4 New Bands At Riot Fest – Day 2

Riot Fest Crowd - Day 2

Chicago – For me, day two of Riot Fest got off to a rocky start. Between sleeping through my alarm and getting stuck in traffic, I was starting to wonder if I’d ever find my way to Humboldt Park. I missed The Picturebooks and Wavves, and as I walked towards the gates of Riot Fest, I worried that I’d also miss The Orwells. While I ran through the mud, I saw Mario Cuomo, the lead singer of The Orwells, throwing himself into the crowd, and suddenly, everything seemed okay. Indeed it was. Day two of Riot Fest proved to be amazing, filled with plenty of sunshine and even more new bands.

The Orwells

The Orwells at Riot Fest

These five guys from Elmhurst, IL are phenomenal! I can’t say enough about their live performances. The Orwells knock it out of the park every time. Despite Mario being a little under the weather, he gave it his all, even playfully using his hoarse voice to add depth to some songs. At first the Riot Stage crowd seemed rather subdued, but the audience seemed to wake up once Mario screamed, “We come from the suburbs.” The Orwells filled the muddy baseball field with songs off Disgraceland (on Canvasback) and tossed in one of their favorite covers: The Foundations’ “Build Me Up Buttercup.” Toward the end of the set, there was a heavy stream of kids exiting the pit; they were all smiles, high off the thrill of riding a sea of hands. Just when it looked like Mario couldn’t possibly have another one in him, he hollered, “Alright, last song. Let’s blow these fucking vocal chords!” His voice cracked as he whipped his microphone cord like a lasso, tangling both himself and Grant. When the guys finished, Mario jumped off the stage onto a pile of pizzas. As sauce oozed from the crushed boxes, shock and disappointment filled the security guards’ faces. So much for lunch!

Die Antwoord

Die Antwoord at Riot Fest

This South African duo had the craziest show of the day. Hoards of people packed in to see the quirky Afrikaans rappers. While DJ Hi-Tek dropped the beats, Yo-Landi Vi$$er bounced around the stage, sticking her tongue out between verses and flipping the bird, and Ninja removed layer upon layer until he was in nothing but boxers covered in sharpied doodles. When Die Antwoord first hit the music scene, Best New Bands described their sound as “a mutant mix of electro-rave beats and what seems like satirical hip-hop.” Ninja and Yo-Landi embrace “zef” culture and purposefully put on a shocking show to wake people up from the unconscious. People were definitely awake; fans jumped up and down wildly while shouting out the verses to “I Fink U Freeky.”

The Unlikely Candidates

The Unlikely Candidates live at Riot Fest

My favorite performance of the day came from The Unlikely Candidates over at the Radical Stage. I discovered these guys thanks to Riot Fest. Once I heard their bluesy rock I knew I had to schedule an interview! I met with Kyle Morris and Jared Hornbeek earlier in the day. They may be sweet and soft-spoken off-stage, but once on, they are a fury of energy. They blew me away! Hearing “Howl” live was amazing. If you haven’t already, check out their EP Follow My Feet (on Atlantic), and be sure to check back soon for my interview with Kyle and Jared.

Skaters

Skaters live at Riot Fest

I left The Unlikely Candidates halfway through their set and rushed over to the Revolt Stage to catch Skaters. Luckily for me, the guys started late due to sound problems. Once they were ready to go, Michael Ian Cummings walked up to the mic and quipped, “Chicago, I am so warm!” After a chuckle, he shouted, “I’m just kidding! Fall is here!” Cummings, Josh Hubbard, and the rest of the band skirted around the stage the entire set. Although they’re normally pretty lively, I can’t help but wonder if the extra pep in their steps was to keep toasty amid the dropping temperature! The packed crowd was definitely keeping warm jumping up and down while singing along to “Miss Teen Massachusetts” and “Deadbolt.”

Honorable Mentions: Broncho and The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die also put on stellar performances on Saturday, proving they are both bands worthy of your time and attention. Check them out when you get the chance!

There’s one more day left of Riot Fest Chicago, and Sunday’s musical line-up is superb! Check back in with us for more Riot Fest coverage.

Photos By Sarah Hess

Sarah Hess

Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.


You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
Sarah Hess

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