Saturday (Sept. 15) at Riot Fest 2018 was ripe with conflict as fans found themselves with a plethora of difficult decisions with regard to who to see and when. There was Interpol vs. GWAR, Jerry Lee Lewis vs. The Jesus Lizard and, of course, Beck vs. Andrew W.K. So many options. So little time.
There was little room for discord at the three o’clock hour, however, as Gary Numan kicked off his must-see Saturday afternoon set with a dark and intense rendition of “Everything Comes Down to This,” off his 2013 album Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind). Dressed in post-apocalyptic tattered rags — inspired by his neglected epic science fantasy novel and donned on the cover of his 2017 album Savage (Songs from a Broken World) — Numan and company served up a tonally menacing and theatrically engaging set, doing the best they could (in broad daylight) with a show most certainly best absorbed in complete and total darkness. “Love Hurt Bleed,” “Cars” and “Metal” were among the English singer and composer’s discography-spanning setlist.
Gary Numan – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2
Soon after, Chicago indie rockers Twin Peaks brought good vibes to the grounds with a perfectly chill dance party that fused elements of pop, surf, jam, country, garage rock and more. Legendary rockers and new wave group Elvis Costello & The Imposters then took to the Riot Stage for a dozen or so songs including “Radio Radio,” “(What’s So Funny ’bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” and “Watching the Detectives,” the lattermost which saw Costello soloing in classic, noisy, free-form fashion.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2Later in the evening, “rock & roll’s first great wild man” Jerry Lee Lewis performed a set of country, blues and rockabilly on the Radicals Stage. Fans turned out in droves, many of whom could be seen swing dancing – and crowd-surfing – in the park, as the legendary singer-songwriter served up an extra helping of good old fashioned fun, aided by a couple of very well known hits — “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.” Still, yet, there was one person in attendance at Riot Fest who wasn’t all that impressed.
That person was David Yow, aka the lead singer of The Jesus Lizard, who boldly began his group’s set by shoving aside the on-stage monitors and climbing up into the audience. “Scream and yell the whole time,” Yow later told audiences during the noise rock group’s sleeper hit set, which happened to conflict with the aforementioned rock & roll pioneer’s performance, “so we don’t have to hear Jerry Lee Lewis.”
The Jesus Lizard – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2Yow’s unabashed surprise slug landed with unanimous laughter, as did most of the frontman’s daringly unpredictable stage antics. Sucking off his middle finger, baring his chest and mooning the audience were just a few shenanigans in the punk vocalist’s arsenal of chaos, put on display during the band’s Saturday night performance. One fan could be overheard emphatically calling the group’s show “the set of the day.” Undoubtedly, yes, they were a contender.
Hitting the Riot Stage slightly past his scheduled 8:45 p.m. slot, Beck delivered a shiny crowd-pleaser of a headlining set for the masses. With an impressive multi-platform stage setup, dazzling lights and screen animations, the alternative folk rocker opened with a triple threat of classics, “Devils Haircut,” “Loser” and “The New Pollution” — the second of which saw him entrusting willing audience members with vocalist duties during the song’s iconic chorus, “Soy un perdedor. I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?”
Way across Douglas Park, Riot Fest staple and unofficial brand ambassador Andrew W.K. (the other Saturday night headliner) performed a whirlwind of a set on the Rebel Stage, armed with a series of choreographed dance moves and a seemingly endless supply of party tracks. The singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and motivational speaker rocked the festival grounds like only Andrew W.K. can … piano slides, raging guitars and hair whips abound.
Andrew W.K. – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2
Festival-goers seeking the party found just that at W.K.’s festival-closing set. The spirited performance, which saw the artist blazing through rousing renditions of “Music Is Worth Living For,” “Ready To Die” and “Party Hard” helped round out another fantastic day of auditory bliss, courtesy of your friends at Riot Fest.
Other Day 2 highlights included Wolfmother, Interpol, GWAR, The Voidz and Bully. See our full Saturday photo gallery below and check out our photos and coverage of Day 1 here and Day 3 here.
Pick up Single Day General Admission and VIP tickets for Sunday (Sept. 16) at RiotFest.org.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)