Riot Fest is returning to Chicago this year with the type of weird and fun lineup we've come to expect from them. The resurgence of pop-punk/emo has been strong these past couple years, and, with the pandemic largely in the periphery, festivals have taken advantage of this trend. But Riot Fest always celebrated punk, alt-rock, emo, hip-hop, and music outside of the mainstream gaze. In keeping with that tradition, this year will see headlining sets from My Chemical Romance, Misfits (with their original lineup), and Nine Inch Nails at Douglass Park on the weekend of September 16.
But frankly, the headliners aren't even the most interesting attractions here. We've been waiting patiently for the MCR reunion for a couple years now, and somehow NIN manages to headline every festival. In smaller letters we've got more exciting news with the return of Yeah Yeah Yeahs (who should be a headliner, IMHO).
Listing a small fraction of the rest of the lineup, there's Ice Cube, Sleater-Kinney, Bauhaus, Descendents, Jeff Rosenstock, Jimmy Eat World, Alice Glass, The Wonder Years, Bully, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yellowcard, The Menzingers, Bleachers, Cloud Nothings, The Linda Lindas, Mannequin Pussy, Action Bronson, Yungblud, and Pale Waves. The more I look at it, there's something for punks and emo fans both old and young, as well as some pop and hip-hop thrown in there. A fun, mixed bag indeed.
Check out the full lineup below, and grab tickets here.
