Riot Fest kicked off in Chicago’s Douglass Park on Thursday, September 16th. All eyes were on late-addition Morrissey, who actually showed up and played a complete set. (Check out Consequence’s full account of the headlining gig here.)
Punk-poet icon Patti Smith also trotted out classics like “People Have the Power,” “Redondo Beach” and “Because the Night” for what was billed as the festival’s “preview party,” while backed by her veteran band.
“We are so grateful to play,” Smith said at one point, acknowledging the, you know, global crisis. “We are still in the center of a global pandemic, and don’t forget it. Take care of yourselves.”
Alkaline Trio and Joyce Manor also drew enthusiastic crowds, ushering in a late-summer weekend of good ol’ rock music.
Check out the full gallery of live photos from Day 1 of Riot Fest below.
