The 11 best things we saw at Douglas Park during Riot Fest 2018

Douglas Park – Riot Fest 2018 Day 3

The musical mecca that is Riot Fest once again found fans gravitating to Chicago’s Douglas Park for a weekend full of punk, hip-hop and all things rock and roll on Sept. 14-16. With five stages to choose from at any given time, fans had no shortage of opportunities to get caught up in unforgettable moments of music, moshing and screaming at the top of their lungs. From stage-diving singers to local legends cracking inside jokes, here’s a look at the 11 best things we saw at Riot Fest 2018.

Stranger ‘Strings’ with Calpurnia

Calpurnia – Riot Fest 2018 Day 3

On the morning of the third and final day of Riot Fest 2018, the Riot Stage was lined with preteens ready to sing-along with their new favorite band Calpurnia. Though the group only has one EP, Scout, under their belt, they have already amassed a huge following thanks in part to vocalist / guitarist Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame. The young indie-rockers definitely turned it up to “eleven” during their star-making set.

Clutch’s Book of Bad Decisions Tour Kick-Off

Having just dropped their twelfth studio album, Book of Bad Decisions, earlier this month, Clutch used their Sunday evening Riot Fest performance as a launching pad for a massive world tour. As energetic – and humorous – as ever Neil Fallon introduced Chicago fans to the new material with unbridled intensity.

Oh Wow, David Yow

The Jesus Lizard – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2

As soon as David Yow pushed the onstage monitors out of his way at the start of The Jesus Lizard’s Saturday night set, fans knew they were in for a wild ride. The frontman proceeded to leap into the audience and surf his way across a sea of screaming people. When he wasn’t creating chaos in the crowd it was mayhem on the Rise Stage as nothing – not even a little nudity – was off limits.

The Church of Father John Misty

Father John Misty – Riot Fest 2018 Day 3

Amidst some of the loudest bands known to man, Father John Misty’s soft, splendid songs commanded fans’ attention with poetic lyrics and deceptively simple compositions. While some may wonder what the singer-songwriter was doing at a punk music festival, Father John explained, “Playing acoustic guitar in a white suit at a punk festival is ironically punk.”

Chicago’s Own Liz Phair

It’s always a pleasure seeing a local legend perform on their native soil, but Liz Phair’s Friday afternoon set was especially delightful. Along with playing hits including “Divorce Song,” “Extraordinary,” “Supernova” and more, her performance was riddled with references to the Windy City. From expressway exits to O’Hare airport to the search for the next mayor of Chicago, Phair truly made fans feel at home with her witty banter.

The Musicians Are Not What They Seem (They’re More!)

Since emerging on Chicago’s indie music scene in the early-2010s, Twin Peaks has been regarded as a band poised for breakout success. From the looks – and sounds – of their Saturday night performance, the fantastic five-piece isn’t waiting for anyone to roll out the red carpet for them. Instead they have charted their own path to become a band deserving of mention among the best of Riot Fest 2018. Twin Peaks have shed their indie darling cred for full-blown rock star status.

Sunshine and Gary Numan

Many heads were scratched when Riot Fest dropped its schedule revealing that industrial pioneer Gary Numan would be performing in the daylight. One may think this atmosphere wouldn’t be suited for a man whose last release, Savage (Songs from a Broken World), details a post-apocalyptic land ravaged by global-warming, but his thrashing, synth-driven rhythms compelled fans to rock just as hard – if not harder – as the sun was blazing down.

The Legends

Rock and roll is often thought of as a young person’s game, but Blondie and Elvis Costello disproved this ageist misnomer by delivering some of the best sets in all of Riot Fest. Blondie’s show-closing one-two punch of “Atomic” into “Heart of Glass” inspired dancing by everyone within earshot while Costello’s rendition of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” provoked one of the festival’s biggest sing-alongs.

… And let’s not forget Jerry Lee Lewis whose Saturday night set found fans swing dancing and crowd-surfing. Only at Riot Fest!

Suffer Super-Sized

Fans who lined-up at the Radical Stage were more than eager to hear Bad Religion play their influential 1988 album Suffer in its entirety. When Greg Graffin and company emerged and ripped into “Recipe for Hate,” everyone knew they were in for one of the best sets of the night. What followed was an appetizer in the form of a tight set of fan favorites before unleashing all that is Suffer on the dedicated masses.

Hip-Hop with a Side of Punk

Run The Jewels may not be a traditional Sunday night Riot Fest headliner in the musical sense as the slot is typically slated for punk pioneers. While El-P and Killer Mike are firmly rooted in the hip-hop genre – also a staple at the Douglas Park party – lyrically it doesn’t get much more punk rock than this dynamic duo. Politics and social justice, carefully framed in clever lines and humorous phrases, are at the root of RTJ. Plus, they know how to get a crowd simultaneously inspired and infuriated with an irresistible package of infectious party music.

Concert Camaraderie

Crowd Surfer – Riot Fest 2018 Day 2

Riot Fest wouldn’t be what it is without the fans. While other festivals are often flooded with people who are only there for themselves Riot Fest devotees truly prioritize the whole. From proper pit etiquette to supporting crowd surfers to simply not being a jerk, Riot Fest fans know that taking care of each other is what it’s all about.

Don’t miss our daily coverage and photo spreads from Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Riot Fest and head over to riotfest.org for more information on next year’s 15^th anniversary festivities which will take place on Sept. 13-15.

(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)