Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Riot Fest 2009 promo poster

Chicago’s Riot Fest Records are once again putting on Riot Fest, a multi-day festival of awesome punk rock and ska. Last year’s festival featured ALL, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, the Ergs!, Mustard Plug, the Methadones, the Lawrence Arms, the Bouncing Souls, and so many more awesome bands.

This year’s lineup includes:

• Screeching Weasel
• NOFX
• The Alkaline Trio
• Murder City Devils
• The Dead Milkmen
• Cock Sparrer

I went last year, just to the Sunday show, and it was truly excellent. I will definitely be back for 2009. Hell, Screeching Weasel alone would be enough to merit the trip.

NOFX - Coaster

You know damn well who NOFX is. Don’t try and tell me otherwise. Whether you’re relatively new to the punk scene, an old timer, or someone who vaguely remembers Punk in Drublic, you know who this band is, and likely know what they’re all about. The band has, since 1983, pumped out album after album of silly/dirty jokes mixed with the occasional serious song. Or, that one time, a relatively serious album (War on Errorism).

And now, the reigning jackasses of punk rock have returned, after a worldwide, 14-month tour documented in the recently released NOFX: Backstage Passport show, with the amusingly-titled Coaster. (Note: the vinyl version is apparently referred to as Frisbee) So how does it stack up to previous efforts?

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