Riot Fest 2022 day three review (Nine Inch Nails, Ice Cube, The Linda Lindas, and more)

The third and final day of Riot Fest featured a thrilling headlining set from Nine Inch Nails, Ice Cube reclaiming the title of one of the best rappers in the world, a highly anticipated set from viral sensations The Linda Lindas, and much more.

Read on for some of the highlights of the third day of Riot Fest 2022 below. You can find all of our Riot Fest coverage here.

Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails has been around for well over 3 decades now, but they’ve somehow managed to avoid becoming a nostalgia act. If anything, the band sounds more of the moment than any other act that came up in the ‘90s, a testament to Trent Reznor’s forward-thinking approach to songwriting and producing.

The band’s live show is still as explosive as it’s ever been, even as the seemingly-ageless Reznor approaches 60. With the stage clouded with smoke and bathed in white light, Reznor and the band (Atticus Ross, Robin Finck, Alessandro Cortini, and Ilan Rubin) launched into the explosive opener “Somewhat Damaged” and segued directly into the raging “Wish.”

For the next 90 minutes, Reznor and co. oscillated between material from all eras of the band, from newer material like the throbbing “Less Than” from 2017’s Add Violence EP to the band’s 1989 breakout single “Head Like a Hole.”

What’s most fascinating about the trajectory of Nine Inch Nails is how seamlessly the band’s classic tracks weave in with their newer songs. It all somehow sounds familiar and new at the same time, especially with the current band’s visceral take on the material.

Reznor and Ross may be praised more for their Oscar-winning film scores these days, but Nine Inch Nails’ Riot Fest set was a forceful reminder of just how potent a live act they remain.

Ice Cube

Legendary rapper Ice Cube came to Riot Fest to set the record straight. The West Coast hip hop icon quickly addressed the fact that many in the crowd knew him more for his acting roles, and may have questioned why he was on the bill at a festival like this. Cube smashed those preconceptions right out of the park and immediately had the large crowd swaying to hits like 1992’s “Check Yo Self.” It’s a safe bet no one in the crowd was thinking about Are We There Yet? following Cube’s powerhouse set.

Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World is the perfect festival band. They have enough giant hits (“The Middle,” “Pain”) to make casual festivalgoers pay attention, and a deep catalogue of memorable fan-favourites to keep an hour-long set sailing along.

The band drew an enormous crowd to their late-afternoon main-stage set, who sang along loudly to anthemic earworms like “Praise Chorus” and “Blister,” which featured guitarist Tom Linton on vocals. As usual with Jimmy Eat World shows, there was nothing flashy or overtly showy about their performance, but it was still one of the most memorable sets of the weekend.

Coolio

A booking like this is what separates Riot Fest from everyone else. Even on Sunday’s hip hop stage that also featured the likes of Ice Cube and Action Bronson, a midday slot from Coolio is pretty unexpected. With that in mind, Coolio took the stage before a large crowd eager to see just what a Coolio set in 2022 looks like. Turns out, it was everything you’d expect it to be; a mix-of classic funk-heavy hip hop (“Fantastic Voyage”) mixed with syrupy R&B (“C U When U Get There”). Of course, the opening notes of “Gangsta’s Paradise” threw everyone into a frenzy, leading to a massive sing-along as Coolio wrapped up one of the most surprising sets of the weekend. Can we please get a Sisqo set next year?

Lunachicks live at Chicago’s Riot Fest, September 18, 2022. Photo: Jason Pendleton.

Lunachicks

New York City punks the Lunachicks have only played sporadically since reuniting in 2019 after a nearly 20-year hiatus, but you would never know it from their tight-as-nails set. With singer Theo decked out in a pink prom-style dress, the band ran through tongue-in-cheek melodic punk numbers like “Jerk of All Trades,” “Less Teeth More Tits,” “Bad Ass Bitch,” and nearly a dozen more. Here’s hoping the band is back for good.

The Linda Lindas

The Linda Lindas drew an enormous crowd to their 1 pm set, and it’s easy to see why. While the high-school-age band became a viral sensation when video of them performing their track “Stupid Racist Boy” at a library took off, The Linda Lindas have quickly become a true force on-stage.

The band delivered an airtight set of catchy punk rock and even threw in a cover of Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” for good measure. They later received on-stage praise from Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Carrie Brownstein of Sleater Kinney, which wasn’t just hyperbole; The Linda Lindas are the real deal. The Linda Lindas play POP Montreal on September 29.

Joey Valence & Brae

Joey Valence & Brae are a hip hop duo indebted to the sound and attitude of the Beastie Boys. While that may seem dated in today’s hip hop landscape, the duo have a great flow together, and share a goofy sense of humour that quickly becomes infectious. Like the Beasties, they even have a couple of full-on punk ragers in their set, which managed to keep the early afternoon crowd on their toes despite the brutal heat. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the duo listed much higher on a future Riot Fest bill.