There's a 'Riot' goin' on: Bands join for annual celebration of punk rock
Santiago Durango wasn't thrilled with the idea of picking up his guitar again.
A veteran of legendary Chicago bands Naked Raygun and Big Black, Durango had long ago set music aside to focus on his two sons and his law career. But then Dem Hopkins, owner of the late, lamented punk-rock club Oz, started working on him.
"Dem was really persuasive," Durango said with a laugh. "That's what did it for me."
Durango will take his spot with the reunited original lineup of Naked Raygun during next week's Riot Fest, a celebration of punk rock's past and present that will take over multiple Chicago concert venues over five days. : (Original Raygun drummer Jim Calao is recovering from injuries sustained in a biking accident and will be replaced at the Riot Fest show by current drummer Eric Spicer.)
Nearly two dozen acts are scheduled to perform, many of them having roots in Chicago and the suburbs. Some, like the reunited original lineup of Articles of Faith, date back to the earlier days of Chicago punk. Others, like the Smoking Popes (hailing from Crystal Lake) and the Brokedowns (from the Elgin area), represent the newer generation.
"It's so cool to be playing at Riot Fest," said Matt Caterer, bassist for the Smoking Popes. "The lineup is great, and the fans are in for some great music."
The Smoking Popes go back to the early 1990s, when brothers Matt, Josh and Eli Caterer -- all big metal fans until they discovered punk through the Ramones and later bands like Minor Threat -- started playing with other neighborhood kids in their Crystal Lake garage.
"It was just a thing where we'd play a bunch of garages in the area, and some weird basement shows," Matt Caterer said. "But where other bands might peter out after awhile, we just kept doing it, and the music got better."
The band, which also includes member Neil Hennessy, perfected a punk-pop sound distinguished by Josh Caterer's unique crooning vocals, a style that Matt described as "Frank Sinatra singing over the Ramones."
After a slew of acclaimed records, a short stint on a major label and a breakup in the late 1990s, the Popes regrouped in 2005 and are recording new songs and preparing reissues of the previous albums on indie label Asian Man Records.
"The shows we've done recently have been great, and we can't wait to see what happens at Riot Fest," Matt Caterer said.
Algonquin resident Kris Megyery, guitarist and singer for the Brokedowns, feels the same way. His group formed in its current incarnation in 2002, and just released its latest full-length record, "Species Bender," on indie label Red Scare Industries.
The Brokedowns' songs utilize a classic punk formula: They're short, fast, loud and aggressive.
"That's pretty much what we do," Megyery said. "We grew up listening to (defunct suburban punk band) Apocalypse Hoboken and things like that. This is our first Riot Fest, and it should be pretty cool."
For old-school punk fans, one of the highlights of the fest is sure to be the "Busted at Oz" reunion, which will include Naked Raygun, Silver Abuse and other bands. These Chicago groups and others continue to be cited as key influences on punk and alternative bands to this day.
The name of the show refers to a compilation record produced in the early '80s that featured most of the bands who regularly played at the music club Oz. (If you don't have tickets for this show already, you're out of luck; it's sold out.)
Back then, few people in the culturally conservative Chicago area cared much for punk rock or its fans, said Naked Raygun's Durango. Punks were openly hassled on the street, and clubs like Oz that hosted punk shows faced problems from the police.
"(Oz) was constantly being raided by the cops, which is why the record is called 'Busted,'" Durango said. "It was a key club, and that record was a seminal recording of Chicago punk bands."
Durango said the bands of that day gave Chicago punk its signature sound heavy guitars, distorted bass and opened the local music scene up to original music.
"In the '70s, before all those bands came along, all you heard in Chicago was cover bands," he said. "The Chicago scene of the '80s doesn't get much credit, but I think it really paved the way for the bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Liz Phair that exploded in the '90s.
"Punk might have just been a flash in the pan if it hadn't taken root in Chicago."
Durango, who works in Ottawa, Ill., as an appellate defender, said that despite his initial reservations, he's had a blast playing the old Raygun material again and reconnecting with other bands of the day.
"I've had such a great time doing this, and I think the show is going to be incredible," he said. "Riot Fest in general is a great thing for the city. To have this many bands at a bunch of venues in the same week adds something really exciting to the Chicago music scene."
Riot Fest highlightsMetro, 3730 N. Clark, Chicago:bull; The Brokedowns, 9:05 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7bull; Articles of Faith, 7:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8bull; Smoking Popes, 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee, Chicago:bull; Busted at Oz reunion, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 (sold out)bull; Corrosion of Conformity, 11:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee, Chicago:bull; Bad Religion, 9:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8bull; Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 9:35 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9False20001517Bad ReligionCourtesy of Myriam SantosFalse <p class="factboxheadblack">Riot Fest 2010</p><p class="News"><b>When:</b> Wednesday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 10</p><p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Assorted Chicago venues, including Metro, the Double Door, House of Blues, the Congress Theater and more.</p><p class="News"><b>Tickets:</b> Price varies by show and venue. The "Busted at Oz" reunion is sold out. For tickets and full schedule, go to <a href="http://riotfest.org" target="new">riotfest.org</a>.</p>