As a certified expert in Bands At the Bottom of the Poster, I feel it is my duty to assist you in your decision-making as you plot out your Riot Fest schedule this week. Astute minds will remember that I did the same for Lollapalooza, and if you followed that guide, you likely had the best weekend of your life. 

Friday: 

Sincere Engineer: Roots Stage (12:15-12:45)

Sincere Engineer might be my favorite Chicago band going today. Orland Park native Deanna Belos has an unmistakable voice that ripped through me when the band released their 2017 debut album, “Rhombithian”, and I’ve been hooked ever since. If you plan on being at the park all day on Friday, start your day off with these Chicago locals who have shared the stage with the likes of The Front Bottoms, Smoking Popes, and Alkaline Trio. 

Hot Mulligan: Radicals Stage (2:30-3:15) 

Hot Mulligan are not lacking charisma or talent, they are merely lacking a time machine. No band is suffering from being in the wrong place at the wrong time more than they are. Had the Lansing, Michigan natives emerged in the same class as Taking Back Sunday or Thursday, they would be met with the same undying admiration as those bands. Instead, they’ve cut their teeth in DIY rooms across the country en route to becoming emo’s newest “it” band. They hold the honor of having my 2020 Album of the Year. Their release, aptly titled “you’ll be fine”, came out days before the world shut down and singer Nathan Sanville’s blood-curling screams kept me company throughout the rest of the year. These boys are on the rise and I can’t recommend stopping by the Radicals Stage enough to check them out. 

Jeff Rosenstock: Radicals Stage (4:00-5:00) 

Truly, I just wanted to write this blog to talk about Jeff Rosenstock on Q101’s platform. The DIY-God was my Artist of the Decade in the 2010’s. No one churned out high-quality work the way Rosenstock did, whether it was with his ska-punk outlaws Bomb the Music Industry, his critically-acclaimed solo work, or his output composing Cartoon Network’s ‘Craig of the Creek’. The 2010’s belonged to Jeff Rosenstock, at least in my world. 

I’ve been consuming bands at an unhealthy rate ever since I hatched 23 years ago, and no one that has come across my radar is more authentic than Rosenstock. He could’ve been the Billie Joe Armstrong of the millennial generation had he not chosen to forgo anything that wasn’t ruthlessly independent. His 2016 album, “WORRY.”, accomplished a rare artistic feet by being absolutely perfect. I could offer no notes nor feedback. I wouldn’t change a thing.

If you are going to discover one artist at Riot Fest this year, I hope it’s Jeff Rosenstock. 

Saturday: 

Mannequin Pussy: Radicals Stage (12:30-1:15) 

Look, it is really hard to root for a band named Mannequin Pussy. I don’t want that t-shirt, I don’t want that bumper sticker, and I don’t want that in my Internet search history. I power through, though, because Mannequin Pussy is really good. These Philly punks had a ton of buzz before the world shut down two years ago, but luckily for us they used that time at home to continue writing rippers. 

The high point of their discography comes with the song, “Drunk II”, which I think is an absolute masterpiece. Lead singer Marisa Dabice laments about how she’s often told that she’s so strong, before daring to ask, “but what if I don’t want to be?” 

This is a band with a bright future ahead of them. They’re a band worth getting to Riot Fest early for. 

Movements: Rise Stage (4:00-4:45) 

I’ve developed an obsession with Movements. This hardcore-adjacent four-piece caught my attention at the end of last year and ever since then they have been a fixture in my headphones. Each song sounds like a therapy session from someone trying to move past their old ways. This is a band who sings about growth in the midst of rapid personal and professional change. There is a rawness to this band that has helped them carve out a special place in my heart. They are this weird amalgamation of Citizen, La Dispute, and The Story So Far. If that means nothing to you, just know that that means they are really good. 

I have not been blessed with the opportunity to see Movements live yet, so I am anxious to cross them off my list at Riot Fest this year. They could steal the entire weekend. 

The Menzingers: Rise Stage (5:15-6:15) 

The Menzingers are my favorite “why isn’t this band bigger?” band. Every time I hear a song from these Ben Franklin-loving boys, I am simply stunned that they are not playing areas. While their best work came in 2017 with their nearly-perfect  record “After the Party”, for this year’s Riot Fest they will be running through 2012’s “On the Impossible Past”, which is impossibly great.

The Menzingers are all about big hooks, loud guitars, and loving Philadelphia. Two-out-of-the-three ain’t bad. If you have a thing for waitresses at diners or perpetually being down on your luck, these guys are for you. They are the living embodiment of Lucky Strike cigarettes. I love them to death and I look forward to seeing them rip in front of so many people at Riot Fest. 

The Front Bottoms: Radicals Stage (6:15-7:15)

The Front Bottoms are my favorite band of all-time. I mean, I guess The Smiths are tied with them, but I am like a teenage girl seeing Harry Styles when The Front Bottoms roll into town. I think they are the greatest thing ever. I think 2013’s “Talon of the Hawk” is one of the greatest albums ever recorded. I have no notes on The Front Bottoms; the way they exist is truly perfect. 

I’ve seen  my boys numerous times, notably in a small record store in Fort Wayne, Indiana and in big rooms in Chicago. I’ve never seen them play a festival before, though. The good news is that it’s The Front Bottoms, and there’s no situation that they won’t thrive in. 

There’s people that will pretend to not like The Front Bottoms. Those people are wrong. I think you are trying way too hard if you cannot get down with New Jersey’s finest. Please spot me for a firm handshake during The Front Bottoms set. I’d be more than happy to shake hands and slap babies there. 

Sunday: 

Mom Jeans: Rise Stage (2:00-2:30) 

Sunday is loaded with heavy-hitters towards the end of the night, but Mom Jeans are worth arriving early for. As someone who began attending college in 2017, I cannot explain to you the stranglehold that their album “Best Buds” had on art school underachievers. If you were dating a man who “wasn’t like the other guys” in this time period, he was BUMPING Mom Jeans in his dorm room. 

I may or may not have been one of these men. 

Now seasoned emo stalwarts, they are going to bring great vibes to the festival on its final day. These are the perfect guys to start your day with before you end the night with Jimmy, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Nine Inch Nails. 

xoxo,

-CTP