Chicago, IL – 19 SEP 2025
Celebrating 20 years of Riot Fest!
This past weekend marked 20 years of the Chicago-born Riot Fest. Each year, attendees fathom how the fest organizers can top previous editions, and no holds were barred in booking this year’s lineup. As normal, the fest boasted everything from star studded headliners, the new guard, the staples and the unexpected. I would be remiss if I went this far without mentioning an almost decade long attempt in getting John Stamos to make an appearance. Dreams do come true and he made his Riot Fest debut with the Beach Boys. We will get to covering the vast majority of the lineup as these reviews continue. For now, let’s dive into Friday, Day 1.
The parking gods were on my side, allowing me to find a metered spot which enabled me just enough time to grab my pass and enter Douglas Park. I was stoked to know that the first band of the day would be the mighty Shonen Knife from Osaka, Japan. This all-female power trio has been producing some of the most infectious songs for decades. They kicked things off on the Weird Al Yankovic “Weird World Stage” which was hosted by Emo Philips! Yes, everything you just read is indeed correct. Only at Riot Fest! Shonen Knife ripped through a 30 minute set full of their hits such as “Riding On The Rocket” and “Sushi Bar.”
For nothing more than morbid curiosity, I forced myself to check out a few Mac Sabbath numbers. Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of all eras of Black Sabbath. I just do not find their fast food counterpart’s comedic gimmick that entertaining. Next for me was one of my most anticipated sets of the day. The mighty SAMIAM doing a full-album play of their 2000 LP Astray. The band sounded amazing as they played most songs with utmost precision. The only downside to full album plays is knowing you won’t hear certain classics from bands you adore. I still enjoyed every minute.
Now next up was my first major conflict which probably very few faced. Agnostic Front and the Hold Steady were performing on two different stages simultaneously. Agnostic Front was my first all ages hardcore show when I was 13 years old. They were one of many bands bridging the gap between metal and punk in my formative years. Needless to say, the NYHC titans won my attention. The set was branded as performing their Victim In Pain album in full, which I think they did but sprinkled throughout. Their set was very fast and furious and sometimes even sloppy. I would not have wanted it any other way. Later on they played some latter-era staples such as “Gotta Gotta Go” which set the crowd into an even bigger fury, and even paid homage to the Ramones in covering “Blitzkrieg Bop.” Original members Roger Miret and VInnie Stigma looked like they were having the time of their lives.
I was able to catch about half of the Didjits set which was the rock n roll party you would expect. Given the crowd response I would expect more shows to come. Alkaline Trio performing Maybe I’ll Catch Fire in full was next on the agenda. Prior to the album performance, the band treated the crowd to favorites such as “Private Eye” and “Mercy Me.” Behind the band projected an interactive image of the album cover to enhance the performance. It was no surprise that Trio would be part of this event. Another top anticipated set for me personally was Stiff Little Fingers. I have not seen SLF perform live in well over 20 years. Jake Burns and company surely delivered. It was non-stop hit after hit. What should be pointed out is how precise musically and vocally the band performed. This was one of the best sounding sets I can remember in Riot history. This might upset some reading this, but the Stiff LIttle Fingers set directly overlapped with “Weird Al” Yankovic. I made it over there to catch half a song but the area was beyond capacity at that point. Finally, it was time for the headliners. Blink-182 went head to head with The Pogues. I was not going to be staying for either full set as I had the Screeching Weasel late show to attend, which I may cover later. I chose to check out a handful of Blink songs. Starting with the “Rock Show” and “First Date” that more than got the packed crowd going. Sure, it’s easy to question the punk credibility of these guys but they are talented, fun and put on a great show. I am glad I got the chance to catch a few songs.
Day 1 was indeed a success. I would say that the strength of the lineup for me turned into a weakness. There was very little downtime to rest or even grab much food or drink. Also, this year was the least amount of time I spent flipping through records in the merch area. I guess these things speak to the quality of the lineup this year. After a very late night, I made a somewhat shorter return to Riot Fest for Day 2 which is coming soon!
I am mostly known in cyberspace as a vinyl junkie and punk rock bassist! Fair assessment. I am the bassist of the Chicago area power pop / pop punk band SPACE AGE ZEROS.