Slayer performs at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2019
Chicago’s Douglas Park was a crowded house on Saturday (Sept. 14) as hordes of music devotees converged on the grounds for another day of Riot Fest 2019. With over 30 artists and bands slated to perform, there was no shortage of live entertainment to be had on Day 2 of the festival, led by Riot Fest veteran acts including Slayer, Anthrax and Andrew W.K.
Slayer’s headlining set on the Riot Stage marked the band’s final show in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas and, thus, lead singer-bassist Tom Araya and company took the audience on a thrash metal joyride of sorts, dazzling fans with a great many searing guitar solos and a whole lot of explosive pyrotechnics.
The frontman expressed genuine gratitude for the fans in attendance. “I want to thank you very much for being here,” said Araya early on during his band’s performance. “I hope you like the show.” He later asked the massive crowd to collectively exercise their vocal chords with a good scream… to which, they willingly obliged.
The 90-minute set featured a whirlwind of tracks including a vicious take on “Repentless” and a rowdy “War Ensemble,” along with Reign in Blood fan favs “Angel of Death” and “Raining Blood.”
Gwar performs at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2019
Whereas Slayer killed it sonically, Riot Fest staples GWAR murdered it literally. The Richmond, VA heavy metal group ripped through a number of tracks, creating a hyper-theatrical early-afternoon bloodbath on the Riot Stage.
Michael Bishop aka Blöthar the Berserker and his murderous cohorts performed songs like “Hail, Genocide!” and “El Presidente,” while disemboweling the likes of Caitlyn Jenner and Donald Trump. The group drenched the front rows of the audience in fake blood and, later, made a grand gesture of rejection, leading a crowd chant of “f*ck this place.”
The later hours of the evening saw the reemergence of another trusty Riot Fest linchpin, Andrew W.K., performing in the far corner of the grounds on the Rebel Stage. The multi-instrumentalist and motivator in chief led a party of epic proportions, jam-packed with wailing guitars and keyboard slides.
Andrew W.K. performs at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2019
W.K. and friends kicked things off with the dramatic “Music Is Worth Living For” from his 2018 LP You’re Not Alone, prior to breaking into fan favorite “Ready To Die.” The dance party continued with an overly enthusiastic take on the female empowerment song “She Is Beautiful,” which the frontman dedicated to all the women in the crowd.
“This is a song about staying strong… and partying,” said W.K., before launching into the guitar-driven loyalty ballad “Never Let Down.” Always one to practice what he preaches, the party master himself has certainly stayed true to Riot Fest, as this year marked his eighth consecutive performance at the Chicago music festival and carnival.
Anthrax performs at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2019
Back on the metal front, thrash guitarist Scott Ian was on-hand at the festival, pulling a double shift with an early afternoon Rebel Stage set with supergroup The Damned Things, followed by a mainstage set with Riot Fest veterans Anthrax. The latter — performing a fan requested setlist — began their show with an aggressive rendition of “Caught in a Mosh,” prompting singing, headbanging and a mass of horn gestures.
“Got the Time” and State of Euphoria’s “Now It’s Dark” soon followed, the second of the two triggering a slew of crowd-surfers and a rush of madness in the circle pits. Singer Joey Belladonna later pushed his vocal cords to the limits on the Dimebag Darrell tribute track “In The End,” leading a salute to the late Pantera guitarist. “Get those horns up,” shouted the singer, prior to Ian taking the mic to address the crowd.
“Some of you voted for this setlist,” said Ian. “So if you don’t like it, you should have voted.” The guitarist went on to confirm the band is working on some new material, promising that more details were “coming soon.”
Wu-Tang Clan performs at Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 14, 2019
Elsewhere on the festival grounds Wu-Tang Clan performed a Radicals Stage-closing-set, spotlighting their beloved 1993 LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). PVRIS, The Story So Far, Manchester Orchestra, Bloc Party and Chicago’s own Rise Against all filled out the day’s lineup.
Scroll down for our Riot Fest Day 2 photo gallery and check out our complete recap of Day 1 HERE. and Day 3 HERE.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
