Ruido Fest 2022 took place last month, August 19-21, in Chicago’s Union Park. The event is billed as the area’s largest Latin alternative music festival. The bands and performers came from the Windy City, across North America, and from all around the world. Amongst the forms of music presented are punk, post-punk, hip-hop, electronica, psychedelic, and more. All with a Latin American flavor.
Whilst a few bands, such as Beach Goons, Siddhartha and Maldita Vecindad, had to drop out, the remaining lineup brought three days of fun and energy to large and enthusiastic crowds. Being that this was alternative music festival taking place in the US, it was not surprising that one of the most prevalent band shirts was that of grunge band Nirvana. Everywhere you looked, people of all ages wore shirts dominated with the band’s name, and often the iconic melancholy expression of the late Kurt Cobain.
Cypress Hill, the CA hip-hop legends might be characterized as punk adjacent. Singer Dr. Greenthumb aka B-Real and percussionist Bobo took the stage after about 30 minutes, give or take, introduction by DJ Lord. By that time, a thick wall of smoke connected the stage to the audience via smoke machine with a bit of thinning out above the photo pit. Some of that was the due to the smoke machine on stage. Of course the group’s advocacy for the use of cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, is a major theme in its songs. B-Real paced the stage with a rather long blunt in his left hand along with the microphone as he gestured with his right hand. The group tore through its standards such as “Dr. Greenthumb”, “I Ain’t Going Out Like That”, “Hits From the Bong”, “How I Could Just Kill A Man”, and many others. By the time they got to what is arguably their biggest hit, Insane In the Membrane, Cypress Hill had complete control of the large crowd. Capping off its set was a rollicking cover of House of Pain’s most famous tune, Jump Around. B-Real called for everybody “standing up to get down like this here” and advised that those with a Fitbit or Apple watch the this was going to fill up their activities category. Indeed the crowd, exponentially larger than any other set that weekend, with many members attending only for Cypress Hill, was jumping around almost completely in unison.
Bruses had a smaller crowd than Cypress Hill but the Tijuana native was no less enthralling. She was clad in a variation of a business suit. A black jacket covered with numerous hand painted looking designs in white, black raggedly cut off just below her knees and sporting on each leg two belts. Clunky black shoes, a black tie white shirt completed the outfit. Almost. Rising above, from behind, each shoulder blade were several, what I can only describe as, glittery black stuffed horns. Her hot pink hair, pale foundation accented with dark red lips, reddish pink eyelids ringed in black, created ethereal stage presence. Her music and movements throughout were bewitching and she had the crowd in a trancelike state.
Elis Paprika, another one of the numerous performers hailing from the USA’s North American neighbor to the south, is also a well know activist in her native Guadalajara. She rocketed off from the start of her set, never touching down until she was finished whipping up the crowd in to exhaustion. With hyper charm and perfectly complementing her strong voice and infectious songs, few would argue with the words on bright red t-shirt, an item of her own merchandise, exclaiming “Mexican Girl Power!”
Skate punk band Cardiel consists of two Valencia, Venezuela natives: Vocalist/Guitarist Miguel Fraíno and drummer Samantha Ambrosio. However, the founded their band in Mexico City in 2010. Little flash but lots of fury marked Cardiel’s set. They pummeled through song after song, hyping up the circle pit significantly.
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, the Buenos Aires ska legends, had the swelling crowd dancing as the night two headliners. The band ripped through “Manuel Santillán, El León”, “Saco Azul”, “Mal Bicho”, “Calaveras y Diablitos”, “Matador”, and “El Satánico Dr. Cadillac”. It was a fun way to end a Saturday night on a not too hot summer day.
Other highlights from the weekend included sets from Sgt. Papers, El Mato, and Avantist.
See more photos below!
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