If you had only one day to attend Riot Fest 2021, would you go? I sure did and it was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. Having a day job and getting very little notice of my approval for a press pass meant I would only have one day (Friday) to attend. Thankfully three of my favorite bands were playing one after the other with no conflicts on that day. Motion City Soundtrack, Coheed and Cambria, and The Smashing Pumpkins: the bands that made up most of my high school playlists circa 2004. I couldn’t ask for a better lineup for my first event coming out of the pandemic. Riot Fest really brought the heat on this one.
COVID precautions also took center stage, with vaccine cards or negative results being a prerequisite to gain entry. I felt better about attending and being in such a large crowd with those guidelines in place. Riot Fest also went one step further and even had a rapid test station on-site (for $50), as well as a local hospital administering free COVID vaccines for those who wanted one. For us photographers, we had to wear a mask in the pit and in our press area when not eating or drinking. It wasn’t that big of a deal to me and I am glad they were thinking of everyone’s safety.
It’s been two years since my last festival, Intersect, and it was great to be back again. The lines to get in seemed to move quickly, the VIP line even faster. This being my first Riot Fest, I was impressed by the sheer size of it. However, trying to get from one stage to another can get tiring, and I’m not sure if I could have done all 3 days. I definitely got all my steps in for the week! The food vendors were great, most of which consisted of carnival-themed food, which I love, and the VIP area had an even better selection. I will admit being able to use VIP bathrooms was great. Upgraded (cleaner) bathrooms are where it’s at.
I started my day with Circa Survive, not a band I really listened to but still a pretty great show. Anthony Green was very energetic and it made for some great photos. After that, I went to see Anti-Flag, where I got to see some excellent moshing after we left the pit. I went to the ferris wheel during the remainder of their set where I got to witness one of the largest circle pits (seen in the cover photo of this post). Soon after, it was time for a band I’ve been into since I saw them at my first concert ever (Warped Tour 2004)… Motion City Soundtrack. Seeing them took me all the way back to high school, and they still had the same classic sound and energy as if they hadn’t aged a day. I took some of my best shots of audience members after crowd surfing; some of the happiest faces I’ve seen in such a long time.
Next up was a band just as close to my heart, Coheed and Cambria. While we were standing outside the pit, there were so many of us photographers who were split into two groups having 7 minutes each, and I thought to myself… what, so 1 song? And of course, the first song they played was In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, but damn what a song to open with, and to be that close! I found myself getting lost listening and headbanging with the crowd. Who can’t resist shouting “MAN YOUR OWN JACKHAMMER!!!”?
I couldn’t have picked a better way to end my night and the whole reason why I would make such a journey for one day of the fest… The Smashing Pumpkins! I was born in ‘87 so I wasn’t quite old enough to see them in the beginning. It wasn’t until they released Zeitgeist and went back out on tour that I finally got to see them live. I had fond memories of watching MTV (when it played videos) waiting for Tonight, Tonight, or 1979 to air. Billy Corgan still has those pipes. They played pretty much all classics and some new songs from CYR. However my favorites had to be EYE with Meg Myers stepping in, and then Shame, two rarities I haven’t heard live before. It even rained and it only added to the magic of the night.
Trying to leave Riot Fest was madness that took hours, albeit through no fault of the festival. So many people using the same rideshare app made for long delays and surging prices. Also, downtown was mostly shut down due to celebrations of Dieciseis de Septiembre (Mexican Independence Day), another wild sight to see. All in all, it was a great day and an amazing festival. I would like to thank the staff at Riot Fest and congratulate them for pulling this off during the most difficult times for live music in our lifetime.
Photos by Terry Flemings
Nice write up! Made us miss Austin REAL bad, might finally be time to plan some trips!