The best of Riot Fest Chicago 2012 (in photos)

On the final weekend of the summer, Chicago's Humboldt Park hosted the city's eighth annual Riot Fest, and ALARM contributor Lucy Hewett was on hand to document the weirdness and snap some of our favorite performers.

On the final weekend of the summer, Chicago’s Humboldt Park hosted the city’s eighth annual Riot Fest, the punk-, rock-, and hardcore-filled festival that has since branched to Brooklyn, Toronto, and Dallas. This year’s installment was special for more than its consolidated location in the park; it also boasted a brand-new carnival — featuring a Ferris wheel, funnel cake, and impossible-to-win prize games — to enjoy between sets.

ALARM contributor Lucy Hewett was on hand to document the weirdness and wildness and snap some of our favorite Riot Fest performers: GWAR, Andrew WK, Coheed and Cambria, Dropkick Murphys, Rise Against, Reverend Horton Heat, NOFX, and Elvis Costello & The Imposters.

Sadly, Alkaline Trio, Gogol Bordello, Iggy & The Stooges, Minus the Bear, and Cursive proved too elusive for our lenses.

Saturday, September 15

GWAR

GWAR

GWAR

GWAR

GWAR

Andrew WK


Andrew WK

Andrew WK

Andrew WK


Coheed & Cambria

Coheed & Cambria

Coheed & Cambria


Dropkick Murphys

Dropkick Murphys

Rise Against

Rise Against


Rise Against

Sunday, September 16

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton Heat

NOFX

NOFX

NOFX

Elvis Costello & The Imposters

Elvis Costello & The Imposters