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.
Cursive
ALARM’s must-see sets for Riot Fest Chicago 2012
For its eighth installment, Chicago’s punk- and hardcore-centered Riot Fest decided to go big, adding stops in Brooklyn, Toronto, and Dallas and expanding its Windy City weekend to include an outdoor carnival. Though tickets are almost gone, you still can grab two-day passes for Saturday and Sunday in Humboldt Park or buy single-day tickets for those two dates.
Here are our picks for the weekend. Rain isn’t in the forecast, but bring your poncho for GWAR either way.
Concert Photos: Minus the Bear & Tim Kasher @ the Vic
Veteran prog-pop band Minus the Bear played a show at Chicago’s Vic theater recently with Cursive frontman Tim Kasher as main support. The Seattle-based headliner is touring on the strength of its 2010 album, Omni (Dangerbird, 5/4/10), while Kasher is playing tunes from his first solo album, The Game of Monogamy (Saddle Creek, 10/5/10). ALARM contributing photographer Elizabeth Gilmore was on hand to document the indie stalwarts’ performances.
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Weekly Music News Roundup
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