Riot Fest 2018 - September 14-16 - Douglas Park, Chicago Tour • Page 4

I saw Smash Mouth at a free county fair in July, and I'll be damned if it wasn't the most fun I've had all year. They sound great and I totally agree with Danny that that'd be a fucking awesome environment to watch them in.

 

I would rather gargle battery acid than see Papa Roach

 

My three most wanted (and sort of likely) bands for next year are Converge, Strike Anywhere, and Green Day. I feel like they’re all due to play at some point.

In the category of incredibly unlikely but not impossible, I’d love to see Weakerthans and Rilo Kiley reunions. Not holding my breath for either though. In lieu of those, John K. Samson and Jenny Lewis sets would be great too.

 

The Struts would absolutely be great. I think Mxpx would be awesome.

 

Strike Anywhere would be great, I haven't seen them in over 5 years

 

I think ATL might not draw the best type of crowd, I think Mayday only did so well because the younger crowd isn't as into them.
I would really hope for Brand New to ply next year. I think the Front Bottoms would also be a great fit. I saw them at the last Skate & Surf and they were phenomenal

 

Are you saying you don't think ATL would bring a crowd, or you wouldn't like the crowd that they did bring? Because they played last year and it was pretty packed.

 

The type of people it would attract. I would hope Chicago would be different. The last few times I've seen ATL the crowd was mostly under 18 and very obnoxious. At one point Alex asked the crowd if they should play Vegas, or Stella and everyone cheered for Stella.
How were they at RF last year ?

 

I don't really remember to be honest (partially alcohol, partially just because it was a long time agot). But I mean I've seen All Time Low 13 times, and it's fair to say that's pretty much their crowd. It's slightly better at RF because it's just an older crowd to begin with though. It's never been bad enough to ruin the show for me though (except maybe 1 or 2 times).

 

I used to be the biggest Handguns fan, and they played a tour with them and Man Overboard. It was honestly the worst time I ever had at a show

 

Yea I went to that tour haha idk it's hit or miss, but obviously I'm a huge ATL fan, so i just tune all the nonsense out when they start. I'm pretty used to it by now. Get why it's annoying to people though.

 

I don't think a completely original Smashing Pumpkins reunion will ever happen. D'arcy ain't coming back. They could definitely tour with James and Jimmy though.

Cage had bigger crowds than some headliners at Lolla this year. I feel like they are bigger than BN at this point.

 

Oh I believe you. I guess just being from the NY area and seeing the venues both bands play confused me. Last headlining show Cage played was 2 nights at the 5500 capacity Central Park Summerstage. From what I saw they drew very well with Portugal the Man but I don't think they sold out any night. Then you have Brand New selling out MSG with Modest Mouse but they sell very well in the NYC area. I'm guessing the next Cage tour (if they have a new album next year) might hit up The Theater at MSG (5500 Capacity) or maybe a co-headliner that could hit up Prudential Center.

 

Maybe I'm just an elitist, but there are so many bad suggestions in here. Papa Roach and Smash Mouth? Seriously? Keep that shit at your radio holiday shows and the Naperville Catalina Wine Mixer.

Pipe dream suggestions (Go big or go home):
-Black Flag w/ Henry Rollins
-Minor Threat
-Fugazi
-The Mars Volta
-David Bowie hologram
-Prince hologram

Realistic suggestions:
-Modern Life Is War
-PUP
-Rozwell Kid
-Los Crudos
-Flag
-GWAR
-mgla
-Municipal Waste
-Hatebreed
-American Football
-Strike Anywhere
-Converge
-Every Time I Die
-Jimmy Eat World

 

Modern Life Is War would be cool. I can't remember who they were opposite in 2015 (I think that was the year they played last), but for some reason I decided not to see them then.

 

If I remember correctly, that was a Witness 10 Year Anniversary set which I'm still a bit salty about missing because that's one of my favorite hardcore albums of all time. I'll take any opportunity to see them at this point because it's been 10+ since I last saw them play a house show in my college town.

 

Any source? Given that we have Fallon LP #2 next year, this seems like misplaced optimism, but I hope I’m wrong

 

So Papa Roach and Smash Mouth aren't cool to play Riot Fest yet Rise Against (who is playing a show with Papa Roach, plays hard rock festivals and share a ton of fans) and Andrew WK (who's the same type of nostalgia/fun act as Smash Mouth) are cool?

 

None of them really all that cool anymore, but Rise Against is/was a punk rock band. RPM will forever be a banger.

Plus Andrew WK will always get a free pass in my book after his Gathering of the Juggalos performance in 2008:

 

I don't know that Fugazi or Operation Ivy will ever happen. There's no real motivation for anybody involved to do it, I don't think. But then again, Jesse Michaels has been a bit more talkative around all of that as of late...

I don't think Cage the Elephant would be a straight headliner. Maybe 2nd to last on a main stage, but they're far too common a band to headline something as big as Riot Fest (and FWIW, at Boston Calling last year they played at like 6 to a massive crowd).

My thing about headliners is... I really think it needs to feel "special." Even QOTSA this year. When they were first announced it was one of like, three festival appearances for the year. And well before the tour was announced. And they hadn't played a show in the states in a long while.

MCR is always a possibility for me. It's just a matter of it "feeling right" for the band at the time. I could also see it being a thing like how Wrecking Ball hooked Thursday: "Look at this line-up!" If they got the right combination of bands that they were stoked to play with? It could sway them.

I don't think he's a headliner-headliner. Maybe second to last for the night on a stage?

 

The Papa Roach thing didn't go well...

Some others:

Propagandhi with their new album
Dillinger Four

 

I think Fugazi will definitely happen one day. Whether at Riot Fest or not I don't know, but I really do believe it'll happen. OpIvy is less certain for me, but I think it's always possible. Also no one thought Misfits or Jawbreaker would ever come back. There was way more animosity within those bands than Fugazi or OpIvy, from what I understand (I'm not that good with my punk history). I agree about the headliner needing to be special - or I'd say it needs to be special or at least be something that fits the festival perfectly. RF knows their niche, and I agree, Cage the Elephant does not fit that niche, so if they played they probably wouldn't headline. I think people would actually be pissed, even if they're technically "big enough". Also agree on MCR. It's really an inevitability to me, but like you said it's just going to come down to when the band feels they are ready. I can be patient.

 

Good call on Propagandhi, they seem like a lock honestly.

 

I don't even know that it would be about "pissing people off" so much as there not being a hip-hop act big enough that isn't already booked at other festivals that could headline. They've had hip-hop acts close several of the bigger stages over the year that all went over really well (including Vic Mensa, who killed it this year).

But I'm a bit out of the loop, so I may not be thinking of an act who could fill that spot.

 

Well first of all, yea Vic Mensa crushed it. I think actually a top 3 of the weekend for me.

And I think the difference is that a rapper closing the side stages still gives people an option to see the more traditional punk/rock headliner. I think someone like ATCQ or something would work as a headliner, but there'd still be a sizable minority that was pissed because "its supposed to be a punk festival bruh", but I'm talking like 20% maybe. I do kind of feel like there's not a ton of rap artists who are in the middle ground between well known but not headliner status and mega superstars like Kendrick. But I guess there was a lot of hype for Wu Tang this year, and NWA a couple years back, so maybe I'm a little off.