Friends Like These
First Wave Of A Riot
Blink 182
Riot Fest continues its tradition of solid, "left of center" bookings for the 2018 version of the home-
town festival that returns to Douglas Park September 14-16.
This year’s fest brings a bevy of artists across dozens of genres on five stages including “First
Wave” headliners Blink-182 and Beck (with a third to be revealed during Riot Fest’s second wave line-
up announcement, coming in July). From Sun Studios legend Jerry Lee Lewis and a post-punk man
of many rock hats Elvis Costello to the socially-conscious rhymes of Atmosphere to the mainstream
rock sounds of Young the Giant, there is indeed something for every music lover.
Though there aren’t any blockbuster reunion acts this year like a Misfits or Replacements, the
undercard may be it’s strongest in years, including Smiths co-founder Johnny Marr, Chicago’s Jesus
Lizard. Other fest highlights include post goth rockers Interpol, '70s new wave pioneers Blondie,
Chicago's longtime alt-rockers Alkaline Trio, Boston's celtic-punks Dropkick Murphys, Exile in
Guyvile pop/punk queen Liz Phair, new wave electronic music stalwart Gary Numan, and thankful-
ly – another year of the Hellzapoppin’ Circus Sideshow Revue. Tickets are still available at a discount
for 3 days passes, and tickets can be purchased on layaway for those on a budget. Visit riotfest.org for
details.
Real Friends
Last month Tinley Park's Real Friends held a "secret" listening party
for a select group of fans in support of their forthcoming third full length
(out July 13), Composure. The evening event was the last of three listen-
ing party events held throughout the day across the Chicagoland area. In
the modern industrial workspace of Chicago's Rowboat Creative, the
members of Real Friends interacted with fans, taking photos and making
themselves available for conversation.
Following the premiere of Composure, Real Friends bassist Kyle Fasel
connected with IE's Jaime Black for an interview on his Dynasty Podcasts
series. That interview, which can be heard in full via the embedded pod-
cast player at illinoisentertainer.com, finds Fasel delving into the motiva-
07•2018
tion behind holding the multiple listening parties for the new record all in
one day and the goal of facilitating personalized interactions with fans.
The bassist also talks about why taking personal time between recordings
Get Well, Jerry
Longtime JBTV host Jerry
JBTV's Jerry Bryant, with Dr. McGee
Bryant had a bit of a health scare
last month when he required
colon surgery at Northwestern
Hospital.
Like
Chicago
Blackhawk's color analyst Eddie
Olczyk, Bryant is now ready to
get the word out about early
screenings.
"Recovering from tumor sur-
gery at Northwestern Hospital
and Dr. McGee saved my life. I
encourage everyone to get a
colonoscopy starting at 40. I never did and now paying the consequences. I’m a cancer survivor now.
Stay healthy." Bryant commented on his Twitter page.
There are projected to be 50,000 deaths due to colorectal cancer this year, however the death rate
from colorectal cancer has been dropping in both men and women for several decades. As a result,
there are now more than 1 million survivors of colorectal cancer in the United States, according can-
cer.org.
and tours was so important for the well being of the individual band
members, and how mental health factors heavily into the lyrics of
Composure. Lead vocalist Dan Lan Lambton told Substream Magazine he
was the focal point behind the band's time-out. "At the behest of his ther-
apist, Lambton entered and later graduated from an outpatient program
in Tinley Park, the same area where the band first got its start. “Nobody
forced me into it,” he says. “It was a suggestion my therapist made
because she wanted to make sure that I could be ready to travel and what-
not. The outpatient program taught me a lot about things like mindful-
ness, assertiveness, respecting other people’s boundaries which I felt like
I didn’t do a lot of the time, and just general growing up shit and matur-
ing stuff that I never really had a grasp on.” There's real bravery behind
admitting you need help in your life and surrounding yourself with band-
mates and friends who can make that happen.
Real Friends partnered with The Warped Tour's final edition, and they
come to back to their old stomping grounds in Tinley Park at the
Hollywood Casino Amphitheater on July 21.
-Jaime Black
Muddy Summer in Westmont
Muddy Waters
6 illinoisentertainer.com july 2018
It's become a summer tradition in the western suburbs. The
Taste of Westmont is one of the largest free outdoor festivals in
the Chicagoland area – with an eclectic line-up of live music
on two stages, a good sampling of restaurant food vendors,
carnival rides, a battle of the bands, craft show and their beer
tent with a variety of new drinks, including everyone’s
favorite margaritas.
What separates Westmont from some other fests is their
Sunday dedication to the late blues legend Muddy Waters,
who spent his twlight years as a resident of the suburb from
1973 til he passed in 1983. The village's Director of
Communications Larry McIntyre said, "The Taste of Westmont
will honor Muddy's memory and the blues (Eddy Clearwater
also called Westmont home for a time), by hosting a blues trib-
ute on Sunday, July 15th of the Taste. Well known blues artists,
as well as local performers will grace our stage this year to
remember Muddy and the blues. Their Open Mic Blues Jam
gives fans a chance to join in on the tribute as well.
Westmont is also home to the Muddy Waters Museum. For
details on festivities visit westmontevents.com.