Riot Fest 2021 (September 17-19, Chicago IL) Tour • Page 193

I mean if you had told me 2+ years ago MGK would be one of the top 3 daily headliners for this festival I would have callled you crazy so he's a crazy get

 

Manufacture scarcity to sell the premium tiers as you pointed out below. Wouldn't surprise me. If there is another release of tickets I'm curious as to what they are priced at.

I assume MCR alone could do 20-30k passes in Chicago

 

I made a mock schedule for fun, using 2019's Friday set times:

FRIDAY!
RIOT
105 135 MEET ME @ THE ALTAR
230 315 LIVING COLOUR
425 525 THRICE
635 735 DINOSAUR JR
830 1000 THE SMASHING PUMPKINS

ROOTS
1230 100 RADKEY
140 225 MEG MYERS
320 420 CIRCA SURVIVE
530 630 MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK
740 840 COHEED & CAMBRIA

RISE
1200 1225 SENOR KINO
1240 125 BEACH GOONS
220 305 AMIGO THE DEVIL
415 505 FISHBONE
545 645 SUBLIME WITH ROME
715 815 DIRTY HEADS
845 945 LUPE FIASCO

RADICALS
1155 1235 GIRLPUPPY
130 215 ANTI-FLAG
310 410 PUP
440 540 THE LAWRENCE ARMS
610 710 CIRCLE JERKS
740 840 NOFX

REBEL
1200 1230 OXYMORRONS
100 130 JACKIE HAYES
200 230 KISSISSIPPI
300 330 SERATONES
400 440 NIGHT MOVES
510 550 EYEDRESS
620 700 THE SOUNDS
730 830 BEACH BUNNY

—————
SATURDAY!
RIOT
105 135 GANSER
230 315 JOYWAVE
425 525 BEST COAST
635 735 VIC MENSA
830 1000 RUN THE JEWELS

ROOTS
1230 100 DEVON KAY & THE SOLUTIONS
140 225 MAN ON MAN
320 420 LES SAVY FAV
530 630 GOGOL BORDELLO
740 840 FAITH NO MORE

RISE
1200 1225 BEARINGS
1240 125 CITIZEN
220 305 FOUR YEAR STRONG
415 505 STATE CHAMPS
545 645 BAYSIDE
715 815 MAYDAY PARADE
845 945 TAKING BACK SUNDAY

RADICALS
1155 1235 JUST FRIENDS
130 215 FUCKED UP
310 410 HEPCAT
440 540 THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES
610 710 RANCID
740 840 DROPKICK MURPHYS

REBEL
100 130 SPIDER
200 230 THE ORPHAN THE POET
300 330 THE BOLLWEEVILS
400 440 HOLY FAWN
510 550 THE BRONX
620 700 BIG FREEDIA
730 830 ANDREW WK

———
SUNDAY!
RIOT
105 135 THE GORIES
230 315 MOTHER MOTHER
425 525 K. FLAY
635 735 DEVO
830 1000 NINE INCH NAILS

ROOTS
1230 100 GYMSHORTS
140 225 THE FEVER 333
320 420 HEALTH
530 630 MR. BUNGLE
740 840 PIXIES

RISE
1200 1225 BLACKSTARKIDS
1240 125 KENNYHOOPLA
220 305 3OH!3
415 505 KNUCKLE PUCK
545 645 SIMPLE PLAN
715 815 NEW FOUND GLORY
845 945 MACHINE GUN KELLY

RADICALS
1155 1235 AIRSTREAM FUTURES
130 215 SKATING POLLY
310 410 FACS
440 540 THE BLED
610 710 THURSDAY
740 840 THE GHOST INSIDE

REBEL
100 130 THE WEAK DAYS
200 230 PET SYMMETRY
300 330 RATBOYS
400 440 BLEACHED
510 550 WHITE LUNG
620 700 ALEX G
730 830 GWAR

 

This is a really great schedule even though there's definite conflicts on there for me. They changed Gwar to Saturday when they announced the Sunday sell out so you might want to tweak it slightly.

 

Took my own stab at it and seems like the 3 mock schedules so far agree on many spots. I didn’t focus on times or set lengths, but rather just stage groupings and order. I could def be talked into changes, also this my first time using google sheets on my phone so don’t mind the sloppy parts, haha

I am very into the idea on Saturday of gwar directly into big freeida.

 

I think you nailed it for the most part

 

A lot of this is really similar to mine! I struggled with the placement of a few bands over the course of the weekend and that's where we really differ. Living Colour, K.Flay, and Motion City Soundtrack were the hardest ones for me to place. Your MCS and Living Colour designation makes way more sense than mine!

Your AWK/Best Coast/Fucked Up combo on Saturday is dope as hell. And makes a ton of sense.

I really struggled with my Sunday, partially because I just couldn't let go of my assumption that Riot is going to keep all the "sorta hip-hop rock music" on one stage. But structuring it that way left me feeling weird about where I was putting the Ghost Inside and Thursday. So I kinda like yours better. And thinking on it, K.Flay's newer stuff is influenced enough by NIN that I can see that working well.

One other thought, though. Any chance you think Airstream Futures or the Weak Days might open up that Radical stage on Sunday, bumping KennyHoopla up to a slightly later slot... With 3OH!3 headlining the Rebel stage? That would beef up that line-up some (which feels pretty week, compared to the other days).

 

Also my friend surprised me with Saturday day passes, so I'll see y'all in the pit after all!

 

It seems there is only Friday Deluxe tickets left.

 

I am really curious if they had lowered capacity. It is just crazy that it is selling this much better than any previous year.

 

I’m truly wondering if it’s this, or if people are just really enthusiastic to be hitting up shows again, or BOTH

 

I mean that could be the case, but neither Pitchfork or Lolla sold out like this. I think it is great if they were able to sell out full capacity like this because they have consistently been my favorite Chicago festival by far.

 

Maybe I'm an optimist, but I feel like come July there will be a small amount of tickets released. I just have a feeling none of the refund requests since MCR dropped have even been processed yet.

 

Just checked Eventbrite and it looks like Riot completely sold out. No tickets left for any day at any tier. Holy shit.

 

already planning on going next year

 

That’s insane. Good for them. Well-fuckin’-deserved imo

 

I'm honestly not sure how to read the situation right now. They may be selling a limited amount of tickets right now that fits within a certain capacity limit (let's say, 75%) knowing they can release more later if they are able to move up to 100% capacity. And not wanting to offer another round of refunds if they need to operate at a reduced capacity. Could just be a bet hedging thing for now, until the ability to operate at full capacity is more set in stone.

I'm also wondering if people just aren't putting in for refunds as much as we all assumed they would. For me, if this were the line-up and I didn't already have tickets? I don't know that I'd be throwing down the cash for it. But I paid for everything except my flight over a year ago. I haven't been on a proper trip/vacation or seen any live music in over a year. So my attitude is kinda like, "Fuck it; it's all paid for. Let's do the thing."

Even though it doesn't look special seeing a lot of these names on a festival poster at this point, it's still gonna be a blast and I'll get a lot out of seeing them live.

And I kinda wonder if more people than anticipated are sticking with this year just because of the circumstances.

(Hopefully this made sense. It was difficult to articulate.)

 

Maybe I missed it before, but this is up on eventbrite: “Entry may be subject to vaccination, testing, masking, or social distancing requirements”

Wonder if they’ll go the Lolla route

 

100% understand what you’re getting at. It looks like a lot of people are in the same boat you are

 

Do we know that they aren’t operating at full capacity? I mean lolla is so that’s gotta mean riot fest is. Maybe they actually are 100% sold out at full capacity. they have said nothing about it so I’m going off they are selling at full capacity. But the quick sell out makes it seems like they aren’t so I get it from both sides

 

Lol

 

We aren't. That's just the general assumption for it selling out that people seem to be coming up with. My personal belief is that it's actually 100% sold out at full capacity right now but they may decide to free some up after they process all refunds. I was more just posing a theoretical possibility... But I do also think more passes will free up after they're done processing refunds and know how many tickets are left to sell.


The more I look at that line-up too, the more I can see how it could have sold out. Each day has a very solid toplie that can sell anywhere from 3k-5k+ tickets on their own in most cases. And while there's some overlap, there's enough "unique" fans from each headliner that could really drive those numbers up. So when you factor in, say, a "90s alternative rock" fan who might not pay to just see the Pumpkins? Because it's them plus Faith No More and Rancid... They'd be in. That kinda thing.

This could very well be their impeccable curation finally getting the recognition it deserves and people being super eager for an event like this.

He is the best/worst. Zero fucks to give.

 

Hoping for an Orville show myself.

 

What is the capacity of Riot per day? like 30k?

 

In 2019, their "goal" for attendance was 40,000 per day. Not sure what capacity is.