Day two of Riot Fest took off running excitedly following the previous day’s performances. With more fans in attendance throughout the day, the shows became more energetic, lively, and totally punk rock. 

Buzzcocks: 

70s British punk band Buzzcocks, led by frontman Steve Diggle, put together a set that energized the crowd right from the jump. Those who are fans of the band were thrilled to be in attendance and brought excitement to the pit. 

Though the set was only 30 minutes, the band was able to fit a lot in. They started with their 1979 classic hit “What Do I Get?” and wrapped their set up with “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t)” off their 1978 album Love Bites.

The guitarist, Mani Perazzoli’s wide-legged stance commanded the stage, accompanied by the fact that he looked a bit like John Lennon. Chris Remington, on bass, did an excellent job of balancing out the music and adding a texture to the performance that, without him, it might have lacked. 

The Armed: 

Over at Rise Stage, The Armed took the stage with the sound of an explosion and smoke bursting from backstage. The Armed is a musical collection of artists. They often have guest performers, and there are no certain members of the band because of this, except for creator Tony Wolski. 

The first thing they did when getting in front of the crowd was scream into the microphone in the classic hardcore punk way. As the frontman and lead vocalist, Tony Wolski, began to sing, it appeared as if he almost melted into the music. It felt as if, the moment he began to perform, he took a sigh of relief doing what he was meant to do. 

The energy on stage was anarchic. The artists were running on stage, running into the audience, jumping off everything, and smashing anything near them. They were accompanied by a female singer who went crowd surfing multiple times while maintaining her vocals. 

This was a very manic performance, and it was dynamic. When the band sang their newest song, “New Christianity,” it was comparatively much softer than their other songs. His melodious singing voice echoed through the crowd while the female background singer added a layer by screaming the words into the mic. 

The end of their set was met with the breaking of a microphone stand and the notorious smashing of a guitar. The band has experimented with traditional hardcore metal and punk and adjusted it to become unique to them. 

HEALTH: 

Industrial rock band HEALTH kicked off their set with “God Botherer,” a song off their 2019 album Vol. 4:: Slaves Of Fear. HEALTH’s sound is so uncommon in the musical world that all eyes were on them. 

Lead vocalist Jake Duzsik’s voice is soft and sultry, almost having an eerie quality to it. The drum beats, delivered by BJ Miller, were accompanied by electronic beats, making it one of the most esoteric performances of the day. 

After the first couple of songs, there was a technical difficulty, and instead of interacting with the crowd or introducing themselves, for that matter, the band stayed relatively quiet. Most, if not all, songs had breaks beginning and after it. These breaks were almost entirely silent. There was little interaction with the crowd, but fans didn’t seem to mind. 

The performance differed from other bands’ energy and stage presence, but even so, fans of the band had their phones out, recording to their hearts’ content. They ended their set with “Crusher” off their 2017 album DISCO3, which got a big reaction from the audience. 

The band delivered a show that is unlike a lot of other performances featured at Riot Fest. They were somber and sultry, quiet yet noisy. 

Manchester Orchestra: 

Georgia-based rock band Manchester Orchestra put on a 60-minute album play set that featured their 2013 album, Cope. The record was re-recorded Live from Earl and re-released on all music listening platforms in 2024. 

The audience was instructed by frontman Andy Hull to “sit back, relax, just chill, man.” He said to the crowd at the start of the set that it would be a very laid-back performance, and that it was. 

Hull’s voice was soulful yet crass and rough, which gave the show its life. The crowd and the band themselves were fairly low energy throughout. During their set, the sun was blazing down. Sweat was dripping down fans’ faces as they slowly rocked their heads back and forth to the music. 

Hull switched back and forth between his electric and acoustic guitar. When the acoustic guitar was in play, the music became almost folksy. They played “All That I Really Wanted” acoustic. It was dreamy and light with a rough and raw quality. That song led into “Trees” and “Indentions,” which were more fast-paced and allowed for the energy to pick up just slightly. 

Of course, this set was an album play, but 60 minutes might have been too long for this group. The performance was one-note and monotonous. It got more versatile towards the end, but there wasn’t much energy coming from the stage or the crowd. 

Spoon: 

As the sun began to go down and golden hour took hold, Spoon walked onto the stage with smiles on their faces. They began to play their first song of the night, “Wild,” and the crowd did just that. 

It is apparent how much joy being on stage and performing brings the members of Spoon. Each one of this five-person band was utterly comfortable on stage. Lead singer Britt Daniel’s stage presence could be felt from the back of the crowded audience, and keyboardist Gerardo Larios used his instrument to make the songs more compelling. 

Towards the end of the show, it was announced that this would be Larios’ last show with the band. 

This set was incredibly captivating. The crowd wasn’t just energetic, but they were happy, too. This performance perfectly exhibited the qualities of what a music festival show should be. They played songs that got people excited, they were talkative with each other and with the audience, and everyone was seemingly thrilled to be in attendance. 

Not only that, but of the people in the crowd, the ages ranged from much elder attendees to 5-year-olds jumping and twirling around the field. 

Half of their set was played with an electric guitar and half on acoustic. The song “I Turn My Camera On” had a nostalgic quality to it that kept the crowd dancing along, and when Daniels was singing into the mic, no guitar, no gimmick, he was mesmerizing and became a rock star. 

In the middle of their set, there appeared to be a technical difficulty with Daniel’s guitar. Instead of stopping the show or causing drama, he simply got on his knees and began to fix the problem. It was a very authentic moment that got big cheers from the audience when he finally stood up. All the while, the band continued and played an instrumental interlude until Daniels was back on his feet and ready to rock. 

The thing that made this performance so captivating was that not only did the band have an incredible and impeccable stage presence, but there was no production. There were lights, of course, but there was no video montage or a set. It was just the band, their instruments, and their music. It was magnificent. 

St. Vincent

St. Vincent promised Riot Fest a show and she truly delivered. The stage was quiet, and the crowd was whispering in hushed tones in anticipation of the beginning of her set. St. Vincent walked out and took center stage. 

As she began to sing her first song of the night, “Reckless,” her eyes remained closed for the entire first half of the song. When the beat dropped, she opened her eyes and spat towards the audience. The crowd went feral, and the cheering got loud. 

She came out with an illustrious, mesmerizing and gothic energy. The power she holds is great. Not only does she know she has the power, but she knows her power and how to use it. Her dark feminine energy combined with her emo-punk and alternative sound made for a genuinely incredible performance. 

The production value was phenomenal. It didn’t distract from the performance itself, only adding to the ambiance. 

Although her moments mostly consisted of little shuffles back and forth and methodical movements, she commanded the stage and commanded that all eyes were on her. It proved impossible to look away from a performance that was so supreme. 

Her set was carried by her emotive nature. From song to song, and for 60 minutes, she never broke character. She emoted the feelings portrayed in her songs with such intensity the crowd might as well have been experiencing them, too. 

Not only was this a revolutionary Riot Fest performance, but it is noted that St. Vincent is an undeniably talented musician. She is known as one of the top 30 guitarists as of 2023, according to Rolling Stone magazine. That was taken into account during this set. She came, and she delivered. 

She truly had the audience in the palm of her hand. Each song and each drop of a beat had the audience begging for more. Her sound is very reminiscent of Riot Fest legends Bikini Kill, as well as the raincoats and even Fiona Apple. 

The performance she delivered created a palpable atmosphere that reached as far back into the audience as it could. The audience was jamming out, dancing, and whistling near and far from the stage. She is one of a kind and a once-in-a-lifetime artist. 

Throughout her set, she said little to no words in between her songs, and she barely even stopped in between songs. With that being said, the show was so profound that she didn’t have to say a word. 

Pavement: 

As night settled all around Riot Fest day two, 90s rock band Pavement filed onto the stage. Even before the lights turned on, the band was already having a good time with the crowd and with each other. 

They started their set out with their song “Grounded” off their 1995 album Wowee Zowee. The audience was instantly having the time of their lives. Everyone’s hands were in the air, getting ready for that beat to drop. 

The band continued to play “Stereo” off their 1997 album Brighten The Corners. They were just having a plain old good time. The energy was there, and it was clear they were very comfortable on stage. They were not trying to show off or be nonchalant. They were singing and screaming and talking to each other and being silly. The band is so carefree and themselves, and the audience just loves them for it. 

The band then played “Frontwards,” which did not get a big reaction but still got a solid amount of cheers. When the band finally stopped playing to address the audience, the first thing frontman Stephen Malkmus said was, “You absolute Riot Fest beauties,” and that pleased the audience to no end. It was also noted that Malkmus had just moved to Chicago with his family, so for him, this became a special place. 

The band displayed a versatility and dynamic that has yet to be matched. Their songs vary from genre to genre, going from indie to alternative, to punk, to rock, and they even dabbled a bit in a beachy sound, almost yacht rock-ish. Any song in their discography could match a completely different vibe from another song. It kept the performance increasingly lively and captivating. 

The band was so genuine and likable. Their authentic selves shine through all the production value that goes into big performances like this, and that’s a hard thing to accomplish. Being able to get on stage in front of thousands of people and be yourself takes courage, and this group has it in multitudes. 

Each member of the band got their moment in the spotlight, indicating that no one performer was above another. Based on the set list, drawing from their hefty discography, the band has experimented and dabbled in so many genres, setting them apart from a lot of other one-track bands. 

Mid-way through their set, they played the song “Unfair,” which is off their 1994 punk album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. When the song ended, Malkmus got so amped up he almost smashed his guitar. Following that, they played “Box Elder,” which has many elements taken from much of 70s rock. That song morphed into “Type Slowly,” which was one of their longer songs during the set. 

Halfway into the song, there was an instrumental interlude that lasted for around five or six minutes. Each member of the band was consumed by their music. The interlude was chill-worthy, magical, and awe-inspiring. You rarely hear long instrumental interludes like that anymore, and it was a gift to the audience. 

They closed their set by singing “Harness Your Hope,” a single they released this past year, which has gotten a lot of attention, “Summer Babe” and “Stop Breathin.” 

NOFX: 

80s punk rock band NOFX performed for the second time this weekend at Riot Fest. They are performing for all three nights of the festival since this is their farewell tour. 

Led by Fat Mike, night two of their farewell tour was one for the books. Mike started by emphasizing that the first thing of note is that on day two, he is drunker than on day one, meaning it’s time to blow the roof off the place, and the second thing of note is that the set list is entirely different from night one. 

This was the funniest, most incredible, high energy performance of the night. Within seconds of the first song starting, which was “60%”, a massive mosh pit ensued. Not only was there a mosh pit near the stage, but smaller mosh pits throughout the entire crowd were breaking out. 

NOFX knows how to put on a show. Their performance, being held at the NOFX stage, allowed for the show to feel more intimate. There were no big screens and no background videos. It was all vocals, guitar, drums, trumpet, and lots of moshing. 

The trumpet made its day two debut during the song “Bob.” The trumpet adds so much dynamic and excitement to an already ferociously exciting moment. 

The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic, and a lot of them had come back for more after night one. When people think of punk rock, this is what they are thinking about. Everything that could happen at a punk rock show, like moshing, crowd surfing, flying cans of beer, head banging, and so much more, happened to the maximum during this show. 

NOFX has been playing for 40 years, and 38 of them have been spent in Chicago. They have played over 2100 shows in those years. Every member of the band is incredibly seasoned and technically talented. However, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin took the cake. The speed and agility he had while playing his guitar was astounding. He grasped the audience’s attention and never let go. 

As the show went by in its fast-paced manner, heads were banging, and bodies were flailing, and the band played “The Man I Killed.” 

An important note of this performance was that Joey “shithead” Keithly from DOA was in attendance and backstage. Fat Mike emphasized that DOA was the first band to coin the term hardcore. It was revealed that Joey has been one of Fat Mike’s heroes since he was 15. 

Fat Mike had Joey join the band on stage to tell him and the audience that his presence was making him “nervous” because he looked up to him as a teenager. Although he might be too punk to admit this, it was a really sweet moment. Mike said, “That’s what punk rock is all about. You can meet your heroes, and they are cool as shit”. 

Something that makes punk rock shows great, and in particular this punk rock show, is the ability to not take anything too seriously, and the men on stage have mastered that craft. It allowed everyone in the audience to let loose and have a good time. 

As the show went on, NOFX played a couple of songs that they deemed to be “unpopular,” but he pumped up the audience by saying, “You guys like the non-popular songs because you’re punks.” Then, the band played seven songs in eight minutes with no breaks. It was pure anarchy and pure punk. 

This was followed by a cover of “What Now My Love,” a song by Herb Alpert, as a way to feature the trumpet. It was a fantastic mix of jazz and punk all rolled into one. 

The band took a quick break from playing to explain to the crowd that although this was their farewell tour, they were not breaking up, they were simply retiring. Then, in the most punk way possible, they joked about being euthanized and buried in the same hole together. With that piece of information thrown at the crowd, they could carry on with the show. 

NOFX is one of the most exceptional, talented, stone-cold punk bands out there. All four of the current members are incredibly skilled in their craft, from the drummer to the bassist and trumpeter to the rhythm guitarist to Fat Mike on guitar and vocals. They ended their second to last Riot Fest performance with four encore songs: “Dinosaurs Will Die,” “Bottles to the Ground,” “Shut Up Already,” and last, but certainly not least, “Kill All the White Man.” 

NOFX will be back for one more performance on the final day of Riot Fest. They put on an incredible, earth-shattering performance on the second night of the festival, and they will be missed by fans everywhere.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat