(NOTE: My original title was 'Riot Fest Tips From A Veteran' but then I saw a world where people were pissed that I wasn't making any references to being deployed in the Middle East.)
RIOT FEST IS SOON UPON US!
The rock/rap/punk fest returns to Chicago's Douglass Park once again from September 18-20th with a lineup that has something for (and I hate people that misuse this word, so I truly mean it) literally everyone:
Despite the fact that I've lived in Chicago for fifteen plus years, it took me until 2019 to actually make it out to my first Riot Fest. And you can chalk it up there with Bitcoin and Kendrick Lamar as far as 'things I really enjoy but wish I was in on way earlier' go. I've attended every Riot Fest since, and while I hesitate to call myself a veteran for other reasons (there are people that remember when Riot Fests happened in other cities or when it was spread out over multiple Chicago venues), I'd like to think that I've learned a bunch of things in the six Riot Fests I've attended. And with the Fest kicking off almost exactly two months from this week, now seems like as good a time as any to give some of that knowledge to you.
TIP #1: Actually get your ticket(s)
WOW, COMING OUT OF THE GATES FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, I KNOW. This goes up there with "eat food and drink water every day" and "brush your teeth" when it comes to amazing and needed advice, right?
I mean, yes, obviously you can't go to Riot Fest without getting a ticket, but this is your reminder to actually do so now while you're thinking about it. One, two, and three day passes are all available on their website right now. Want the old school experience of getting out of your house and purchasing something in the real world? You can pick up one-day passes at your local Costco next time you're grabbing a 40-pack of paper towels and more granola than you'll ever live to finish.
TIP #2: Use aftershows to your advantage
Riot Fest aftershows haven't been announced yet, but they're one of the best opportunities you'll have at alleviating the conflicts that are inevitably going to rise when the daily schedules are released. Check out what the crowded late night schedule looked like for last year's Fest:
That's a whole lot of Riot Fest bands, big and small, packed into a lot of extra shows. Seeing a band play on Friday after the festival ends can free up 1-2 slots the next day to see the other must-see bands on your agenda. Chicago has some of the best rock clubs in the country. You owe it to yourself to keep the party going at a few of them come September.
TIP #3: Eat. For God's sake, eat!
Look, I've been there. The daily schedule comes out, and you lock in the perfect path that hits all your favorite bands across three days. Breaks? Breaks are for old people!
I'm sorry to be the third thing to remind you of this today (behind the gray hair you spotted this morning and that thing that your knee has been doing lately), but chances are you might be an old person. And if you aren't old, you're most likely showing more of the symptoms than you care to admit. There are plenty of food and drink/water options available at Riot Fest, but some of the only times where lines are short enough to walk right up and get something without much wait at all are when the most popular acts are playing, and you don't want to miss that.
As much as the time between 3:00 and 4:00 is for some reason totally stacked during Riot Fest, I feel like it's the best time to grab some food and actually get off your feet in some shade. 9:00 PM you will thank past you. The dinner rush hasn't hit yet, so food lines aren't usually a problem. Plus, eating a late lunch/early dinner sets you up to eat again once you leave the Fest (hopefully before an aftershow).
TIP #4: Bring an external battery
You know those magnetic batteries that connect to the back of your phone and give you some extra juice? Or the skinny ones that you can keep in your pocket and charge via USB? Whatever is the most portable way to give your phone a recharge is the way you should go when it comes to Riot Fest. During the day, you're gonna want your phone brightness to be turned up if it's sunny, and chances are your phone's battery life has seen better days. Something like this will do (don't worry, we don't get any affiliate money for linking that...it's just the one that I have and have used).
TIP #5: See everyone
Again, this is another one that seems pretty "well, obviously" on the surface, but there are a surprising number of people who might skip part of the early schedule just because they might not be familiar with the bands playing. But man oh man, are you potentially missing out on the headliners of tomorrow. The other day I was digging through my phone, and I found the schedule I put together for Saturday in 2019:
Turnstile before 2:00?? Grandson and The Struts are both headliners in their own right. And again, this was just one day of one Riot Fest from 7 years ago. It's crazy the trajectory some of these bands go on after making RF appearances. Take a look at our coverage from last year to get a good idea of how insane these lineups are year after year.
Plus, you're paying for a full day! Take advantage of it! There are kids without enough bands to listen to in other countries that would kill to have what you're leaving on your plate!
TIP #6: Don't listen to me
HA! What a tip to leave as the very last one. This is what we in the journalism world refer to as a GOTCHA!
But for real, these are all just suggestions that have worked for me over the years. The most important thing to do is just make the weekend exactly what you want it to be. There are some people that get to Riot Fest right as gates open and stand at the rail of one stage for an entire day. Others casually lounge under the trees on the northern edge of the park and literally listen more than watch for the entire day. Others seem like they're trying to break a record in the number of acts they can mosh to in a single day.
All of those people are doing it right in their own way. Riot Fest is almost on par with Burger King in the way they let you have it your way right away.
TIP #7: BONUS TIP
Sorry, the last one was going to be the last one, but I did think of one last useful piece of information. When it comes to band merch, whenever you see that line...that will be the shortest that line will be all day. Go buy what you want now. Trust me. The line only grows.
