The gates to Riot Fest 2024 were barely open when the love fest began.
Before the music even rang out Friday for Day 1 of the weekend event, a couple dressed in matching hot dog-print shortalls got engaged within the grounds of the brand-new RiotLand attraction at Douglass Park, eliciting a huge round of cheers from nearby strangers. The lovebirds were just a hop away from the onsite wedding chapel, and although its doors weren’t open for vow taking just yet, other features were already buzzing with activity.
Among them, the Quick-Stop Groceries convenience store — an homage to Kevin Smith’s movie “Clerks” but also a helpful pit stop to pick up water and snacks — and the Riot Fest Historical Society with a façade to look like the legendary Fireside Bowl and walls of memorabilia curated by the Punk Rock Museum.
The interactive RiotLand has long been a pipe dream for founder “Riot Mike” Petryshyn, and seeing it come together in 2024 only adds to what feels like another new chapter for the long-running and fiercely independent event.
With intervention from the city of Chicago to bring it back to Douglass Park after an abrupt — and brief — move to Bridgeview, as well as a newly announced partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), Riot Fest is seemingly entering into new territory. Though it’s good to know it’ll never lose its spirit.
Where else could you see a giant Butter (John) Stamos statute, catch Billy Corgan’s NWA wrestling league matches and ride a Ferris Wheel to the soundtrack of NOFX and Slayer all in the same weekend? Nowhere.
Here are some highlights from the stages:
Souls of Mischief
In music, everything comes back around again — and in the case of Bay Area hip-hop troupe Souls of Mischief, that would be the perennial favorite hit ” ’93 ‘Til Infinity.” For 30 years it has been a constant cultural cut, considered a consummate West Coast rap song that’s been sampled by the likes of Joey Bada$$, J. Cole and Freddie Gibbs, and become a go-to playlist pick of fans. So much so that the track (from the Souls’ debut album of the same name) finally was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America last December.
Much of the quartet’s Riot Fest set was dedicated to that era with smooth rappers A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai continually paying homage to their 30-year celebration. “We are going to represent this real hip-hop from now till infinity,” said Opio, adding, “We came a long way — I’m not talking about traveling from Oakland to Chicago but about hard work and dedication.”
In addition to looking back, Souls of Mischief also had their pulse on the future, sharing their new track with 1999 WRITE THE FUTURE called “yes Lovely” and teasing a new album “about to drop.”
After a brief interlude from touring DJ Lazyboy, who spun James Brown and a few lines of Cypress Hill (Souls’ recent tourmates, who were playing Riot Fest directly after), the quartet returned to share the stage with another message, this time one of unity. “We ain’t about negativity and divisiveness. We are all about love, peace and understanding,” said Tajai, asking the crowd to throw up a peace sign and say the word together. DJ Lazyboy then cut in some outro music with Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” for the perfect finishing touch.
Face To Face
The venerable SoCal punk rockers of Face to Face had a responsibility they took very seriously at this year’s Riot Fest: “We were the first band of 2024 contracted to play 60 minutes,” shared affable singer Trever Keith at the start of the set. “Are you tired yet? F- – – I am.”
Ever the comic foil, the frontman (and only original member left standing) kept things light throughout the hourlong set, churning out a greatest hits collection with “Ordinary,” “Blind” and “Velocity,” all the while blending in the hijinks. Like fake caring for the crowd taking in the set under the blistering sun — “I feel for you, but I’m glad I’m up here, it’s kind of breezy” — or persuaded the large crowd to turn around and flip off a news helicopter was hovering in the sky.
“That thing has been following me all day,” he joked.
Formed in 1991, Face to Face is one of a handful of elder punks inked for this year’s festival who kept their set unbelievably tight and solid, with a strong backing line that included bassist Scott Shiflett, drummer Danny Thompson and guitarist Dennis Hill. It’s also one of the many SoCal bands booked for the NOFX World Stage, as a bunch of NOFX’s comrades come together to give Fat Mike and crew a final sendoff as they retire.
“This afternoon, the whole reason we are here is celebrating NOFX, but I realized this is the actual last time we will be playing with them and it’s f- – -ing sad,” Keith said in a true moment of seriousness. “I couldn’t even begin to quantify how much those guys mean to us; they gave us our first tours and put out our first record on Fat Wreck. They’re amazing and we’re sad to see them go.”
The Warning
The three Villarreal sisters from Monterrey, Mexico, known collectively as The Warning have one of those incredible discovery stories that come around once in a generation. As kids 10 years ago, the trio — singer-guitarist Daniela “Dany,” drummer-vocalist Paulina “Pau” and bassist-backing vocalist Alejandra “Ale” — posted a cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” to YouTube that took not just the metal giants by storm, but also plenty of online onlookers (it currently has 25 million views).
Spending the past decade honing their chops, building those connections and putting out their own music with heavy hitters like “Evolve” from their 2022 U.S. major-label debut “Error” and new single “Six Feet Deep” from their new record “Keep Me Fed” has made them one of the fastest-growing rock acts the past couple of years, topping Billboard and active rock radio charts and earning their first MTV VMA nomination last month.
It’s easy to see why there’s so much interest. The youthful exuberance, crunchy riffs, catchy songwriting and tangible chemistry the sisters brought to their midday set at Riot Fest was one that turned heads and drew in a steadily growing crowd to the newly dubbed Cabaret Metro main stage — in particular more than a few young women and proud Latinos draped in Mexican flags, as shown on the video screens.
“Muchas gracias Chicago,” singer Dany screamed as the band tore into the Spanish-language track “Qué Más Quieres,” drawing a huge round of applause.
The beauty of The Warning is that the sisters always meet in those perfect crossroads, adding to their broad appeal, whether it’s dovetailing classic and modern rock or speaking to multicultural audiences. It’s garnered them billings with Muse, Foo Fighters and Guns N’ Roses, among others, as well as a heavy presence on the international festival circuit — and hopefully a long career ahead of them.
Zheani
Anyone walking up to Zheani’s set with no knowledge of the Australian trap metal artist might think there was a jail break from the Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow across the parkway.
Wearing full-face kabuki-esque makeup, Madonna-esque cone bra lingerie, and flanked by two contortionist-esque dancers wielding umbrella hand stilts, she presented a sinister alien aesthetic that matched the dark trappings of her music. The unique sound is fan-described as “fairy trap” for its blending of gothic hyper pop and industrial and comes courtesy of a background DJ live.
“Let’s get absolutely feral,” Zheani beckoned the crowd at the Radical Stage, following it up with newest hit “Sex Never Dies” and her own unhinged moves thick with innuendo. It was quite the first impression for the 100% DIY artist who was making first festival appearance ever — even if her set was plagued by constant syncing issues that affected the highly stylized vocal effects and made her quickly pivot to raw and unfiltered vocal tracks.
“You’re getting karaoke Zheani this morning,” she shared, audibly upset at the technical issues. “But you know why I’m not afraid to do a naked vocal … because ‘Fear Is the Mind Killer.’ ” It was a seamless setup for the track of the same name.
The snafu was a bit of a blessing in disguise, though, if only she recalls it that way upon later reflection. Zheani’s vibe is a total cyborg meltdown, so manipulated in effects that it’s hard to make out anything human, but hearing the vocals stripped down provided more connection and showcased more of her natural talent.
Adding in more of that unpolished style in combination with a non-daylight club set where her cryptic video montages can come to life will put Zheani in the leagues of Siiickbrain and DeathbyRomy where she rightfully belongs.