What’s my age again? Riot Fest is turning the big 2-0, and to celebrate it’s throwing the biggest party yet, headlined by Green Day, Blink-182, Weezer, Jack White, and a total of over 90 bands performing throughout the festival weekend. “I just wanted to put a show together with all of my favorite bands”, festival founder Michael Petryshyn reminisced before the inaugural Riot Fest back in 2005.
Throughout the next 20 years, the festival has grown to become one of the biggest independent festivals in the country, known for eclectic lineups, high-profile band reunions, full album plays, and even a butter sculpture tribute to John Stamos. Along with headliners Green Day, Blink-182, Weezer, and Jack White, the festival will also include performances by the Sex Pistols (Frank Carter and Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Glen Matlock), Idles, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Alkaline Trio, All Time Low, Knocked Loose, Rilo Kiley, The Beach Boys, Jawbreaker, Dropkick Murphys, Bad Religion, The Pogues, The Hold Steady, The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, Texas is the Reason, Dance Hall Crashers, The Front Bottoms, Knuckle Puck, The Wonder Years, James, and many many more.
Today the festival is unveiling the daily lineups for those planning ahead.
Daily Lineup:
Friday, Sept. 19: Blink-182, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Alkaline Trio, Rilo Kiley, Knocked Loose, The Pogues, The Hold Steady, Sparks, Rico Nasty, Senses Fail, Stiff Little Fingers, Shudder To Think, Touché Amoré, Honey Revenge, Camper Van Beethoven, Mariana’s Trench, The Didjits, Agnostic Front, Puddles Pity Party, Julia Wolf, Harrison Gordon, Mac Sabbath, Samiam, The Tossers, Shonen Knife, The Barbarians of California, Big Ass Truck IE, Soviet, Emo Philips
Saturday, Sept. 20: Weezer, Jack White, Sex Pistols, All Time Low, The Beach Boys, Dropkick Murphys, The Front Bottoms, Knuckle Puck, James, The Bouncing Souls, The Damned, Citizen, Free Throw, Panchiko, Buzzcocks, Superchunk, Militarie Gun, The Cribs, Helmet, Marky Ramone Plays The Ramones, Thrown, H2O, Wishy, Violet Vira, Speed of Light, Girl In A Coma, Agent Orange, Cliffdiver
Sunday, Sept. 21: Green Day, IDLES, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion, The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, Texas Is The Reason, The Wonder Years, Dance Hall Crashers, Hanson, Inhaler, Screeching Weasel, Microwave, DEHD, The Linda Lindas, Pegboy, The Ataris, Lambrini Girls, Ovlov, Soft Play, Smoking Popes, Delta Sleep, Chase Petra, The Effigies, Zero Boys, The Paradox, Quannnic, Weakened Friends, Dune Rats, Footballhead
Album Plays:
Weezer —The Blue Album
Sex Pistols — Never Mind The Bollocks…
Alkaline Trio — Maybe I’ll Catch Fire
Bad Religion — Suffer
The Pogues — Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Hold Steady — Separation Sunday
The Academy Is… — Almost Here
The Front Bottoms — Back On Top
Knuckle Puck — Copacetic
The Bouncing Souls — How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Agent Orange — Living In Darkness
Screeching Weasel — My Brain Hurts
Helmet — Betty
Pegboy — Strong Reaction
The Ataris — So Long, Astoria
Agnostic Front — Victim In Pain
Smoking Popes — Born To Quit
The Effigies — For Ever Grounded
Samiam — Astray
Zero Boys — Vicious Circle
Born and raised in Chicago, Riot Fest began as a punk rock festival spread across the city’s favorite local venues. Over the years, it’s earned a reputation for reuniting bands that fans had lost hope of ever seeing again, including The Replacements, The Original Misfits, Slayer, Jawbreaker and many more. While the festival remains the centerpiece, the music isn’t limited to one weekend a year. For over two decades, Riot Fest has hosted thousands of shows in independent venues throughout the city, supporting Chicago’s thriving music scene.
“We didn’t plan on making it for twenty years. We planned on making it through one weekend. But here we are – still loud, still weird, still building something bigger than we ever meant to.” ‘Riot Mike’ Petryshyn Riot Fest returns to Chicago’s Douglass Park from September 19-21, its home since 2015. A newly announced long-term agreement with the Chicago Park District ensures the festival will remain a Chicago staple for years to come.
Tickets for Riot Fest 2025 are On Sale Now, and special 20th Anniversary merch is available here. The surprises aren’t over yet, stay tuned tomorrow at 10am for more announcements coming your way! Tickets: https://riotfest.tixr.com/RF25 Lineup: https://riotfest.org
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