We chatted with Punk Rock legend Chuck Comeau of Simple Plan – all about their recent album “Harder Than It Looks!” We chatted about the “Blame Canada” tour with Sum 41, going DIY by self-producing and releasing their own records, their history of collabs, making more mature records, major anniversaries, and much more!
The very nature of Simple Plan’s hotly anticipated sixth record, Harder Than It Looks (Self-Released) is actually doubly prophetic. The French-Canadian fourpiece have kept it rather simple indeed since they hit it big with ‘I’d Do Anything’ way back in 2002. Not known as a hugely poetic or introspective lyrical band, the pop punkers instead let the music do the talking in all its springy, bobby greatness. That’s not to say the means by which to achieve this is easy, hence the album title.Continue reading
One of the titans of the North American summer Music Festival season is Riot Fest, and we were damn glad to see it come back strong in 2021. Especially after Lollapalooza did such bang up numbers coming back, and kept the safety methods strongto minimize the effects of the pandemic, you knew Riot Fest was going to go hard, and bring it big time. Even with the departures from the lineup of Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and others, it was as stacked a lineup as the fest has ever had. If you’ve ever been to Riot Fest, Lollapalooza, Coachella or any other festival, you’ve witnessed the power of live music bringing people together. At Riot Fest 2021, we learned that even a global pandemic is no match for a community this passionate and devoted. What makes Riot Fest particularly special, though, is the integration of bands and artists from several generations, and the consequent mingling of their fans. Whether you’re twelve or sixty years old, there’s someone on the lineup for you.
Riot Fest has made the final weekend additions to the 2021 event, kicking off September 19th, 2021, which will be the fest’s first-ever Thursday Preview Party. Patti Smith and Her Band and Alkaline Trio will join Thursday night, with additional sets from Joyce Manor (performing their self-titled 2011 debut), WDRL, and Kristeen Young. As for Sunday, The Flaming Lips will return to Riot Fest on Sunday, bringing the fest-favorites back to Douglass Park on September 19 to replace Pixies. Sunday attendees will also get into the Thursday Preview Party for free, with a host of freshly-announced perks included. Tickets are on sale now at the link below.
“The Original Misfits” reunion of Danzig, Jerry Only, and Doyle has already announced they will perform at Aftershock Festival and now they will perform all of their classic Walk Among Us (Plan 9 Records) at Riot Fest 2022. Misfits will headline along with My Chemical Romance, already announced for 2022. tickets are on sale now for 2022 and this year’s Riot Fest features Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, DEVO, NOFX, Dinosaur Jr., Motion City Soundtrack, Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels, Pixies, Circle Jerks, Coheed & Cambria, K.Flay, Meg Myers, Les Savy Fav, and many others to perform. My Chemical Romance has been announced as the first headliner for 2022 and tickets are on sale for both this year and next years’ fests at the link below. Riot Fest takes place every year at Douglass Park this fall (September 17–19) with a pair of announcements both for this year, and next year. In an unprecedented move, festival organizers are revealing the lineup for 2021, along with tickets for 2022. Three-day passes for both years are now on sale; 2021 single-day passes will go on sale next week, when more bands for 2021 will be announced.
A plethora of bands will descend on Chicago for the return of Riot Fest! Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, DEVO, NOFX, Dinosaur Jr., Motion City Soundtrack, Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels, Pixies, Circle Jerks, Coheed & Cambria, K.Flay, Meg Myers, Les Savy Fav, and many others to perform. My Chemical Romance has been announced as the first headliner for 2022 and tickets are on sale for both this year and next years’ fests at the link below. Riot Fest takes place every year at Douglass Park this fall (September 17–19) with a pair of announcements both for this year, and next year. In an unprecedented move, festival organizers are revealing the lineup for 2021, along with tickets for 2022. Three-day passes for both years are now on sale; 2021 single-day passes will go on sale next week, when more bands for 2021 will be announced.
I assume it’s easy to look back at the aughts and be dismissive of the entire decade particularly from the perspective of metal or punk fan. Nu-Metal was slowly being phased out as any goodwill from the previous decade had eroded and acts like Simple Plan and Good Charlotte made everyone realize that maybe the idea of Pop-Punk was a mistake. But those who kept their ear close to the ground knew better than to become jaded. Hard rock was alive and well and young bands were doing very exciting things. Young bands like Between the Buried and Me with their seminal Alaska (Victory Records 2005/Craft Recordings 2020).
It’s the final cross-country voyage of the Vans Warped Tour. Since 1995, the unofficial punk rock summer camp has introduced us all to iconic acts from Bad Religion to Katy Perry.Continue reading
Already featuring a massive lineup of bands, Download 2017 has added 20 more names to the roster with Devin Townsend Project, Code Orange, Max & Iggor Cavalera playing their ‘Return To Roots’ show, Sick Puppies, rapper Machine Gun Kelly, Sikth, Suicide Silence, Ty Bryant And the Shakedown, Krokodil and many more announced. Continue reading
As expected Download Festival 2017 has added 20 more bands to next summer’s fest. Opeth, Red Fang, Mastodon, Clutch, Ministry, Sum 41, Pierce The Veil, Good Charlotte, Alter Bridge, Devil Driver, WAKRAT, Greywind and more are now on the bill. Details below: Continue reading