Indy rockers from the UK The Joy Formidable made one of a hand full of appearances this year during Halloween Party at Voodoo Fest 2015 in NOLA. We got a chance to hang out with them for a few moments. Cheeky Baaaastards! is all I can say. Real cool cats. Here Check it out. (Spoiler Alert: There is a new album coming out come January.)
Category: Festivals
Categories
Hoodoo that Voodoo
Magic, music and mayhem is about everything one could anticipate when planning a trip to Voodoo Fest in New Orleans on All Hallows Eve weekend. Wandering the haunted streets of a town whose liberal alcohol consumption laws almost literally allows it to flow like milk and honey is a dangerous thought for anyone looking to rage the dead. But, when it comes to what has in recent past been growing as Americas most decadent and risqué holiday, the combination of these elements posed to be one of the most attractive and wildest parties you could possibly attend throughout the year.
So, it has been a week since the 2 out of 3 days of Voodoo Fest 2015 have wrapped up (one day lost due to flooding)
and I have been taken my time with digesting the experience and the thought of festival season coming to a close. There were some conflicting factors, however, to the entire fest that it has made my job just a bit more difficult. The only way I can explain it, I feel, is to break it down by category of what makes a festival, a festival.
Location. I think it stands alone to say that you really couldn’t ask for a better place to celebrate a music festival Halloween party. So,…Boom! a winner every year.
People. Over all the crowd was chill not overly rowdy but definitely there to party. The VIP area was a great oasis if you needed a place to sit down or wanted to get mad close to the main stage. But, outside of that, barely any one stayed behind VIP lines. There was so much awesomeness happening on the stages that the intermingling of credentials was like peanut butter and jelly, everyone just melded and it felt good. Beyond that there were some pretty creative costumes. My favorite was actually pretty simple a man with a pair of Ray Bans dressed like a piece of bacon. …hehe…Bacon gets me every time.
Installations. Now, here I can’t say much. There were some interesting pieces, but overall we could tell the money didn’t go into the commissions of new art. Although, I had some high hopes we can’t really say that the “art” side of this experience was breath taking. A metal sculpture of a face, a Spider illuminated from the inside with LEDs and an inflatable Globe that was projected upon by four surrounding visualizers, but that’s it. Maybe, we were spoiled by the E. FOREST, but I couldn’t really sense the focus being on this side of our experience. Although, when you think about it, given the musical history of this great city it really was no surprise.
Logistics. Now, here I was pretty impressed. When first entering City Park you were given a long walk from the transport drop off that took you along a gorgeous lagoon out front of the NOLA Modern Art Museum or under a natural trestle of southern oaks romancing the beauty of this part of our country. Given the way that the perimeter was naturally utilized this helped side step any traffic jams and made the exodus more pleasant than feeling like herded cattle. The same goes for the entrance gate, quick and easy. Bathrooms were a plenty and clean. It didn’t seem that anyone had a problem with this in any way. The grounds themselves were stellar, literally gorgeous. As far as policing, I saw nor heard any problems with security, and if there were, they managed it well enough that no word was spread. As far as health and safety they had Med tents in all corners of the venue, but none of them were filled, so, kudos to the people for not being idiots but also to the staff for giving us a safety net just in case. Also, there were several Handi-impared specialist, volunteers that made the experience of the fest accessible, in multiple stations placed to give even the most mobily restricted individual the best possible time. The vendors were awesome. Mainly fried foods but the selection was worth the food coma. Stages were easy to get to, with minimal sound bleeding between them, but the La Plur (electronic stage) had issues all weekend. Every time we walked up to the stage the sound was low, almost intolerably low. Even during Giorgio Moroder’s set they were working to get the sound up and running. But, to no avail. The rains set in and killed the third day so even if they did figure the problem out we wouldn’t have gotten the chance to experience it. Water was aplenty, (understatement due to the weather) so no one went dehydrated. I think a testament to the organization of Voodoo was that when the weather flooded the grounds on the third day and there, literally, was no way for anyone to enjoy, the organization sent out a notice saying that they would refund one third of the fee to all ticket holders. Well done, given that mother nature was hell bent on keeping everyone out of the park that day.
Finally, music. Lets just say we know where the money went. Given the line up that they had this year, and almost every year before, the acts that Voodoo provides is nothing short of an eclectic treasure trove of sonic candy feeding every shade of your grey matter. Ozzy, Florence, Santigold, Metric, Duke Dumont, Zhu, The Joy Formidable, Lettus, Modest Mouse, Jauz, Django Django, Yelawolf, and the living legend that is Giorgio Moroder (if you don’t know who he is then come out from under that rock and consult the oracle Giorgio Moroder)
The standout performances were primarily on the ALTER stage. This would be the main event stage for the most part. All the big acts found themselves making their mark on City Park here. Friday night’s headliners brought their “A” game.
Jack Ü was limited somewhat by the faltering sound of the La Plur stage , while Modest Mouse was as odd and out there as we know and love him to be.
Earlier Metric and The Joy Formidable (check out their Cheeky interview here)ran you along the edge of rock and a soft space. But, Florence; Florence was as gracefully powerful as ever.
Then, topping it off with Odezsa’s after party at the Joy Theater.
Saturday was just as amazing with Lettuce remaining as crispy as always and Santigold inviting over a hundred audience members to take the stage with her and dance, as she had done the day before at an intimate performance for VH1 Save the Music (see “A Heart of Santigold” article here.) The pinnacle of the entire experience, however, was most anticipated performance of the weekend:
Ozzy with Geezer Butler, Slash, and Tom Morello. Holy Sh$%! And I mean Holy Sh$%! This was by far the most amazing live show that I had ever seen. The sheer star power on that stage was face melting. This display of artistry was well beyond the depths of years of practice. It was for lack of a better word transcendent and it was the only American date. Truly an honor to have experienced it. We took the chance to speak to a few key artists, over the course of our two days, that we have been keeping gently on our radar as they have been rising in the ranks. I guess overall I can say we had a killer time despite weather and some logistics that could have been smoother, given their fifteenth years. That said, I would definitely go back and re-rage the dead in NOLA.
Along ran the night crawlers caught in our headlights like anxious deer crossing the road. Two sexy cheetahs in leotards and an over weight penguin adorned with bright red bow crossed our path entering the festival. Freaky Deaky Music Festival meets Halloween party was offering something completely different; being the hybrid of two amazing aspects of parties. The line up was one of the best of the year including acts like Bassnectar, Armin Van Buren, Benny Benassi. Markus Shulz, Pretty lights, Big Gigantic, Oliver Heldens, Carnage and many more up and coming djs as well. We were pleased to have gotten a close parking spot to the festival and of course this being a non-camping; it wasn’t as much of a hassle to enter. The lines looked moderately long but even as the gathering of these estranged characters waited for entry; I couldn’t see a sad face insight. We went through the press entry which allowed us to quickly start enjoying the scenery that the festival had to offer. Even upon entry, the bass rumbled loud enough to literally wake the dead. The mass of people were dressed all the way from evil spirits to corny 90’s cartoons and more. Reminiscence childhood memories replayed as a pink Power Rangers, Teletubbies and a gang if Pikachus passed by.
The 3 day event created by React Presents was held at an outside venue at Toyota Park near Chicago. No indoor venue was suitable because of the sheer mass of acts performing. The park was laid out very conveniently and even under inebriation, there was a continuous flow from one stage to the next. Another great factor was the the massive amount of space that kept the traffic moving smoothly and an ample amount of space for dancing. Modern artwork of lighted sculptures reached for the scatter of clouded ceilings as the florescence of a ferris wheel framed us within the night. The Festival also offered stands full of wine, beer; and uniquely to many other festivals, shots of Jameson allowed for the general admission. The outside infinities above us created the sense of freedom to wander within the Halloween weekend nights and although there was a chill in the fall air; the constant motion warmed us from under the tents.
Friday night was full of talents such as Griz, Flying lotus and Tokimonsta. Always a must see, Flying Lotus had a great mix of old school and new school. He seamlessly mixes acid jazz with Alternative hip-hop. His intriguing sound has the ability to take you from the humbleness of the city street to outer space and back again. We began snapping photographs of the crowd as the sheer energy could be scene even within the stillness of a picture. Lasers and LED lights sprayed across the tents like flames in a web of matrices. We had no choice but to surrender ourselves to the magic of it all and completely let go.
As high energy shufflers fill the floor, the creation of PLUR aided in this hippy reinvention. It became an all inclusive party that truly excepted any diversity of backgrounds or religions. No one here is turned away and we all respected each other far past any genre of music. This was clearly because one incredible aspect of this scene was the way a song can go from a filthy dub song into hip hop then touch upon aspects of jazz or even rock. It is the instantaneousness of appreciation that will drive this music into progressive singularity and allow our minds to expand past the borders of genres. This generation of music has blown any conventional perspective of what music should sound like by completely bending the rules backwards and inside out.
Also headlining, was Markus Schulz and Benny Benassi. Being legends amongst electronic scene; they can each be known for their unique styles setting them aside from any other dj performing. At times during the Markus Schulz set a heavenly feel can overtake you. He has worked his way through his career to become impossibly replicated.
Also headlining, was Markus Schulz and Benny Benassi. Being legends amongst electronic scene; they can each be known for their unique styles setting them aside from any other dj performing. At times during the Markus Schulz set a heavenly feel can overtake you. He has worked his way through his career to become impossibly replicated.
Celebrating sexuality, social freakiness, or just a love of music; a constant 4/4 time stamp brought the crowd together. Sunday night, Datsik dropped some of the filthiest beats of unheard of worlds with sound fx that your imagination could only wish to have adventured. In contrast, Pretty lights that has a youthful feel with strong hip hop influences, soulful funk, as well heavy synth lines. Their music allowed each and everyone to forget for a second about the physical self or the mind controlling interferences and become one with the rhythm. Unicorns with pastel curls danced of pure elation untapped before. The senses emitted from the mass could never have been felt from the 9-5 work world. As Richie Hawtin mixed deep trance, intermittent fire extinguishers blew down upon the crowd and the let the a cool fog dissipate over us. His music was more chill scene and allowed a certain type of meditative dance amongst the crowd. His sound drew images of very contemporary art pieces and underground city music scenes. As the tent was illuminated with lights of geometric shapes; they fed our own imaginations behind the blackness of our eye lids and allowed our minds to create its own fractal art to his music.
All in all, I was overwhelmed with the vibrations that this festival had to offer. In my own opinion; as well as many other peer reviews, this festival had some of the best vibes of the festival season. This is a must for any festival lover and we will definitely see you there next year 2016 Freaky Deaky.
Check out the full photo album here!
React Presents is thrilled to release the 2015 schedule and announce the official after parties for this year’s Freaky Deaky festival, happening Halloween weekend on October 30th through November 1st, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL
Official Freaky Deaky 2015 After Parties are below:
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
- Breach & Jackmaster – the MID – RSVP for No Cover at Clubtix.com
- Tchami & Tokimonsta – Concord Music Hall – Tickets available at Clubtix.com
SATURDAY
- Armin van Buuren – Concord Music Hall – Tickets available at Clubtix.com
- Boregore – the MID – Tickets available at Clubtix.com
Tickets are on sale now at www.freakydeakyhalloween.com!
Categories
BASH in the BAYOU
Magic, Masquerades, Music, and Mayhem have long been associated with
New Orleans’s culture. It is no surprise that we find ourselves entering into this old
historic city on the weekend of All Hallows Eve to Worship the Music in one of
America’s strongest growing traditions, VooDoo Fest. With the exception of
2005, when Katrina destructively descended upon the city, the bayou has had its
waters rippled with the sounds of heavy weights since 2000 A.D.
Now, as Voo Doo Fest approaches its 15th annual celebration and it seems that the
strength of this years line up was curated to draw spirits from all corners of the
country. Eclectically speaking, this line up is all across the board, and I am mad
curious to see how they blend.
Combining deadmau5 on a roster with Jack Ü, Alesso, the great Giorgio
Moroder, Santigold, Duke Dumont, Destructo, along with growing acts like Jauz, Nina
Las Vegas, Mija and Joywave is like handing out electronic ear sugar to a sea of candy
ravers. Ozzy will be gracing us with his unholy presence while Florence and the Machine
spreads her glowing wings once a gain to a crowd of thousands. Modest Mouse,
Jane’s Addiction, Girl Talk, Metric, The Joy Formidable, Django Django and Peaches
will haunt our hipsters.
For anyone going here is a quick survival guide that will help you through the weekend:
Flying
If you haven’t yet booked your air travel, you’re kind of cutting it close!
Driving
Voodoo takes place on the festival ground of City Park in New Orleans. If you have a VIP pass, your ticket package may include a parking permit–or you may be able to buy a parking pass. If you are general there are pay for parking areas outlined on the maps you will find on the cite
Parking: Parking lots from 5-15 minute walk from the festival range from $60-$100. Shuttles look to be the most cost-effective option. Map below
By the way–if you don’t purchase a parking pass, be prepared for a nightmarish situation trying to find street parking. You’ll be better off using an alternative form of transport if you don’t want to throw down for a pass.
Taxis
You can take a taxi to get dropped off at Voodoo and there will also be a very clearly marked area for picking up taxis when you’re leaving. Just remember how many people will be there, though, and plan to fight for cabs. Here is a list of cab companies in the area, all of which were recommended by the festival in previous years:
- United Cabs Co: 504-522-9771
- Checker-Yellow: 504-943-2411
- White Fleet Cab Co: 504-822-3800
- Coleman Cab Co: 504-586-0222
- Yellow-Checker Cabs: 504-525-3311
Also UBER can be helpful here.
Public Transit
There’s a streetcar stop located by the festival entrance in front of the Museum of Art. The only problem? There are only two cars that leave after the headliner finishes, so by our calculations that means .10 percent of the crowd can squeeze onto them.
Biking
The festival heavily recommends biking to get to City Park, and New Orleans is pretty friendly for cyclists. You should enjoy the ability to get to and from the festival without waiting in any traffic, but make sure you make additional plans if you’re going to be drinking throughout the day!
WHERE TO STAY
Hotels
Voodoo partners with tons of New Orleans hotels to offer affordable rates during their festival weekend. You can enter in the dates you want to stay here and check out what they’ve got!
Camping
Voodoo offers camping. Clicking on that link will give you all the info you need and lead you to a site where you can purchase camping passes. If you decide to go this route, don’t forget to bring extra cushions for sleeping–no one likes to be sore when they wake up–and plenty of water!
Alternative Lodging
Air BNB is an innovative alternative to hotels. The site lets people list their extra rooms, apartments, homes, etc., and rent them out for a night, weekend or more. There are still availabilities if you search on there!
Couch Surfing is similar to Air BNB, and you might get the opportunity to stay with someone who is going to Voodoo themselves.
Maybe this is a bit of a “duh” suggestion, but send out a tweet or two–you probably don’t know everyone following you and maybe a friend can help!
WHAT TO PACK
Don’t skimp on what you bring to New Orleans. It’s better to be safe and over-prepared than sorry and under-prepared.
- Water – Take a water bottle especially if you’re planning on standing in line before doors open.
- Cash – Most purchases will require cash. There are ATMs, but you’ll have to sacrifice your children in transaction fees.
- Sunscreen (no aerosol cans), bug repellant
- Poncho – Don’t be that guy near the front with an umbrella if it starts raining, okay?
- Hand sanitizer – Perhaps the best way to fight off the germs.
- Phone charger – Just in case you need it…and you know you will.
Finally, here are a few notable items that Voodoo does or does not let you bring….these are items that people very often have questions about, and not every festival follows the same protocol:
- YES small, soft backpacks and purses
- YES small blankets and beach towels
- YES small flashlights
- YES backpacks that hold water–but they have to be empty
- YES Collapsible, soft folding chairs
- NO tents (except in designated camping areas)
- NO pets
- NO audio or video recorders, or still cameras with lenses longer than 4 inches
- NO laser pointers
WHAT TO WEAR
Congratulations! You’re going to Voodoo, which means it’s actually not going to be blisteringly hot at your festival of choice. The high should be in the mid-70s with lows dipping into the 60s. Remember, Voodoo is a rain or shine event!
Also, don’t forget the very simple fact that you’re going to be in New Orleans! Bourbon Street is barely getting started by the time the festival ends, so remember to bring extra clothes for the nightlife after you’ve had the chance to shower off your festival day.
- Backpack – Way, way easier to carry than a shoulder bag or holding stuff all day.
- Two pairs of comfortable shoes – Make sure they’re already broken in. Nothing worse than getting blisters from a pair of brand-new boots.
- Shorts – At least for the daytime. It’s not so hot that pants will be miserable, but we’re worried about the possibility of rain when it comes to jeans.
- Watch – Your iPhone won’t last forever, you know, so just check your wrist instead
- Extra socks – Seriously. You want to walk around in wet socks all day if it rains?
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Costume
Drink Water Constantly
Here’s a list of fun things to do in the emergency room after you’ve passed out from dehydration: [content not found]
Overdo the Booze
See above with that whole thing about passing out.
Prepare for the Worst
Nice people tend to return lost items or put them in the lost and found. Consider making your name, phone number or a friend’s phone number very obviously noticeable on your possessions.
With so many different sounds coming from such a heavy hitting line up, along with
visionary artist decorating the grounds with installation , and deadmau5
unveiling a new futuristic staging, Voodoo Fest 2015 is probably the best way
anyone could finish out this years festival season. Being that is mere minutes from
the French Quarter in a city whose bars just don’t close, you can bet there will a lot of
pranking and rebel rousing as swarm of costumed and candy masked mischief makers
fill the city for this unholy weekend. So, if you find yourself down in
New Orleans make sure not to miss this deadly dance party, it might just haunt you
for the rest of you life…….
Check it out: http://www.Worshipthemusic.com
React Presents is thrilled to unveil a massive lineup for the Midwest’s Largest New Year’s Eve event, REACTION NYE! For the first time, the two-night event, happening on December 30th and 31st, will transform into an authentic warehouse-style party inside the Donald E. Stephens (DES) Convention Center – conveniently located 20 minutes outside of Downtown Chicago inRosemont, IL. The vast 580,000 square-foot venue will house two stages featuring mesmerizing visual production and state-of-the-art sound and lighting, along with elegant dance performers, diamond-clad decor, and intricate art installations. Showcasing 25+ artists totaling over 16 hours of music, Reaction NYE 2015 will provide attendees with plenty of space to dance while you ring in the New Year with style.
In celebration of Chicago’s diverse musical landscape, REACTION NYE gathers a wide spectrum of genres, ranging from pioneers and trailblazers, to the freshest up-and-comers and local luminaries. The jam-packed lineup features headlining performances by two of modern dance music’s living legends:DEADMAU5 and SKRILLEX, along with support from top-notch talent including Chicago’s own CHANCE THE RAPPER, critically acclaimed hip-hop duo RUN THE JEWELS, CHVRCHES, ROBIN SCHULZ, BONOBO, PURITY RING as well as GREEN VELVET and CLAUDE VONSTROKE as GET REAL. Additional artists include BADBADNOTGOOD, CASHMERE CAT, JAMIE JONES, CHERUB, THE FLOOZIES, THUNDERCAT, MIJA, AUTOGRAF and PROBCA– USE, plus more.
Over the past 5 years, React’s annual NYE bash took shape with one-off performances from the likes of Justice, Porter Robinson, Zedd, and more. Now, growing from a love of music that exists across a diverse range of cutting edge electronics, REACTION NYE expands to the size of a proper winter music festival that is truly the first of its kind in the Midwest. Also, for the first time VIP packages will be available for ages 21+, with private bars, express entry, elevated premium viewing areas, and more.
Additionally, attendees are encouraged to explore the surrounding area as various daytime activities are conveniently located nearby the venue. Only 5 minutes away from Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the near northwest suburb of Rosemont, IL – the DES Convention Center stands at the center of a supremely accessible entertainment hub which attracts a daily figure of 75,000 visitors from around the world. The Village of Rosemont offers a wide variety of dining options, iFLY indoor skydiving, a lively and varied entertainment district, the MB Financial Park, and the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago.
React Presents has also partnered with 5 hotels near the event: Crown Plaza Chicago-O’Hare, Chicago Marriott Suites O’Hare, Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare, Sheraton Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel, and Aloft Chicago O’Hare, who will provide ticket holders with special reduced rates and free shuttle services going to and from the venue for those who book rooms there. For those traveling from the city or surrounding suburbs, the venue is only a short walk from the CTA Blue Line and Metra trains. For more details on hotels and travel options, visit the REACTION NYE website here.
Win a pair of 3-Day passes to Freaky Deaky by entering on our Facebook page or Instagram page!
Simply share giveaway image
Tag #FreakyDeakyCMF
- Follow @GetFreakyDeaky and @ChicagoMusicFestivals
Winner will be announced on October 18th.
React Presents is thrilled to announce the daily artist lineup and release a limited amount of single day tickets for this year’s Freaky Deaky festival, happening Halloween weekend on October 30th through November 1st. Discounted 3-day passes are 75% sold out, so get the best value while you still can.
Tickets are on sale now at www.freakydeakyhalloween.com!
React Presents will also provide attendees with select transportation options, which include shuttle services to and from nearby hotels as well as Downtown Chicago. Freaky Deaky has partnered with 3 hotels conveniently located near the festival: Chicago Marriot Midway, Holiday Inn and Hilton Garden Inn at Midway Airport. There will be free shuttles going to and from these hotels for those who book rooms there, plus our partners are also providing ticket holders with Special Preferred Rates. We suggest making reservations soon, as there are limited rooms available. Click HERE for more info.
For those traveling to and from Downtown Chicago, we have arranged shuttles for you too. We’ve partnered with FEST DRIVE shuttle service to offer fans an affordable pick up and drop off location conveniently located outside the Hard Rock Hotel at the corner of E. Lake St. and N. Michigan Ave., just steps away from CTA lines in the heart of the Loop. There are 1-day passes available for $25 and 3-day passes available for $60. Each pass include round trips. Seats are limited, so book your shuttle passes HERE now.
About Freaky Deaky
Ever since this dark and twisted adventure was founded in 2008 by React Presents, Freaky Deaky continues to grow bigger, better, and a little spookier every year, transforming into the freakiest costume party in the Chicagoland area. In 2011, the single day event expanded into Detroit with over 5,500 people in attendance. In 2012, Freaky Deaky expanded to two days, which attracted over 9,000 attendees, making it the largest Halloween event in the Midwest. Offering a diverse range of world class artists, past performers include MSTRKRFT, Chromeo, Wolfgang Gartner, Laidback Luke, Dada Life, GRiZ, Claude VonStroke, Flux Pavilion, Nervo, Knife Party, Danny Brown, Tommy Trash, A-trak, Araabmuzik, Kill the Noise, Tchami, Bloody Beetroots, Crystal Castles, Boys Noize, TOKiMONSTA, and more.
Toyota Park
7000 Harlem Ave
Bridgeview, IL 60455
18+ | 2:00 PM Doors
www.reactpresents.com
www.freakydeakyhalloween.com
With the jungle as it’s backdrop, Envision Festival is one of a kind. The 2015 aftermovie will have you booking the next flight to Costa Rica. Envision offers a unique blend of musicians, workshops, art and yoga classes all set amongst the stunning tropical oasis of Uvita, Costa Rica. Unforgettable performances from The Polish Ambassador, Emancipator and Random Rab, all with crimson beach sunsets as the background, its hard to not start planning your trip immediately.
The video also showcases the wide array of activities geared towards health, education and rejuvenation. Witness the exhilarating performance art, live art installations, and monumental visionary stages utilizing natural materials that round out the life-changing Envision Festival experience.
The four day festival returns to the sandy shores of Costa Rica February 25-28, 2016 – Tickets are on sale now click HERE to get your 4-day passes before they’re gone!
Check out their epic aftermovie and start planning your trip for 2016.
Riot Fest 2015
Chicago, IL
Sept 11th- 13th
Riot Fest 2015, this summer, stood as an homage to that sacred fight against the “Establishment” over the past 50 years. There were key faces, reunions, and debuts much like they have had in years prior, but something this time was different. Now, it very well could be the change in overall scenery since the venue moved, although, the 12th and 24th ward held its own. Somehow it just felt like something was missing. Even with a more accessible and simple lay out of Douglas Park, celebrated by the crowd over all, the tragically scenic bottle neck passages between stages in Humbolt were missed. There was something else though; something almost a bit more elusive. It felt like passion wasn’t fully there. Not from the festival itself, per say, or the organizers really, they dealt with quite a bit to keep it in the city, but more so from the city itself. As a whole the masses felt somewhat benign, due to what I wonder, in a way that contradicted the theme of the whole event to “Riot!”
Now ironically this is the type of crowd that would bring their kids to a carnival while System of a Down was raging in the background on a Saturday night. (I mean I know I would. Start ‘em young). But, children sometimes don’t always know how to play nice with others, as was the case with Steve Sneider during that set. “At least he’s still breathing.” I mean it’s a rock show, but really they were only ones that I could see getting anyone pumped. System carried what looked like to me as one of if not the largest crowds of the entire festival. To get across field took over 20 min when earlier in the day it took 3. That’s cool. That’s how it’s supposed to be. But, what with the rest of the fest? I mean the line up was sick. The acts are all world class, having left their mark on music history for decades beyond their inception. How is it that the city just seemed so distant?
Let’s look at the positives No Doubt was a treat giving us the sound and style we all anticipated. Tenacious D was for sure entertaining. Rancid killed it though you could just barely tell from the crowd (This one kind of threw me off)…
Flogging had a fun little mosh pit circulating but rocking just like I remember in high school.
Alkaline was definitely making moves.
Coheed and Cambria destroyed the stage, looking like a real life version of “Blanka” from Street Fighter. (His sounds revitalized the reasons why I am a fan.) Rodrigo y Gabriella took a minute to get off the ground, but as soon as they hit their Megadeath cover it felt right on track.
Alexisonfire, Ice Cube, Damian Marley, Billy “fucking” Idol, I could rattle them all off, but you get it. This is why we go. We dance, we thrash, we cheer, drink beer and all the while we bond with the people around us, kind of. See this is not a festival like all of its other psychedelic peers. Oh there were party favors; let’s be real, it’s a festival. But, not the type you see more and more of now a day. No, this is the Whiskey slamm’n, joint flick’n, beer mongers that we all know and love. Just this time it felt like they were ready to call it a night by the time the cops shut down Snoops set. And, when I say shut down I mean on the DOT.
Your choice of food was either fried, fried, or triple fried anything. Not complaining when you’re drunk, but the badass food trucks were left tucked away by the Riot Speaks stage. Now, RIOT SPEAKS, this was cool. Getting some insight to the inner working of what’s going on around you is not something you get anywhere else. So, hell yeah to that! After getting some knowledge laid down, you could find a donation run Arcade just around the corner. That’s right they had Rampage! Winning! Then to top it off you got a sideshow circus. Legit freaky deaks! Um, Awesome! So, what’s the deal then? Why wasn’t the crowd beside themselves with child like glee from the sick and twisted carnival that they all came to see?
Well, if you paid for any of the levels of VIP then you may have had a reason since it was pretty lack luster for the price. You still had to by drinks and wait in long lines for food. But, you got a nice limited seating Lounge area to mellow or watch the bands from a live stream. (If that’s your thing) The top level Super VIP felt like something that I experienced at a North side Bar mitzvah. Easily expensive, so don’t get me wrong, but cookie cutter. It almost felt like a statement was being made about the price I could have paid. Sorry, Sean and Mike, gotta be real here. If you are gonna put massage chairs, lounges and short cut access out there for what you are clearing after over head, you gotta give some more love to the creative lay out of it. Press was ultimately not allowed in the VIP, so, technically I wasn’t supposed to me there but just goes to show you where you can find yourself when making new friends. Thanks Frank. Upon entering the forbidden zone with our newfound friends I realized very quickly, how luck we got, and that in order to maneuver the grounds freely you needed a combination of bracelets. Sixteen if remember correctly. Credentials for days! Every area was ruled by another bracelet. But, only “One to Rule them all!” Our locally hired crew from S3 controlled the flow of the population and made a valiant attempt to hold the lines but people were still jumping fences. Can’t shut a poor rocker down! They plugged that hole quick though, so, hats off.
If you were lucky to get back stage or even on the stage during the sets you had to have super special bracelets to make the cut, other wise you weren’t going up there and that’s that. Even the photographers were not allowed to have their allotted 15 min under the artist in the pit during the Headliner sets. No, those spots were then reserved for the uber special bracelets. I couldn’t understand this move, really; I chuckled to see iPhones instead of Pro-cams taking shots of the headliners so I thought it was slightly ridiculous, but who am I to judge? I didn’t have to pay $180,000 to prep and repair a city park, after getting kicked out of my home, and negotiating with a hospital board to let me move in next-door with ten’s of thousands of my friends. I have no clue what it takes to run a multi-million dollar machine. But, it was fun and I had a good time. One better be enjoying themselves at a fest, other wise go home!
All in all it was well done even though it was a quiet Riot compared to years past, but it held it’s own in its new home and I got to interviewed Gwar! Heck yeah!
Check out the entire photo album from Riot Fest 2015 here!
Burning Man pictures giving you serious FOMO?
Don’t want to wait a whole other year to dance your butt off at Robot Heart?
I present to you …. Further Future 002
Taking place April 29th – May 1st 2016, just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, this desert festival built by those who made Robot Heart what it it today, Further Future, brings together like-minded people to connect through music and art while encouraging a culture of mindful optimism, wonder and exploration.
Tickets on sale now Here
Still unsure? Check out the aftermovie from last year to seal the deal