Girl at the Rock Shows

Thanks to the three cats I left behind for the weekend, my house is a mess. Although frustrated, I didn’t do anything about it, dropped my bags at the door, and instantly crashed into the couch. I passed out for a solid three hours but had a smile on my face throughout the entire thing. That’s right, I’m home from Riot Fest and trying my best to reflect on the weekend while also getting back to reality. The third and final day of the festival started off a bit rocky with a rain delay but ended up being the perfect ending to an ideal weekend.

Due to the uncertainty of how long the rain delay would be, I opted to grab brunch with my friends since I hadn’t had much time to spend with them over the weekend. Because of this, I sadly missed a couple of acts I wanted to see but made it just in time to see Saxsquatch. Obviously Saxsquatch is a solo act of a human in a sasquatch outfit playing the saxophone. That’s right, what a heck of a way to start a Sunday. The set was fun and fresh and, even with the rain delay, had drawn a considerable crowd. Sure, it was fun and quirky, but it was also a solid set of EDM-infused sax covers of old-school pop songs.

Out of all of the bands on the line-up over the weekends, SPRINTS was the one the most people told me I had to check out. I didn’t know why and did no research, but within their first song, I understood. The last time I felt the sense of intensity that I did from SPRINTS was the first time I saw IDLES and I was truly blown away. This Dublin-based band seems to just be catching on here in the States, but I see them on the same enormous trajectory as that of IDLES, and I can not wait for more chances to catch them live.

I was thoroughly taken aback by Nekrogoblikon. Although they are a bit of a gimmicky band like GWAR with a stage show that includes a bright green goblin, the talent of this band was insane to me. I’ve seen them before, but it’s been far too long. Seeing them on Sunday sparked something in me, and I am already craving another chance to see them live.

I was so bummed because GEL was in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, but due to leaving for Chicago early on Thursday, I opted to skip the show. What a mistake that was. The power they brought to one of the two main stages at Riot Fest was insane, and I will always regret not seeing them in a space as intimate as the 7th Street Entry because, with how fire this band is, I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance again.

Although Cursive was definitely a bit calmer than my other choices on Sunday, they absolutely nailed their set. I’ve seen vocalist Tim Kasher in multiple different forms over the years and loved the fact that, although this was the biggest space I have ever seen him perform, he and his fantastic band filled the space with their distinct indie-rock sound.

Saturday was definitely more old-school punk heavy than the other days but I got a taste of that sound and style with The Vandals. This band has been grinding non-stop since 1980 and, although decades have passed, this band still has it. They were fun and engaging with guitarist Warren Fitzgerald being ridiculously silly but also giving a flawless performance.

I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve seen GWAR live but that wasn’t going to stop me from seeing them on Sunday. They are a quintessential Riot Fest band and I feel like they are there almost every year so it just felt right to see them up to their normal antics of slaughtering politicians on stage and spraying the crowd with copious amounts of “blood” (have no fear, my camera stayed safe and dry).

If there was one band I wish I could see at Riot Fest, it would be Operation Ivy. I know that that will probably never happen but the collaborative set between Laura Jane Grace and Catbite of them covering Operation Ivy’s iconic 1989 ‘Energy’ album scratched a bit of the itch. Both acts sounded so great and even though I would have loved to hear some of Laura Jane Grace’s own songs and a few tracks from Catbite’s discography, both did Operation Ivy justice and truly sounded amazing.

What happened next in my day was a blur. I decided to forgo seeing a couple of other acts so I could get in line to shoot Rob Zombie. Although I was absolutely at Riot Fest for the music, I had an opportunity to shoot Rob Zombie from the photo pit, and I was not going to miss it. There were a couple of sets with photo pit access only granted to the first forty people in line, and Rob Zombie was one of them. When I landed in line as number four, my heart started to race. It was really going to happen! Like I mentioned, the rest was a blur. I snapped well over 500 photos for the three songs I was shooting, and then, as I left, I just stood there and marveled at what had just happened. Not to be cheesy or anything, but I just kind of stood there and cried. Here I was, little ol’ Girl at the Rock Shows, who had just gotten done shooting one of the greatest of the greats. One of the most legendary of the legends. And all in front of tens of thousands of people. Just wild, and I think the photos turned out pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Closing out my final day of Riot Fest was Sublime. I know, not my typical cup of tea compared to everything else I tend to go see and listen to, but I have a soft spot for Sublime, and being able to see a performance featuring Jakob Nowell (son of original vocalist Bradley Nowell, who passed away in 1996) was something I could not pass up. Jakob did a great job of honoring his father while putting his own spin on the iconic songs, and it was truly the best way to close out an amazing weekend at Riot Fest 2024.

I’m exhausted. The blisters on my feet have me looking a bit more like a penguin than a human when walking, and I’ll surely have strep throat in no time after spending the majority of Sunday drenched from the rain and freezing because of it. That being said, what a freaking amazing weekend.

They say it takes a village, and that could not be more true. Before I get on with my normal life, I have to say some thank yous.

First and foremost, thank you to the staff and people behind Riot Fest. They were all so great and offered helping hands when needed (they also gave me this amazing opportunity, which I can not thank them enough for).

My friends– they put up with my crap all weekend. Although it was weird to be at this festival and in Chicago but spend my time editing photos and writing as my friends got drunk and partied, they were all so supportive and even made sure I had food and water at all times (although I went the entire weekend on nothing more than a couple pieces of pizza and one solid breakfast).

Fellow Minneapolis photographer Brian Curski– not only was it great to see a familiar face, but Brian helped me through the rain on Sunday by not only giving me a camera bag thing but also sharing some tips as to how to make it all work.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you. When I started this blog, I truly never expected it to become what it is now, and that is all thanks to the support that you give me every time you read a blog post, react to a social media post, or just tell a friend about me.

Now, excuse me while I chug about a million gallons of water, eat my weight in Taco Bell, and then fall into a coma until I really have to face reality at work on Monday.

Cheers to you, Riot Fest 2024! See you in 2025!