REVIEW: Celebrating 20 Years of Riot Fest
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
THIS WEEKEND, RIOT FEST MARKED A MILESTONE TWO DECADES IN THE MAKING — From September 19–21, Chicago’s beloved punk and alternative music festival returned to Douglass Park for its 20th anniversary edition for an electrifying weekend that paid homage to its roots while celebrating just how far the festival has come since its beginnings in 2005.
What started as a niche showcase for underground punk bands has grown into one of the country’s most iconic festivals. Headlining the anniversary celebration were Blink-182, Weezer and Green Day. Alongside them, the lineup featured a dizzying range of acts spanning punk, hardcore, indie, including The Wonder Years, The Beach Boys, Cobra Starship and The Pogues.
Yet the music is only part of the magic. Riot Fest’s carnival atmosphere was alive and well: the Riotland pop-up brought fans back to the midway with rides, games and just the right amount of chaos. The festival’s quirks were on full display too, complete with a wedding chapel for spur-of-the-moment vows, the infamous John Stamos butter statue, and endless rows of pop-up record stores and merch booths.
Twenty years in, Riot Fest is still the festival where chaos feels like home — and where the music, the community and the weirdness remain gloriously alive.
Friday, September 19
Chicago pride was on full display as La Rosa Noir, the city’s own femme-fronted post-punk powerhouse, opened up Riot Fest with a set that proved why the local scene remains as diverse and electrifying as ever. The band immediately set the tone for the festival’s 20th anniversary, showing just how much strength lies in Chicago’s homegrown talent. The highlight of their performance came with the debut of “Heart on My Sleeve,” a brand-new single that dropped that very morning. Fans got the rare experience of hearing the track live for the first time with the local punk community showing up in force to support one of their own.
Photo Credit: Zeltzin Vazquez
Self-proclaimed creators of drive-thru metal Mac Sabbath brought their brilliant blend of Black Sabbath riffs and McDonald’s-themed parody to the Douglass Park stage, and the crowd ate it up. Dressed in their surreal fast-food-meets-metal regalia, Mac Sabbath unleashed a set that were both a comedy act and crushing heavy metal show. The stage was decked out with absurd props, from flapping chickens to a flaming grill where frontman Ronald Osbourne theatrically “cooked” mid-performance. Between bursts of smoke and frying theatrics, the band ripped through fan favorites like “Organic Funeral” and “Frying Pan,” serving up fast-food parody classics with the intensity of doom metal legends. The audience responded in kind — erupting in nonstop cheers, laughs, and mosh pit chaos. Where else can you scream along to Black Sabbath riffs about cheeseburgers while a clown grills on stage?
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Julia Wolf lit up the Riot stage with a performance that was playful, energetic and unapologetically powerful. Known for her genre-bending pop edge, Wolf brought a surge of femme energy to Douglass Park, captivating the crowd with her high-spirited presence and fearless charm. In a weekend packed with heavy-hitting punk and rock, Julia Wolf’s Riot Fest debut stood out as a radiant burst of energy — playful yet commanding, lighthearted yet fierce.
Chicago’s own Harm’s Way stormed the Riot stage with a relentless display of hard-hitting energy and guttural vocals that left the crowd in chaos. The band commanded the space, delivering punishing riffs and visceral intensity as multiple mosh pits erupted simultaneously throughout their set. Fans fed off the band’s aggression, headbanging, pushing, and colliding in a frenzied celebration of hardcore’s raw energy.
Photo Credit: Zeltzin Vazquez
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Rico Nasty brought unapologetic energy and an authentic fierceness to Riot, fresh off the release of her latest album, Lethal. From the moment she hit the stage, she commanded the audience completely, delivering raw, explosive vocals that left fans hanging on every word. Her set spanned her dynamic discography, pulling tracks from Nasty, Nightmare Vacation, and the freshly dropped Lethal, blending aggressive rap, punk-infused attitude and infectious hooks. In a standout moment, she surprised the crowd with a playful cover of Doja Cat’s “Tia Tamera.” Rico Nasty’s Riot Fest performance was a testament to her status as a boundary-pushing alternative rap artist.
Knocked Loose made their Riot Fest debut to a completely packed Douglass Park, delivering a visceral, no-holds-barred performance as they celebrated their acclaimed album You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. The band unleashed their signature brand of hardcore intensity, with fans feeding off the sheer aggression and energy from the very first note. Frontman Bryan Garris dominated the stage with unrelenting vocals, alternating between guttural pig squeals, banshee-like screeches, and commanding shouts that reverberated across the festival grounds. Throughout the set, Garris repeatedly expressed the band’s love for Chicago, calling it their “second home” and giving a heartfelt shoutout to hometown heroes Harm’s Way. The band tore through standout tracks including “Mistakes Like Fractures,” “God Knows,” “Counting Worms,” and “Everything Is Quiet Now,” each song igniting massive mosh pits and chaos that seemed to consume the entire festival area. Knocked Loose’s Riot Fest debut was a raw, aggressive, and cathartic reminder of why hardcore continues to thrive.
Saturday, September 20
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Militarie Gun brought their signature post-punk intensity to Riot Fest, delivering a set that was both tight and explosive, filled with sharp riffs, driving rhythms and guttural vocals. The band’s stage presence was magnetic, with frontman Ian Shelton commanding attention through impassioned vocals that cut through the chaos of Douglass Park. Their performance was a masterclass in controlled intensity with each song building momentum, drawing the crowd in, and releasing it in waves of energy.
For Riot’s 20th anniversary, The Beach Boys delivered an iconic set that perfectly captured the festival’s celebratory spirit. The performance was made even more special by the long-awaited appearance of John Stamos, who joined the band onstage to the delight of fans. Ripping through timeless hits like “Surfin’ USA,” “Forever,” “Good Vibrations,” and “Kokomo,” the band had the crowd singing and Stamos added a playful energy to the performance, blending seamlessly with the legendary harmonies and surf-rock grooves.
All Time Low brought their pop-punk energy to Riot. The band treated fans to a mix of classics and newer material, blending nostalgia with their current sound in a way that delighted long-time followers and festival newcomers alike. Frontman Alex Gaskarth commanded the stage with his infectious energy, interacting with the crowd and keeping the momentum relentless throughout the set.
Sunday, September 21
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
The Linda Lindas brought their femme power front and center, delivering a set that was bold, unapologetic and full of energy. From the first chord, the band commanded the stage with incredible stage presence, pulling the audience along for every punchy riff and infectious chant. Their set was a masterclass in youthful ferocity and punk attitude, culminating in a powerful performance of their infamous anthem “Racist, Sexist Boy.” The crowd sang along with every word, matching the band’s intensity.
Chicago’s own Dehd made their Riot debut with a performance that showed the band’s blend of dreamy post-punk and indie-rock hooks. Fans were drawn in by their tightly woven interplay of guitar and drums, with Emily Kempf’s haunting vocals floating above the energetic instrumentation, creating moments that were intimate yet expansive amid the festival chaos.
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Veteran punk rockers Bad Religion made a triumphant return to Riot, delivering a set that was both a celebration of their storied legacy and a thrilling experience for a new generation of fans. The band played their influential 1988 album Suffer in its entirety, ripping through the tracks with the precision and defiance that have defined their career. Each song resonated with both longtime devotees and first-time listeners, serving as a reminder of Bad Religion’s role in pushing the boundaries of punk and inspiring countless bands in their wake. The performance was electric, filled with high-energy riffs, anthemic choruses, and socially charged lyrics that kept the packed festival crowd engaged from start to finish. For many, witnessing Suffer live was a history lesson in punk that bridged generations and showcased why Bad Religion remains one of the genre’s most vital voices.
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
Photo Credit: Alina Pawl-Castanon
If any band truly put the riot in Riot Fest this year, it was IDLES. Their set was easily among the weekend’s most talked-about sets, and the Bristol post-punk powerhouse did not disappoint. From the first crushing chord, the band ripped through a high-energy, unrelenting setlist that shook the festival grounds and proved their reputation as one of the most visceral live acts in the world. Frontman Joe Talbot led with his trademark ferocity, his guttural delivery and impassioned presence turning Douglass Park into a frenzy of sweat and cathartic release. In one of the night’s most jaw-dropping surprises, Jack White joined the band onstage during “Never Fight a Man With a Perm,” sending the crowd into complete chaos. The band balanced their intensity with humor too, breaking into an unexpected and joyfully chaotic cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which had the entire field laughing and singing along. Fan favorites like “Mother,” “Car Crash,” and “Divide and Conquer” hit with seismic force, each song fueling mosh pits.
The most anticipated set of Riot Fest 2025 belonged to none other than Green Day, closing out the festival on a historic note that coincided with the eve of American Idiot’s 21st anniversary. The band commanded Douglass Park with the energy, charisma, and political bite that has kept them at the forefront of punk for decades. Green Day played across their storied catalog, ripping through classics like “Jesus of Suburbia,” “Know Your Enemy,” “Basket Case,” “Brain Stew,” and “When I Come Around,” each song met with deafening singalongs. Fans came dressed in American Idiot shirts and the iconic red ties, creating a sea of devotion that was as visual as it was emotional. The band’s politically charged energy was unmistakable, taking pointed shots at the MAGA agenda while reminding everyone why Green Day remains a vital voice in punk rock activism. The three-day festival closed on an emotional high with “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” followed by a heartfelt “Chicago” outro, leaving fans crying.
