I decided this year to attend Riot Fest. It was the 20th Anniversary. I felt the lineup was worth it, perhaps the first time I really felt that way enough to buy a ticket. Over the last several years, I had decided to go to Furnace Fest but just didn't feel I could justify the ticket and other costs associated with making the trip out. With Riot Fest, we live a few blocks away so I don't need to figure out overnight lodging or getting to/from the event. That part was nice...being able to go home at the end of the night and it not taking too long to do so, once escaping the park! I captured some subpar at best footage using my iPhone 14. No professional gear was permitted and often I wasn't able to get myself all that close to see much (and also didn't want to be "that guy" blocking the view of others with my phone if I could help it). I mostly captured clips though I did decide to get a full set from The Pogues. They were one of the main reasons that I wanted to go to Riot Fest.
I decided to not make an intro video but instead collected all the footage that wasn't live performance clips and made it all its own video. In that, I included some of the promotional graphics from the Riot Fest social media and there is a slight introduction piece to that as well as an ending utilizing the graphics again.
https://youtu.be/uuspC_0bPjU
09.18.2025
On Thursday September 18th, 2025, Elphie and I attended one of the shows dubbed a "Riot Fest Late Night" show. It was regular time and more or less a pre-show before the fest began. The show was at Reggies and it featured Mac Sabbath with Descartes a Kant, and Mikey Classic. Elphie had really wanted to see Mac Sabbath and so this turned out to be the night to make it happen. It also worked out that I got to see Mac Sabbath because I didn't think I'd probably make it to Riot Fest in time to see them on Friday. The show was good. Reggies was pretty packed for it.
https://youtu.be/QunH31iJ8Ak
https://youtu.be/x60vTKuae3w
https://youtu.be/ACxUZCdjZ3o
09.19.2025
I captured some road footage on the way in to Riot Fest after leaving work quite early in hopes to get on site in time to see Mac Sabbath again as well as the Tossers. That didn't quite work out as I had hoped. The road footage included the city skyline as I drove southbound on Lake Shore Drive and the remnant of the Damen Silos as I turned north on Damen Avenue to get where I would park. I heard the Tossers as I walked toward the entrance but they finished up before I got in. I walked around a bit and captured some footage of the grounds. I also filled my water pack so I would be good for the day. The first act I caught was Puddles Pity Party.
https://youtu.be/Yt1z7bSLndE
As I waited to see Agnostic Front, I captured some footage of the news chopper flying overhead.
"Weird Al" Yankovic
The Pogues
https://youtu.be/670nLnTbEoY
When The Pogues finished up, I followed the crowd to try to leave and it turned out everyone was going the wrong way. Security opened up some Emergency Exits to let us out. I was following a guy who checked on his buddy to see if he was "ok" while leaning heavily and stumbling along. Perhaps he was the one who needed checked on!
09.20.2025
As I made my way from parking to Riot Fest on Saturday September 20th, 2025, I captured some footage of flyers in the neighborhood protesting against Riot Fest. I also captured some footage of the line of folks waiting for an opportunity to purchase souvenirs from the artists. First band of the day for me was H2O.
https://youtu.be/oYIBGiZOUq0
As I made my way over to watch Militarie Gun, I captured a clip of a statue set up on the grounds.
https://youtu.be/iBF_Eo_QVKE
While trying to find a spot I could stand and see Agent Orange playing, I came across HackySack Matt doing his thing.
https://youtu.be/Zc4h1HYP_A8
I captured some footage of folks in their GWAR shirts before GWAR played. I got a pulled pork sandwich while I waited and a Riot Slop called Purple Nurple. It seemed to be advertised as a soda but it was more like lighly flavored seltzer water. I do not recommend. I also went over to the Butter Stamos to capture some footage of the John Stamos look-a-like contest. I ran into Nik Simmons while there. I happened to miss the contest but captured some footage of the winner who really did look like John Stamos.
https://youtu.be/lllQPkGAPXs
After the GWAR set, I captured a quick clip of folks who had been in the splash/spray zone.
https://youtu.be/yiIrRpkngP8
I decided to capture some footage walking over toward the Rebel Stage after the Dropkick Murphy set.
Buzzcocks
09.21.2025
As I made my way in for the final day of Riot Fest on Sunday September 21st, 2025, I captured some footage of artists making a graffiti mural featuring The Flintstones and Captain Caveman. There were also some protests and preaching going on outside the gates of Riot Fest and I found another flyer that protested Riot Fest along California Avenue.
https://youtu.be/y5bBS9oXEvI
I went back to the Reggies food booth to get a large Mac and Pulled Pork combo bowl. It was good. I did not get any more seltzer water. Some folks were handing out Garrett's Popcorn bags flavored like Home Run Inn Chicago Pizza. I was given two bags so I figured I'd bring them home to share with Elphie.
https://youtu.be/3XHS9wmCbqE
I decided to capture some footage while leaving Riot Fest of the crowd and such. I included some footage of the pedicabs lined up hoping to score riders.
Riot Fest is cool...there are a lot of people. For a lot of the sets, it was hard to get in a good spot to see well without being jam packed in a crowd. I think I could easily listen to music from outside the fences without paying the price and get as much out of it, musically at least, as I did paying to be inside. With this being the only time I have gone to Riot Fest, I don't necessarily have the community that I found at Cornerstone and through that in some ways at Audiofeed...and also at the new editions of Furnace Fest the last few years. That could change, of course, with attending it regularly I suppose, but my initial feeling in the aftermath is I do really enjoy the community of Audiofeed as well as Furnace Fest. I guess we will see what things look like in the future...perhaps I will go back again. I am glad to have had the experience at least. There was another event the weekend before in the Portland, Oregon area called Thunder Fest which would have required more air travel right after getting back from our vacation trip to complete our 50 State goal. I do wish I had made a plan to go to that one...pretty good lineup. I think I found out a bit late though and had already committed to Riot Fest. Again, I am glad to have had a Riot Fest experience and being the 20th year probably made for one of the best lineups I could ask for!
Additional soundtrack includes "Chi-Town Beatdown" by Flatfoot 56.
Footage captured using an iPhone 14 and Crosstour CR-900 by Joel A. Swanson. Titles and other animations created and project edited using Final Cut Pro X on a Mac Mini by Joel A. Swanson.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh9ZwEF2QQpPD4u0N2gwYKQEa_NOXplnG
Riot Fest
09.18.2025 - Pre Show @ Reggies
Mikey Classic
Descartes a Kant
Mac Sabbath - Chicken For The Slaves
09.19.2025
RF 1 - Driving in, walking in, walking around
Puddles Pity Party - Estoy Sentado Aquí
Harm’s Way - Other World
RF 2 - New Chopper
Agnostic Front - Victim In Pain
Senses Fail - Buried A Lie
Stiff Little Fingers - Wasted Life
Weird Al Yankovic -
Knocked Loose - Suffocate
The Pogues - full set
RF 3 - Drunkard
09.20.2025
RF 1 - Anti Riot Flyers, entry
H20 - Nothing To Prove
RF 2 - Statue
Militarie Gun - Will Logic
RF 3 - Hacknsackn Matt
Agent Orange - too young to die
RF 4 - Before GWAR, food, Stamos Look a Like
GWAR - Gor Gor
RF 5 - After GWAR
Citizen - I Want To Kill You
Mark Ramone - Commando
The Beach Boys - Don’t Worry Baby
Dropkick Murphys - Big Man
RF 6 - walking
Buzzcocks - Manchester Rain
Jack White - Seven Nation Army
The Damned - Smash It Up
Weezer - Only In Dreams
09.21.2025
RF 1 - New graffiti, flyer, preaching
The Paradox - Do Me Like That
Zero Boys - Livin’ In The 80’s
Smoking Popes - Just Broke Up
Pegboy - Field Of Darkness
The Linda Lindas - Nino
Dance Hall Crashers - Enough
Screeching Weasel - What We Hate
RF 2 - Food
Bad Religion - When?
Idles - Mother
Jawbreaker - Sluttering (May 4th)
Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia & Good Riddance
RF 3 - leaving
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