Why The Cramps are the Ultimate Halloween Band
Yes, even beating out the Misfits.Recently, I walked into a bougie health food store (it wasn’t Whole Foods, but a large local competitor) to the strains of a song I never expected to hear over their speakers: “Human Fly” by the Cramps. It was far from the first time I’d heard a punk-adjacent song in this kind of store. When…
Who The Heck Are Pinkshift?
Today’s Who The Heck feature is all about Pinkshift, Baltimore’s most promising young punk trio—and quite possibly the textbook definition of a “next generation” pop punk band (if “pop punk” is even the right phrase). Inspired by acts like My Chemical Romance and No Doubt, Pinkshift’s style leans into grunge and post-hardcore territories—but it was…
Premiere: Meet Ekko Astral, a Queer Post-Punk Band Making Mascara Moshpits
Listen to “EAT OFF MY CHEST“ off the D.C. group’s debut EP (out October 28) below“WE’RE JUST GROWING TITS AND THROWING FITS AT THE END OF THE WORLD! ” That’s just one memorable line from singer-songwriter Jael Holzman, a trans woman at the front of a thrilling new band called Ekko Astral who are currently tearing up Washington D.C.’s local punk scene. Today, we’re premiering their latest single “EAT OFF…
Watch a New Blind Adam and The Federal League Video Ahead of ANTIfest
Listen to “There Was A Ballgame” ahead of their Chicago show with Anti-Flag on November 4Ahead of their opening slot for ANTIfest in just two weeks, Blind Adam and The Federal League have released a brand new video for their song “There Was A Ballgame.” Watch it below. The track is off Blind Adam’s 2021 record An Act of Desperation, which was produced by Chris #2 Barker of Anti-Flag. Singer…
Bundle Up: Riot Fest Hoodie Orders Get Free Shipping
The best time of the year is finally here: FALL. Sorry, but we love light jackets and Halloween more than we love our own festival. (Can you really blame us? It’s a lot of work…) Anyways: it’s chilly out, so we’ve added free shipping on all RiotBrand.org orders with a hoodie included (U.S. orders only).…
Violence, High Heels, and “the Sexiest Band in the World”: Girls Against Boys’ Scott McCloud Revisits ‘House of GVSB’
The 90s alternative rock boom produced a lot of surprising success stories. For instance, post-hardcore outfit Girls Against Boys, which was born out of the DC Dischord scene before landing on MTV, Kevin Smith soundtracks, and (in poster form) Meadow Soprano’s bedroom wall. It was a strange rock star moment from a band whose shadow-y…
Staff Picks: 20 Businesses & Orgs to Support for Filipino-American History Month
Along with being the start of the spooky season, October is also when we celebrate Filipino-American History! Like many other Filipinos, the pride I have for my home country and culture stays spilling at the seams. I miss the Philippines and my family every single day, but the community I have found in America has…
Photos: The 50+ Couples Who Got Married at Riot Fest 2022
You’re all making our NO CRYING policy very hard to follow in the office todayLast year, the Riot Fest Wedding Chapel opened its doors after years of requests. It didn’t actually have doors, but it did look beautiful—and needless to say, it was a massive success. We married 32 couples at Riot Fest 2022, and you guys sure did save the date for this year: over 50 couples tied…
