Like a lot of good music, Riot Fest began in a basement, when a rabid fan wanted to connect his favorite bands with like-minded music lovers in Chicago. Fifteen years and 1,500+ bands later, Riot Fest returns to Douglas Park with a stacked array of bands to score the festivities—featuring many friends of Riot Fest returning to pay tribute to the festival and its loyal fans, alongside iconic and emerging artists who reflect the broad musical tastes the festival is known for.
Blink-182, after having to cancel its Riot Fest 2018 show due to health issues, return to play this year’s festival. Slayer will perform its final Chicago and Milwaukee show at Riot Fest, and the recently reunited Bikini Kill—widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement—will join the ranks of unforgettable Riot Fest reunion shows. What’s more, The Raconteurs will perform in Chicago for the first time in 11 years, and Riot Fest alumni Rise Against, who played the first outdoor Riot Fest in 2012, will join the party as well.
Special to 2019’s event, Riot Fest attendees will not just get to see Slayer perform its final Chicago and Milwaukee shows, but also witness The B-52s’ last Chicago show—plus, fans will be treated to rare full album performances by returning Riot Fest favorites The Flaming Lips (performing Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots) and Ween (performing The Mollusk). Bloc Party will perform Silent Alarm in celebration of the album’s 15th anniversary, and the recently reunited Avail will perform Over The James from start to finish, adding to a total of 13 album performances this year.
Die Antwoord, Patti Smith & Her Band, Taking Back Sunday, Rancid, Violent Femmes, Descendents, Manchester Orchestra, Dashboard Confessional, and dozens more will unite with the above mentioned to take over Douglas Park September 13, 14 & 15.
Tickets: https://riotfest2019.
Line-up: https://riotfest.org/lineup
Founded in 2005, Riot Fest features the best of punk, rock ‘n’ roll, hip hop, metal, alternative, and just about everything in between. Founder Riot Mike is credited with helping to reunite iconic bands like Naked Raygun, the Replacements, the Misfits, and Jawbreaker, among other reunions—a staple feature of Riot Fest, alongside the full album performances, freak shows, carnival rides, and occasional butter sculptures.
FULL ALBUM PERFORMANCES:
Against Me! – Reinventing Axl Rose + Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Avail – Over The James
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
Dashboard Confessional – The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most
The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot
Glassjaw – Worship and Tribute
The Selecter – Too Much Pressure
Senses Fail – From the Depths of Dreams + Let It Enfold You
Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends + Louder Now
Ween – The Mollusk
RIOT FEST 2019 LINEUP:
BLINK-182, SLAYER (final Chicago & Milwaukee show), BIKINI KILL, THE RACONTEURS, RISE AGAINST, THE FLAMING LIPS (performing Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots), JAWBREAKER, WEEN (performing The Mollusk), BLOC PARTY (performing Silent Alarm), DIE ANTWOORD, PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND, TAKING BACK SUNDAY (performing Tell All Your Friends and Louder Now), RANCID, VIOLENT FEMMES, DESCENDENTS, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, THE B-52s, DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL (performing The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most), THE STORY SO FAR, AVAIL (performing Over The James), THE STRUTS, AGAINST ME! (performing Reinventing Axl Rose and Transgender Dysphoria Blues), PVRIS, PENNYWISE, THE STARTING LINE, COCK SPARRER, STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO, ANTHRAX, NECK DEEP, BOB MOULD, HOT SNAKES, AMERICAN FOOTBALL, GUIDED BY VOICES, RIDE, LUCERO, TESTAMENT, ANDREW W.K., SENSES FAIL (performing Let It Enfold You and From The Depths Of Dreams), THE GET UP KIDS, VILLAGE PEOPLE, LESS THAN JAKE, HOT WATER MUSIC, GLASSJAW (performing Worship & Tribute), GWAR, THE SELECTER (performing Too Much Pressure), ANTI-FLAG, NICK LOWE w/ LOS STRAITJACKETS, TURNOVER, THE DAMNED THINGS, CURSIVE, TURNSTILE, SURFER BLOOD, THE ERGS!, SAVE FERRIS, FRANK IERO AND THE FUTURE VIOLENTS, WHITE REAPER, GRANDSON, H2O, I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, HOT MULLIGAN, THE HU, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, PROF, CHERRY GLAZERR, DAVE HAUSE & THE MERMAID, THIS WILD LIFE, THE GARDEN, DRAKULAS, DEAD SWORDS, CAN’T SWIM, CAROLINE ROSE, THE BEACHES, MAT KEREKES, ANGEL DU$T, MICROWAVE, PKEW PKEW PKEW, SINCERE ENGINEER, SKATING POLLY, NO PARENTS, ULTRA Q, LANDO CHILL, CLEOPATRICK, ELDER BROTHER, THIN LIPS, CHAOS CHAOS, KALI MASI, YOURS TRULY, GANSER, RAMONA