By Dave Miller

X

"Hey, TV people, I'm over here!" Iggy Pop yelled to a wandering cameraman during The Stooges' headlining performance that closed Riot Fest Sunday night at Humboldt Park.

X

Pop didn't have to worry about attracting attention. Eyes were glued to him during an incendiary performance that was even more remarkable considering the old Detroit punk is 65. To this day, there's nobody like Pop. His shows are filled with an explosive, anything-can-happen vibe and contain a danger that goes beyond show business. He called for fans to bum rush the stage, asked if they wanted to see his cock, stage-dived, dodged projectiles, and twisted and contorted his shirtless body across the stage like he was not only looking for trouble, but trying to start it.

X

The Stooges ignited the large crowd as soon as they laid into the first notes of opener "Raw Power" with Pop bounding across the stage with wide eyes, stringy hair and a madman's grin. "I'm a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm," he sang on "Search and Destroy." "I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb." The retooled Stooges backed Pop with menace to match their leader. Guitarist James Williamson fired off riffs with the coolness of an assassin. Bassist Mike Watt thundered tough notes hunched over and on his toes like a third baseman while tracking Pop's every move. Drummer Larry Mullins filled in for the ailing Scott Asheton and catapulted the chaos by keeping the stinging beat on a tenuous edge.

X

Pop danced with a dozen girls on "Shake Appeal" and then expressed disappointment that no guys joined them. Songs such as "1970s," "Fun House," "I Wanna Be Your Dog," "No Fun" and "The Passenger" made for a memorable hour-long set that was the clear highlight of the fest in its outdoor debut.

X

It was impossible to see all 47 acts from the fest's four stages over the weekend, but, from what I witnessed, the Dropkick Murphys played the best set on an underwhelming Saturday. Sunday, on the other hand, was much better, topped by The Stooges along with White Mystery, Gogol Bordello and, in a wonderful revelation, Sister Crayon.

X

Riot Fest promoters are to be commended for putting on such a successful event. Using Humboldt Park was an inspired choice. The fest never felt too crowded despite the 30,000 daily attendance. It was easy to maneuver between stages and, perhaps in a festival first, there were more than enough Porta Potties throughout the grounds. Food choices abounded and it was easy to get a beer, though $7 for a cup was a bit much. What pushed the fest completely over the top and made it unique was the inclusion of a carnival, complete with a Ferris wheel, along with bonus forms of entertainment. Pro wresting matches took place in a full-sized ring, hoop dancers and fire twirlers popped up on satellite stages, and a parade of stilt walkers and carny characters came out of nowhere. Corporate logos were barely present. It was a refreshing change to see promoters providing an entertaining experience beyond the norm.

X

The fest's only real drawback was sound bleeding between some stages. The sound from the bigger Roots Stage bled to the smaller Rebel Stage. On Saturday, no-nonsense punks Off With Their Heads acknowledged being able to hear Gwar's simultaneous set. Sunday, I had to move from the right side of the crowd during Elvis Costello's set at the Roots Stage because the bleed from A Day to Remember on the Rock Stage was too distracting.

X

Saturday saw Gwar play a stupid set. Their act is best watched for five minutes. The joke gets old after that. The beheading and blood spurting into the audience at the start of the show was fun, but the dumb insults of Europeans and the theatrical aborting of Snooki's fetus was not. If you want a satirical heavy metal band, stick with Spinal Tap. Gwar deserves to play before the puppet show.

X

Elsewhere Saturday, August Burns Red infused high energy into its metalcore. Sure, the music has been done before, but lead singer Jake Luhrs brought it with a convincing growl. The band had the crowd moving as one in front of the stage. A cool finish included a double drum solo when a band member received his own drum kit to join drummer Matt Greiner.

X

An air siren signaled the start of Andrew W.K's fun performance. "This isn't a concert," he said. "This is a party." He made good on the declaration. Dressed in white with his long hair covering his sweaty face, he often played off his backing singer wife, Cherie Lily, in "Beauty and the Beast" fashion when he wasn't playing his keyboard or exhorting the crowd. Three guitars pumped up a big sound. Andrew celebrated the 10th anniversary of his first album, I Get Wet, by playing the title track. With his arms raised and one foot resting on top of a monitor, Andrew sported a big grin as he surveyed the clapping crowd. It was easy to get caught up in his unjaded enthusiasm. "The future and the past don't mean shit," he said. "The only thing that matters is right here, right now." "Party Hard" closed the set on a high note.

X

The classic rock from New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem was strongest on "American Slang" and "The '59 Sound," but too often veered into pedestrian territory. Frontman Brian Fallon's banter fell flat, too. This band has potential to do greater things, but it treated everything a little too seriously. It would make a greater connection if it loosened up.

X

Slapstick lived up to its name with lead singer Brendan Kelly teetering on drunkeness, though he still had enough wits to respond in good humor to a heckler. "Did someone say we suck"" Kelly asked. "Well, they're right," a band member chimed in. "Well," Kelly continued, "we broke up 15 years ago. We're right there with you, but it's fun." Two horns helped form the group's careening punk ska.

X

The Dropkick Murphys played a Saturday evening set that raised the stakes on the rest of the festival to that point. The Irish street brawlers are very tight for all their movement and energy onstage. Lead singer Al Barr moved with the feistiness of a champion bantamweight and bassist Ken Casy supplied a sturdy presence while strongly handling some vocal chores. They opened with "The State of Massachusetts." They covered "Which Side Are You On?" and dedicated it to Chicago's striking teachers. Some strong new songs were played from a planned January album. A song with the lyrics "The boys are back and they're looking for trouble" and another one with the repeated line "Don't tear us apart, you've got to show some heart" were rousing, worthy additions. "Rose Tattoo" featured Revolutionary War drums. The Dropkick Murphys have a special bond with their fans. Crowd surfers fell into the pit like water over Niagara Falls. It wasn't just a bunch of kids either. One surfer had to be pushing 60. By the time the band closed with their signature song, "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," followed by AC/DC's "T.N.T.," it had successfully shrunk the size of the big park. Lots of people more than a football field away form the stage were pumping fists, dancing and singing to a band that evokes a sense of being connected to the history of the country.

X

I caught the opening of The Descendents' set. Looking their age, the band nevertheless showed it still possesses a punk ethic. Lead singer Milo Aukerman looked like a suburban dad who just stepped off his boat at the family weekend getaway, but that just made what he was singing about even more subversive.

X

Rise Against closed Saturday's lineup. The punk's hearts were in the right place as they also dedicated a song to the striking teachers. "If you still think the strike is about money, then pull your head out of your ass," frontman Tim McIlrath said. "It's about the future of our kids, our city and the country." McIlrath clearly appreciated headlining in the group's hometown, noting it played its first shows a few blocks away at the Fireside Bowl. However, Rise Against's bombastic, plodding sound and relentless seriousness caused me to lose interest by midset. I missed seeing Aukerman and Bill Stevenson from The Descendents join the band for a cover of Black Flag's "Jealous Again."

XX

Sunday brought a great surprise. I stumbled upon Sister Crayon and watched a mesmerizing set from the Sacramento, Calif, quartet. Terra Lopez's voice melted with three keyboards as she floated around the stage in her own world. The band's dreamy sound, heightened by drums and occasional guitar, felt out of place with the punk aggression of much of the rest of the fest and only a sparse crowd witnessed it, but it was a stunning performance. After it ended, a 20-something guy walked up to the stage barrier and gushed to the band about how the amazing set was like a religious experience. It was a beautiful, pure reaction. I was glad to hear someone confirm my experience.

X

White Mystery hit the stage next. Miss Alex White was so eager to play that she launched the show five minutes early, as soon as she and her drumming brother, Francis Scott Key, finished soundchecking, oblivious to the stage manager's urging to wait. The hometown duo tore through a blistering set of cranked-up, garage sounds, rocking and rumbling with fierce passion. Alex sang with innocence and commitment while playing guitar hero. Francis bludgeoned his kit like he was trying to destroy it. The band drew fans to its hometown performance like a magnet while playing songs such as the perfect opener, "White Mystery," "Birthday Song" and the closing "Take a Walk."

X

A large crowd watched The Jesus and Mary Chain play a set that was long on sound and short of stage presence. Lead singer Jim Reid acted a bit detached from the proceedings, but that didn't seem to matter too much as the Scottish band's druggy melodies washed over the fest in late afternoon.

X

Costello knew the crowd he was playing to and delivered a set with his Imposters featuring many of his hits such as "Radio Radio," "Less Than Zero," "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea," "Watching the Detectives" and "(Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" before closing with "Pump It Up" and Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding." Costello played plenty of nifty guitar. It was a well-executed, well-received set, but the performance didn't generate serious sparks.

X

Gogol Bordello started its gypsy-punk set like it was shot out of a cannon. The band and its audience feed of each other, and both held up their end. Singing guitarist Eugene Hutz, violinst Sergey Ryabtsev, singer Pedro Erazo and accordionist Yuri Lemeshev project a tremendous amount of energy. Each has stage presence and, together, they can carry you away like a strong current. I missed the female band member who was with the band at the North Coast Music Festival last year. She added to the group's projected sense of community.

X

All in all, Riot Fest delivered a unique, feel-good experience where promoters were interested in more than your money. In 2012, that's pretty rebellious. 

X

X

Iggy and The Stooges setlist: