Chicago Gets Alternative with Riot Fest

Modern Rock

By Kristi Kates | June 3, 2017

Chicago’s Riot Fest just announced their 2017 lineup, with an eclectic roster of artists sure to bring in something for nearly every variety of alternative music fan. Headlining night one is Nine Inch Nails, with Queens of the Stone Age taking over the headlining spot on night two; night three’s grand finale will feature a reunion of punkers Jawbreaker, who hasn’t performed live together in nearly 20 years. Also on the bill are New Order, M.I.A., TV on the Radio, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Paramore, who is promoting its newest album; Riot Fest runs Sept. 15–17 this year in Chi-town’s Douglas Park. Tickets, a complete schedule, and more information are available at riotfest.org …

Jack White appeared on “CBS This Morning” to share a sneak peek at his recently opened Third Man Records pressing plant and factory in Detroit. The factory, which includes a giant vinyl-themed art mural and custom German-built vinyl record presses, is located in D-Town’s Cass Corridor. White’s goal for the facility is “to bring people back to the physical product of music and get away from invisible music and disposable music.” Along with the facility tour, “CBS This Morning” also showcased a performance by one of Jack White’s touring bandmates and a recent Third Man Records signee, the fiddle player Lillie Mae …

Hayley Williams, Taylor York, and Zac Farro — aka the Tennessee rock band Paramore — have a brand new album out, After Laughter, and have announced a new run of tour dates they’ll embark on to promote it this fall. The tour will start in Jacksonville, Fla. on Sept. 6, and will end Oct. 17 in Nashville. Prior to this trek, Paramore will play KROQ’s Weenie Roast and will then criss-cross the U.S. over the summer for a scattered series of music festival live appearances …

LCD Soundsystem appeared on “Saturday Night Live” for the very first time to perform two of its own brand-new songs, “Call the Police” and “American Dream,” tracks the band debuted during its recent residency at New York City’s Brooklyn Steel music venue. Both tunes run around six minutes long, so had to be shortened for the SNL broadcast. In conjunction with the TV appearance, the band’s James Murphy also updated fans on LCD’s upcoming new album, its first since 2010. He said the band has only a few more things left to track and mix, and then the record should be mastered and shipped later this summer …

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival has announced the lineup for its 2017 outdoor Top of the Park Music Series, which starts on June 9 and runs through July 2. The shows take place at The Rackham Stage on the U of M campus, and the O&W Acoustic Stage under the Bell Tower. This summer’s performers include Flint Eastwood, The Crane Wives, The Appleseed Collective, and Third Coast Kings; get the full schedule and more information at A2SF.org …

THE BUZZ
The East Grand Rapids Summer Concert Series is kicking off in just a few weeks in the city’s John Collins Park, with performers including Drew Hale on June 19, Green on Blue on July 10, and The Doran Brothers on July 17…

Mary J. Blige’s tour is going to pass through Michigan this summer, with a show at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater in Sterling Heights on Aug. 1 …
Aug. 10–12 are the dates for this year’s Cowpie Festival at the Shagbark Farm in Alaska, Michigan, with performances from UV Hippo, Delilah DeWylde, Jesse Ray, and Fauxgrass, among others …
Celtic/world music outfit An Dro sat at the top of Grand Rapids’ WYCE Radio’s playlist in May …

Katy Perry is set to bring her world tour to Detroit’s new Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 6 … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.