Sep 9

Sep 9 RIOT FEST This Weekend! Ten Acts they told us to see.

Riot Fest is a multi-day music festival specializing in punk, rock, alternative, metal, and hip-hop. Founded in 2005 in Chicago, it has now expanded to include stops in Denver and Toronto. Carnival Rides, amazing food vendors, sideshow performers, and more add to the atmosphere of this independent music fest.

TEN ACTS THEY TOLD US TO SEE.

BEACH SLANG, “Filthy Luck.”

Formed in 2013 in Philadelphia, PA.

Beach Slang is the kind of punk band that you would expect to hear at a basement show in college, while raising your fists to the low lit Christmas lights on the ceiling. The three piece super-group combines members of Weston, Cry Baby, and Ex Friends, to form grungy, hopeful, and inspiring anthems. In “Filthy Luck”, fast drums and distorted guitars compliment vocalist James Snyder’s raspy lyrics: ”Kids like us are weird/And more, we’re brave/ We tie our tongues and turn them into rage.” Beach Slang’s debut LP

The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us

is set for release on October 30th, 2015.

For Fans of:

The Descendants, The Replacements, The Psychedelic Furs, DIY culture, vegan barbecues.

WATCH BEACH SLANG’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “FILTHY LUCK” HERE

Beach Slang plays the Radical Stage on Sunday, September 13th at 6:30pm.

HAVE MERCY

“Howl”

: Formed in 2011 in Baltimore, MD.

“Have Mercy!” This pop punk four-piece named for Uncle Jesse’s catchphrase, will pull at your heartstrings through melodic verses, catchy buildups, and transparent lyrics. The music video for “Howl”, off the band’s sophomore album,

A Place of Our Own,

is the rock and roll equivalent of watching

Boyhood

. The video flashes through the first romances, breakups, and major losses, as well as the rock shows, pillow fights, and first apartments that defined the early decades of vocalist, Bryan Swindle’s life.

Have Mercy is the perfect band to watch while holding hands with your Riot Fest Date and clutching onto a Bayside record.

For fans of:

The Wonder Years, Real Friends, Dashboard Confessional, Transit, John Stamos butter sculptures, finding a date to Riot Fest.

WATCH HAVE MERCY’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “HOWL” HERE

Have Mercy plays the Revolt Stage at Sunday, September 13th at 7:00pm.

CHON, “Splash.”

Formed in 2008 in San Diego, California.

If you’re a science nerd who enjoys listening to experimental math rock, then CHON is definitely for you.

This small group of California natives plays primarily instrumental songs with unyielding musical ability. Creative guitar riffs reminiscent of 80s prog-rock are supported by unpredictable drum beats, and scarce vocals that are secondary to CHON’s vibrant sound. Their first studio release,

Grow,

debuted in March of 2015. The music video for CHON’s single, “Splash” is so beautifully created that it needs to be watched to get the full sensory effect of the song.

For fans of:

Ratatat, Polyphia, Circa Survive, painting in the grass, watching Planet Earth in your pajamas.

WATCH CHON’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “SPLASH” HERE

CHON plays the Riot Stage on Saturday, September 12th at 11:50am.

4. FAULKNER

“NY Anthem.”

Formed in 2013 in New York, NY and Venice, CA.

Those of you who were lucky enough to catch the Faulkner set at Riot Fest Denver already know that this is a band on the rise. Their first single, “NY Anthem”, which features artist/producer, RZA of Wu Tang Clan combines alt-rock with hip hop to create an empowering anthem about the empire state. The chorus to this song is catchy yet simple: “Go to New York, New York/ Where The Lights Light Up the Show/ Go to New York, New York/ And Take Over The World”.

To hear stories about growing up in Brooklyn and yet to be released tracks off Faulkner’s forthcoming album, make sure to see this band perform at Chicago’s Riot Fest.

For Fans of:

The Killers, The Strokes, Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind”, walking on the Brooklyn Bridge, feeling like you’re on top of the world.

WATCH FAULKNER’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NY ANTHEM”

Faulkner plays the Revolt Stage on Friday, September 11th at 3:00pm.

KNUCKLE PUCK

“Evergreen.”

Formed in 2010 in Chicago, IL.

If you want to see a band that’s on the brink of exploding in the pop punk scene then you don’t want to miss Knuckle Puck. With songs that are as hopeful about the future as they are nostalgic about the past, there is something fresh and lovable about this Chicago-based rock outfit, which is somewhere at the intersection of The Movielife and The Story So Far.

Knuckle Puck formed in 2010 and put out a handful of EPs, before releasing their first full length,

Copasetic

, in July of 2015. “Evergreen”, the fourth track on the album lays out Knuckle Puck’s best intentions through lyrics like, “I’ll lead a life of firsts on foreign soils /Somewhere that I can find the bones of a better man inside/ Somewhere that I can find holding in tightly to the misery will never get me far/It will never get you far”.

Following their Riot Fest performance, Knuckle Puck will embark on their first ever headlining tour.

For Fans of:

The Story So Far, Four Year Strong, The Ataris, Stick to Your Guns, The Movielife, and keeping it copacetic.

WATCH KNUCKLE PUCK’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “EVERGREEN” HERE

Knuckle Puck plays the Revolt Stage on Sunday, September 13th at 8:15pm.

FIDLAR, “40 Oz. on Repeat.”

Formed in 2009 in Los Angeles, CA.

If skater punk music and carefree lyrics about drinking, doing kickflips, and making bad decisions are up your ally, then you need to listen to FIDLAR. There is no denying the band’s punk routes— two members of FIDLAR are the sons of Greg Kuehn, legendary keyboardist of the California glam rock band, T.S.O.L.

FIDLAR’s second LP,

Too

, was just released

this

weekend and embodies the heavy guitar riffs and brash vocals that you might expect from a group of young guys that sing about partying and living in a perpetually hungover state. In FIDLAR’s music video for “40 Oz. on Repeat”, the LA-based band of misfits parodies a number of music videos from artists like Green Day, Weezer, Oasis, and even Eminem, who is no stranger to parody videos. At one point, vocalist/guitarist, Zac Carper dresses as the pig-tailed Britney Spears we first came to know and love in her iconic “…Baby One More Time” video. If we’re really lucky, then perhaps these boys will dare to bring the outfit to their upcoming Riot Fest appearances.

For fans of:

The Black Lips, Blink 182, Sum 41, Tony Hawk video games, cheap beer, cheap drugs, living like there’s no tomorrow.

WATCH FIDLAR’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “40 OZ. ON REPEAT” HERE

FIDLAR plays the Riot Stage on Saturday, September 12th at 12:50pm in Chicago.

FIDLAR plays the Roots Stage on Sunday, September 20th at 12:40pm in Toronto.

NORTHERN FACES, “Wait Wait Wait.”

Formed in 2012 in Albany, NY.

“It all started after a few too many drinks and an exchange of words that should have never happened..but thank god it did.” -Northern Faces

Those of you who enjoy Equal Vision bands like Portugal the Man and The Dear Hunter will instantly fall for New York natives, Northern Faces. Known for their energetic live shows, three-part harmonies, and unbounded guitar solos, this indie rock band gives everything they have at each performance. In April of 2015, Northern Faces released their debut LP, a self titled record that hints at their Brit-Pop, blues, and alt-rock inspirations. The first single “Wait Wait Wait” is so catchy that you’ll be singing it halfway through Sunday.

For Fans of:

The Foo Fighters, Portugal the Man, RX Bandits, fuzzy guitars, making a big deal out of holidays.

WATCH NORTHERN FACES MUSIC VIDEO FOR “WAIT WAIT WAIT” HERE

Northern Faces plays the Radicals Stage on Sunday, September 13th at 4:30pm.

ALVVAYS, “Marry Me, Archie.”

Formed in 2012 in Toronto, CAN.

New age indie pop collides with 1960s lo-fi to form Alvvays, a dreamy quintet from Toronto. With music videos reminiscent of Wes Anderson movies and a sound that screams Camera Obscura, singer Molly Rankin succeeds at sharing the hopes, fears, joys, and expectations of being a twenty-something in the band’s 2014 self-titled release. During “Archie, Marry Me”, Rankin gripes at the obstacles of modern romance while acknowledging her own desire for a traditional marriage. The song opens with Archie’s hesitations: “You’ve expressed explicitly your contempt for matrimony/You’ve got student loans to pay and will not risk the alimony”, before breaking into her own lack thereof: “So honey take me by the hand and we can sign some papers/Forget the invitations, floral arrangements, and bread makers.”

“Marry Me, Archie” moves from deadpan vocals and moody guitars to whiny pleas, before eventually reaching a musical climax that is met with the words “Hey, hey, marry me, Archie” — words that are repeated over and over, in a convincing chorus that is too fun

not

to sing along to.

For fans of:

The Magnetic Fields, Beach Slang, vintage clothing stores, indie movies, Riot Fest proposals.

WATCH ALVVAYS MUSIC VIDEO FOR “MARRY ME, ARCHIE” HERE

Alvvays plays the Rise Stage on Sunday, September 13th at 1:40pm.

SLEEP ON IT, “Bright.”

Formed in 2012 in Chicago, IL.

Pop punk’s not dead and Sleep On It is here to remind you! With obvious influences from past Riot Fest performers like Fall Out Boy and New Found Glory, this band is sure to get you off your feet.

Though none of the band is originally from Chicago, the boys of Sleep on It came together in a Logan Square basement to form catchy melodies filled with

Ohhhs

and

Ahhhs

. In June of 2015, Sleep On It released their second EP,

Safe Again

, which features “Bright”, a nostalgic summer song about appreciating the people in your life and not taking what you have for granted. “Time felt/Time felt different back then/ Like there was more of it”, the band recollects, in the catchy anthem, which is ignited by dual vocals and a classic pop punk breakdown that will get your adrenaline flowing.

For fans of

: The Wonder Years, State Champs, Have Mercy, road trip singalongs, watching sunrises in the city, getting mysterious letters in the mail.

WATCH SLEEP ON IT’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “BRIGHT” HERE

Sleep On It plays the Revolt Stage on Saturday, September 12th at 4:00pm.

10.

SUPERHEAVEN,

“I’ve Been Bored.”

Formed in 2008 in Doylestown, PA.

Superheaven is the sort of grunge-rock revival band that reminds you of the early 90s. Formerly known as Daylight, Superheaven combines introspective lyrics and lingering guitar hooks to form slightly heavy, sometimes angsty, radio friendly rock music. The follow up to their debut album

Jar

, which reached 184 on the Billboard 200, is called

Ours Is Chrome

, and was released on May 4th, 2015. Its first single, “I’ve Been Bored” finds the band riding bikes and welcoming an alien to earth to the tune of their own music.

In the fall of 2015, Superheaven will tour the east coast with Four Year Strong before heading overseas with Every Time I Die.

For fans of:

Nirvana’s

Nevermind

, 80s haircuts, 90s grunge, and looking totally indifferent.

WATCH SUPERHEAVEN’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “I’VE BEEN BORED” HERE

Superheaven plays the Revolt Stage on Sunday, September 13th at 6:00pm