Riot Fest 2019 in Photos and Videos

You’re several miles from the Chicago Loop and a world apart, but you can see a few skyscrapers from Douglas Park, which has been home to Riot Fest for the last five of its 15-year existence.

Roger Lima of Less Than Jake hams it up.

This shot of Lars Frederiksen documents the fact that I got a good spot for Rancid. Caught it at a moment when the crowd wasn’t moving much and it’s the only good shot I got. Didn’t even try to shoot video. Had a great time, though.

Monique Powell from Save Ferris was studying opera when she discovered ska punk.

Watched Rise Against at night on the big screen. Tim McIlrath used a megaphone during “Chamber the Cartridge,” which made the lyrics sound more rabble-rousing.

Videos

My 3.5-minute compilation video has snippets of whatever bands I could get decent video of, including:

• Less Than Jake

• Save Ferris

• Against Me

• The B-52s

• Pennywise

• Cock Sparrer

• The Struts

• Patti Smith

• Nick Lowe

Look for Bollweevils front man Daryl Wilson in the group on stage with Pennywise singing “Bro Hymn.” (I wrote about Daryl for Mable Syndrome last year when the Bollweevils opened for Off With Their Heads.)

I’ll close with a goofy video from the el train ride home. This year, like last, the crowd waiting to head east was so big, you had to go west for at least one stop (depending how late it was) then get on an eastbound train. Also like last year, we were serenaded on the ride home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycjcu8Z7UuM&feature=youtu.be