Riot Fest reunions, entire albums, all shades of alternative and an extra chance to catch The Cure

Riot Fest Photos by Andy Argyrakis

There’s no event on earth quite like Riot Fest, which will of course draw a humongous crowd from all around Chicago, but throngs of tourists as well thanks to a ton of exclusive opportunities.

In addition to leading the charge when it comes to strictly alternative music, there are some hotly anticipated reunions on roster, plus front to back performances of several seminal albums.

So mark down Douglass Park from Friday, September 15 through Sunday, September 17, get tickets while they are still available and get ready to rock, head bang or funk it up with these ten must-see sets.

Riot Fest1. The Cure (Sunday)
The hottest ticket on earth, other than Taylor Swift, is unquestionably The Cure, who sold out every arena imaginable on the “Shows Of A Last World” Tour, but are making a special encore appearance sure to be stuffed with an ever-changing spread of gothic and pop classics.

2. Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton (Friday)
It’s unclear exactly how far along George Clinton is on his seemingly never ending farewell from Parliament Funkadelic, but at 82-years-old, don’t miss any opportunity to see this “Godfather Of Funk” in the flesh.

3. The Postal Service (Saturday)
Seattle’s indie pop supergroup The Postal Service, comprised of front man Ben Gibbard, producer Jimmy Tamborello and supporting singer Jenny Lewis, don’t reconvene nearly often enough as they should, though there’s no better reason than to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Give Up” in its entirety.

4. Death Cab For Cutie (Saturday)
Gibbard’s other enormous band, Death Cab For Cutie, finds its breakthrough album “Transatlanticism” turning the same age, laying the groundwork for an entire generation of emo artists with each passing year.

5. Foo Fighters (Friday)
Few modern rock acts have transcended time and trends to the degree of the Foo Fighters, who are finally back with “But Here We Are” featuring ace drummer Josh Freese picking up where the late Taylor Hawkins left off.

Riot Fest6. Mr. Bungle (Saturday)
When he’s fronting Faith No More, Mike Patton shoots straight down the alternative metal lane, though Mr. Bungle builds well beyond the style to incorporate an experimental and avant-garde hodgepodge unlike any other.

7. The Breeders (Friday)
What started out as a side project for Pixies’ bassist Kim Deal quickly blossomed into her full-fledged focus of The Breeders, who are down to revisit all of 1993’s “Last Splash,” an undisputed masterpiece responsible for the singles “Cannonball,” “Divine Hammer” and “Saints.”

8. The Mars Volta (Sunday)
Progressive rock/metal men The Mars Volta may have only been back together for a couple years, but are already making up for a decade away with a self-titled collection and its acoustically-reworked companion, “Qué Dios Te Maldiga Mí Corazón,” which coupled with earlier ambitions, means loads of introspection and intensity.

9. Tegan And Sara (Friday)
From the late 1990s through today’s “Crybaby” collection, Canadian sisters Tegan And Sara are some of the most consistent and infectious alt-pop singer/songwriters around, not to mention festival pros who always know how to strike up a steady sing-a-long.

10. Spitalfield (Saturday)
The Windy City’s own Spitalfield is one of the many homegrown gems on the bill, promising plenty of potent pop/punk from a fruitful streak on Victory Records and a DIY ethos that fits right in line with the rest of another fantastic Riot Fest.


Riot Fest comes to Douglass Park from Friday, September 15 through Sunday, September 17. For additional details, visit RiotFest.org.