Wet Leg would be really fun, just saw them about two weeks ago at the Salt Shed and it was a great time.
I read it as Vengaboys at first and somehow my first thought was "yeah, it makes sense for Riot Fest"
This feels like a no-brainer. Their sets at the NIN shows this year were maybe the best part of the show.
Would it be too soon for The Cure to come back? Looks like they’re doing festivals next year. I could see them doing Riot, ACL and maybe a couple others?
Was talking with a friend. I could see Weird Al and Beach Boys being the test run for more strange bookings on a larger scale. They always booked something niche and more of a gimmick(icp, Jerry Lee Lewis, village people) but this year they really went hard on it with great success. This could possibly open the flood gates for that Carly Rae Jepsen or Limp Bizkit booking.
Honestly I don’t think Limp Bizkit is that much of a left field booking for Riot. I think they’d fit right in
I was JUST having a conversation about how Limp Bizkit are such a long overdue booking for Riot. I would love it.
Anyone do VIP at this fest and do you recommend it? On the presale VIP is only like 70 bucks more on a 3 day pass. Worth it?
This is kind of hard to articulate typed out but anyways… I don’t see Carly Rae Jepsen being booked as “strange” or a “gimmick” act because that’s not who she is as an artist or caters to being when being booked for festivals. It’s the same view I have when people suggest someone like Dolly Parton in the same way. These acts won’t be booked for that type of “role”, they’ll only agree to perform if they are booked as a serious act with proper billing (headliner or direct sub).
I think that's spot on, and I don't think the fest would treat either of those artists as a gimmick booking. Weird Al and Hanson, while a bit outside of the typical Riot Fest stable, weren't treated as gimmicks either, as far as I could sense. Corey Feldman and the Pizza Underground were gimmick bookings. Hell, I think the Beach Boys were basically a gimmick booking to finally pay off the years-long (and hopefully now finished) John Stamos bit. Sometimes that stuff is fun and contributes to the fest's unique voice, but they don't really mess around like that when it comes to the really big names.
I think for sure the artists integrity is treated with the upmost respect it just depends on outsiders perception. For example last year they had Michael C Halls band and ICP. Both drew great and placed in the appropriate spot. I just think going forward taking these outside risks will now be a normal behavior and a larger scale because they do pay off as a draw and for the fest to stick out more.
Yeah that’s why I don’t see acts like Carly or Dolly booked because I don’t think there is a way you can book them without outsider perspective (aka Riot Fest attendees) treating them as “gimmick” bookings. I don’t see a way that can be shaken off at Riot Fest when that’s kinda the only way acts like Carly/Dolly have been suggested.