Riot Fest day two: White-haired front men and a little puke

J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr, channeling Gandalf the White

Alison Green
J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr, channeling Gandalf the White

Old people rule.

“The Guided by Voices sandwich,” as GBV front man Robert Pollard put it to the crowd, saw the aging but no less agile Ohio rockers take the stage after wizardly Dinosaur Jr and before the sorceress Blondie. That sandwich is ancient by some standards, but it was far from stale.

There were relatively few youngsters who performed at Riot Fest day two, but certainly plenty in the crowd—many of them having been dropped off by mom a block away (I witnessed this while standing on the corner of Kedzie and Division, experiencing vivid flashbacks of my teenage years) and at least in one them holing up in a porta-potty for an inordinate amount of time while angry adults (myself included) beat on the door. Consumed with morbid curiosity, I followed said occupant as he finally, shamefully exited the urinal, rounded a corner, took a seat up against a chain-link fence, and quietly resumed puking. I’ve been there, little buddy—not that I needed that particular flashback.

Public vomiting aside, Riot Fest’s day two was just as pleasantly nostalgic (and less bloody) than Friday’s festivities—and at least will be less wet than today’s.

Now put on your galoshes, grab your barf bag, and power through day three. Here’s some inspiration from Saturday to amp you up for today’s inevitable mud pit:

Alison Green
X skipped the small talk and ripped through their set as if Los Angeles came out yesterday.

Alison Green
Just don’t drink six beers before you get on this ride, OK?

Not much to em, says the Readers Kevin Warwick, but the Lillingtons own a niche of Ramones-style pop punk that focuses on what makes the world turn: ape men, saucer men, and upper-level espionage.

Alison Green
“Not much to ’em,” says the Reader‘s Kevin Warwick, “but the Lillingtons own a niche of Ramones-style pop punk that focuses on what makes the world turn: ape men, saucer men, and upper-level espionage.”

Alison Green
One of the younger festival attendees

Alison Green
Alternate shot of J Mascis’s glorious hair

Alison Green
Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices, “seriously the best band to ever exist,” according to the Reader‘s Luca Cimarusti. “I couldn’t ask for a better set.”

Says the Readers Leor Galil: Debbie Harry came out wearing a black dunce cap and a huge black cloak, and several songs into the set Blondie covered Beastie Boys. Never thought Id see either of those two things happen.

Andrea Bauer
Says the Reader‘s Leor Galil: “Debbie Harry came out wearing a black dunce cap and a huge black cloak, and several songs into the set Blondie covered Beastie Boys. Never thought I’d see either of those two things happen.”