Walking onto the Riot Fest grounds for the final day, you could sense the energy and anticipation amongst the seemingly biggest crowd of the fest. After 2 muddy days, the grounds were finally leveling out, the sun came out to stay, and it was clear both the bands and the fans intended to go out on a high-note.
Riot Fest staple Andrew W.K. made his fourth straight appearance at the festival, and as always he came to party. With the help of his thrashing band, he lifted the spirits of the audience with his uniquely inspirational heavy metal. He took various moments to give motivational advice, and when he wasn’t pumping up the crowd he could be seen in a cyclone of hair and head banging. Andrew just knows how to put on a show, and songs like “She is Beautiful” and “Party Hard” caught the ears of even the newest fan. It just wouldn’t be Riot Fest without Andrew W.K.
To be honest, I was excited all weekend to see Rodrigo y Gabriela, and their set was nothing short of incendiary. Creating relentless galloping rhythms and virtuosic symphonies of sound, the acoustic duo delivered an incredible performance which left the crowd in awe. While Rodrigo Sanchez might come off as the front-man with his rapid fire licks, it’s really Gabriella Quintero who can blow your mind away. Her ability to use her acoustic as a complex percussive machine while simultaneously creating an orgy of beautiful chordal strumming bliss might just make you forget to breathe or blink. The group was also able to show off their heavy metal influence (much to the crowd’s enjoyment) by charging through covers of Megadeth’s “Holy Wars…The Punishment Due” and Metallica’s “Battery” and “Orion.” It was simply one of the best sets of the day.
Cypress Hill came onto the Rock Stage in front of an enormous crowd and didn’t disappoint. Lead rapper B-Real’s distinct twangy rapping style could be recognized from a mile away, and the group brought a solid energy to the performance. Classic songs like “Insane in the Brain” and “(Rock) Superstar” reeled in the crowd, and the group fit in well with the essence of the festival.
As a somewhat surprising but welcome addition to the fest, Tenacious D came into town and performed their comedy rock stylings to a capacity crowd. Opening up with their anthem “Tribute,” they played an array of songs from their catalog while frontman Jack Black sprinkled in wacky banter. While the show never really broke through to greatness and at times bordered on dull, it was a fun experience and we were all able to cross it off the bucketlist.
Following the relaxed set, The Prodigy came on next and blew us all away. The UK electronica group blazed through a high-intensity set that never let up. Their extensive light show provided a frantic backdrop, and their booming sound was dark and fierce. “Breathe” opened up the show strong on familiar footing for anyone who listened to music in the ’90s, and songs like “Firestarter” and “Smack My Bitch Up” gripped the crowd as we sung along with the classic tracks. Definitely one of the most powerful shows of the weekend.
As I headed out at end of the night, I realized how truly lucky we are to have such an outstanding fest in such a great city. Punk rock may not be as booming as it once was, but it’s events like Riot Fest that keep the spirit alive. Whether or not the fest has found it’s new home in Douglas Park, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.
