Clearly, I need a barrage of YouTube links.

September 6, 2014 7:47 PM

I'm going to Riot Fest Chicago next weekend. Which bands that I might otherwise overlook do you think I should check out?

I am generally not down for emo, overly shiny pop punk, or ska, and I have limited endurance for metal. But other than that, I'm open to pretty much anything. I know pretty much all of the bands you'd expect a late 30s indie rock person to know (and a smattering of the younger ones), but if you note a schedule conflict between big names and you want to make a case for one band over another based on experience seeing one or the other live, that'd be cool, too.

This is the link to where I've been futzing around with a personal schedule, but not too much of it is set in stone.

posted by DirtyOldTown to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

The Orwells, These kids are so young but great. Very Pixies-ish.

Lemuria

Have fun, Riot Fest is great.
posted by DeltaForce at 8:05 PM on September 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

I know you're not into emo, but the fourth-wave emo revival is probably the most exciting "lesser known" stuff at Riot Fest for me this year. Metafilter thread. Hey, don't knock it until you try it! Bands worth seeing: The World Is A Beautiful Place..., Modern Baseball, Pianos Become the Teeth, Hotelier, Pity Sex, Dads.
posted by naju at 8:14 PM on September 6, 2014

I would personally try to make room for the Buzzcocks, Superchunk, and maybe Metric. A friend of mine also swears that Murder City Devils put on a great performance, but I can't attest to that.

Give Paul Weller a "woo!" for me (he's not coming to L.A. on this tour).
posted by scody at 8:29 PM on September 6, 2014 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: I am not opposed to emo, just sort of... disinclined. I'll check out those links.

I like Superchunk, but have seen them several times so I will probably check out Andrew WK's circus instead. Also, that's the more happening stage that day, so I'll probably stake out a spot and stay there.

I fully expected a scody shoutout for Paul Weller. :)
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:34 PM on September 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

My schedule
posted by naju at 8:55 PM on September 6, 2014 [1 favorite]

I would highly recommend The Murder City Devils. Try "Bunkhouse"; they have been on a tearing it up after coming back. I would also recommend Pity Sex. Try "Smoke Screen" and "Wind-Up" to catch both lead vocalists. I have not seen them live but would love to.

Of course those two bands are playing at the same time.

To make up for that you get a bonus recommendation: Laura Stevenson and the Cans! "Master of Art".
posted by mountmccabe at 9:27 PM on September 6, 2014 [2 favorites]

Failure puts on an amazing show.
posted by yodelingisfun at 11:37 PM on September 6, 2014

Vamos plays early Friday. There's a local band who plays most often at an underground venue, puts their albums out on tape, it's kind of crazy they're playing Riot Fest at all but I'm super happy for them! They look like punks but they actually play very cocky, strutting, glam-tinged glitter rock.

Their Midwaste tape fucking destroys and you can stream a track off it here.
posted by Juliet Banana at 3:27 PM on September 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

Holy shit I just skimmed the schedule and saw television. Like television television? If it's marquee moon television and not some new band using that name def go see them, they are monumental and I can only assume you'll get your mind blown. I learned about them in a history of punk rock class I took! Oh man I'm jealous!
posted by ghostbikes at 9:09 PM on September 7, 2014 [2 favorites]