The noise-punk duo Lambrini Girls from Brighton, UK played their highly anticipated show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre on Tuesday, September 29th after rescheduling their original North American tour from April after vocalist and guitarist Phoebe Lunny suffered a neck fracture and acute brain injury. This comes just in time as the band recently announced their new […]
The noise-punk duo Lambrini Girls from Brighton, UK played their highly anticipated show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre on Tuesday, September 29th after rescheduling their original North American tour from April after vocalist and guitarist Phoebe Lunny suffered a neck fracture and acute brain injury.
This comes just in time as the band recently announced their new album, No Refunds, is set to drop on January 15, 2027, via City Slang. Following their acclaimed 2025 debut Who Let The Dogs Out, this new album sees The Lambrini Girls return with a darker and increasingly more urgent record for a world that, in their own words, “got even worse”.
Supporting The Lambrini Girls in Chicago tonight are Big Special from England, another punk duo, and Big Girl, a punk band from New York with explosive energy.
Blasting right through the gate, Big Girl commanded attention with their glam punk high energy and theatrical performance.
Their debut full-length album Big Girl vs. GOD was released on June 30th, 2023 via Final Girl Records, with help from Justin Pizzoferrato who co-produced the album and has worked with the likes of the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr.
One of the more unique bands I have come across in a while, Big Special is Joe Hicklin on vocals and Callum Moloney on drums. The UK duo mix post-punk, spoken word poetry, and hip-hop; think Idles meets Yard Act meets Tom Waits. Another very fun and theatrical band to keep on your radar!
Lambrini Girls, consisting of Phoebe Lunny on guitar/vocals, and Selin Macieira-Boşgelmez on bass, quickly sold out this show to no surprise. The last time they were in Chicago was at Riot Fest 2025 and now we finally get to have another headlining performance since their club show at The Empty Bottle in May of 2025.
The shows are chaotic, politically-heavy with lots of comradery as Phoebe Lunny frequently jumps into the crowd encouraging audience participation.
In addition to hyping up the crowd to mosh, at one point Lunny asks the audience to vote for the next thing they all do: option one, every one takes a giant shit on the floor. Two, have a slip and slide. Three, form a human pyramid…Thankfully, the human pyramid was chosen.
Photos by Mary SundeReview by Brian Nielsen Day one left me feeling every bit of my age. I woke up drained and devoid of spoons, lacking the will to leave the house. Inertia was my enemy; I was unsure I had the fuel to complete another day of the festival, let alone two. The fear […]
Day one left me feeling every bit of my age. I woke up drained and devoid of spoons, lacking the will to leave the house. Inertia was my enemy; I was unsure I had the fuel to complete another day of the festival, let alone two. The fear of failure became somewhat self-fulfilling. I missed several bands because of task paralysis induced by anxiety that I would crap out and be unable to cover the end of the fest. A younger me would have had enough drive and curiosity to depart without trouble. However today, after an unfortunately long inner battle, it was only my sense of duty to Dying Scene that finally prevailed, enabling me to put on pants and call a Lyft to Douglass Park.
I had every intention of arriving in time for Melt-Banana; they were a regular on my portable music player circa 2005. It’s been a long time since I’ve listened to them, but I distinctly remember the spastic, hyperactive vocal style. I was never able to see them live back in the day—a tradition I shamefully carried on to the present by not leaving on time. The list isn’t over yet; Angine de Poitrine blew past too. I discovered them earlier this year when I bought into Rick Beato’s clickbait YouTube title, “Please STOP sending me this,” where he finally gives in to the viewers flooding his inbox asking for his take on the band. I think they’re fascinating, and it brings me joy that a band is doing something so weird and different—so different and weird—something borderline unmusical, but they are still getting mainstream attention for it. I have not developed a taste for the microtonal nature of their songs yet, but I listen to a lot of music now that I didn’t understand how to appreciate earlier in life, so we’ll see where it goes.
At least I left in time to catch Thrice. Well, some of Thrice. At least I thought I would make it to the end of their set. Travel times were longer than estimated and I did not see any of their set. I had forgotten Thrice existed for the better part of two decades, but their newer songs have been popping up in my recommended streaming lists and they’ve caught my ear. I’m, like, really bad at this; maybe I’ll have better luck next time they come through Chicago.
I FINALLY made it through the gates and onto the festival grounds in time for Social Distortion. I vividly remember “I Was Wrong” playing in heavy rotation around ‘97 on Q101, Chicago’s legendary local alternative rock station. Despite loving the track, I didn’t deeply explore their catalog until years later. It contains no shortage of fantastic songs. White Light, White Heat, White Trash is a timeless punk treasure that deserves to be played in its entirety. That being said, I held modest expectations for the performance this year. The first time I saw Social D was long enough ago that I don’t remember any details, except that it was great and I was incredibly excited to see them again. However, the second and most recent time I saw them—which, to be fair, was 20 years ago—I left the venue relatively underwhelmed. They played the songs tightly without mistakes, but every song just felt like it was dragging. The tempos fell noticeably shy of what I remembered from the albums. Maybe their drummer just needed some uppers that night and couldn’t get any, or maybe my internal clock just set me up with unrealistic expectations. My perception could have been the problem, not their performance; they are professionals after all.
Regardless, I did not leave underwhelmed this time—the boys were kicking ass and taking names. The band was mostly dressed to impress with expensive-looking pants and dress shirts that were still tailored and worn with a punk rock edge. The beautiful, classy vintage Gibson guitars completed the look, however the drummer’s LA Dodgers hat felt like he thought it was casual Friday. Their set was tight, punchy, and full of energy. The performance was strong right from the start with “Born to Kill,” and “Mommy’s Little Monster” gave me a lovely nostalgia dose. I left early so I could see some of the Descendents, but I left pleasantly satisfied.
I honestly haven’t listened to the Descendents much since my formative punk years. Back in my day, we couldn’t see the Descendents in concert because they were broken up. All we had was ALL, and we had to make do with it. I remember seeing them at the House of Blues before I was old enough to drive. They sounded great and all, but comparatively, while the bands hold a similar sound and attitude, the Descendents just have better songs. Or maybe they’re just more memorable. Or maybe I just remember them better because that CD was in my car and got played more often. I guess I can’t make an objective comparison here, but subjectively, I have to say I enjoyed the Descendents in 2026 more than I enjoyed ALL in ’98. Noteworthy moment: the brief guitar solo in “Dog House.” It started out with a quick shred, then got loose and noodly as he searched for notes he didn’t quite find, and ended with a sharply dissonant melodic phrase that was almost atonal. I don’t remember the album version enough to know if that was intentional or a cover-up, but it was awesome and made me smile either way.
I was ahead of schedule when I went to the Radical stage to get ready for Chat Pile, which proved serendipitous, as Vana was playing and they were awesome. I’m getting kind of sick of modern metal songwriting—I find the majority of it displeasingly homogeneous—but I found myself really liking Vana’s songs. The riffs and progressions are catchy, not just technical. There’s a decent smear of electronic elements in the songs and even some hip-hop-ish parts for breaks and transitions. The frontwoman was straight-up dripping with stage presence and raw energy. She wasn’t afraid to dance while pacing around the stage like a caged animal, supporting her lyrics with both facial expression and body language. I am a sucker for the singing of a clean, melodic female voice mixed with anguished screaming passages, especially when it’s one person doing both parts. She pulled that style off beautifully. Their music carried serious production value for a band playing this early on one of the smaller stages. I’m generally not a fan of backing tracks, but I felt these were tasteful and created an atmosphere that four musicians alone could not make on one stage, blending well with the rock-solid instrumentation and not overshadowing it. The guitar work was full of heavy, djenty, downtuned riffs and the bass complemented it with that wonderful “klank” tone that Korn pioneered in the 90s. They didn’t overdo it, but occasionally they augmented dramatic snare drum hits with an effect that made it sound like a cannon detonating deep in a cavernous space.
Photos by Brian Nielsen
Until the literal day of the festival, Chat Pile had gone completely under my radar. I am slowly realizing that I may live under a rock when it comes to current music. Thankfully, Mary told me they were worth making time for. Boy howdy, she was right. Chat Pile is aggressive, abrasive, thick, and exquisitely doomy. I loved the fact they were able to deliver the crushing, oppressive doom vibe without playing painfully slow. They have a sound that is distinct and easily recognizable, but unique enough that I really don’t know who to compare them to. Or maybe the comparable bands just haven’t found their way to the rock I live under yet. Doesn’t matter, I’m hooked. As they took the stage, before their first song exploded, I couldn’t help but think their singer looked strikingly like Jim Breuer. It was almost as if he had teleported straight from the 1990s but somehow grew a mustache on his way here. The visuals were misleading, and I was not prepared for his unsettling yet powerful vocal delivery.
Photos by Brian Nielsen
Tool was cool. I only caught their first two songs, though, because it was infinitely more important for me to secure a prime spot for Bad Religion. Tool’s performance was highly anticipated, and I wish I had more to say about it. From where I was standing, I couldn’t get a good view of the band members, and to no one’s surprise, they were not broadcast on the video displays at all. The band instead opted for their signature trippy, avant-garde visuals. The set opened with a wall of feedback and eerie guitar noise while electricity from a Jacob’s Ladder climbed up the video displays. As the opening notes of “Stinkfist” kicked in, the projection cut to surreal, alien-like shapes and structures. The structures contained extraterrestrial humanoid beings that reminded me of the Engineers from Prometheus—except they were wearing khakis and sporting total dad bods. Weird. I can definitely see how seeing Tool could be a hallowed experience in the right setting, one that leaves a mark on a true fan. However, I am a casual fan at best. From where I was standing, it was kind of like listening to the studio recordings of the songs really loud while watching one of their music videos outside on a giant TV.
I’ve seen Bad Religion enough times to lose count—at least 10 times, probably closer to 15. I have never once been disappointed and always leave euphoric. That held true this year at Riot Fest, but for the first time, things were a bit bittersweet and complicated. I never thought I’d have the official opportunity to photograph a band of this magnitude that holds such deep, foundational importance to my musical identity, and I was ecstatic that it was happening. At the same time, watching a show through a viewfinder while devoting most of your attention to what will make a good photo is a vastly different experience than being present and getting lost while connecting with your favorite band, even in the best conditions.
Photo by Brian Nielsen
And I was not in the best conditions. I was shooting the band from the edge of the general standing area, using an unwieldy, massive telephoto lens. I had been using it for the whole festival at this point, but truth be told, it was a new purchase I made specifically to shoot BR. The distance, coupled with being stuck with a single static vantage point and using new equipment I was still getting used to, made for a challenging shoot. The photos I got genuinely fall short of my best work by a noticeable measure, but I don’t care. I am still in absolute disbelief that I got to photograph them; it is one of the highest honors I’ve had.
Musically, they sounded every bit as phenomenal, fast, and precise as every other time I’ve seen them over the last 25 or so years. Nothing will top seeing them play at a Riot Fest after-show at the legendary, now-defunct Double Door—a venue small and intimate enough that my band was able to play there. I got to see Bad Religion play on a stage I had already been on the other side of. Nothing is going to beat that experience, but this one was still extraordinary. I was thrilled by the number of songs they were able to fit into their timeslot, including several of my personal favorites. Despite the challenging photo conditions, something special lit up inside the back of my mind when I was able to recognize a favorite less than three seconds in. “Generator,” “I Want to Conquer the World,” “No Control,” “Struck a Nerve,” “Suffer,” “Infected,” “21st Century Digital Boy,” and “You” all had that effect.
Photos by Brian Nielsen
Hilarious highlight: Greg was talking to the crowd after the second or third song and jokingly said they would get right back to playing “as soon as that garage band is finished.” The stages were close enough together that in between Bad Religion songs you could easily make out what Tool was playing. Jay quickly chimed in to point out they have shared concert bills together before, the first time dating back to the 1980s.
Riot Fest shortened the schedule due to impending rain, and Bad Religion was one of the last bands to play, with their cutoff time listed as 8:00 PM. Much to my joy, the rain was later than expected, and Bad Religion was still going when I checked my watch at 8:10. Nothing lasts forever, though. Shortly after jinxing things by checking the time, I heard the opening harmonics of “Sorrow.” I had seen them close their set with this song so many times before that I was sure it must be the last one. I quickly put my camera away before the opening vocals were sung so I could be off the clock and lose myself in the last song. It was everything I hoped it would be, and in a “But wait, there’s more!” moment, they went straight into “American Jesus” before exiting the stage.
Photos by Mary SundeReview by Brian Nielsen One day in 2005 I went to see the Groodies at the Congress Theater. In and of itself that was nothing special for that time in my life, I had become pretty chummy with the band and regularly saw them once or twice a month. This show sticks […]
One day in 2005 I went to see the Groodies at the Congress Theater. In and of itself that was nothing special for that time in my life, I had become pretty chummy with the band and regularly saw them once or twice a month. This show sticks out in my memory though, because it was a festival show and they were opening for the Misfits. Sure, the current incarnation of the Misfits at the time didn’t draw the attention and respect they reached in their prime, but it still felt like a pretty big deal. Holy crap, that was the first year of Riot Fest. It’s 21 goddamn years later they’re still doing this fest and somehow, this year I’m infiltrating the press tent and telling the public what I think about it. Who thought that was a good idea? Get ready to be disappointed.
On the subject of festivals, I remember being in my early 20s and almost passing out from heat exhaustion at Warped Tour. Funny enough, the main reason I dragged my ass out to the suburbs for Warped Tour that year was also to see the Groodies! Small world. Back to the heat exhaustion, I took this as a sign I might officially be too old for big outdoor all day festivals. I sure as shit was, but for some reason I keep forgetting and trying to prove myself wrong. I generally breathe a sigh of relief every year I decide not to go to Riot Fest. Crowds. Sun. Poorly serviced Port-a-pottys. Ever rising ticket costs. Festival pricing for food and merch. Running into people you never wanted to see again and having to pretend to be happy to see them. The disappointment of the one band you specifically came for only playing a 20 minute set, and you missed half of it because you didn’t know how long the expedition from the other end of the park was going to take. Despite knowing all that comes with outdoor all-day festivals, I can safely say I’ve been to at least five and a quarter instances of the 21 Riot Fests that have occurred, but no more than ten and a half instances. That means I’ve seen far too many bands to care about any of them anymore but I’m gonna try to pretend I do. Day one, go!
Teen Mortgage. One of the many bands this year that was new to me, Mary has photographed them before and made sure we didn’t miss them. The band told you exactly who they were before they hit a single chord by screaming Fuck Donald Trump. Off to a good start if you ask me. I’m always curious to see how two-piece bands pull off a full sound. Teen Mortgage manages to pull it off. When the drums are half the band, you have to hit the right balance. You want to be busy enough to absorb the extra attention you get when there’s only one other guy on stage, but not so busy that the foundation of the songs gets muddy or lost.
The guitar had a sick octave distortion to occupy the space typically filled by two guitars and a bass. He didn’t rely on it for every part of every song though, He bypassed the effect at the times a dedicated bassist would back off to let the soft parts of songs be soft and feel like a punch in the face when coming back for the next loud part. On the other end of the spectrum, there was a generous but tasteful use of a whammy effect, bending notes far beyond what natural sounds a guitar can make, and completely making up for the lack of a second guitar player. Their songs are high octane punk bangers, simple at their core with a lot of nuance sprinkled on top. Delightfully gritty with hooks that are going to stick in your head.
I didn’t actually watch JMSN but their music was distinctly audible while I made a stop at the press tent. Style wise, it was not something I would have expected to hear at Riot Fest but it made enough of an impression on me to look it up afterwards. I would have not guessed JSMN was the creative output of a single artist, and definitely thought I was hearing more than one singer. JMSN’s style is just enough out of my wheelhouse I couldn’t think of how to classify it. The internet describes it as a cinematic take on alternative R&B. I won’t argue with that. The vocal range has a wide register from lows to highs, and spanning several styles of singing. If I had to pick an adjective for the vocals as a whole soulful is the first word that comes to mind. The songs have great texture and arrangements. JMSN is a writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and operates completely on his own independent label. I have mad respect for that. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons with some music that isn’t loud and angry, check out this modern versatile incarnation of classic R&B.
Photo by Brian Nielsen
I went and gave my attention to Fleshwater as soon as I was back on the park grounds. Fleshwater is one of the handful of bands that I wouldn’t consider a mainstream success yet, but has managed to make it onto my radar. I feel more and more out of touch every year with the ever decreasing number of band names on the Riot Fest line up that I am actually familiar with. Thanks for making me feel like I’m still with it, Fleshwater is dreamy, atmospheric, melodic rock featuring dreamy female lead vocals that still gets heavy as fuck and I am so here for it. Hard hitting drums. Pounding bass. Guitar parts ranging from huge cleans with lush reverbs and delay to driving rock chord progressions, fantastic 90’s alternative riffs that give way to heavy abrasion letting you know they have hardcore roots. So many guitars too! I was nerding out over the collection of classic 90’s and 2000’s guitar amps. I was delighted by the songs where the band decided two guitars just aren’t enough and had lead vocalist Marisa dawn a third leaving no faces unmelted. I’m so glad I got to catch their set, I can’t wait for them to come through Chicago again.
Bratmobile is a band I absolutely should have had long familiarity with but someone I was completely unaware of their existence until now. Early pioneers of the feminist punk Riot Grrrl movement, Bratmobile’s contribution to punk is a piece of history that should be taught in all formal education. The band can be traced back to formation in Olympia, Washington in 1991. I felt truly privileged to see them continue to deliver a blend of surf rock influenced garage-punk 35 years later. The signature smearing vocals are the perfect embodiment of their sarcastic biting and disaffected lyrics and tone. Now that I know how infrequently the band still performs, I consider myself lucky to see this one, thanks Riot Fest for a commitment to bringing bands like this back to the stage after years of hiatus.
So maybe I wasn’t actually there for it, but I have it on very good authority that hometown heroes, Rise Against, brought their a-game this year. I recall seeing what I remember as their debut show at the Fireside Bowl. The year was 1999 and everyone was excited to see what Dan Precision from 88 Fingers Louie’s new project was going to sound like. Tim McIlrath hadn’t even been recruited into the band yet. I honestly can’t remember what they sounded like without him. It’s a trip to think about the breakout success they would go on to hold. A quick aside, I am legally obligated to lecture any Rise Against fan who isn’t familiar with the side-project Tim had in the early years of RA. If this is you, you need to stop what you’re doing and go listen to The Killing Tree right now. Go. I’ll wait. This is not negotiable. Pick back up here after you do your homework. If any of the members of TKT are reading this, when’s the fucking reunion?. Riot Fest 2027? Please?
Anyways, my dumb ass stepped out of the Festival for a bit and I was sure I’d make it back in time for Rise Against. I don’t follow them as closely as I used to, but I was excited for this year. I know I’ve caught pieces of their sets at Riot fest more recently than this, but the last time I bought tickets and watched a whole set was apparently back in 2011 when Bad Religion did that thing they always do and go on tour opening up for a band that couldn’t possibly have come to exist without Bad Religion’s legacy and influence. I’m kicking myself now, because 4 of their 11 songs were off The Sufferer & The Witness, an album I have deep history with. Prior to this album, RA shared a rehearsal space with a band called Holy Roman Empire, featuring my favorite vocalist of all time. I wasn’t following RA that closely at the time but I found out she recorded backup vocals for the album. Credit where credit is due, those backup vocals are the reason I bought the album, but I would still consider it a masterpiece even if she wasn’t on it. Not only did my confidante rub it in how good the performance I missed was, she sent me all her cell phone recordings from it so I could confirm that every element of a most-see show was there, but I got it view the evidence in a format that can’t do it justice in the slightest.
After missing Rise Against entirely, I got back just in time to not reach the Rebel stage in time to see The Pixies. But I got to be serenaded by an excellent compilation of forgotten favorites while walking to the main gate and searching the park for friends I had abandoned earlier. Silver linings I guess. “Wave of Mutilation” is still stuck in my head at the writing of this article.
How old is Iggy Pop? What is holding his physical form together after the life he’s lived? Is it a privilege to still be doing something so well after so long, or does it become a curse at some point? Well, whatever deal he had to make with whatever supernatural deity it was that granted him the power to carry to keep this up, I’m glad he made it. With the number of opportunities I’ve had to see him before this, it would have served me right to wake up to Facebook some day finding out I missed all my chances and I wasn’t going to get any more. This being the case, I was carrying a conflicted heart. I just saw Gwar earlier this year. I’ve seen Gwar, at least a half a dozen times if not twice that. There was not going to be anything going on at the Radical stage during the end of Iggy’s set that I hadn’t seen before. But it’s fucking Gwar, if I can see some of Iggy and some of Gwar, I’m gonna fuckin’ see both.
Iggy came out of the gates with so many hits and so little filler, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was that I was going to miss the end of his set and I still got to hear “Raw Power”, “Gimmie Danger”, “The Passenger, Lust for Life”, and “I Wanna Be Your Dog”. The accomplices I was with had never seen Gwar before, so we were ready to head over there at this point, satisfied with the gift we’d been given. I said we could start walking over there, but if he starts “Search and Destroy”, we’re parking again until it’s over. Sure enough, we parked for one more song.
I felt like a thief, a bandit. Leaving early with all those songs sucked up by my ear-holes, I got away with something I didn’t earn. What was left that could have topped that? “1969”. “1969” was left, Brian you dummy. You missed “1969”. But you got to see Gwar eviscerate a larger than life Donald Trump puppet again instead.
Photo by Brian Nielsen
Do you like mother fuckin’ space? What about intergalactic space warriors??? Have you heard the siren song of the makers of mankind? The Scumdogs of the Universe were a group of violent cosmic thugs content to continue in their ways until they were banished to Earth, a punishment cast upon them by the Master. Their fate was to live out their days on an irrelevant muddy rock of no value, called Earth. Eons ago, when apes were the highest life form on the planet, the members of Gwar, um, well. There was some cross species pollination and next the apes gave birth to the human race. You’re welcome.
Photo by Brian Nielsen
Photo by Brian Nielsen
Now, in this, the year 2026, Gwar has discovered their beloved Tyrannosaurus Rex has fallen into the bad habits of Earth. Leaven no choice, Gwar must let nothing stand in their way as they hunt down Gor Gor, the T-Rex, to administer the ultimate act of Tough Love. One of the many obstacles in their path, this fateful night at the Festival or Riots, Donald Trump crossed paths and he did try to impede them from completing their quest. Thankful that fucking blowhard is no match for the mighty power of Gwar, and his blood rained upon many a festival goer that night. What Riot Fest is complete without cosmic aliens disemboweling a world leader on stage?
Riot Fest, celebrating its 20th year in 2025, is most publicly about the bands on stage. But so often, the much more compelling stories are found on the grounds of the music festival’s home in Douglass Park. Here are a few of those stories. Love and Heartbreak at the Riot Fest Wedding Chapel Olivia Beck […]
Riot Fest, celebrating its 20th year in 2025, is most publicly about the bands on stage. But so often, the much more compelling stories are found on the grounds of the music festival’s home in Douglass Park. Here are a few of those stories.
Love and Heartbreak at the Riot Fest Wedding Chapel
Olivia Beck married her husband, David Martin Beck, [03.11.1982 -12.14.2023] at the Riot Fest Wedding Chapel in 2022. The following year, her husband was tragically killed in a confrontation in his apartment building. This year, Beck paid tribute to him by scattering some of his ashes beside and in front of the wedding chapel. She also left a framed photo of her husband. Being a young widow with a child is challenging, but Beck is determined to carry the spirit of her husband forward as she knows he would hope for and expect of her.
Olivia: David and I met at this dive bar in San Antonio called the Texan 2. Its the grossest bar ever, and he worked there forever. He made me cry the first time I met and he laughed. I found it funny eventually. He then invited me and my ex over for a game of Magic The Gathering, so we met because we were nerds. This was in 2018.
His favorite bands were Bad Religion,Senses Fail, Rise Against, and Thrice. He was a through-and-through punk, and I loved that. He introduced me to a lot of bands, so we had similar tastes in music. Some of my favorites are NOFX, Bad Religion, and Less Than Jake. I have those on repeat a lot.
Our honeymoon at Riot Fest was EXHAUSTING. It was hot that year, and we walked so much! My veil flew off after we married, and a homeless man caught it. The dude offered it back only if we gave him $20, which David gladly did. The last day, we were ready to start our lives back in our hometown.
When I lost my husband, I was 2 months pregnant. We tried for a year to get pregnant, and so we were extremely ecstatic. My stepdaughter, Ellie, was also excited to be a big sister. When David was murdered, [Shawn Pivonka was charged with murder, but the trial ended with a not guilty verdict] I succumbed to a deep depression and almost attempted suicide. I had to be in the mental hospital for 2 weeks, and honestly, dealing with that mental anguish and witnessing everything was much harder than labor and birth itself. I lost all hope, but I eventually went on to support myself and my unborn baby until I was 9 months pregnant as a bartender.
When we received the verdict (not guilty), it felt like losing David all over again. I rarely ate, and I slept all week. I kept going over all the “what ifs?” “What if I was outside when his life was taken? Could I have done something? Could all of this have been prevented, and we’d be in a timeline where our family is all together as one?”
Spreading his ashes was cathartic. To be honest, I almost didn’t go to Chicago because I didn’t feel strong enough, but I could hear David yelling at me, “YOU SPEND THAT MONEY, GET YOUR ASS UP THERE, BABY!” I was nervous about breaking down and crying, but it actually felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. People recognized me and gave me their condolences – and these were people I’ve never even met, from all over the world. I was afraid of being alone, but I certainly wasn’t.
This Riot Fest was more than I could ever have asked for. I went in with NO expectations. Last year, I fell in love with someone, the first person I ever had feelings for after losing David. We had such a strong connection that we made plans to go to Riot Fest together. Things didn’t work out, and we had a falling out. Well, as the universe would have it, I ran into him at the festival, and he told me that he had been looking for me and that he’d been missing me every day. We rekindled a close friendship, and we saw all the bands together. He even put me on his shoulders at Green Day, and it was magical. On top of that, I made new friends from NY and California. Everyone seemed drawn to me this year, [Beck had posted in an unofficial Riot Fest-related Facebook group about her plans to spread David’s ashes]. I feel like it was David’s spirit making sure that I was okay and had fun
Brothers in Arms Together Again
Sean Elliot [left, in the above photo, and Robert Taylor] first became friends more than three decades ago as young soldiers in the United States Army. After having lost touch for decades, they reconnected and reunited at Riot Fest. Here is their story:
Sean:I moved a lot as a kid but settled here and went to Downers Grove North with Mike Vinikour[featured in Dying Scene in 2023] joined the army because I didn’t know what else to do with myself. I always had that rebellious streak, so punk just clicked right away with me. I got stationed at Ft Hood, Texas (about an hour from Austin) after training in 1988. There were not a lot of punks in the army or in Texas in the 80s. Rob and I met at the mall in Killeen (just off base) and immediately became great friends, bonding over our love of punk music and culture. We were in Austin every weekend with some other friends.
After I got out, Rob visited me here in Chicago a few times. But it was pre-Internet, and it was easy to lose a number and contact in those days, which is what happened.
On his role as a veteran in today’s political climate and how being punk plays into that:
I’m not sure if being a punk and being a vet is incongruent or not. That’s probably a question for somebody smarter than me. I don’t think it is because I’m patriotic in the fact that I love what this country is supposed to be and should be, and things like that. [For example] My need to be protective. I am overly protective by nature.
Having served definitely plays into who I am as a man. Although, unlike some people, I don’t make it my entire personality. As a punk and a man, I just tried to move through the world with intent. I lead with kindness and try to know. Make as many people smile in a day, or help as many people in a day as I can…A fairly sizable guy who can handle himself. I try to make sure that I always protect those who aren’t as strong and need protection.
What does Sean love most about his friend and brother by service and by choice:
As far as Rob goes, he’s just an awesome human being. Rarely in a bad mood, we kind of see the world the same way. We’ve always been super close and 3 plus decades in between. Then and now didn’t change any of that. That’s my brother till I’m dead, just a smart. Solid, funny friend I could tell anything to. That dude is Downtown Julie Brown kind of down.
Robert: I grew up in a small Kansas farm town nestled between Topeka and Lawrence called Perry, population 900. My dad served 6 years in the Army and loved every minute of it. He was planning on making a career of it, but the Army had become too undisciplined for him, due to the draft and the Vietnam War. He said that the day he saw a Private with his arm around a Lieutenant, he knew that the Army wasn’t for him anymore. It was decided from the day that I was born that I was going into the Army. I grew up hearing “When you’re in the Army…” my entire childhood. I had a good relationship with my dad and I knew that it was important to him that I serve. Also, I wanted to go to college and the Army was just about my only option to make that happen.
Three days after graduating high school, I was being shipped off to Basic Training. After completing my training in 1987, I was sent to Ft. Hood, TX. Summer of 1988, I had just bought a car and was finally getting away from the barracks in the evenings. I spent a lot of time at the mall in Killeen, because that’s what you did as a teen in the 80’s, and that’s where I met Sean. I’ll never forget, I was walking out of a record store and saw another punk! I didn’t know any other punks at Ft. Hood at that time. We immediately gravitated towards each other. We started talking and Sean asked what I bought at the record store. It was Mama’s and the Papa’s greatest hits, not punk at all, but I had grown up listening to them. When I showed Sean, he said, “My mom’s a hippy, I love the Mama’s and the Papa’s!” I knew immediately that we were going to be good friends…!
Sean got out of the Army in the Summer of 1989, and I still had a year left. We kept in touch, and Summer of 1991, I went to Chicago to visit him. I visited him again on NYE 1993/1994. That was the last time that I had seen and spoken to him. Sean had a wife and daughter, and life just got busy. I was terrible about writing and keeping in touch with people. All of my friends at that time had finished school and were getting married and having kids. I switched majors halfway through college and was focusing on finishing school and starting my life.
Time went on, the internet happened, and then social media. I tried for decades to find Sean online. MySpace, Facebook, Google, PeopleSearch…no luck at all. For whatever reason, a year ago, I was doing my monthly search for Sean when his Facebook profile finally appeared!
We had talked about getting together in July but Sean had suggested Riot Fest. I was all in. Seeing Sean after 31 years was amazing! It’s amazing how you can just pick right back up where you left off with someone.
Being in the Army in the late 80s was…interesting. All my life, I had heard that people loved soldiers, that women loved a man in uniform… but none of it was true. Vietnam was still fresh in everyone’s mind, and people near military towns hated you. I don’t blame them, their town is overrun by 18 to 25 year old shitheads…. The punks, especially, did not understand why I was in the Army.
Post-Active Service, Robert thinks about his role as a retired veteran. Cautiously saying:
My role as a vet today, hmmm. With everything that’s going on in this country today, that would take too long to answer. I’m currently a GIS Analyst for a local government, living in the SF Bay Area.
Riot Fest was a blast! I had been to the Denver RF for the Misfits reunion, but never to Chicago. I go to Punk Rock Bowling every year, and many of the West Coast Punk in the Parks, so it was nice to be at a midwest fest!
What is the best thing about Sean? The guy has one of the biggest hearts ever, fierce and loyal! We will absolutely stay in touch, and we’re hoping to make RF an annual event!
A Festival Newbie
Riot Fest has also long been the first music festival and even the first concert for many pint-sized punks. Kacie and her husband, Tim (first names only per request), joined that tradition when they brought their one-year-old daughter Madison to Riot Fest 2025.
Kacie:We are from Las Vegas. Kacie and Madison (daughter), husband is Tim. We loved the festival! It was our very first one, have been wanting to go since we saw the lineup a few years ago but didn’t get a chance to until this year. My favorite sets were Weird Al and Green Day!
We decided to bring her because we want to introduce her to lots of different music and activities. She thrives when we’re out of the house, so it was just natural to bring her along. Also, because she was free lol. My husband prefers more of the bands than I do, but it’s always nice to hear new things.
The only other festival we considered taking her to was When We Were Young, but we would have needed to buy a ticket for her. When we saw the lineup for Riot Fest and that we could bring her for free, we went all in.
She did keep the ear protection on when we were closer to the stages, when she was sleeping, and when we were walking around. But when we sat in the shade at the back of the stages, she wouldn’t keep them on.
Judging by the huge smile on Madison’s face, it won’t be long before she is rocking out at another show and maybe even Riot Fest 2026. Start them young!
My favorite quote related to photojournalism has also long acted as a sort of mission statement or modus operandi as a photojournalist. It comes from the legendary William Albert Allard:
I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don’t find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges.
Allard is my inspiration to look for the stories from the grounds and not just on the stages at a festival such as Riot Fest. There are so many stories out there, I wish I could share them all.
We have the final day’s gallery of Riot Fest 2025! Dying Scene caught a ton of killer bands…IDLES, Lambrini Girls, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion? An unforgettable headlining performance from Green Day? This might have been the best day yet. Check it out! British post-punk band IDLES may have had one of the best performances of the […]
We have the final day’s gallery of Riot Fest 2025! Dying Scene caught a ton of killer bands…IDLES, Lambrini Girls, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion? An unforgettable headlining performance from Green Day? This might have been the best day yet. Check it out!
British post-punk band IDLES may have had one of the best performances of the day with their insane energy; right out of the gate guitarist Lee Kiernan ricocheted into crowd, sending fans into a frenzy. Jack White made an appearance joining IDLES performing “Never Fight a Man With a Perm” and if that was not enough, Soft Play took the stage as well for “Rottweiler”.
I hyped up Soft Play a lot in the last year; first in my top picks of 2024 for their song “Act Violently” and album Heavy Jelly, and again for their sold out show at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge in April with Babe Haven. No surprise, Soft Play’s Riot Fest performance was also fantastic and insanely fun. The two-piece duo Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent own the stage wherever they play.
Keeping up with the English punk rock theme, Lambrini Girls hit the ground running with the release of their debut album Who Let the Dogs Out on January 10th, 2025 via City Slang Records. The record received widespread praise and charted at #16 on the UK Albums Chart. The album has themes of calling out misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, and politics with their live shows being no different. Personally, they are also one of my favorite bands and finally seeing them live at Riot Fest was nothing short of magical.
Influential and poetic Jawbreaker played a highly anticipated set at Riot Fest. Their controversial major label debut Dear You was released 30 years ago on September 12th, 1995 (and we are so happy they are back!).
Fans flocked early Sunday for Footballhead as they opened the day. I became a fan of Chicago-based alt rock band after hearing their single “Face to Face” on a local college radio station.
Atlanta pop punk band The Paradox was not previously on my radar but I can say I became a fan after their Riot Fest performance. Outrageously fun, the band quickly rose to stardom after just a short period of time opening for Green Day and playing at Warped Tour.
Take a look back at our day one and two galleries if you’re feeling nostalgic. Riot Fest may be over but we are already thinking about what magic they are cooking up for next year. What’s your dream lineup? We’re dying to hear about it!
AFI is currently on a Fall tour of North America to promote their newest album, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, released on the same day of their concert at Chicago’s Salt Shed on October 3rd. The tour marks the first full-scale tour since their 2021 album Bodies. The ever-evolving band has made shifts in every […]
AFI is currently on a Fall tour of North America to promote their newest album, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, released on the same day of their concert at Chicago’s Salt Shed on October 3rd. The tour marks the first full-scale tour since their 2021 album Bodies.
The ever-evolving band has made shifts in every album, from hardcore, emo, post-punk and genres in between, always pushing the envelope and being their bold, unapologetic selves. With the release of Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, AFI may have reached their final form and what they were always meant to be; a post-punk gothic rock powerhouse reminiscent of the likes of Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy and The Cure.
To help set the mood, the Canadian electronic project TR/ST opened for the evening, transforming The Salt Shed into a synthesizer-heavy dark wave night club.
One thing that remains steadfast during AFI’s transformations? The fans. Between powerful lyrics, dark romanticism, melodic riffs, and Davey Havok’s showmanship (not to mention his own fashionable image), seeing AFI live is nothing short of immersive and feels like home.
AFI played an expanded set list across their discography in addition to songs from Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…, including the album’s leading single “Behind the Clock” and a debut performance of “Ash Speck in a Green Eye“. Also notable was the performance of “File 13” from their 1996 album Very Proud of Ya.
Davey and AFI have not slowed down one bit over the years and their live shows are a testament to that. High energy, jumping from platforms, crowd participation and even being held up by fans while standing, you can tell AFI genuinely love what they do and their fans. Whatever the next era may hold for AFI, we the fans are here to stay.
Didn’t have enough from the day one gallery of Riot Fest 2025? Well here’s our day two with more album plays and a stacked lineup! The Bouncing Souls played through their 2001 hit album How I Spent My Summer Vacation with fans singing along to every song (of course). Day two of Riot Fest had […]
Didn’t have enough from the day one gallery of Riot Fest 2025? Well here’s our day two with more album plays and a stacked lineup!
Day two of Riot Fest had a good variety of post-hardcore/emo bands with Citizen being one of them. Citizen is no stranger to Chicago or Dying Scene, last playing here with Movements and Scowl at the Aragon Ballroom.
Staying on the emo theme, Nashville’s Free Throw performed an energetic and melodic set.
Chicago’s annual punk rock music festival celebrated its 20th anniversary from September 19th-21st with three jam-packed days of legendary music acts, full album play sets, and some notable local Chicago punk bands to celebrate Riot Fest’s Chicago roots. Opening day included headliners Blink-182, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Alkaline Trio. No matter your musical preference, there’s […]
Chicago’s annual punk rock music festival celebrated its 20th anniversary from September 19th-21st with three jam-packed days of legendary music acts, full album play sets, and some notable local Chicago punk bands to celebrate Riot Fest’s Chicago roots. Opening day included headliners Blink-182, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Alkaline Trio. No matter your musical preference, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Let’s get on with day one!
Alkaline Trio performed an album play-through of their second studio album, Maybe I’ll Catch Fire. We took a look back at this album released 25 years ago, check out that review here!
Celtic punk legends The Pogues featured an expanded line up to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their album Rum Sodomy & the Lash.
Touché Amoré ran the stage with their energetic and powerful vocals and equally enthusiastic fans.
One of the newest bands on my radar is The Barbarians of California, a metallic hardcore band from…California! With the tag line “They’re your new favorite band,” the act is collaboration from Aaron Bruno of AWOLNATION and producer/engineer Eric Stenman.
Chicago’s own metalcore group Harm’s Way joined the lineup of an already impressive amount of hardcore bands playing at Riot Fest. They are currently touring with the blackgaze powerhouse Deafheaven.
The New York hardcore punks Agnostic Front need no introduction. They performed their 1984 debut album Victim in Pain in its entirety.
A band I never had the chance to see live I was looking forward to on this day was The Didjits, a punk band formed in 1981 in Mattoon, Illinois (that’s just under 200 miles south of Chicago). They released five full-length albums through Chicago’s Touch and Go Records, an independent label that has a roster including the likes of The Jesus Lizard, Die Kreuzen, The Effigies and many more.
Honey Revenge is pop punk from California and slay on stage. Consisting of Devin Papadol on vocals and Donovan Lloyd on guitar, Honey Revenge bring an immense amount of fun energy on stage that you cannot help but dance and sing along to. On top of that the overall aesthetics is pretty fabulous if you ask me.
Harrison Gordon is “emo guitar music” from Normal, Illinois and they have made a name for themselves in the Midwest indie scene. Their latest EP Spring Break! was released in March of this year.
Last in our day one gallery (but certainly not the least) is another Chicago-local band La Rosa Noir. Part post-punk, part Midwest surf, La Rosa Noir has been conquering the Chicago music scene with their eclectic sound and dark hypnotic vibes.
Soft Play brought their fierce energy to Chicago on April 22nd, selling out the Bottom Lounge with support from the equally ferocious punk band Babe Haven. Meet your newest favorite bands. Babe Haven is a badass queer punk band from Durham, North Carolina that needs to be on your radar if they are not already. […]
Soft Play brought their fierce energy to Chicago on April 22nd, selling out the Bottom Lounge with support from the equally ferocious punk band Babe Haven. Meet your newest favorite bands.
Babe Haven is a badass queer punk band from Durham, North Carolina that needs to be on your radar if they are not already.
Best described on their Bandcamp, “With a mission to elevate femme-presenting individuals, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, they transform each show into a sanctuary of empowerment and acceptance. Their sound can be classified as early 00s nu-metal rebellion meets riot grrrl sass – a sonic assault that grabs you by the ears and refuses to let go.”
Babe Haven released Nuisanceon June 21, 2024 and is easily one of the top ferocity femme albums of the year. Every track is a certified banger that you can shamelessly put on repeat.
Their live performance is equally nothing short of stunning; with a stage presence reminiscent of Kathleen Hanna and Kat Bjelland, vocalist Lillie Della Penna scowls aggressively, shouting for “GIRLS TO THE FRONT” and calling out men who cat call during “Can’t Call This Cat”. Between the take-no-shit energy, their song lyrics, and the fact that we all were wearing leopard print clothing, I felt seen by Babe Haven and the feeling of being in a supportive environment with other femmes was powerful.
The band just finished their tour supporting Teen Mortgage before making their way from Texas to Chicago to support Soft Play’s short stint of North American shows (most of which are now sold out!) so if you were not quick enough to snag tickets, you’ll have the opportunity to still see them for their recently announced tour of the South West.
English two-piece punk band Soft Play has taken the world by storm since their release of Heavy Jellyon July 19th, 2024. It is the first album Soft Play has put out under their new name (they were formally known as Slaves) and was in my top picks list of 2024.
Soft Play recently released an expanded version of the album, appropriately titled Heavier Jelly,adding six new tracks to the original album. The new single “Slushy” features English singer-songwriter Kate Nash and is an absolute bop.
Soft Play’s aggressively unique sound has another exceptional trait; not only is the drummer the lead vocalist, but Isaac Holman also plays while standing up. Topped with guitarist Laurie Vincent’s quick dashing jumps and robust riffs, Soft Play has proven themselves to be a sonic energy not to be reckoned with.
They played a lot of crowd favorites, including “Mirror Muscles,” “Act Violently,” “Punk’s Dead” and “The Hunter”. The song “John Wick” was also played which is all about being…John Wick. They recently posted an open letter to Keanu Reeves asking him to play bass in the song at this year’s Coachella music festival with the band.
We may only be early into 2025, but this easily is one of the top concerts of the year. Soft Play is slated to play more shows throughout Europe this summer before returning to North America in the fall for several festivals, including Shaky Knees, Furnace, and Riot Fest.
Check out the full galleries of Babe Haven and Soft Play below, and don’t forget to give them some support!
2024 has been…a year. Of that I am certain. Luckily, music is the greatest escape so let’s relive some of my favorite moments in punk music this year! We have six of each: songs, albums, concerts and concert photos, so 24 total. So creative. Songs 1. “Act Violently” – SOFT PLAY First up we have […]
2024 has been…a year. Of that I am certain. Luckily, music is the greatest escape so let’s relive some of my favorite moments in punk music this year! We have six of each: songs, albums, concerts and concert photos, so 24 total. So creative.
Songs
1. “Act Violently” – SOFT PLAY
First up we have “Act Violently” by English punk duo SOFT PLAY. This single came off their fourth studio album Heavy Jelly (which we will talk about again later!)
2.“Starburster” – Fontaines D.C.
Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. had a big year. They released their fourth album, Romance, on August 23rd. It won The Album Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards, received a Grammy Awards Nomination for Best Rock Album in addition to a nomination for Best Alternative Music Performance for “Starburster”.
3.“U Should Not Be Doing That” – Amyl and the Sniffers
The follow up album to Amyl and the Sniffer’s largely successful 2021 album Comfort to Me was released on October 25th, titled Cartoon Darkness. “U Should Not Be Doing That” was one of the first singles released from that album. Their world tour for the album release starts in January of 2025!
4.“You Hear Yes” – Destroy Boys
This single was released on August 8th off of Destroy Boy’sFuneral Soundtrack No. 4 album. “You Hear Yes” has the most killer collaboration featuring Kat Moss of Scowl and Missy Dabice of Mannequin Pussy.
5. “Sliding Doors” – Boston Manor
“Sliding Doors” is off of British emo pop punk band Boston Manor’s newest album, Sundiver. I’m always a fan of heavy riffs blended with softer emo vocals; this song still hits hard!
6.“Persona” – GEL
This track is off of GEL’s newest EP released on August 16th under the same name, Persona. Hardcore, aggressive, fast…what’s not to love?
This entire album is one banger after another. Released on July 19th, 2024 with BMG music, Heavy Jelly is the first album SOFT PLAY has put out under their new name (they were formally known as Slaves). Harsh yet catchy, some of my favorite tracks include “Punk’s Dead”, “Act Violently” and “Mirror Muscles”.
I first saw post-hardcore band Drug Church at Riot Fest this year and I’ve been a fan ever since. PRUDE is beautifully written and worth listening to beginning to end. Check out a more in depth review of the album here!
Hardcore band Knocked Loose released this album on May 10, 2024 via Pure Noise Records. The single “Suffocate” features experimental artist Poppy and was nominated in the 67th Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance. If you’re like me and want to just scream into the void all day, then this album is for you. Knocked Loose also has a killer live show (see below for more on that!)
Chicago’s noisy post-hardcore band Shellac is brought to you by the one and only Steve Albini, who sadly passed just days before To All Trains was released. The album was recorded over several years and released on May 17th through Touch and Go records. I don’t think this album has been talked about enough. Each song feels like you are anticipating something looming in the shadows, only to be hit with lyrics like “I am the last day of your life, lived beyond all expectation / My wives and concubines are all fecund and pulchritudinous / And I hope that that’s correct, the way that I used ‘pulchritudinous'”.
With an impressive amount of fourteen studio albums under their belt, The Cure released Songs of a Lost World on November 1st, their first in 16 years since 2008’s 4:13 Dream. The atmospherically dark album quickly rose to #1 on the UK Albums chart.
Fans of Shellac will probably also love The Jesus Lizard. Equally loud and hectic, Rack is their seventh studio album released September 13th on Ipecac Recordings. It is their first studio album release in 26 years since 1998’s Blue. The Jesus Lizard are just as scathingly powerful as ever.
Concerts
I won’t lie, I probably cannot remember every concert I have been to this year because there was so many. Not really a bad problem to have! Here’s six that stood out for me:
I waited so many years for the moment I could finally see PJ Harvey. The show was sold out (of course) and I was absolutely mesmerized with her artistic performance.
2. Knocked Loose at The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 11/1/24
The tour for the release of You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To had a stacked lineup; DRAIN, Militarie Gun and Danny Brown were at their Chicago stop, all of which were absolutely fire. Knocked Loose recently played on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and while there was some laughable complaints from viewers watching, it is great to see more hardcore/metal representation to larger audiences.
OFF!’s show at Lincoln Hall was bittersweet; it was a final farewell show for the band and also originally had legendary Steve Albini’s band Shellac on the lineup. Despite the sadness of both of these, it was still a great show and Chicago-local band FACS stepped in to fill in some rather large shoes, and did so wonderfully.
DFA1979 toured for their 20th anniversary of album You’re a Women, I’m a Machine this year, and will continue the tour into 2025. The Canadian noisy dance punk duo teamed up with another favorite band of mine, garage punk duo Teen Mortgage, to deliver an incredibly fun and energetic performance. I am always blown away by the lighting set up DFA1979 has.
Of course Riot Fest is going to make the list! Every year I have such a fun time and discover new artists that I cannot wait to talk about. Just a few highlights from this year was GEL, Drug Church, Health, the Laura Jane Grace/Catbite mashup performing an Operation Ivy set and…*drumroll*…the John Stamos butter statue.
You might have seen a lot about H.O.O.F. here at Dying Scene lately. The Chicago local music festival celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the punk scene was a huge success this year!
Honorable mention: Chelsea Wolfe at The Vic Theatre, Chicago, 3/19/24
This is an honorable mention because Chelsea Wolfe is more on the goth/doom side of things, not quite punk. However, watching her live was another dream come true. I was fortunate to be able to photograph her as well, check that gallery out here!
Concert Photos
Another category that is hard to narrow down are my favorite concert photos from this year, but let’s try!
Jigsaw YouthHeart Attack ManTeen MortgageHome FrontTaking Back SundayDes RocsOFF!
Needs more concert pics? Check some out here and also throughout Dying Scene! Enjoy the bonus playlist below from all the bands featured here, both new and old hits!
