Photo Gallery Day Two: Riot Fest at Douglass Park • Chicago

Brassneck | September 25, 2024

Riot Fest Recap: Day Two

Recap by Justice Petersen; Photos by Ed Spinelli

Riot Fest Day Two – the heat raged on, and so did the music. The renowned music festival continued to showcase this year’s diverse lineup, with the second day featuring highlight acts that leaned more towards techno and alt-pop, as well as punk legends such as Buzzcocks and Descendents. With Beck being that day’s headliner, this eclectic and heavy lineup resulted in a perfect blend of genres for Saturday’s music fans.

Starting the day strong was Pixel Grip, a Chicago-based group conveying a dark 1990’s techno-industrial musicality. With a sweet blend of sensual and intoxicating music, the outfit started the day off strong. Princess Goes, a supergroup composed of actor Michael C. Hall, keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen, and drummer Pete Yanowitz, displayed their enigmatic performance on the AAA stage, delivering a show that is both avant-garde and grounding. Emo rock outfit Sweet Pill and Chicago favorites Beach Bunny played to large, anticipatory crowds, with the latter performing a string of their famous hits and their upcoming single “Clueless.”

Before Beck took the Metro stage, art rock icon St. Vincent delivered a captivating, hard-hitting performance. An artist intended to be seen and heard, St. Vincent is a true performer – both theatrically and musically. With her onstage presence and expressive acts, St. Vincent’s Riot Fest performance further cemented her status as a modern-day legend. Finally, Beck took to the stage opening with his famous hit “Devils Haircut.” Praising that day’s festival lineup, Beck told the crowd, “What an amazing group of bands and musicians here today.” Delivering iconic favorites to an overwhelming crowd, Beck’s headlining performance was the quintessential conclusion to Riot Fest Day Two.