Riot Fest 2022 (September 16-18, Chicago IL) Festival • Page 6

Ok I take back everything I said before he’s really punk now

 

Two notes:

1. Fletcher from Pennywise commented “no it wasn't” on their post. LOL

2. Jason (the guy in the Kracken jersey on the right) posted the pic on his Instagram and Noodles commented “Nice kid” Uh…

 

So, here's what we learn from this:

MGK probably respects/likes the Offspring and turned into an adoring child around them. He wasn't aware of Pennywise and probably treated them like shit as a result. That's exactly the kind of behavior that won't get him anywhere in "rock/punk" music.

I can't wait for this experiment to end.

 

Personally, I'm not on-board with throwing shit at musical acts. But remember when I said his swing at playing rock festivals would be a "one and done"? Yeah, he's out.

He'll probably only do pop festivals from now on where he's still just... A middling act. He was on the main stage at 4pm at Austin City Limits.

 

All jokes aside, if Riot Fest was happening tomorrow and Eve 6 was on it, they would have had one of the biggest crowds for sure. It's a combination of a "joke band", a band that actually has fans who want to see them and a band that has been hot on social media for awhile now.

 

I would go hard in a pit for Inside Out

 

I'm sure they'd draw a crowd, but I really doubt they'd draw a massive crowd. Probably what most bands draw in a 2-3pm slot.

That social media hype is now like, 6ish months behind them. Max is still on his Twitter bullshit (read: greatness) but it's pretty niche at this point, in terms of who is reacting positively to it.

No doubt it's given them a bump, but not into some sort of wild next level that will be prolonged.

If they play their cards right with some of the shit they've been offered (e.g., Fest) they could translate it into something more extended, I think... But it won't sustain otherwise.

 

Well.. looks like Smash Mouth is out (although if you saw his performance this week, he was way far past out)

https://consequence.net/2021/10/smash-mouth-singer-steve-harwell-retires/

 

If they get a 90s stage with like Eve 6 and stuff they should get Len to play. I really like one of their songs.

 

Agreed, he’s going to pivot back to multi-genre fests. His whole image is so contrived and fake, also the songs kinda suck.

 

I'm not sure Riot would ever book late 90s/early 2000s pop-rock stage. Most of those acts are nostalgia for nostalgia's sake and really only exist for that purpose at this point (which isn't really Riot's M.O.)

But this feels like it actually could happen while hitting similar notes:

Jimmy Eat World, Veruca Salt, Letters to Cleo, Eve 6, American Hi-Fi*, and a newer band with a similar vibe to open (Pom Pom Squad, Charly Bliss)

You have a strong stage closer, two relatively rare gets with 90s hits (one of whom is a Chicago local), and solid support. You can keep with a similar theme without it feeling like a "joke" stage.

* For me, I'd much rather have Soul Asylum in this slot. But Hi-Fi's singer is LTC's drummer so...

 

I think Soul Asylum would be a pretty solid add. From my understanding, before they broke out in the 90’s, they were one of those punk-leaning alternative rock acts in the same vein of The Replacements/Husker Dü. I hear a lot of praise about their first few albums. I think that vibe would fit Riot. Although I’m not sure if SA plays any of their early stuff anymore and I don’t really know enough about that. But… it’s a thought

 

That's very much what they are. Not quite as influential as those acts but definitely very much in the same vein. I think they play a decent amount of old stuff. And the albums that generated the "hits" are still pretty decent, albeit more pop leaning.

They are definitely a Riot Fest act.

 

HELL YEAH LET’S GET ‘EM

 

Actually, you know what Riot should do? They should, for one day, have a Soul stage

Not soul the genre, but groups with “Soul” in their name. They could get…

Soul Asylum
Collective Soul
Souls Of Mischief
Soulfly
De La Soul
Mike Doughty (playing a Soul Coughing set)


A solid set!

 

I hope any of those plays a cover of "Hey Soul Sister"

 

I'm surprised they have never gotten Plain White T's or Lucky Boys Confusion to play

 

i know ive mentioned this but Misfits doing the album show is actually a down grade for me. Most of my favorite misfits songs are NOT on that album. It's a great idea for i guess hardcore misfits fans and would do better if they did album shows for their own initmate venue shows (lmao i'm kidding, they only do $300 arena tours)

I think Danzig's "solo"/misfits set in 2013 was amazing and it honestly satisfied my "misfits" itch

 

Two more: The Bouncing Souls and Soul Glo!

Given how much they lean into the pop-rock direction, I'm not surprised they haven't gotten Plain White T's.

Lucky Boys Confusion, though, is one I've always expected to see and they've just never popped up.

I mean, the benefit of that album play is... It's only like, 22 minutes. And they'll have at least an hour. So they'll still have ~38 minutes (probably a bit more) to play songs beyond that album.

 

I kind of feel the opposite. I imagine LBC gets more benefit from playing a few small venue shows (sometimes album plays) packed with their dedicated fans every year than they would from a festival set, while Plain White T's could really capitalize on the nostalgia and pull a big crowd who wants to hear the hits in a mid-day slot.

But speaking of the LBC expanded universe, AM Taxi needs to play Riot Fest every year.

 

It will be interesting to go over the 2021 and find all the speculations and wishlists and see how many of them actually came true

 

Damn! How did I forget the Bouncing Souls?!

 

Oh, I'm not talking about the bands and whether or not they might want to play the festival... I'm talking more about whether or not the festival might want to book them. I just feel like booking Plain White T's is in that same category as booking like, Smash Mouth or Sugar Ray but less popular. I know where they started but they are so far removed from that and have made virtually no effort to stay connected to that "scene." I just don't think Riot would view them as a very good fit.

Whereas LBC is a perfect fit. I'm not sure if they've ever reached out, but I'd imagine they must have.

AM Taxi would be great too! I always had a weird thing against them because of some shenanigans once at a show. The TL;Dr version is their stage manager made me and my friends move from our spot on the floor so the singer could pull a rock star move and "throw his guitar" into the crowd (the manager caught it). This was at a 200-capacity venue and they were first of three opening for the Lawrence Arms. Just struck me as kind of a dick move. Haha. But whatever. They rule.

 

Totally makes sense. I see Plain White T's as closer to something like Simple Plan, but that might be my age/when I was exposed to them. They definitely swung more pop later on - the only time I've seen them was opening for The Fray, which was a far better fit than I expected.

That's wild about AM Taxi - Adam does give off a bit of a "rock star" vibe, but he's such a good songwriter.