Features
Riot Fest Brings Another Lineup Of Reunions, Full Album Plays, And Freak Shows To Chicago
– Riot Fest 2019
Riot Fest returns to Chicago for the 15th year, boasting a stacked lineup of music ranging from Blink-182 and Gwar to Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets and Caroline Rose – and a wild mix of artists in between – including the reunions and full-album performances its is known for across Sept. 13-15 at Douglas Park.
The festival includes the final performances in the Chicago area by Slayer, the return of Blink-182 after it was forced to cancel its planned appearance last year, and long-awaited returns by the reunited Bikini Kill and the Raconteurs, and Rise Against, which played the first outdoor Riot Fest in 2012.
Flaming Lips brings Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and Ween will perform The Mollusk to highlight a slew of full-album performances including Bloc Party (Silent Alarm), Avail (Over The James), Taking Back Sunday (Tell All Your Friends and Louder Now), Dashboard Confessional (The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most), and Against Me! (Reinventing Axl Rose and Transgender Dysphoria Blues).
Patti Smith & Her Band, Die Antwoord, Rancid, Violent Femmes, Descendents, Manchester Orchestra and dozens more will also make Riot Fest appearances.
Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite, and the full lineup can been seen at the Riot Fest website.
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.
Riot Fest originated in the clubs and theaters of the Windy City, first at the Congress Theater in 2005 and moving t various venues including House of Blues, Double Door, Metro/Smart Bar, and Congress Theater and others before growth moved it outdoors to Humboldt Park – and one-off forays to Toronto and Dallas. It’s settled into Douglas Park, where Riot Fest has been staged since 2015.