RIOT FEST DAY 1: The Last Glorious Days of Summer 2014
CHICAGO, IL – Alternative music giants were going to swarm
into Humboldt Park, Chicago and play set after set for the next three days.
That is about all I knew about this festival other than the fact that I needed
to be there no matter what. On one hand you had a lot of classic Alternative
acts like the Cure, Weezer and Janes Addiction. But then there was another side
to it where there would be new acts to check out like The Grizzled Mighty,
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, and Somos. This popular festival is in its
tenth year and is split up in three locations including Denver, Toronto as well
as Chicago. The layout in Chicago was the most intensive including seven stages
and three days and nights of solid programming.
The check in process was long. At first sight the line
looked incredibly long. I had no idea where the stages were or what I was going
to do once I got inside. The line started to move and the people were processed
through very quickly. I didn’t see any maps I just walked along with the flow.
First up on the list was a Zombie Haunted House with guys dressed up like
ghouls, loud metal music blaring and some kind of bubbly foam oozing out of the
doorway. A little further up I could see the first beer stands all waiting for
their first customers of the day. They would be the first of many. I could make
out some of the carnival rides including the Ferris wheel and the merry go
round.
BLACK JOE LEWIS AND THE HONEYBEARS
Now I could hear the thundering pound of the Riot Stage and
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. They would be the first act that would
start the festival off. By the sounds of it I only missed the first couple of
songs. These guys were really tight. They had a bluesy - funky pull no punches
sort of approach to their songs. They hail from Austin, Texas and were voted to
be one of the Top Ten Best Bands in the 2009 SXSW Festival. I had heard, “Bitch
I Love You” and was intrigued. Now, they were ripping it up live right in front
of me. Joe was making it look so easy. His fingers were all over the frets and
hitting some amazing notes. Now because I had been one of the first people that
walked into the park I was able to walk right up to the stage. The drums were
amped up high and complimented Black Joe Lewis as he wailed on the guitar. At this
writing I don’t have the set list but I didn’t want it to end. There were two
large video monitors on each side of the stage so you could see what was going
on.
|
Now here is the interesting part. When the set ended there were
no encores. I mean, that was it. This set just ended and they said their
goodbyes. Then the stage went silent and right behind us across the field was
the Roots Stage and that lit up like a fireworks stand.
TITLE FIGHT
There wasn’t any segue – it was all.. BAM BAM BAM…. And
Title Fight walked onto the stage and addressed the audience and the stage
lights went on and the monitors kicked on and the show was going on full blast.
This is an American band from Kingston, PA and they were influenced by Seaweed
from Sub Pop records. They are signed on SideOneDummy Records and they put on
an exciting live performance.
We got some live shot of them and their set list…..
1.
Numb, But I Still Feel It
2.
Shed
3.
Like A Ritual
4.
Head In The Ceiling Fan
5.
Secret Society
6.
No One Stays At The Top Forever
7.
Symmetry
8.
27
CIRCA SURVIVE
For me this is the best of the festival. You get to see
these new acts up close and personal really before anybody else does. Just
before I left for Riot Fest I came across an issue of NME where Morrissey
blurts out, “ I Am Endlessly Fascinating” right on the cover. This may have
been true in the early 90’s and it was certainly true in the late 80’s but I
would give that title of high praise to Circa Survive. Lead singer Anthony
Green is pretty much endlessly fascinating.
The first rule of thumb for pop superstardom in my eyes is
to be unique. I look for variance of musical range. I look for the lead front
man to be interesting and if possible I like it best when you cannot take your
eyes off of him. You don’t have to be heartthrob material in order for this to
happen. But I do look for a certain star appeal. Charisma you could call it.
The guy from the Dickies has it, (Leonard) and the guy from Circa Survive has
it. We all know Morrissey has it but I am here at Riot Fest looking for something
new and enticing. I keep telling myself that I would know it if only I could
see it up close.
Anthony Green wraps himself with a mic chord making movement constricted,
difficult and impossible. He screams, he shouts and yes…. He dances….
Maniacally which I loved. His entire body shifts from one side of the stage all
the way to the other and the crowd loves it and it is exciting to watch. This
is what I came here for.
During one part of the show he actually leaps from the stage
into the audience and begins to sing with them. He reaches down into the soft
earth and pulls up some fresh mud as the light rain comes down. He walks up to
his followers and proceeds to bless them and anoint them into his special tribe
by smearing mud in their faces. Some of the markings look like tribal warrior
markings and some of the mud he smears all over. He lovingly refers to them as
his, “muddy penguins”.
Years from now everyone will tell you that they were at this
performance. Years from now you will never get this close to the band again
unless you shell out the big bucks. That’s rock and roll.
SETLIST
1.
Strange Terrain
2.
Sharp Practice
3.
Holding Someone’s Hair Back
4.
In The Morning and Amazing
5.
In Fear and Faith
6.
Stop The Fuckin’ Car
7.
The Difference Between Medicine and Poison Is the
Dose
8.
Jimi
9.
Get Out
|
