Chiodos Reunion Tour / Riot Fest Chicago – TOUR REVIEW

We had the great honor of reviewing one of Chiodos first reunion shows while we were at Riot Fest in Chicago, IL! You should check out our review of their set after the break in the post.

They’re back. Chiodos just wasn’t the same without Craig Owens and Derek Frost. With the many huge reunions in the past two years (At the Drive In, Death From Above 1979, Refused and many more) this was slated to be a big one, at least for the fans of the bands of the Rock Stage at Riot Fest in Chicago. In fact, this was the first reunion show that the band agreed to play, even though they did schedule a few other appearances, like at Dirt Fest, prior to this performance.

It was safe to say that there was a huge hype about this set and the turn out showed that it was true. As the band took the stage and Craig Owens strutted to the front of the stage, there was a roar from the crowd and a slight tension in the air. Everyone was thinking, “Will the still be as intense and epic as they use to be?” As the set rolled on it was apparent that they hadn’t lost the technical skill and they hadn’t forgotten the songs, but something was missing. Craig hit all the notes, screamed his lungs out and had a big swagger. The enthusiasm was high with Jason, but the rest of the band just seemed a bit lackluster. They were trying, but it just wasn’t there. The set had all of the makings of a memorable set, but the fans and the band just weren’t clicking. Craig would hold out the mic to the audience and the volume of the crowd just wasn’t what it used to be.

Craig also did his signature standing on the crowd in the middle of their set, which the fans really enjoyed. They more than likely remember him doing this at one of their many appearances on the Vans Warped Tour.

Also, one of the biggest factors was the fact that the mix wasn’t the best. There was no low end what so ever and it really hurt the overall sound. It was nice to hear all the old tracks and the always certain wall of death, but the intensity and sound just weren’t there. It was a nice little trip down memory lane, but I just didn’t live up to the hype.

Information about the review…
Tour: Chiodos Reunion Tour / Riot Fest Chicago
Band: Chiodos
Reviewer: Jim Vondruska
Date: September 16, 2012
Venue: Humboldt Park in Chicago, IL