Get ready to riot.
Chicago’s beloved music festival Riot Fest is back after COVID-19 canceled last year’s event. And with vaccines being more available to everyone, and mask mandates being dropped across the country, Riot Fest 2021 looks like it won’t be delayed again.
The festival announced today the first wave of this year’s lineup, showing us that rap superduo Run The Jewels, 90’s alt-rock legends The Smashing Pumpkins, and industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails are headlining. Other acts announced were GWAR, Living Colour, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Devo, Sublime With Rome, The Bled (their first show since 2012), Faith No More, Circle Jerks, Beach Bunny, and Meet Me @ The Altar. Check out the current roster below.
Originally scheduled to headline 2020 and 2021’s events were My Chemical Romance, but the band canceled all of their performances for 2021 due to how uncertain things were since COVID-19 was still an issue at the time when they broke the news in April. However, the reunited rock icons will be taking the Riot Fest stage in 2022, being the first act announced for next year’s festivities.
Tickets are available now, but 3-day passes have sold out as of today. Single day passes will be announced next week. You can get tickets here.
Riot Fest 2021 will take place September 17 – 19, at Douglas Park in Chicago, Ill. A special Thursday Preview Party happens on September 16 featuring surprise sets from mystery bands and much more.
The festival first took place in 2005 and has been running on strong until COVID-19 cancelled 2020’s festivities. Artists who’ve played in the past include The Bouncing Souls, Mustard Plug, Deal’s Gone Bad, Anti-Nowhere League, The Aggrolites, Jello Biafra And The Guantanamo School Of Medicine, Smoking Popes, Of Mice & Men, Public Enemy, Slayer, Post Malone, Balance And Composure, Queens Of The Stone Age, Piebald, and Dashboard Confessional.
Punk Goes Prenatt 