top of your live vocals, and Action Bronson clearly understands this. The photos I snapped of him almost makes it look like he was crying during some portions of the show, as his love for the game was seeping through every second of his performance. 

While Nine Inch Nails may have been most people’s highlight of the day, I found Yeah Yeah Yeahs to be the band to really take the cake. Performing their first show in Chicago in years, the indie-pop duo reminded everyone of the movement they started over two decades ago in New York City. It was my personal send off for Riot Fest, and one that made me itching for more. 

 
We couldn’t be more stoked to have Suriel Hess as our new headliner for our upcoming LA show 🤩 🫶 Not gonna lie, us & Notorious Noise kinda went OFF with this line up & you’re not gonna wanna miss it - ticket link in bio 🎫
The lovely Dora Jar for our 18th Issue by Lydia Robinson ⭐️ 🤩 Get your digital or print copy of this issue now 🫶
tierra whack supremacy 🤌
Music, Music FestivalsThe Luna Collectivemusic, Riot Fest