Riot Fest turns 20 as Blink-182, Jack White, “Weird Al,” Green Day take over Douglass Park
Photos by Andy Argyrakis
In the 20 years since Riot Fest initially invaded Chicago, the globally-recognized musical celebration has thus far hosted practically every major marquee name, alongside countless underground innovators, representing all shades of alternative music.
Organizers may very well have cast the widest net ever for this milestone anniversary, which comes to Douglass Park from Friday, September 19 until Sunday, September 21, boasting both huge headliners and some seriously unexpected extras.
As the annual tradition goes, there’s a hearty helping of legends, newcomers and notable albums being played in their entirety, including these ten picks as a starting point out of nearly a hundred choices.
1. Blink-182 (Friday)
Ever since the original band comprised of guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker reunited, Blink-182 not only proved its past pop/punk smashes remain as popular as ever, but picked up precisely where they left off in the studio thanks to the aptly titled “One More Time…”
2. Jack White (Saturday)
As a man of many bands, including upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The White Stripes, garage rock revivalist Jack White has tons of material to pull from, right up to his latest long-player “No Name.”
3. “Weird Al” Yankovic (Friday)
For well over four decades, “Weird Al” Yankovic turned parodies into chart-toppers, and though he’s been trickling out singles rather than full albums as of late, his comical catalogue runs deep.
4. Green Day (Sunday)
No matter how often Green Day comes to the Windy City, it’s a punk meets pop paradise that finds front man Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool frequently pulling heavily from the iconic offerings “Dookie” and “American Idiot.”
5. The Beach Boys (Saturday)
“America’s Band” is still The Beach Boys a whopping six decades since starting out surfing in California, yet Mike Love’s touring line-up will surely be bolstered by longtime collaborator John Stamos on guitar and drums, who is finally slated to appear at Riot Fest after the event’s increasingly escalating obsession over the “Full House” actor.
6. Sparks (Friday)
A quirky combination of art pop, glam rock and new wave-era electronics has rarely been as interesting or unpredictable as Sparks, who stayed in business since the early 1970s and continue to captivate throughout its current “Mad!” musings.
7. Inhaler (Sunday)
Ireland’s Inhaler cranked out three acclaimed albums in a mere four years, and even those who aren’t acquainted with the indie/alt-rockers may at least be curious to catch singer/guitarist/keyboard player Elijah Hewson follow in his father Bono’s footsteps.
8. Rico Nasty (Friday)
Red hot rapper Rico Nasty is sure to drop some “Lethal” rhymes on a sea of solo singles and those recorded alongside all-star collaborators such as Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Marshmello and more.
9. James (Saturday)
It’s not all that often Britpop powerhouse James makes its way to these shores, yet between such early gold as “Laid” through the recent yield of “Yummy,” the longstanding line-up retains its knack for crafting colossal anthems.
10. Hanson (Sunday)
The sunny power pop of Hanson isn’t usually associated with the much heavier Riot Fest, but there’s no doubt brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac have established themselves as respected singer/songwriters, regardless of genre, nearly three decades since “MMMBop” put them on the mainstream map.
Riot Fest comes to Douglass Park from Friday, September 19 through Sunday, September 21. For additional details, visit RiotFest.org.







