Union is like way way smaller. There's two alternating main stages, and one smaller stage off to the side, and I honestly don't really know you could squeeze another in without serious sound bleeding problems. I definitely agree about Douglas. There's so much space to move, and it gives the whole thing a nice vibe because even though there's a ton of people, there's still so much room that you're not crowded all the time. It really feels like a festival in a park which is the only fest I've been to that gives me that.
It's funny, because two of my favorite moments from last year came on that one stage toward the back that was just in front of a hill (not the small one). Both were very different, but equally awesome: #1: Sitting down and eating a slice of pizza while watching the first half of Flogging Molly. Then jumping down into the pit when I was done, and easily being able to get right up-front (albeit to the side). And it FELT like I was just relaxing at a park but with a really cool soundtrack. #2: Looking at the sea of people watching Incubus that went all the way up that hill and toward the back at the end of the night. At that point, it ceased looking like a "side stage" and feeling like a park and just felt like a big rock show. Same thing when Bad Religion and the Wonder Years played too. Early in the day, it's hard to think "I'm watching music on a baseball diamond." But at night? It turns into a whole different thing. Really cool vibe.
Thank you for reminding me of Park. They were a favorite for a very short time in college and then some how I completely forgot about them. I might even go down to Bloomington for that show.
Yea it's so awesome! And I mean some of those vibes are still in Union park, but it's all more compact so it's never quite as open. I think Riot Fest really has a unique and great vibe. And yea the way it's easy to get in and out of the pit until the headliners is awesome as well.
If Riot ever moves I would prefer it move to Grant Park, but we had a discussion about that earlier in the thread and I think the consensus was Grant Park is too big. It would sure as hell be more convenient for me.
I really don't think that they'll move honestly. I'm glad it's finally settled and they have their setup figured out and everything.
I wonder if Ozzy was set to headline this thing? It would suck if they for a second year in a row need to find a replacement headliner.
I don't think they would've gone for Ozzy. He's a bit removed from this and would be more of an Open Air type get.
I feel like Ozzy would just be way too expensive for Riot. I would imagine his going rate for a festival headlining slot is significantly above Riot's other highest-paid acts.
Somebody on Reddit made a graph representing the announcement dates over the years. Nothing new, but interesting to see it mapped out like that.
Raconteurs dates posted in the Tour Prediction thread leave open both Saturday and Sunday around a Columbus date, nothing immediately after either.
Well the Raconteurs seem like a lock. Just announced a tour going all over but not to Chicago, and they have an Ohio date September 13th and nothing the next two days.
I honestly think Jack White is so overrated. Like the White Stripes had some cool songs and that's about as far as it goes for me. I've listened to all his solo albums, they're all fine, but nothing I want to go back to a lot. I haven't listened to Raconteurs though so I'll give it a shot.
I’d watch a bit of a Raconteurs set. The Jack White project I really want to see is the Dead Weather because Allison Mosshart rules and I don’t think even Riot Fest could get Discount to reunite.
There are a couple of White Stripes records I really like, and that I absolutely adored Boarding House Reach last year - it was such a nice surprise. I've never listened to The Raconteurs though, I'll have to check them out. Would they be headliner level? I feel like they'd be on the same level as something like Interpol or Elvis Costello & the Imposters, where they play second or third down from the headliner.
He's a great guitar player (and a fine songwriter) but he's really just not my thing on the whole. There's 3-4 songs on each release that I enjoy a lot, throw on playlists, etc. And it's usually the singles. A Discount reunion would fuck me up. Allison is so disconnected from that whole thing at this point/doesn't seem to have any interest... And I don't think there would be enough draw (unfortunately) for them to get a big paycheck for doing it either. I'm not convinced. They'd be billed pretty high, I think, but probably not top 3. I would say they're a sub-headliner looking at the other festivals they're playing and the placement -- under the Strokes at a UK festival and billed beneath the Lumineers at Woodstock 50. The US tour is also in large clubs and smaller theaters, it looks like, rather than full theaters or whatever.
just don't be surprised if the Raconteurs headline, just expect that day's lineup to be really really deep
One of the worst acts I've ever seen live in my life and this was 20 years ago so they were young and had no excuse.