Bad debt, sunny real estate and yellow card highlight the second day of the riot festival

Seminal L.A. punk act Bad Religion has taken a socially conscious approach to punk rock for more than four decades. Forced to celebrate an unimaginable 40th anniversary in the midst of a pandemic quarantine shutdown in 2020, the group is back on the road, performing this weekend at the Riot Fest in Chicago.

“You don’t anticipate the future. But if you’re going to get so arrogant that you write music that will be shared with people and care about your audience, you want to give them something that will be relevant in 40 years. That’s what we’ve always strived for,” said singer Greg Graffin backstage before the group’s festival performance. To achieve.” “A two-year hiatus in our 40-year career… We didn’t panic. But it wasn’t much fun. We were really worried that we could do this again. So being able to get out of there is something that liberates us and makes us feel like we haven’t missed a step.”

Bad Religion is uniquely equipped to deal with uncertain times, taking stock of the world on their 17th album absurd age. Continuing to write alongside Bad Religion guitarist, and Epitaph Records owner Brett Gurewitz, Graffin is also preparing to release his latest book. The Paradox of the EvilMemoirs are now available for pre-order ahead of its November release.

“We’ve always been driven to write relevant music. I think today’s relevant headlines are not what we’re responding to. We like to look at more global problems of human nature. That’s what Bad Religion has always thrived on. So these are good running events to point out the failings of humanity.” “And that’s what we’ve always been interested in,” the singer said. “The truth is, I envisioned the book before the pandemic. But the pandemic hit me and I used that time to write it. If there’s one thing, the pandemic has given me a chance to think — a lot of time to think. And plenty of time to craft a story. This is a story. It’s not the story. It’s a story from my life.”

Returning to Riot Fest for the first time since 2016, Bad Religion put an hour on the Riot stage, kicking off their 1993 “Recipe For Hate.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve been at Riot Fest but I’ve got similar news – because these are still the dark ages,” Gravin said on stage, introducing the New Dark Ages.

“Have you guys seen Li Feng out of fear?” asked the Chicago audience singer, referring to the L.A. hardcore punk act that performed his first album in 1982. register earlier in the afternoon. “That’s what we were brought up with,” the singer said, setting up the song “Suffering.”

With hits shows like “21st Century (Digital Boy)” and “Infected” on Saturdays near the end of the Riot Fest group, Graffin has been clear about the importance of live music.

“I think it’s always been a very great privilege to be able to make a community around music,” said Gravin, who hosts the Riot Fest Show. “The fact that it takes on all different looks over the years makes it more interesting. It definitely changes every year. It’s also got continuity in having a tradition here by not only bands like us but many bands that have lasted all these years and that have worked as a genre of a solid foundation of society. So I take this role very seriously and I appreciate the privilege of being able to do so.”

Adding a last-gasp to the festival, the Welsh rock trio The Joy Formidable had an early Saturday event in Chicago, running a brisk half-hour with a heady abandon, and an early stretch through “The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade” before their latest single “Csts,” A song about honesty and authenticity.

“Hit gong!” Every party…” thought drummer Matthew James Thomas, looking back at the bell behind his drum set sneering at the fan’s request. “Don’t worry, there will be more bells. he is coming! ‘ he said, as he prepares to take the set on “Buzz,” singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan spins Dervishes as she takes the stage during the closing high cut.

Nashville’s alternate acting Bully performed concurrently across the park from The Joy Formidable, two of the day’s strongest acts on stage at un-rock and roll at just 2pm. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Alicia Bognanno knelt on her guitar pedals, tearing at “Where to Start.”

“It’s kind of crazy doing these songs we wrote in high school. But here we are. The world is weird,” singer and guitarist Matt Pryor joked on “Michelle With One’ L” as The Get Up Kids wrapped up a full debut emo performance. four miles a minute When she is 25 years old.

In addition to Fear and The Get Up Kids, Saturday at Riot Fest also featured full performances of The Menzingers album (In the impossible past(Yellowcard upper lining works)Ocean Street) and misfits (walking between us).

The only work to be shown in every part of the outdoor Riot Fest, GWAR’s sci-fi show concluded Saturday night at the Rebel Theater.

“There has never been a time in the history of the planet that was created for GWAR more than the present. This moment. When people are willing to believe absolutely anything. When disease spreads,” said singer Pluthar Berserker, evaluating the group’s new album. New dark ages With a little irony.

In June, the group released a new collection of Ragnarök Rye, a collaboration with Virginia Distiller Catoctin Creek and also released a graphic novel, the perfect encapsulation of the barbarian legends that define the band’s always humorous and entertaining story.

“First of all, it’s very graphic, let me tell you that. When you do GWAR a graphic novel, you know it’s going to be graphic,” said Pluthar, drummer Jizmak Da Gusha added: “I’m not sure many novels have that many.” The big picture.” “Novels usually have words, so it’s confusing to me. But it’s GWAR.”

The sound of fighting bleeds against Bad Religion, New Jersey rockers ran The Front Bottoms during one highly rewarding hour set on the Radicals stage.

An almost touching punk rock figure shone amid a warm breeze Saturday in Chicago, highlights of “Hello World” and early “Jerk.”

But collecting Sunny Day Real Estate stole the show on Saturday in Chicago.

“Hey. We’re going to play some songs,” singer and guitarist Jeremy Enjek said, providing a great take on “Seven” to open up the group. “Thank you all. You’re beautiful,” he said, as the band moves flawlessly in “In Circles,” as crowd surfers thunder toward the podium as a Seattle emo performance sang along with the song “One.”

Elsewhere on Saturday, Chicago wise Glenn Danzig broke through as the Misfits made their way to their 1982 debut. “This song is called ‘Violent World.'” It’s fitting that we play it here in Chicago,” said the bloated singer with a chuckle, as he worked his way through the album as the once-unthinkable reunion entered its sixth year.

Versus the horror villains, Yellowcard was a mediocre and grotesque experience in her main performance Nearby.

“Thank you!” Acknowledging the standing ovation during the group’s first performance since 2017, singer William Ryan Key said, noting fans who have made the trip to Chicago from as far away as South Africa, Australia, Mexico and Brazil. “Usually, what we’re going to do is cap off the energy at the end of the show — but that’s about to happen,” the singer said, delivering his third biggest hit of the group with “Ocean Avenue,” the 2003 album in order. “I want to see the energy as if it was the end of the show. This song is the reason we are here.”