Editor’s intro: Last week our guy in Chicago Jim Gordon laid out some prognostications on who would be playing Riot Fest this year. Well, the lineup has landed. Let’s see how well he did!
A lot of what we’re writing here is based solely on a band’s position in the lineup poster. So some of these may not actually be performing in a section we have them in below.
Headliners
“We all know that Slayer is a lock.” Spot on. Slayer will be performing this year at Riot Fest.
“I like No Doubt/Gwen Stefani as a potential headliner.” Looks like this one was a miss, as was the remainder of Jim’s picks for headliners: Slipknot, Pantera, and Misfits.
Other bands living in the top third of the poster include Fall Out Boy, Pavement, Public Enemy, The Offspring (Jim had them as a sub-headliner, which is still probably accurate), and more.
Interestingly, Jim also had NOFX as a sub-headliner, but it appears that they may have a bigger stake as they’ll be performing all three nights as part of the A Fond Farewell section (more on that below).
Sub-Headliners
The predictions/hopes that Blondie or Duran Duran would appear to have been dashed, but points on the board for Sum 41 and the aforementioned NOFX and The Offspring.
Other acts included below the big names are Taking Back Sunday, Cypress Hill, The Hives, and perennial favorites GWAR amongst others.
A Fond Farewell
Tucked in between the sub-headliners and the general is a huge section for NOFX’s three night engagement. This section is the decidedly “punk” end of the spectrum, and includes at least one of Jim’s “general” predictions: The Lawrence Arms. Also performing will be Descendents, Circle Jerks, Dillinger Four, Lagwagon, The Dead Milkmen, The Exploited, and more.
And while we don’t get an Operation Ivy reunion, Laura Jane Grace and Catbite will be performing an OpIvy Set, which is definitely going to be lots of fun.
General
Except for The Larries above, it looks like Jim struck out in the “general” predictions, but this is such a hard one to guess on anyway. Of particular note are Souls of Mischief, Sweet Pill, and Winona Fighter.
Tickets for Riot Fest 2024, taking place 20-22 Sep in its new home “Riotland” (aka-Seatgeek Stadium) Bridgeview, IL, are on sale now.
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
