Riot Fest in the Sun

A recap blog of day two with Iva and Lauren!!

With a very good night's sleep, we came in on day two with dedication and high expectations. Today's lineup was going to be packed, and we were going to be jumping from show to show quite often. We had to lock in and prepare for what the day had ahead.

Day 2 Schedule:

Because our first show of the day wasn't until 2:50, Iva and I decided to explore the festival grounds some more! What we discovered was nothing like we imagined.

We entered Riot Land with our spirits high and the sun beating down on us. The first thing that welcomes you is a beautiful Ferris wheel, along with some other fun rides and games that we did not partake in. After passing through the 'Choose Your Own Adventure', we noticed a very interesting event taking place.

A crowd gathered, not for music, but for a wrestling match hosted by the National Wrestling Association... I will admit, I am not a huge fan of watching people fight each other, so we did not stay long.

Instead, our attention was drawn to another gathering of people, who were grouping around a very strange, smooth statue.

We had heard word that John Stamos was finally making an appearance at Riot Fest, but not without demands.

While this statue being built was not one of his demands, there was a look-alike contest held at it! We got there right as it ended, but still had enough time to meet the winner!

Lowkey, he looked more like John Stamos than the statue did.

The news of John Stamos agreeing to not only be at Riot Fest but also perform with The Beach Boys spread like wildfire. Everyone, including the photographers, was discussing it nonstop in line for the photo pits, especially because The Beach Boys were allowing us to be in their photo pit, which was super exciting and unexpected.

Finally, the time came for our first show of the day: Helmet!

Helmet was a force to be reckoned with. The alternative metal band came in strong with the base. You could just feel it in every part of your body. From just their performance alone, you could tell how much the band loved playing. Helmet first started playing in the late 80s and has influenced so many bands today, such as Limp Bizkit.

Their crowd had people of all ages attending, with the kind of communal respect only really found in hard and metal shows. People were dancing, moshing, and enjoying the music to the max, in whatever way that meant for them.

After Helmet, we had some time before the next show, in which we decided to head to the Press tent and help out our friend from the Pop Punk Pizza Pod with an interview she was hosting!

After our final break for the day, we ran to see the Folk Rock band, The Front Bottoms.

A total shift in energy from the show we just came from. Playing their album, 'Back on Top,' they got the crowd's energy way up. Fans were screaming every word back at them.

Rain started halfway through their set, yet the show went on. The atmosphere only added to the music and created a beautiful moment for the audience. The crowd was set on celebrating the album's 10-year anniversary in rain or shine, and rain it did.

Next, we saw the human version of Butter-Stamos with The Beach Boys. It was a phenomenal show. With only one original member left, there was a sense of nostalgia for the very influential band. John Stamos playing with them was just the cherry on top.

Playing some of their classic songs, like Surfer Girl (and others), the crowd kept growing larger and larger. The energy at this show was far different than most others that we went to, though, even with a huge crowd, everyone was just taking in the music and the historical moment they were in.

Here is where Iva and I parted ways. I (Lauren) ran to go see All Time Low while she ran to The Dropkick Murphys.

All Time Low's set was an absolute blast!! They got the crowd's energy way up with their early 2000s high school sound. The members seemed to be having so much fun on stage.

Seeing them was kind of a full-circle moment for me as their song, "Dear Maria, Count Me In," was part of my summer's soundtrack. This song was on repeat during a trip that my roommate and I took together, and it just brings me back to amazing memories of that. I think that one of the most powerful things about songs is just how they can be associated with memories or periods of our lives, and All Time Low does that for so many people.

Their set was one of my favorites from Saturday. The energy was just so high the entire time, and it really made me a mix of jealousy for those who got to experience these bands earlier, but also so much joy that I had the opportunity to see them and these other bands that were more popular when I was little.

While Lauren was off listening to All Time Low, I went to check out the Irish-punk band, the Dropkick Murphys. Their set was also full of energy, with people singing along to their newest album, For The People, along with nostalgic hits from albums like Signed and Sealed in Blood and The Meanest of Times. Since they've been releasing music since the 1990s, their fanbase consisted of people from various age groups, all coming together to scream the lyrics of the closing song, "Rose Tattoo."

Along with their amazing performance, the lead singer, Ken Casey, took a second before announcing their last song to speak up about the horrible things happening around the world. It's endearing to know that these punk artists are still speaking up against injustices, as it is a core aspect of their musical identity. It was amazing to be able to see them like this.

After the Dropkick Murphys, I had to run to catch a good spot for Weezer, performing on the Riot Stage, so I was able to catch the last bit of Jack White's performance on the Roots Stage. Since I was a huge fan of The White Stripes in middle school, I was familiar with who Jack White was, but I hadn't listened to his music on his own. Luckily, I was able to catch his rendition of "Seven Nation Army," one of the most popular songs made by The White Stripes. It was a full-circle moment for me, which was magical to experience.

And finally, ladies, gentlemen, and others, the band I am sure you have all been waiting for: it is time for Weezer.

Their performance was a full album play of The Blue Album, and it did not disappoint. The visuals they used were just striking and took the audience on an adventure through space.

The performance was completely captivating, with the band's chemistry with each other, they owned the stage completely. Their playful banter kept the crowd entertained in between their songs. The Blue Album is easily their most popular album, and so they were able to play all of the hits. Including my (Iva) song, 'Island In The Sun,' and seriously, this is a show that I would get tickets for to see again. The live version of this song was everything and then some!

Day 2 was easily top 3 for us.

Every performance was so powerful and just amazing. It was all such a beautiful experience, getting to be a part of this festival and seeing bands who haven't performed in such a long time. We came in and left feeling more energized than ever and excited to see what Day 3 had in store.

♡ Iva and Lauren