RIOT FEST 2025
Festival turns 20 featuring
Green Day, Weezer, Blink-182
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.
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.
Along with the massive lineup, Riot Fest will also be celebrating 20 Years, 20 Essential Albums. 20 full album playthroughs from 20 bands across the weekend.
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
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
AGENT ORANGE – LIVING IN DARKNESS
ZERO BOYS – VICIOUS CIRCLE
THE BOUNCING SOULS – HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION
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
AGENT ORANGE – LIVING IN DARKNESS
ZERO BOYS – VICIOUS CIRCLE
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
FEATURING: GREEN DAY, BLINK-182, WEEZER, JACK WHITE, SEX PISTOLS (FRANK CARTER and STEVE JONES, PAUL COOK, GLEN MATLOCK), IDLES, “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC, ALKALINE TRIO, ALL TIME LOW, RILO KILEY, KNOCKED LOOSE, THE BEACH BOYS, JAWBREAKER, DROPKICK MURPHYS, BAD RELIGION, THE POGUES, THE HOLD STEADY, THE FRONT BOTTOMS, THE ACADEMY IS…, COBRA STARSHIP, GYM CLASS HEROES, TEXAS IS THE REASON, KNUCKLE PUCK, THE WONDER YEARS, JAMES, SPARKS, DANCE HALL CRASHERS, HANSON, THE BOUNCING SOULS, THE DAMNED, INHALER, RICO NASTY, SCREECHING WEASEL, CITIZEN, SENSES FAIL, MICROWAVE, FREE THROW, DEHD, THE LINDA LINDAS, PANCHIKO, BUZZCOCKS, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS, SUPERCHUCK, MILITARIE GUN, THE CRIBS, SHUDDER TO THINK, HELMET, TOUCHÉ AMORÉ, PEGBOY, HONEY REVENGE, MARKY RAMONE, THE ATARIS, CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN, MARIANAS TRENCH, THE DIDJITS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, THROWN, LAMBRINI GIRLS, OVLOV, SOFT PLAY, SMOKING POPES, PUDDLES PITY PARTY, H2O, JULIA WOLF, VIOLENT VIRA, DELTA SLEEP, MAC SABBATH, CHASE PETRA, WISHY, THE EFFIGIES, HARRISON GORDON, SAMIAM, THE TOSSERS, SHONEN KNIFE, ZERO BOYS, SPEED OF LIGHT, THE PARADOX, THE BARBARIANS OF CALIFORNIA, GIRL IN A COMA, AGENT ORANGE, QUANNNIC, WEAKENED FRIENDS, DUNE RATS, FOOTBALLHEAD, BIG ASS TRUCK IE, CLIFFDIVER, LOVIET, EMO PHILLIPS
