Though we would’ve loved to have seen the free Cro-Mags shows at either Reggie's or Cobra Lounge or wound our weekend down with the Smoking Popes, our aging punk rock bodies could really only keep focused on one thing - The Descendents. more ›

To kick off Riot Fest formally for us last weekend, we caught Social Distortion and The Tossers at the Congress Theater. Unfortunately, we missed out on Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band, but from the folks we spoke with in the crowd last night, they definitely got everyone warmed up in a big way. The Tossers took the stage around 8:30 p.m. to an exceedingly excited crowd hungry for some old fashioned Irish folk punk. While their set was solid, the majority of the songs came from some of the newer material. While we hate to sound like the old guy at the bar saying that the classics were way better, we would've preferred a more balanced set with some more mainstays. Classics like Aye Sir and their cover of Dirty Old Town made us feel warm and fuzzy, but overall, we think the folks who prefer newer cuts had a much better experience than we did. more ›

Weezer closed out the Riot Fest festivities at The Congress last night with two sets; one focused on a mixture of hits and a second comprised of a run through of the band's classic debut, The Blue Album. The show opened with a dedication to one of the band's previous bassists Mikey Welsh, who passed away in Chicago the day before (and who, we're told, was originally supposed to join the band onstage). As sad as that opening sentiment was, the band soldiered on to play a hugely rewarding set. more ›

Officials suspect his death was a result of a drug overdose. more ›

Tonight, Saturday and Sunday Riot Fest will be in full swing at five venues across the city, with a great line-up that's bigger and broader-stroked than previous years. more ›

Chicago’s punk show Riot Fest is in full swing today, kicking off a huge weekend with so many great acts, the only downside is that we can’t be in more than a few places at once. Unfortunately, we missed out on the X show last night at the Bottom Lounge, featuring a film screening of X: The Unheard Music, but we’ll be making up for lost time this entire weekend. more ›

Chicago's premier punk festival Riot Fest announced most of its lineup today and this year promises to be as amazing as years past. more ›

This weekend, I checked out as much of Riot Fest as one person possibly could. With so much going on in so many different places, it was hard to choose between shows, but I’m not disappointed in my decision to mainly stick around the Congress Theater Saturday and Sunday. On Thursday, I interviewed Chris Hannah from Propagandhi before their show at Metro. Friday and Saturday were spent deep within The Congress Theatre, submerged in punk rock... more ›

If I had to write a short list of bands that changed my life and worldview, Propagandhi would show up at the top of that list. For two decades, they have been pumping out incredible music with awesome lyrical content and meaning. The Canadian four piece evolved from a youthfully idealistic skate punk act to a hybrid of thrash metal and hardcore while keeping their punk roots. Equally as important, Propagandhi champions numerous activist causes and challenges their listeners with outspoken lyrics about human rights, sexism, racism, religion and more. more ›

On Tuesday, we gave you a look at the first few days of Riot Fest. The marathon punk festival will continue on Saturday and Sunday with equally impressive shows at the Congress, Metro, Double Door and Subterranean. Both days feature a series of nearly impossible choices. more ›

Tomorrow, the five day marathon punk show better known as Riot Fest begins. For fans of nearly every sub-genre tangentially related to the nebulous term “punk,” Riot Fest should please even the most jaded guy or gal who hung at Medusa's or the Fireside back in the day. The festival, which spreads nearly 75 bands over 5 days begins with the Busted at Oz reunion show at the Double Door. The show features some of Chicago's oldest punk bands including Silver Abuse, the Subverts and Naked Raygun. more ›

Torche's new EP Songs For Singles isn't exactly make-out music for a first date. Well, unless your idea of making out has to do with breaking a bunch of shit in your bedroom as you and a partner fling each other violently on and off the bed in shotgun blast-worthy fits of passion. more ›

Since its weak start in 2005, Riot Fest has gained a more impressive lineup and greater following with each year. And now in its sixth year, the annual festival is DeRogatis-dubbed “Chicago’s multi-band, multi-date, multi-venue celebration of the punk underground past, present, and future, and one of the premier gatherings of its kind in the U.S..” Taking place Oct 6 through 10, the annual punk festival will feature 21 shows across five venues (Congress Theater, Metro, Double Door, Subterranean, House of Blues), as well as a handful of “secret shows” at Cobra Lounge and AAA. more ›

Naked Raygun appeared at the old AAA Fence space in Wicker Park Saturday night for a secret show attended by a lucky couple hundred souls. A smattering of fans gained entry through winning a drawing but the majority of the crowd was made up of long-time friends of the band, lending the proceedings a loose atmosphere made energetic by the band's tight recitals of classics and road-ready versions of new tunes from their forthcoming 7" singles series. We've been fans of the band since the '80s and can honestly say we NEVER thought we'd see them in a room as cozy as AAA, and it was thrilling to be so close to the band as they performed songs that are deeply imprinted on our own musical DNA. more ›

We've been blessed with a staggeringly gorgeous start to the weekend. With summer in the air we don't anticipate anyone spending the next couple days in front of the computer, but you might want to take a few minutes away from biking, patio drinks and baseball games to grab tickets to a few upcoming shows of note on sale this weekend. more ›

Naked Raygun made a “surprise” appearance at Subterranean last Saturday night, although the surprise was thinly veiled at best. Word spread quickly in the weeks before, and the result was that both levels of Subterranean were packed to the bursting point with rabid fans both new and old. This was the one chance “regular folk” were going to have a chance to see Naked Raygun play in a room this size in, well, forever, so folks were suitably amped for the experience. more ›

Chocolate, Peace and Music. We can't think of any better combination. The information on the events are below. As always, feel free to add additional events in the comments section. more ›

The Olde Timey Silver Beetles Band actually played a show here just a few years ago, and it was a swirling whirlpool of horns and lovely, dancing rhythyms. Their lilting melodies tickled ears and resurrected memories of the good olde days when we would sit back and watch our grandma shampoo her hair. more ›

We would rarely recommend a band full of ghetto mechanics, but the Ukrainian polka band Holyy Lazarski Nahane isn’t your average bunch of world musicians. They have jettisoned across the Atlantic just to play with The Bomb at a pre-Riot Fest show at Subterranean November 4. more ›

Earlier this week we told you not to miss Mojica tonight at Cobra. What we didn't tell you, because we actually didn't know at the time, is that Mojica is opening for a very special surprise mystery guest. more ›