Blink-182, Sparks, Weird Al And Rilo Kiley As Riot Fest Gets Underway

“We had a record that turned 25 this year,” said Alkaline Trio singer and guitarist Matt Skiba on stage Friday at Riot Fest, referencing the group’s sophomore studio effort Maybe I’ll Catch Fire as the punk rock festival kicked off in Chicago, celebrating a milestone of its own. “Happy birthday, Riot Fest!”

Launching in 2005 as a showcase for sounds gurgling underneath the mainstream radar, Riot Fest turns 20 this year. Moving from tiny clubs to theaters, Riot Fest made the leap to the outdoor expanse in Chicago in 2012, reuniting acts like the Replacements, Misfits and Jawbreaker over the course of a once unthinkable 20 years in the Windy City.

Celebrating their roots via weekend appearances by acts like Green Day and Bad Religion, Riot Fest’s evolution into a more general embrace of the unconventional is on full display at 20, with the festival delivering appearances by acts like California surf pop icons The Beach Boys, parody king “Weird” Al Yankovic and art pop pioneers Sparks.

“We’re happy just to be able to expose our music to people that aren’t necessarily Sparks fans,” said Sparks vocalist Russell Mael backstage Friday, prior to the duo’s on stage Riot Fest debut. “So, it’s a good way for us just to be able to do shows and play for people that wouldn’t necessarily come to a Sparks show potentially,” said the vocalist of a rare U.S. festival appearance.

“It’s also good to be in uncomfortable positions,” added keyboard player Ron Mael. “With our shows, people are so diehard and excited – but at a festival, you’re trying to present yourself to at least a certain number of people who don’t know who you are,” he said. “We really like that. Because it’s a way to broaden our audience.”

Over the course of more than five decades, the California duo has offered up nearly 30 studio albums, consistently pushing the music forward via experimentation and evolution.

“My name’s Russell. This is Ron,” said Mael as the duo took to the Riot Fest stage late Friday afternoon. “We are Sparks!” he said, as the siblings kicked off their Riot Fest set with “So May we Start.”

Keys and electronic elements were resplendent Friday in Chicago as Sparks dug into their latest studio creation, offering up “Do Things my Own Way” on the Riot Fest stage.

“The first song on the Mad! album,” said Russell of the new song. “I think we’ve kind of adopted that philosophy throughout our whole career. In any case, we’ve been lucky enough to be able to not have to do things based on focus groups,” said the singer. “We’ve never had anybody on any label telling us what direction to go for,” he said. “From the very first day when Todd Rundgren signed Sparks in 1972 – him and Albert Grossman – he said, ‘You guys have such a strong universe that you’ve created. Don’t diverge from it. Go with your own instincts.’ And that’s what he loved about that first album that we did. He said, ‘Don’t listen to anybody and you’ll be fine.’”

Despite a return to the independent ranks, Mad! reached #2 on the U.K. albums chart upon release earlier this year, the highest charting release of the group’s 55 year career and proof positive of Sparks’ still potent appeal.

Set for release October 3, 2025, the Madder EP acts as a companion piece to the Mad! album. Performing in front of a large early audience Friday in Chicago’s Douglass Park, Sparks’ multi-generational appeal was on full display over the course of a 45 minute set on Yankovic’s “Weird World” stage.

“It’s incredible. It’s really inspiring to us,” said Ron. “We cherish the loyalty of people that have been there for a long time – but the thing that’s really motivating for us is that there’s so many new people that are coming in,” he said, noting the number of young faces gearing up for the group’s festival set. “One thing that is a positive thing to say about the internet is that people can kind of catch up very quickly on what you’ve done before and it’s all kind of seen as one thing. It isn’t like a past, present sort of thing,” said Mael. “So, it’s really been healthy for us.”

Friday afternoon at Riot Fest, the Rise stage became Yankovic’s “Weird World” for the day, with the parody impresario curating an on stage lineup touting Sparks, Japanese punks Shonen Knife, metal satire troupe Mac Sabbath, performance artist Puddles Pity Party and alt rockers Camper Van Beethoven ahead of a one hour headlining slot by Yankovic (all hosted by stand-up comedian Emo Philips, a Chicagoland-born comic who co-starred alongside Yankovic in the 1989 cult classic comedy UHF).

Shonen Knife tore into “Boys” early in a rollicking half hour set, with Mac Sabbath channeling Ozzy Osbourne during 30 minutes of their own.

“Forged in the heat of the grill and bathed in the fryer…” came the tongue-in-cheek introduction as the fast food-themed troupe took to the stage Friday in Chicago. “Ronald is here to warn you of the evils of the drive-thru dinner!”

Frontman Ronald Osbourne, hunched over clapping a la Ozzy, drove a take on “Organic Funeral” which channeled Sabbath’s “Electric Funeral.”

“We’ve been knighted as the forefathers of drive-thru metal. But it’s nice to be back in the States, man!” said Osbourne Friday at Riot Fest. “It’s so great to come to your country and play with real rock and roll bands – like ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic!” he joked, setting up “Chicken for the Slaves,” soon striking a cowbell as the group revisited Sabbath’s Master of Reality album via a track which riffs on Sabbath’s “Children of the Grave.” “You will hear no songs on this stage tonight by Cinnabon Jovi,” asserted the frontman.

Over 20 years, Riot Fest has hung its hat upon the staging of unlikely reunions. This year, L.A. indie pop outfit Rilo Kiley was a highlight as the festival got underway in Chicago.

“It’s been a while, Chicago” said guitarist Blake Sennett early in a one hour performance on the Radical stage.

While they haven’t released a new studio album since 2007, Rilo Kiley didn’t skip a beat Friday, a rare festival reunion that actually left fans wanting more.

Singer and guitarist Jenny Lewis leaned back and to her right, tearing away at the guitar during opener “The Execution of All Things” as bass rumbled beneath.

“Spectacular Views” ended in a whirl of cacophonous distortion while a jangly feel drove “Paint’s Peeling.”

“What’s up Chicago?” asked Lewis, following “The Moneymaker.” Bass was up front on the track with a heavier edge setting in later, as the group struck a bluesy noir tone later on “I Never.”

Remaining independent has allowed Riot Fest to present what’s consistently become one of the country’s most rewardingly diverse festival lineups.

Appropriately enough, folk-influenced Celtic punks The Pogues closed up the Rebel stage, running through 1985’s Rum Sodomy & the Lash album as punk rockers Blink-182 wrapped up the Friday performance slate with a 90 minute set on the nearby Riot stage (following a pre-recorded intro video featuring UFC announcer Bruce Buffer).

Pyro soared early during “Josie” with the vaunted punks wasting no time getting to the hits courtesy of “The Rock Show” and “First Date,” with drummer Travis Barker’s propulsive fills fueling the former.

Following Blink-182’s headlining Friday night set, Barker got an early start Saturday morning, bringing his “Run Travis Run” 5K and wellness experience to the city’s south side.

Hitting the ground in Jackson Park, Barker arrived for the well attended event, one which featured live music from area youth via School of Rock Chicago, mingling with fans before and after an event designed to inspire.

“This is the first song off the greatest album of all time,” said DeLonge Friday, revisiting 1999’s Enema of the State album via opening cut “Dumpweed.”

“S–t yeah, Riot Fest!” said DeLonge on stage as Blink-182 returned to Riot Fest Friday night in Chicago. “It’s so much better headlining the first night.”