Riot Fest: Nostalgia is the name of the game

Asking whether it’s better to burn out or fade away forgets another option: cashing in. Any semi-popular band can turn its reputation into easy money with a well-timed reunion, and many of the bands at this year’s Riot Fest (Oct. 7-11) are doing just that. Some are capitalizing on nostalgia as a chance to reform the band and release new records. Others pump the nostalgia well dry, using their legacies to make a profit. The A.V. Club rates Riot Fest’s biggest nostalgia-mongers in the hopes of helping people distinguish which is which.

Naked Raygun
Years together: 1981-1991, 1997, 2006-present
Why they mattered: In the '80s, when "loud fast" mostly ruled the punk world, Naked Raygun—along with peers like Fugazi and Hüsker Dü—evolved the sound by slowing down and focusing on melody. Jeff Pezzati’s powerful voice and signature whoa-ohs made him one of punk rock’s greatest singers. 
Do they still matter? The band's shows were legendary for causing broken bones and near-riots. Its 2006 reunion was the centerpiece of the second Riot Fest, but it and subsequent shows have lacked the fire of Naked Raygun's heyday. 
Nostalgia factor: 6/10. An upcoming series of 7-inches and a new album (the band's first new material in more than a decade) has given Naked Raygun a chance to justify its continued shows, but it’s Pezzati’s second band, The Bomb, that brings much of the energy Naked Raygun now lacks.
They play: Oct. 9, Metro.

Screeching Weasel
Years together: 1986-1989, 1991-1994, 1996-2001, 2004, 2009
Why they mattered: Screeching Weasel led the second-wave pop-punk charge, drawing inspiration from the Ramones and adding all of the desperation and angst of teenagers stuck in the suburban Midwest during the Reagan years.
Do they still matter? The quality of Screeching Weasel's output decreased considerably during its third reunion, which doesn't bode well for new material. Notably absent from this version of the band is co-founder/guitarist John Jughead, who was engaged in a protracted legal battle with frontman Ben Weasel not long after the band played some reunion shows in 2004. Aside from Weasel, only bassist/guitarist Dan Vapid has much of a history with the band. However, Weasel's 2007 solo album showed promise, so a rally is possible.
Nostalgia factor: 9/10. Anyone looking for honest pop-punk without the ego would do well to check out Teenage Bottlerocket.
They play: Oct. 11, Congress Theater.

The Dead Milkmen
Years together: 1983-1995, 2004, 2008-present
Why they mattered: The Dead Milkmen’s jokey, fun songs came to prominence in the late '80s, coinciding with the rise of "college rock" and just preceding the alternative revolution. The band scored a few minor novelty hits, mostly on college radio, but a few reached MTV airwaves and even Beavis and Butt-head. To a devoted segment of the underground, though, the Milkmen provided a sarcastic antidote to self-important rock.
Do they still matter? A song like “Punk Rock Girl” has nothing deep to say, but every teenager who has shouted out “Anarchy” in a pizza place knows sometimes brainless is okay.
Nostalgia factor: 7/10. Following the suicide of bassist of Dave Schulthise in 2004, the band reconvened for a pair of benefits in his honor, then decided to reform with plans for new material. Nostalgia plays a role, but the world always needs pranksters to call bullshit on music-industry pomposity.
They play: Oct. 9, Congress Theater, Oct. 10, Metro.

Wax
Years together: 1991-1995, 2009-present 
Why they mattered: Wax and Weezer both came out of early ‘90s California, but MTV only had room for one oddball pop band with a Spike Jonze-directed video at a time. Wax scored a minor hit with “California” in 1995, but by that point, Weezer had several hit songs from its 1994 debut. Frontman Joe Sib kept busy with his record label, SideOneDummy, as well as post-Wax band, 22 Jacks.
Do they still matter? Unlike all the other Riot Fest reunions, Wax reformed to record rather than play shows. The Riot Fest date, its first live show since 1995, will be its proving grounds.
Nostalgia factor: 2/10. New material and a constant commitment to punk rock make Wax a likely contender for relevancy. Plus, its new Hangin' On 7-inch shows the band hasn't lost a step, unlike Weezer.
They play: Oct. 9, Metro.

88 Fingers Louie
Years together: 1993-1999, 2009
Why they mattered: The band's lifespan covers the rise of punk rock to the mainstream, and its muscular, melodic hardcore fit perfectly into the Fat Wreck Chords sound along with labelmates like NOFX and Lagwagon.
Do they still matter? A recent 10-year reunion show in August sold out the Bottom Lounge weeks in advance. While the band hasn't been active in a decade, bassist Joe Principe now plays in Rise Against, and fans can hear 88's sound filter through that band's music. With the popular Rise Against currently enjoying a busy schedule, Principe hasn't participated in the reunion shows, but has given them his blessing.
Nostalgia factor: 4/10. Expect an older crowd griping to hear “I’ve Won” tempered by a newer generation looking for the inspiration for their favorite bands.
They play: Oct. 10, Congress Theater.

No Empathy
Years Together: 1983-1996, 2009-present
Why They Mattered: No Empathy kept its focus on punk basics while other Chicago bands got distracted by trends. During its '80s heyday, the group played with bands like Fugazi, Fear, and Bad Brains. So, No Empathy earned its stripes.
Do They Matter? With no new material since the mid-'90s, probably not. That said, frontman Marc Ruvolo has stayed sharp fronting The Atari Star and now Das Kapital, also playing Riot Fest. He also runs Johann’s Face Records, releasing records by fellow Riot Festers Alkaline Trio and Apocalypse Hoboken.
Nostalgia Factor: 4/10, a pair of reunion shows in March and April revealed a hard-hitting band in top form, regardless of new material.
They play: Oct. 9, Metro.

Murder City Devils
Years together: 1996-2001, 2006-present
Why they mattered: By the second half of the '90s, the bands who were swept up in the post-Green Day signing boom had almost all washed out, and many of those who survived were basically treading water. The Murder City Devils' dirty, almost gothic garage punk stood out in a scene that was lacking ambition. 
Do they still matter? The Devils' raw, hard-hitting sound never gets old—to fans, at least. Since semi-reforming in 2006, the group has settled into ambivalent activity, doing nothing more than playing the occasional show. And none of its members seems motivated to change that yet.
Nostalgia factor: 10/10. The band's happy to have the income, but it gets tricky after that. Still, The Murder City Devils kind of rule.
They play: Oct. 9, Congress.