Festivals are always a magical event. The pulsating energy of a massive group of strangers united in their love of music is one that every person should experience. This weekend, the city of Chicago was able to experience this with the annual Riot Fest taking place. Ever since 2005, Riot Fest has brought Chicagoans together to share in the pure awesomeness of the best festival that the city has to offer(yes, I recognize the shade). This year was my first time visiting, I can say without a doubt I will be back next year. Now, as I’m sure many of you are aware, the life a college student is one that does not permit much free time. I was not able to make all three days of the festival, but the two days I was able to make it were absolutely, for the lack of a better word, bitchin’. Friday was the day I was able to attend, so that is what I am going to be reviewing.

After getting out of class, I rushed over to Douglas Park and arrived around 5. The first place I went to was Rebel Stage where I got to see Matt and Kim perform. Here, they proved once again that they are one of the most entertaining live acts around. Their energy and interactions with the audience made it feel like we were just hanging out. They wanted us to have as much fun as they were, and that was evident in their performance. Whether it was them bringing massive dildos out on stage, discussing personal details of their sex life, or Kim exposing a certain area of her upper-half, the performance was one hell of a good time.

I do have to admit, I left Rebel Stage a few minutes early and raced over to Riot Stage in anticipation for the next act I saw: Bleachers. This was the main reason I came to Riot Fest, and they did not disappoint in the slightest. The band walked onto the stage and the crowd went wild. They knew what we wanted and they gave it to us. Jack Antonoff, the lead singer, perfectly blended talking to us and performing for us. They had high energy and the passion for their music was clear. They were clearly having fun while they were on stage. Whether it was a musical battle between the guitarist and the saxophonist, or trying to start a wave of cheering, they definitely knew how to entertain the audience.

After this and a quick trip to the food carts, I went to see Dropkick Murphy’s. Their blend of Rock and Irish music certainly made for a good time. They were high energy and were all together just rockin’ out during their set. You didn’t have to know who they were to be able to have a good time. However, the highlight was without a doubt the last song of their performance. The crowd went absolutely crazy when the they played the first few notes of the iconic “I’m Shipping up to Boston.” They knew the crowd wanted it, and oh, we got it. Those few minutes were filled with shouting of the words and outrageous dancing. I have never felt more Irish.

Ryan Casey

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Going to Riot Fest really is quite the experience. During that weekend in September, Douglas Park becomes home to some of the most kind, intense, respectful, wild, and extravagant people that Chicago and the rest of the country have to offer. This being a punk festival, you will not find the usual crowd of flower-crown donning teens you are used to from other Chicago festivals such as Lollapalooza or North Coast. In a way, Riot Fest presents itself as more of a grounded and (mostly) mature event. If Lollapalooza was the excitement and wonder of our youth, Riot Fest is our rebellious years when nothing matters because we are all going to die someday. Yes, very punk.

The music acts represented at Riot Fest really do a good job to represent this sentiment of standing up against the man. Most groups performing, with headliners and a handful of others being the exception, belong to smaller labels, without the gigantic following some acts at other festivals receive. This maintains a sort of illusion of closeness with the acts performing. Seeing a small act perform to a small but dedicated fanbase can be a much more personal experience for both the audience and the band than sold out shows to big name artists. Yet this is not to say that headlining and bigger acts are kept from performing. Groups such as Just Friends, Blood People, Pussy Riot, and The Frights get as much attention and dedication as The Aquabats!, Young the Giant, and Weezer. Riot Fest really respects the message that the punk movement originally spread: standing against the man and play loud.

As for the performances themselves, if you are a fan of mosh pits and going crazy at concert, Riot Fest delivers just the right music and audience to really get wild. Once again, punk music is about releasing the pent-up angst within oneself, and what better way to release such energy than to push and get pushed around violently. Nearly all performances had some sort of pit, whether it was aggressive pseudo-Irish dancing to Flogging Molly or flailing your arms at a Sum 41 circle of death or getting sprayed with fake blood all the while moshing at GWAR.

But even the large-scale, less intense, performances had their own charm. Groups that do not depend on their audience to bring the energy had quite mazing performances. Young the Giant really played with the audience and kept them entertained with great lightshows. Blondie was able to show their curious crowd if they could still rock as much as they did in their youth (they still can). Yet the show that really captivated me was Weezer. Being an older group, they really have an idea of how to play to an audience. Between lights, pyrotechnics, and music, Weezer rarely had any down moments, really rounding out the first night of the Festival.

Riot Fest, however, extends beyond the music. Ferris wheels, carnival rides, carnival food stands are all placed within the park as well, giving Riot Fest its unofficial subtitle of Riot Fest and Carnival. If you want to take a break from moshing with other very sweaty people, take a break and ride the Ferris Wheel to enjoy amazing bird’s eye views of the park. Feeling hungry? Head over to the food stand and order a foot-long corndog or deep fried oreos. Whenever music is not playing, the park almost feels like a turn of the century county fair. If you are feeling adventurous, Riot Fest always features the Hellzapoppin’ Sideshow Revue, a show placing a spotlight on some of the world’s craziest people and human curiosities inside a small circus tent.

Personally, the only way to really immerse yourself with the whole environment of Riot Fest is to go all three days and completely forget about the outside world. Douglas Park becomes a little island where weirdos, freaks, and outcasts can enjoy life without worry or fear of being chastised. This festival, for a punk festival, really brings out the best in people, making it a must-see attraction in Chicago.

And somehow, between all of this, a strange sense of camaraderie emerges even during a wall of death.

Luis Mejía Ahrens