Riot Fest 2021 (September 17-19, Chicago IL) Tour • Page 310

How did people like the new layout with Roots and Riot being across from each other?

 

As a first-timer, it felt great. The only spot with some disruptive sound overlap was in the liminal area between Riot & Radical.

 

Oh I thought it worked so much better. Really loved the layout this year and everything felt smoother than it's felt since we've been going in 2016. Felt like it was incredibly easy to get at least a decent spot at any of those stages, barely any sound bleed from anywhere else. Just overall a great setup this year.

 

I always hated the set up of the two big stages before so im glad to hear they fixed that

 

As an out of towner, getting out of Riot Fest each day was a terrible experience but other than that I had such a great time. So sore and so little sleep but wouldn't change anything.

Also didn't get to see too much of the city but Chicago your downtown is stunning.

 

Yeah, big fan of the new layout. The only problem is the sun at Roots from about 5:00 to 6:30, but other than that, I think having the two main stages split like that is really nice. The area where Roots was this year was always very dark and hard to navigate late at night, but that seemed to be improved this year. Better viewing angles for both stages too.

 

AV Club articles are now on the same level of ads that say shit like "TRY NOT TO GASP WHEN YOU SEE WHAT ___________ LOOKS LIKE NOW!". Fuck em.

Given all the wrenches thrown at them the last two years literally up until and during the festival- I think they did fucking remarkable job in pulling this off. They replaced fallen bands as best they could, the layout was improved, free water was easily accessible, I feel like they had more bathrooms than any other year, and the security team actually legitimately checked my vax card/ID every time I went in (only other thing I have to compare to is Summerfest and they could not have given less of a shit about that). There will never not be something to nitpick about, but at the end of the day- they gave me a 10/10 weekend when I really needed it and I'm grateful.

 

Agreed about water and more bathrooms. I think the longest I had to wait in a bathroom line was five minutes, and that was by the food during the dinner rush. Even when the water line was at its longest it moved really quickly.

 

I was so upset when I saw both the new setup of the main stages and the plastic floor to the radicals stage but honestly- I was wrong about both.

I was able to walk right in for a good spot to RTJ and Slipknot 30 minutes before each started and was able to get a good spot for the last 15 minutes of Smashing Pumpkins without really trying.

and while I initially thought the radicals stage would become a slip & slide as soon as it got wet, it really wasn’t too bad. The pit at Radius during the NFG setlist was way worse.

All in all, props to the riot fest team. The changes they implemented this year definitely improved the festival and I really hope we get the same main stage setup next year. That way people don’t have to feel the need to camp for MCR or Misfits (although some brave fools inevitably still will)

 

Yeah, echoing everyone else's thoughts on the stages, I was way thrown off when I showed up Thursday but the whole thing turned out to be great.

 

Even as late as Sunday they were adding (or at least replacing) porta potties. I found an christened a completely empty one.

 

Been to a lot of different festivals over the years, and was most impressed with Riot this year with the ease of the water stations and bathrooms. Never really had to wait for either.

Strangely the generic circus food vendors had the longest lines, but on the opposite ends there was a Jerk Chicken place and a vendor called Dumpling House that were both delicious and never had long lines.

 

What an awesome and exhausting weekend. So many great sets

Adding an extra day this year really did kinda kill me but I had a great time regardless.

 

Got food from both those tents, and they were both phenomenal and quick. Don’t totally understand why anyone would wait for the generic vendors with crazy lines.

 

On Friday afternoon there was a line of like 25 people to get loaded nachos and NO ONE in the jerk chicken line. Shit rocked.

Also I gotta say that reflecting on the weekend, this time seeing Pumpkins may have been the most special for me. I, like so many others, discovered them through the Hullabalooza episode of the Simpsons after being floored by Zero. To see them play what is closet to the old Lolla in my and Pumpkins' hometown was incredible.

I even did the Gen Z sway by myself during the song to let things come full circle

 

I only went on Sunday and spent most of my time at the Rise stage so I ended up eating at one of the generic booths only because that’s all that was over there. I was disappointed cause I could have sworn I saw something about local places. Well on my way out I was wandering around and saw all the other food places and ended up getting something from a Vietnamese tent and it ruled.

Wish I saw it earlier cause my 20 dollars chicken strips and sprite were not worth it.

 

Dumpling House has been my go-to since 2016 and was pumped to see them on the vendors list when it dropped. I don't think there's a better stand for quantity/quality/price. Plus they've got 4 people aggressively taking orders so the line moves twice as fast as any other. Also hit the jerk stand cause the line was short, and it was solid.

 

The $6 pizza tent that had the Tang and nachos was the best.

 

Discovered Dumpling House this year and I might eat nothing but pierogis at future Riot Fests.

 

The carnival food stands by rise are great if you need a $4 large beverage to mix with your own beverage you brought with you

 

The fake phone charger/flask has been a lifesaver (and moneysaver) the past couple years.

 

Going through the VIP line for bag check they said "if it doesn't beep you're good" lol. Slightly worrying but ok.

 

Yeah this year was the most chill they've been with bags. Even just in the regular entrance. Got in alcohol, aerosol spray, and food each day. They didn't care. I also saw metal water bottles with a lot of people.

 

I beeped every day and got waved along each time, but then one day my buddy was asked to throw out his mostly-empty vape cartridge (in accordance with the "factory-sealed only" policy) haha

 

I've gone there the past two fests, absolutely delicious. Buying Riot Fest tickets is primarily me buying access to buy Polish food, with bands as a bonus.