A rainy morning didn’t dampen the energy at Riot Fest on Sunday. Despite pouring all morning, the grounds were in decent condition as crowds braved the damp weather and arrived at Douglass Park. Gates opened at noon after a slight delay and attendees rocked ponchos and rain boots along with full face paint. It was metal day in the park as Mastodon, Gwar, Rob Zombie, and Slayer all took the stage to close out the weekend on the loudest note yet.
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Cursive
Omaha indie-rock outfit Cursive warded off the rain on Sunday afternoon as devoted fans rocked ponchos to watch the band. After nearly 30 years together, there was plenty in Cursive’s catalog to choose from. Tim Kasher and crew started the set with “Sink to the Beat.” The band also played new songs from their latest album, released just last week, like “Botch Job” and “Imposturing.”
Mastodon
Mastodon lit up the Cabaret Metro stage with flames leaping from the floor and heavy metal licks. The Atlanta band marked the 20th anniversary of their concept album based on Moby Dick, Leviathan, playing the album in full. After the album, Mastodon rocked out to “Circle of Cysquatch” and “Steambreather” as fans head banged along.
The Vandals
“You’re old as shit,” one Vandals fan yelled to the band as they walked onstage. He wasn’t wrong, as Orange County band started playing punk together in 1980. Yet, they still rocked on with guitarist Warren Fitzgerald looking particularly spry as he bounced around the stage to songs like “Take It Back” and “Cafe 405.”
Gwar
Intergalactic metal heads Gwar are always a highlight when they play Riot Fest. The grotesque Richmond rockers got right down to business with “Let Us Slay” as they beheaded a pesky radio disc jockey. Fans bathed in the fake blood and crowd surfed to “The Sordid Soliloquy of Sawborg Destructo” as Sawborg Destructo sawed into a rival for his lover’s affection. Balzac The Jaws of Death, Jizmak da Gusha, and Grodius Maximus all took turns spewing blood on the AAA stage.
Something Corporate
Something Corporate’s Sunday afternoon set at Riot Fest was an event. The Orange County band played the festival as part of their reunion tour, their first tour since 2010 and the first tour with their original lineup in more than two decades. One couple decided to mark the occasion by getting married in the pit during the band’s set and crowd surfing together to the front. Singer Andrew McMahon led fans through a nostalgic indie rock romp, banging on his piano and even standing on it at times. The set included favorites like “Space” and “Punk Rock Princess” and remarkably squeezed in the nearly ten-minute “Konstantine.” They closed with “I Woke Up in a Car,” and we hope the next reunion isn’t far behind.
Sublime
After Rob Zombie and Slayer, in their only reunion date in the Midwest, played in front of flaming infernos to packed crowds, Sublime was a mellow note to end Riot Fest weekend on. After playing with Rome Ramirez on vocals for 15 years, Sublime has a new singer. Jakob Nowell stepped into his late father Bradley’s shoes to front the Long Beach ska punk outfit. The band settled in with “Garden Grove” before turning the tempo up with “Date Rape.” Is there a better way to end a music festival than singing “Love is what I got” with a crowd of strangers standing in the mud? It may have been the first day of fall, but as Nowell sang, “Summertime, and the livin’s easy,” that summer feeling will keep music fans warm as they wait through the long winter for the promise of next year’s Riot Fest.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
