Riot Fest Will Keep Us Running
By aaroncynic in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 14, 2012 6:00PM
In previous years, Riot Fest has always been just jam packed enough to keep us moving at a decent pace, but never too much for an aging punk nearing his mid 30’s. On looking at the schedule this year however, we're starting to feel a little bit like Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon, and we have a feeling by the time the last chords ring out Sunday night, we'll be huffing and puffing the words “I’m getting too old…”
The biggest change to this year's fest is most of the music will be in one location, surrounded by a punk rock carnival containing a wrestling ring, games and at least a tilt-a-whirl, right next to at least three stations to grab beers. We aren't certain how combining a few full days of drinking with multiple opportunities to mosh and get tossed around by spinning seats will fair on anyone’s stomach, but we'll definitely be wearing shoes we can burn when it’s all over.
Friday begins at the Congress Theater, with Dead Sara and Neon Trees opening alongside hometown heroes Pegboy for The Offspring. Saturday is massive in scope, with so many bands playing concurrently just getting from stage to stage at the right time will require major planning. English folk singer Frank Turner hits the Riot Stage at 2 p.m. Turner’s set last year at Bottom Lounge was electric, and we're hopeful he covers as much of his repertoire as he did last year. Our hope is that he’ll wait towards the end of his set to play songs like “Love and Ire Song,” so we have plenty of time to catch the majority of the Adicts' set beginning at 1:45. Immediately after, we fully expect to end up drenched in fluids after GWAR takes the Roots stage. Following GWAR, Hot Water Music, Minus The Bear and The Gaslight Anthem, all of whom have put out stellar new albums this year, play back to back to back.
The night closes out later with sets from the Dropkick Murphy’s, the Descendents and another hometown favorite, Rise Against. Last year, the Descendents delivered a fantastic set, and we have no doubt we’re in for great shows from all three bands. Out of all the acts however, getting a chance to see Slapstick for the first time in at least a decade at 5:45 p.m. will probably be one of the bigger highlights of the day. If there set is even half of what their last show at the Fireside was back in the day, younger and older punk fans alike will be in for a good time.