Riot Fest 2022 (September 16-18, Chicago IL) Festival • Page 27

I also find it pretty interesting that they basically ignore the iteration of the festival that took place in 2017. Looking at that line-up compared to this one really highlights what they were going for this time around.

 

Other than the fact Morrissey headlined, the lineup for the last iteration actually looked like a pretty chill time.

 

Yeah, WWWY is much more targeted towards the “I liked this band in high school” nostalgia crowd (and I bet that’s where most of ticket sales went to) as opposed to Riot, which is much more devoted to the music nerds

Yeah it was such a great lineup. I tried hitting it up when it happened but couldn’t make it work :(

 

A lot of the acts on the WWWY lineup tour regularly or will be touring this year. Like, Paramore is gearing up for a new album/tour. Avril has a new album coming out and probably tour. Bright Eyes has already played shows and has more coming. MCR has a huge tour booked/Riot Fest. In terms of headliners, none of them are appealing to me to travel to Las Vegas for. Then with the undercard, a lot of the acts I would want to see I either have seen recently or will be catching in the coming months (assuming COVID does not cause postponements/cancellations). That is why I personally chose not to try for a ticket, along with the price being too much for me at the current time.

I guess if you live in an area where these acts do not frequent, it makes sense to go so you can knock as many of them off as possible, but for someone like me who lives in a big city where they all have come/will come, it's not really worth it.

 

This is a much more concise way of putting it than my post. Hah! I think that's my only real hesitancy about the festival beyond this year.

I know it sounds pretty cynical, but I'm not convinced that something of this size can maintain for more than a few (2-3) years before people start shrugging. You're bound to need repeat bands each year to get the same whollop. The headliner situation isn't quite as dire as you'd initially think but it's still fairly limited (I can think of six ash the top of my head that would fit well; 2-3 others that would feel like stretches but could work).

I get that the people on this site who are attending aren't cut from this same cloth. But... Are Joe Finance and Sally Suburbs really gonna shell out the money for this every year to relive a very specific era from their youth? Or will they do it once "for the 'gram" to sing along with the 1-2 songs by the Used that they know and return their daily life?

Maybe they will. But it doesn't feel likely.

100% this. I kinda get if there's a specific band or a small group of bands you really want to see. Or if you don't get a lot of shows in your area or whatever. But for most people I'm just not sure I understand the appeal...

For people who don't go to shows regularly, I kinda see them going to this thing once and never again. Most of the really big guns are on this year. I just don't see it packing the same punch.

 

A new mock from the subreddit

 

Yes I’ll happily take Car Seat Headrest

 

Car Seat Headrest would be a lot of fun at Riot

 

A lot of the placements are way off (AFI over Rancid and Bad Religion?!! Suicide Machines over Jeff Rosenstock?); some of the acts are pretty much nowhere near likely for Riot to book (Limp Bizkit, Danny Elfman, Avril Lavigne); and based on the latest clarification from Jesse Michaels, Operation Ivy are basically confirmed as "out" for this year...

But if this were what the line-up looks like I would 100% be there. Without question.

 

I cracked up at “Sally Suburbs” hahaha

 

What's funny is that riofest could 100% stick it to WWYF if they wanted. You don't think they could do some sort of combo of Fall out boy, paramore, or panic? Toss in a good charlotte, cute is what we aim for, Cobra starship reunion etc etc etc

I mean, WWYF is sold out, so haha i don't think there's any way to STICK it to them, but ya know what i mean. Steal some of their thuner. Hey, riot fest IS first so.

 

I swear every time I go on the subreddit I get convinced that people on there just really don’t get Riot Fest. Someone commented that Ghost would headline over Op Ivy. If Riot ever gets an Op Ivy Reunion, there is absolutely no way that they do not have them headline regardless of who else is on the bill.

 

Yea ghost fits perfectly as a 2nd line / non main stage closer. Ghost and AFI playing in the ministry/ new order sports to either MCR or misfits would a great block of music imo

 

Would JPEGMAFIA play after they booked Morrissey? :P

 

All the mocks popping up made me play around with one and I took a few swings, Not finished cuz only about 20 a day, this is just mapping out of the 4 big stages for each day, so AWK and gwar and slew of other smaller/newer stuff can be added for the rebel stage and a handful more on the bigs. I need another hip hop or 2, maybe more metal, more straightforward punk. Where are my blind spots? Be gentle

Edit: on Friday I envision a mostly punk side stage with like guttermouth, face to face, strike anywhere, tsunami bomb

I have Avril and paramore on the same stage to balance out the older leaning main (misfits, social D, x, the damned) and hip hop stages

I’d consider bauhaus & MBV as co-headline on Sunday.

 

I would go to your festival sir.

The only one that I think is definitely more of a pipe dream is dolly Parton. That really seems out of place.

 

I’d say the same thing about Wheatus too

But otherwise, this is awesome and I’d attend

 

Most of this looks pretty reasonable, and if this were the line-up I would 100% be going. Haha. It seems like a good mix across the days and I can see (to an extent, anyway) what the stage designations might be.

That being said: I feel like Dolly and Avril are pure pipe dream for very different reasons. I just don't see Dolly being motivated to do it for any reason... And Avril is without a doubt going to be on Lolla. Yes, she's playing WWYF. But that is a totally different animal from Riot in practically every way. It just kinda feels like the kind of thing they would steer away from just booking a pure pop act like that. She has such a history as a top 40 pop act and is still marketing herself in that same way. I just don't see them pulling the trigger.

Also should note that Blackalicious isn't a thing anymore because Gift of Gab passed away last year. (Sad face emoji.)

I definitely think we'll see another bigger hip-hop act or two (along with some smaller acts scattered throughout that day) but I can't say just yet who I think that might be. If Riot is smart, they'll spread out the "emo nostalgia" over a couple of days and have a stage with some smaller tier acts on Saturday or Sunday (e.g., Finch, La Dispute, Armor for Sleep, maybe get Thursday again).

Out of curiosity - Do you have the Go-Gos headlining their stage? Kinda feels like that would pair well with MF&TGG, Bouncing Souls, etc.

 

I had this as one of the 2 flanking stages: Dolly, go-gos, Ben folds, LJG, and sincere eng. the happy/ dancey with accousict guitars and pianos stage, haha. Sunny day on the other flanking stage ( with the skate punky bands, didn’t know what other ‘early emo’ was still around touring) and mcr/tbs closing the 2 mains,

 

Give me Ben Folds at Riot Fest or give me not death but something equally serious to know I mean business.

 

Ben Folds Five WITH ROME

 

You know what would be a fun little thing for riot. Idk if they're still leaning into the "carnival" aspect of riot, cause when I went i remember they had live wrestling. Consider cm punk seems to always show up at this thing backstage...some sort of aew wrestling thing at riot fest. Might be a little out there but I think it would be to see the festival to try things like this

 

Looks like we can add Sunny Day Real Estate to the list of potentials for this year! No dates yet... But if they come soon it could be our first "no Chicago date so they are almost definitely playing" of the year I think, right?

 

Bummer, it sounds like Nate is sitting this reunion out.

 

Bummed but not surprised