Writing by Kyle Land of Chicago Crowdsurfer.
The last day of Riot Fest is always bitter sweet. The thought of life returning to normal, produces the overwhelming desire to make that final push to grasp every last drop of Riot Fest 2019 joy before the lights come on and the final exhausted shuffle home commences. Early morning showers had thoroughly soaked the park but the crews had done a fantastic job of filling the mud holes with plenty of mulch, including most of the Riot Stage grounds, repairing the trampling the Slayer fans gave it the night before. The threat of afternoon rain soon gave way to a hot and humid, sunny Sunday afternoon, which brought out the funday crowd. Another packed day awaited, as there were too many acts to choose from on the stacked schedule. But pacing was the order of the day, especially when the headliner is a Bikini Kill reunion! Sorry Taking Back Sunday fans, but there was noooo contest on who would get our attention come the eight o’clock hour.
Ganser
A slow, feedback fueled start by Chicago post-punk noisaholics Ganser was eliminated as Nadia Garofalo stepped from behind her keyboard, wrapped the mic cord around her neck and burst into her dramatic theatrics. It’s really too bad they had an early set time, because by the time Alicia Gaines got the bass throbbing, and Charlie Landsman’s guitar scream reached fever pitch their thirty minutes were up, just as they had started to hit their stride. Get to Beat Kitchen on October 2nd to feel the full set power Ganser can emanate. It’s truly an experience.
Skating Polly
The dual vocal attack of step-sibling pop punkers Skating Polly was a clear early afternoon highlight as the Oklahoma trio lit up the Riot Stage with their pure infectious enthusiasm. They came to kick ass, with bassist Kelli Mayo’s white cowboy boots doing the damage; leaving every ounce of energy on stage. Already vets, after a decade in the game (the band started before Mayo was even ten) they have a long resume and plenty of grit and determination to keep it going far into the future.
Kali Masi
Chicago punk’s Kali Masi were ecstatic to be playing their first Riot Fest, and as the hometown crowd started to sing along they couldn’t hide their excitement with grins all around between tunes. Their 2017 record Wind Instrument broke them out of the underground and into the cities consciousness with it’s crunchy riffs and relatable lyrics. Based on the impressive crowd size it was obvious this won’t be Kali Masi’s last time rocking out in Douglas Park.
The Beaches
Double X-chromosome rock machine The Beaches hit the stage with unmatched energy that threw their classic 70’s rock style straight into the stratosphere. The Toronto quartet sure knows how to pull off a show, and with early summer EP The Professional making waves it’s a sure shot that The Beaches are here to stay. Catch em again at Cobra Lounge on September 29th when they open for Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes!
Ride
English shoegaze pioneers Ride may not have garnered the largest crowd of the day, but their cross genre appeal attracted the most versatile. Young and old, metalheads, punks, and Phish visor sporting jam dancers all got down to the swirling layers of reverberated chords. New record This Is Not a Safe Place is their second since reforming in 2014 after a nearly two decade hiatus, and shows how little they have lost over the years with their classic sound firmly entrenched in every moment.
Sincere Engineer
Deanna Belos was all smiles as the crowd embraced Sincere Engineer with open arms. The Chicago punk maven looked to be having the time of her life as fans brought out corndogs for “Corn Dog Sonnet No. 7” and broke into an epic circle pit for “Shattering.” After several years of disappointing turnouts for local acts on the smaller stages it was inspiring to have fans show up and sing-along to Belos’ memorable pop punk tunes.
Against Me!
Speaking of sing-alongs, Against Me! won that category hands down. Playing classic debut Reinventing Axl Rose and reinvention record Transgender Dysphoria Blues back to back was an ingeinus move and went over so well even Laura Jane Grace seemed pleasently shocked everyone sang through both records with equal enthusiasm. With the largest grin possible, she stepped to the mic in thanks at the end of the set, both hands over her head like the champion of punk she is, wishing her adopted city well.
American Football
With the pure joy of Against Me! running deep in the veins it just seemed that Champaign, IL emo mavericks American Football couldn’t get us going. Sure, they sound pretty, and last March’s American Football (LP3) is a glorious listen; but this was Riot Fest and more pure punk injection was needed to keep the head of steam moving toward the culmination of Bikini Kill takeover!
Teenage Bottlerocket
Teenage Bottlerocket fit the bill to perfection. The pure pop punk explosion that took place on the Rebel Stage was at once uplifting, exuberant, and downright pleasure. Running through all their hits from “Blood Bath at Burger King” to “Skate or Die” to “Bigger Than Kiss,” the quartet from Wyoming ripped a hole in the fabric of spacetime, sending us all back a decade to the small clubs of Riot Fest’s beginnings!
Ween
Even Gene and Dene Ween seemed skeptical of playing the ‘97 classic The Mollusk in full. “It’s so stupid,” quiped Dene; “It’s a story of the ocean” joked Gene; but as they eased into opening track “I’m Dancing in the Show Tonight” the musical sorcery started to show and as they hit mid record the Ween hoodoo had entranced the crowd to a seething dancing throng of golden eels.
Bikini Kill
Nostalgia has always been Riot Fest’s modus operandi, but rarely does an act come along that captures both the times of 90s youth and the current moment quite like Bikini Kill. Reuniting now, after over twenty years apart, was no mistake. Fate waited for Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail and Kathi Wilcox to mend fences and climb back aboard the Riot Grrrl train. Joined by new guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle; the quartet that formed in Olympia, WA and forever changed the machismo soaked aura of punk rock with their daring outspokenness (1990 is not 2019. Thirty years ago an all female punk band that didn’t barter on sex appeal was a complete abbiration) returned to Chicago with a twenty five song set that ran the gamut of a too short career. Their intoxicating set was not only a blast from the past for this writer, who witnessed the jaw dropping power of Bikini Kill twice in his teens, but a blunt reminder that not much has changed in mainstream society. While yes, Bikini Kill (a feminist band if there ever was one) did headline a major festival, this is Riot Fest we’re talking about: the most accepting environment possible. Meanwhile, the outside world is slowly and perceptibly slipping back into values that we all thought were long past gone. We have a hard time seeing it in our liberal bubble of Chicago, or any other major city; but travel outside our brick walls and glass sanctuaries; and the country is teaming with a broiling hatred, a divided sickness. Make no mistake, this cold civil war is in its infancy. Bikini Kill was destined to arrive back in this moment, as foot soldiers of feminist protest. To help hold back the wave of media driven disillusionment and dissociation that threatens to shut down even the hardiest minded among us. A reminder to “Resist Psychic Death” and to remember “This Is Not a Test,” this is real life. While we may have all just taken in an unforgettable festival, there is work to be done. There’s a reason why countless artists this weekend called on you to vote, to take part in your communities. It’s essential that this moment not be lost. Go forth and be a “Rebel Girl.”
Yours in Riot,
-Kyle Land
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