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GOGOL BORDELLO

by Kevin Mehalek
photo by Daniel Efram

Veterans of Riot Fest, gypsy punk kingpins Gogol Bordello always elevate any festival experience as they invite an eclectic, animated crowd with their interactive, hyper-theatrical performance art freakouts. Hailing from NYC’s Lower East Side, the group assembles members from various countries around the globe to combine elements of punk, Latin, and folk to create unequivocally awesome music that is best enjoyed live. Fans can expect a furiously dancing crowd led by the band themselves, who have no problem keeping the vitality high by treating the stage like their own personal playground. Fan favorites such as “Start Wearing Purple” and “Wonderlust King” will be sure to light up the crowd, however it would be hard to imagine any moment at a Gogol Bordello show being low-energy. Every single member of the group participates in the circus-oriented charades with their own individual method, which can at first be intimidating for newbies but quickly morphs into a seductively welcoming chaos.

6:35-7:35 PM
Riot Stage

AT THE DRIVE-IN

by Brian Furman

There aren’t many bands that can string three records together and consistently be cited as an inspiration for a generation of musicians. Not unless you’re The Stooges…or El Paso’s At the Drive-In, a band that rivals The Stooges in intensity, danger, and unpredictability. The Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez-led band burned bright, fast, and loud in the early ‘00s with a sound that is as abrasive as it is philosophical and introspective, paired with manic live shows that conjured images of exorcism. Their third record, 2000’s Relationship of Command, is frequently cited on “best of the decade” lists and produced radio staple “One Armed Scissor”. ATDI recently reformed after a more than 10-year hiatus, releasing the excellent in·ter·a·li·a in 2017. Warning: You may see things that aren’t quite real, but you will feel every second of this set. 

7:40-8:40 PM
Roots Stage

WU-TANG CLAN

by Jimby Sisto
photo by Jonathan Weiner

Plenty of rappers claim to be legends. Wu-Tang Clan actually are. Originally composed of East Coast rappers RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa, their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is nothing short of a hip-hop masterpiece that has inspired all of your favorite rappers. Masterful wordplay, ingenious beats, and uproarious conceptual pieces have put Wu-Tang in every prestigious “best of” list since the early ‘90s. It almost feels trivial to put into words what these gentlemen have accomplished, both as a group and as solo acts. (See Liquid Swords, Iron Man and Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version.) With rhymes that will throw you into a tizzy and beats bound to put you into the floor, Wu-Tang Clan is clearly not fucking around as they take to the Riot Fest stage to perform 36 Chambers in its entirety.

8:00-9:00 PM
Radicals Stage

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

by Jimby Sisto
photo by Andreas Neumann

Call it alternative, call it metal, call it doom-stoner rock. Just don’t call it lazy. Queens of the Stone Age have set an incredibly high bar since Josh Homme assembled its cast of misfits in the California desert in 1996, while the band has gone on to cast a Goliath-sized shadow over any band that wishes to be in the same conversation as them. Homme and company continue to sail into wonky territory these days, fusing heavy metal guitars of old with heady future-focused production. Their new album Villains is easily one of the finest pieces of musicianship of this still-young year from a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-caliber band who are nothing less than the Albert Pujols of rock. Previous albums like Rated R and Songs For The Deaf are certifiable marks of master craft and pure ingenuity from a band that will punch you in the jaw, then make you laugh with a mouthful of blood.

8:45-10:00 PM
Riot Stage

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