Photo By: Bryan Sheffield

Chicago turns into a punk rock haven this weekend for the 4th year in a row with the return of Riot Fest. 40+ bands will be playing throughout the weekend at the Double Door, House of Blues, the Cobra Lounge, and an all ages show Sunday at The Congress Theater. The line-up is filled with a diverse mix including the reuniting of ALL. Also on the list are Jay Reatard, Horrorpops, Paint it Black, and Reagan Youth among others.

ALARM's Picks:

Horrorpops (Sunday @ Congress Theater): Danish pyschobilly three-piece hits the main stage Sunday as part of their supporting their recent release Kiss Kiss Kill Kill (Hell Cat). Featuring Patricia Day's sultry vocals and Kim Nekroman's "coffin bass," their Chicago stop on their "All Hallows Eve Tour" will undoubtedly put concertgoers in the mood for Halloween.

Lawrence Arms (Friday @ HOB): Outspoken Chicago pop-punk trio headlines House of Blues on opening night, launching the festival with their rowdy

D.O.A.: (Sat. @ Double Door, Sun. @ Congress): With 30 years behind them and no signs of slowing down, the legendary Vancouver hardcore trio, led by Joey "Shithead" Keithley, are one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend.

Paint it Black (Sunday @ Congress): Fronted by Dan Yemin of Lifetime/Kid Dynamite fame, the Philly-based hardcore quintet hits the Congress Theater in time to help close out the festival.

Municipal Waste (Sunday @ Congress): If you haven't been to one of Municipal Waste's shows, you might not know that this trash band is Out. Of. Control. Bring a diaper and be ready to take a ride on the "wall of death."

Riot Fest: www.riotfest.org/

Living in metropolitan Los Angeles for many years, one can easily take for granted, or perhaps not even acknowledge, the many niceties and conveniences that the entertainment mecca affords. The uninitiated are usually wowed by celebrities, theaters, theme parks and other attractions, but for the natives, it’s the case of been there, done that. Alas, it’s just another day in paradise.

Yet it still hasn’t been just another day living in Los Angeles for the Horrorpops, even though the Danish act originally staked their claim four years ago, moving from Copenhagen to further their musical careers. And it’s that wide-eyed outlook on the City of Angels that’s given frontwoman Patricia Day the necessary inspiration to pen her band’s latest (and third) album, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill.

The entire record is based around a film noir throwback, but as things typically go with the Horrorpops, there’s a little twist to the plot.

“We’re still amazed by the country, and especially this city,” Day says. “And coming from little cold Denmark, we kind of feel like we’re in a city of dames in distress, scruffy detectives and that the whole basic noir thing is still living in Los Angeles. It’s still a part of American culture. All females seem like they’re always in distress, and can’t do anything themselves. Just lifting a shopping bag is out of the question.”

Day, who easily lifts an upright bass in the Horrorpops, and bandmates Kim Nekroman (guitar) and Henrik Niedermeier (drums) spent a full month recording the album, which was finalized in April 2007 at their studio (aptly dubbed “Hell”). So why the delay in releasing this latest affair?

“We were hoping for a summer release, but the date that we got, ten of the biggest bands wanted that date too, and we were like, 'We’ll drown, we wouldn’t survive that,'” she says. “So the label wanted to put it out in the fall, but we were like, 'Ehh.' We hate fall releases because that means you have to tour over the cold months. So we just saved it for earlier the next year.”

Like most Horrorpops material, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill’s an upbeat rockabilly-based album with darker overtones, though “Missfit” sports a strikingly familiar melody during its bridge, as the lyrics “my fist in the middle of your face” are sung to the chorus melody of Madness’ “Our House In The Middle Of The Street.”

“That was actually Niedermeier,” says Day. “Last year on tour he was having one of those days where he was just pissed off. I guess he had some huge, bad hangover, so he was walking up to complete strangers and just yelling that in their face. Of course, Nekroman and I just stood back and we’re like, 'Holy shit, that’s funny.' We knew we had to write a song around that. It took quite a few takes before we could use that take, because I think I was laughing too hard every time I had to do that.”

So, has Madness heard it? “Oh, I doubt it,” she says. “Do you think they’ll get mad? I hope they don’t.”

The song “Disco” nearly sounds like Day is singing about famed ‘80s L.A.-based hair rock icons Poison. But she’s quick to retort that such isn’t necessarily the case (she probably wouldn’t want two ‘80s hitmakers after her, anyways).