Riot Fest 2023 Preview

Foo Fighters, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

For some people, Dave Grohl will always be, first and foremost, the drummer of Nirvana, but he’s forged a massively successful career fronting his own Foo Fighters (QRO photos at a festival) for over twenty-five years now. Along with former Sunny Day Real Estate bassist Nate Mendel, Pat Smear (of iconic punk act The Germs), and Chris Shiflett (QRO photos at a festival), they’re up to record number eleven with this year’s But Here We Are (QRO review), 2021’s Medicine at Midnight (QRO review), 2017’s ambitious Concrete and Gold (QRO review), 2014’s Sonic Highways (QRO review), 2011’s Wasting Light (QRO review), and more.

There has even been pseudo-Nirvana reunions, like Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and Nevermind producer Butch Vig (also of fellow Shaky Knees ’21 performer Garbage – see below) on Wasting, plus Grohl’s documentary & album about their old recording studio, Sound City (QRO album review). Grohl even broke his leg on stage, finished the performance, and toured with his leg in a cast while sitting on a specially made throne.

Last year, Foo drummer Taylor Hawkins tragically passed away, putting the band into forced hiatus. But they’ve returned this here with the cathartic But Here We Are, and now come to headline Riot Fest.

The Breeders, 5:50 PM – 6:50 PM

Back in the early nineties alt-boom, Kim Deal left Boston’s acclaimed Pixies to form her own band with her sister Kelley, The Breeders, and they had one of the biggest hits of the era with the classic Last Splash (QRO live review performing Last Splash). However, after that the band sputtered to a delayed disappointment record Title TK a decade later.

But this is the twenty-first century, and everything is coming back. First Deal and Pixies frontman Black Francis buried the hatchet and reunited the old band, while Kim & Kelley reteamed up (QRO live review) to make Mountain Battles (QRO review) – which unfortunately was no Last Splash. So, Kim left the Pixies (again), recruited the entire old Splash crew and played the record on tour (QRO photos of them performing Last Splash at a festival).

2018 (QRO photos in 2018) saw the old band release the new All Nerve (QRO review) – and it was yet another disappointment (QRO photos at a festival). But hey, Last Splash still sounds great live (QRO photos of them performing it at another festival), and they’ll be playing it in full at Riot Fest…

The Interrupters, 3:55 PM – 4:40 PM

Ska-punk has long had a home at Riot Fest, but it’s been experiencing a wider resurgence, and that started with The Interrupters (QRO photos at a festival), who return to Riot Fest.

Also:

Yard Act, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

Olivia Jean, 12:50 PM – 1:20 PM

Turnstile, 6:55 PM – 7:55 PM

Baltimore hardcore punks Turnstile (QRO ’22 photos) head over to Chicago for their return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’23 festival) behind 2021’s Glow On and recent Grammy nominations – just hopefully no one will shit in the pit this time…

Quicksand, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM

New York post-hardcore outfit Quicksand (QRO photos at a festival) looked poised for major label success in the nineties with albums Slip and Manic Compression, but didn’t break out, so instead broke up, with singer/guitarist Walter Schreifels doing much else (such as fellow Riot ’23 performers Gorilla Biscuits and Rival Schools – see all below). But Quicksand got back together for a one-night-only performance in 2012 – and have kept on going, most recently with their second post-reunion record, Distant Populations. But for their return to Riot Fest, they’re playing Slip in full.

Code Orange, 3:05 PM – 3:50 PM

Embrace the hard-hitting industrial metalcore of Code Orange (QRO photos at a festival), who come to Riot Fest behind this year’s The Above.

Quasi, 1:25 PM – 2:10 PM

Exes Sam Coomes (QRO interview) & Janet Weiss got back together last decade, musically at least, for the latest go-round of their band Quasi (QRO live review), including 2010’s American Gong (QRO review) and 2013’s Mole City (QRO review). Since then Weiss left The Jicks for the Sleater-Kinney reunion, then left that group, but Coomes gets his gang (QRO spotlight on) back together to play Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind this year’s Breaking the Balls of History (QRO review).

Also:

Calva Louise, 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

Radical Stage

Say Anything, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Los Angeles pop-punk outfit Say Anything (QRO photos) defended their genre in 2007’s In Defense of the Genre, but broke up before the release of 2019’s Oliver Appropriate. Of course, they got back together last year, and of course are back at Riot Fest.

Bayside, 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM

Queens’ emo-punks Bayside (QRO photos) come to Riot Fest for a fifth time (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’21 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15), after celebrating ‘Twenty One Years of Really Bad Luck’ in 2021 (QRO ‘21 live review).

Silverstein, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

The post-hardcore emo of Silverstein returns to Riot Fest behind last year’s Misery Made Me.

The Wrecks, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

“Fvck Somebody”, We Are The Wrecks.

Also:

Hawthorne Heights, 1:40 PM – 2:10 PM

Origami Angel, 12:50 PM – 1:20 PM

Young Culture, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Rise Stage

Tegan & Sara, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Identical twin sisters Tegan and Sara (QRO interview) Quinn emerged out of Calgary at a young age over two decades ago (QRO spotlight on), and are coming down to ZONA (QRO photos at a festival) behind their tenth record, Crybaby (QRO review). 2016’s Love You To Death (QRO review) and 2013’s Heartthrob (QRO review) launched the indie duo (QRO live review) into electro-pop stardom (helped by contributing to Lego Movie’s awesome, Oscar-nominated song, “Everything Is Awesome!!!”), after a hiatus following the end of their touring behind 2009’s Sainthood (QRO review). They then tapped their high school era writings for 2019’s Hey, I’m Just Like You (QRO review), and now combine it all with Crybaby (QRO review) & more (QRO ’22 live review) – including the recent TV series High School, based on their own memoir!

The duo manages to combine both the mature songstress(es) style and today’s indie-rock (QRO live review) – along with some great between song banter (QRO live review). They’ve been everywhere in the world (QRO photos at a festival on the other side of the world) – from French-speaking Montreal (QRO photos) to Major League Baseball’s ‘Fan Cave’ (QRO photos), from Amnesty International’s ‘Bring Human Rights Home’ event (QRO photos) with Pussy Riot to Middle America (QRO photos) to Village Voice Pride Awards (QRO recap). They return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’14) on their latest big tour (QRO ’23 live review).

Ani DiFranco, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

The celebrated, Grammy Award-winning feminist icon Ani DiFranco (QRO photos at a festival) has also been a prolific singer/songwriter (QRO photos), releasing over twenty studio albums, with her Righteous Babe imprint, most recently with 2021’s Revolutionary Love (QRO photos at a ’21 festival).

Kim Gordon, 3:20 PM – 4:20 PM

You already know Kim Gordon (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) as an alt-icon member of the alt-icon-of-alt-icons Sonic Youth (QRO live review), who were basically the most reliably great alt-punk act for decades & decades – until her 2011 divorce with fellow Youth Thurston Moore (in which most people have naturally taken her side). But she was always much more than Girl in a Band (her 2015 memoir), including being in other acts such as Free Kitten & Body/Head, and in 2019 released her first solo record, No Home Record. Now she finally comes to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’21 Chicago festival).

Parliament/Funkadelic with George Clinton, 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM

If you don’t know who George Clinton is (QRO photos outdoors), then you should really be ashamed. One of, if not the innovator of funk, Clinton took the Motown soul sounds of the seventies and, well, funkified it. With Parliament/Funkadelic (QRO photos at a festival), he not only blew that sound up, but also blew it up on stage, introducing the kind of spectacle that all other acts still measure themselves against (QRO ’21 live review). “Make my funk the P. Funk / I want my funk uncut / Make my funk the P. Funk / I wants to get funked up!” (QRO photos outdoors) Clinton announced that he was going to retire right before COVID forced everything to shut down, but since then he’s kept the Mothership Connection going (QRO ’22 photos), so take the chance to get funked up (QRO photos outdoors) at Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Also:

Pinkshift, 12:50 PM – 1:20 PM

The Aquadolls, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Rebel Stage

Sludgeworth, 8:45 PM – 9:45 PM

Fake Names, 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM

Braid, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Screaming Females, 4:50 PM – 5:30 PM

Just Friends, 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM

Oso Oso, 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM

Bearings, 1:50 PM – 2:20 PM

The Bobby Lees, 12:55 PM – 1:25 PM

Fea, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

The Postal Service, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Twenty years ago, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello of DNTEL traded recordings over the mail to make Give Up – and the world of music was never the same. With Rilo Kiley singer Jenny Lewis as The Postal Service, they created the ‘indietronic’ genre, and basically began the current wave of indie-rockers picking up synths and electronics.

And then… nothing. Everyone returned to their original jobs, and while those were acclaimed ones, people around the world wanted to know if there would be any more from The Postal Service. A decade ago, after years & years of denials, they came back (QRO photos), and while the tenth anniversary deluxe edition of Give Up (QRO deluxe edition review) felt like a bit of an unnecessary cash-in, they returned to the road as well – only to once again call it quits.

Until now. After 2020’s Everything Will Change (QRO review) live album (take that, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy!) and some great COVID era Zoom auditions (QRO review), they’ve gotten back together for another big reunion tour, with Death Cab (see just below). They come to headline Riot Fest, where they play the seminal Give Up in full.

Death Cab for Cutie, 6:50 PM – 7:50 PM

When Pacific Northwest alternative favorite Death Cab for Cutie (QRO photos at a festival) left long-time indie imprint Barsuk for major Label Atlantic in 2005 with Plans, fans thought the sky might be falling. But instead, Death Cab (QRO photos) has released some of their best records to-date, following up Plans in 2010 with the excellent Narrow Stairs (QRO review), 2011’s Codes and Keys (QRO review), 2015’s Kintsugi (QRO review), 2018’s Thank You for Today (QRO review), and last year’s Asphalt Meadows (QRO review).

Singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard may have gone from dork to looking like a Cascadian beefcake (QRO photos at a festival) – he was married to Zooey Deschanel of She & Him/The New Girl – and guitarist Chris Walla may have left for solo projects (QRO solo album review), with over two decade’s worth of strong material (QRO photos), their well is deep for a wide performance (QRO photos at a festival). They return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16) to play their iconic Transatlanticism in full (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) while on tour with Gibbard’s ‘other’ band, the reunion of The Postal Service (see just above).

Head Automatica, 4:40 PM – 5:40 PM

Daryl Palumbo of the post-hardcore outfit Glassjaw spreads his wings with his alt-rock side project, Head Automatica.

White Reaper, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM

Giving Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) another kick in the ass is White Reaper (QRO photos at a Chicago festival), coming off of 2017’s oh-so-humble The World’s Best American Band (QRO review), 2019’s major label debut You Deserve Love, and this year’s Asking for a Ride.

Warpaint, 1:20 PM – 2:05 PM

The experimental, even psychedelic rock of the four ladies that make up Warpaint (QRO photos at a festival) took a while to take hold, but has by now (QRO photos at a festival), and they come to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a Chicago festival), behind this year’s Radiate Like This (QRO review).

Also:

Pool Kids, 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM

Roots Stage

Queens of the Stone Age, 7:55 PM – 8:55 PM

After the dissolution of the hard rock Kyuss, singer/guitarist Josh Homme formed what today might be the biggest ‘stoner rock’ band in the world, The Queens of the Stone Age (QRO photos at a festival). This is the kind of band that can put Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl back on skins, get contributions from ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and the late Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees, and more. Maybe no record has matched Songs For the Deaf, but they’ve still delivered, strong, professional records such as 2013’s …Like Clockwork (QRO review) 2017’s Villains (QRO review), and this year’s In Times New Roman… (QRO review), now returning to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Death Grips, 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM

Alt-hip-hop has grown into experimental hip-hop, the next big thing in outfits like Sacramento’s Death Grips (QRO photos at a festival) and their wild stage show. It used to be that the big question is whether they’ll even show, as they were notorious for canceling shows (sometimes without notice), but since breaking up and reuniting, they’ve actually been playing shows, and return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16).

Viagra Boys, 3:50 PM – 4:35 PM

Stockholm punks Viagra Boys stick it to conspiracy theorists and hyper-masculinists with satire and dark humour.

Also:

Jehnny Beth, 2:10 PM – 2:55 PM

Enola Gay, 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

Radical Stage

100 gecs, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Be sure to catch the kinetic & crazy hyper-pop of duo 100 gecs (QRO live review), who pretty much defy description (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) with their wild show (QRO photos at a ‘23 festival).

070 Shake, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

From the 070 collective, Danielle Balbuena, a.k.a. 070 Shake, contributed to albums by the big-name likes of Kanye West, Pusha T, and Nas. Last year he put out his sophomore studio album, You Can’t Kill Me.

Nothing, Nowhere, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM

Joseph Edward Mulherin went from making videos for Ben & Jerry’s to his own rhymes at Nothing, Nowhere.

Rival Schools, 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM

The New York hardcore ‘Supergroup’ (QRO live review) left a mark in 1999 with United By Fate, only to break up soon after. But the band reunited and hit the road in 2008 – all the while working on new material for the long-awaited sophomore LP, Pedals (QRO review). They broke up again a few years later, but last year reunited for that long and winding road (QRO photos in Europe), and come to Riot Fest to play United in full.

Also:

Bowling For Soup, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Drain, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Cassyette, 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM

Rise Stage

Mr. Bungle, 8:55 PM – 9:55 PM

Faith No More’s Mike Patton also fronts the inexplicable Mr. Bungle. Back in the nineties they would shift between multiple musical styles, sometimes within a single song, including an early use of sampling. They broke up when the nineties ended, but last year reunited for some sold-out shows (with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian & Slayer drummer Dave Lombaro) to play 1986 demo album The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny in full. While COVID kept them off the stage, they made it to the studio to re-record Raging Wrath and release it. But you won’t know what to expect when they finally make it to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’23 festival).

Pennywise, 7:25 PM – 8:25 PM

Hermosa Beach punks Pennywise (QRO photos) came up in the nineties interest in skate-punk, and have kept on going, despite suicide of bassist Jason Thirsk in 1996, singer Jim Lindberg’s departure in 2010, and new singer Zoli Téglás being sidelined by back injury after the release of 2012’s All Or Nothing – Lindberg rejoined, and they play Riot Fest for their fifth time (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’19 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’17).

PUP, 6:10 PM – 6:55 PM

Toronto punk rockers PUP (QRO ’22 photos) come back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s The Unraveling of PUPTheBand.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM

While Frank Turner (QRO photos) began his life in music as singer for the post-hardcore act Million Dead, since that band’s break-up in 2005, the Bahrain-born, Britain-raised artists has turned to political indie-folk (QRO photos at a festival). He’s not a stranger to big stages, however (QRO photos at a festival), returning to Riot Fest.

Also:

Enter Shikari, 3:50 PM – 4:30 PM

The Exploited, 2:50 PM – 3:20 PM

Snapcase, 1:50 PM – 2:20 PM

Plosivs, 12:55 PM – 1:25 PM

Total Chaos, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Rebel Stage

Insane Clown Posse, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

How is it that it’s taken this long for the Insane Clown Posse (QRO live review) to come to Riot Fest?!? The notorious hip-hop outfit has long known how to throw their own wild shows (QRO photos), from face paint to Faygo, as well as the infamous Gathering of The Juggalos.

Sleep Token, 7:15 PM – 8:00 PM

Check out the masked British post-metal of Sleep Token.

Eshu Tune, 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM

While Hannibal Buress (QRO photos at a festival) will always be best known for the comedian who took down Bill Cosby, he’s recently tried out music as Eshu Tune (QRO ‘23 photos).

Steve Ignorant Band (Crass), 5:05 PM – 5:35 PM

The true distillation of the anarchist British spirit of the late seventies was Crass, who elevated it to an art form while still taking on the likes of the Falklands War. Frontman Steve Ignorant brings that spirit back to Riot Fest.

Also:

Spitalfield, 4:10 PM – 4:40 PM

High Vis, 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM

Corey Feldman, 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM

1300cadoe, 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM

The Cure, 7:40 PM – 9:55 PM

If you’re going to Riot Fest, do you seriously need to be told who The Cure (QRO photos headlining a festival) are?!? Fronted by the iconic Robert Smith, The Cure were on the leading edge of New Wave in the eighties, basically inventing goth as a form of music – and releasing some of the decade’s most catchy singles as well.

You know ‘em, you love ‘em, you came to Riot Fest for the return of The Cure (QRO photos headlining a festival).

The Dresden Dolls, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Amanda Palmer (QRO solo photos) and Brian Viglione bring their iconic “Brechtian punk cabaret” The Dresden Dolls (QRO photos), as they come to Riot Fest on their latest reunion.

Ride, 3:35 PM – 4:20 PM

When Liam Gallagher’s post-Oasis Beady Eye broke up in 2014, people weren’t wondering if he’d get back together with brother Noel, but instead if guitarist Andy Bell (QRO solo album review) would reunite with his first band, Ride (QRO live review). Their early nineties output was as essential to shoegaze as anything My Bloody Valentine did, and MBV reunited…

And so has Ride (QRO photos), including touring (QRO photos at a festival), with 2017’s Weather Diaries (QRO review) and 2019’s This Is Not a Safe Place (QRO review), as the return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’19).

Cults, 2:25 PM – 2:55 PM

When Cults (QRO photos) broke out in 2010 with infectious single “We Go Outside”, they’d achieved the near impossible: being famous without anyone knowing anything about them (QRO photos outdoors). Since then, the wall of silence has broken down (QRO photos), with the catchy sixties male/female duo recruiting a band (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), playing South-by-Southwest (QRO photos), and signing to major label Sony for 2011’s Cults (QRO review). But even if you’ve got a face (QRO photos outdoors) to put to the un-Google-able name (QRO photos at a festival), they’re still a hook-laden band (QRO photos at a festival), who come to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2013’s Static (QRO review) and 2020’s Hosts (QRO review).

Roots Stage

The Mars Volta, 6:35 PM – 7:35 PM

One of this century/millennium’s most influential and important prog-rock bands, The Mars Volta formed after the break-up of At the Drive-In (QRO photos at Shaky Knees ’16), and released important concept albums like 2009’s Octahedron (QRO review) and 2012’s Noctourniquet (QRO review). Now, The Mars Volta (QRO ’22 photos) bring their rock mix of experimental, hard, Latin & more to Riot Fest.

AFI, 4:25 PM – 5:25 PM

Has it really been over thirty years for AFI (QRO live review)? The band has evolved from their early snot-punk Bay Area roots (full-length debut Answer That and Stay Fashionable was produced by Tim Armstrong of Rancid and featured “High School Football Hero” and “I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won’t Let Me Get On)”) to hardcore and then post-hardcore, a dark romantic sound and style that saw them attain mainstream success (and a video with Sarah Michelle Gellar). The band (QRO photos) comes back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’13) after 2021’s Bodies.

The Black Angels, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Austin’s great music scene has many dimensions, but the band that opened up the psychedelic side of the Live Music Capitol of the World is The Black Angels (QRO spotlight on). The group (QRO photos), fronted by Alex Maas (QRO interview), bring the psych-rock of 2013’s Indigo Meadow (QRO review) and 2010’s Phosphene Dream (QRO review) and more to Atlanta (QRO photos at a festival), after having toured all over America (QRO live review) & Europe (QRO photos at a European festival), not to being the creators of (and regulars at) Levitation Festival (QRO photos at Levitation ’21). They come to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind this year’s Wilderness of Mirrors.

Radical Stage

The Used, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

If you’ve ever seen SLC Punk, then you know that even Utah knows how to rock – like with native songs The Used, who return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Also:

Finch, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

L.S. Dunes, 4:05 PM – 4:50 PM

Balance & Composure, 2:55 PM – 3:40 PM

Thursday, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Rise Stage

The Gaslight Anthem, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Gaslight Anthem (QRO photos) borrow from classic punk and more recent predecessors like hometown heroes Bouncing Souls (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’18) – but also from the Garden State’s ultimate shining musical light (no, not Sinatra – not even Bon Jovi…), Bruce Springsteen. Once described as the product of some alternate history of rock, where The Boss embraced his early love of The Clash, The Gaslight Anthem (QRO photos in the U.K.) have gone even more Boss-like on albums like 2010’s American Slang (QRO review), 2012’s Handwritten (QRO review), and 2014’s Get Hurt (QRO review), which have catapulted them up the charts (QRO live review) and into festivals (QRO photos at a festival). The band (QRO live review) took some time off so frontman Brian Fallon could do the solo thing (QRO solo album review), but last year reunited (QRO ’22 live review), and now comes back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Flogging Molly, 4:45 PM – 5:45 PM

Flogging Molly (QRO live review) is on the leading edge of today’s workingman’s punk rock. The Celtic tinge to this Los Angeles act (QRO photos) has only grown, with 2008’s produced-in-Eire Float and 2011’s Speed of Darkness reaching new heights in popularity for the genre, as well as bringing it to the wide open air (QRO photos outdoors). They have become a strong presence on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), including Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15) as well as their own headlining shows (QRO live review), and come back to Riot Fest (QRO ’21 live review) behind last year’s Anthem (QRO review).

The Bronx, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Certain hardcore bands have been breaking into the indie-mainstream, such as Los Angeles’ own The Bronx (other than Chicago & Boston, are any bands named after their own hometowns?…). Not that The Bronx (QRO photos at a festival) are your run-of-the-mill hardcore act – see their Latin alter ego, Mariachi El Bronx (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15).

Also:

Earth Crisis, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM

Rebel Stage

Through n Through, 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM

Post-rock is littered with seminal acts, but none, none is more important and acclaimed as Godspeed You! Black Emperor (QRO photos at a festival). The Montreal ensemble has done everything from curate numerous All Tomorrow’s Parties festivals around the world (QRO photo at an ATP) to working with the late Grant Hart of Hüsker Dü on Hot Wax (QRO review). They come to Riot Fest behind 2021’s G_d’s Pee at State End!.

Gorilla Biscuits, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Even after its New Wave & punk heyday, New York’s iconic CBGB’s was birthing hardcore acts in the late eighties like Gorilla Biscuits. After breaking up in 1991, they reunited later that decade for a few benefit shows at CBGB’s (the last of which was for the now-defunct venue itself), reissued their seminal Start Today, and have even done a few tours (QRO live review) and festivals (QRO photos at a festival). They come to Riot Fest to play Start Today in full.

Also:

H2O, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM

Fleshwater, 3:05 PM – 3:45 PM

Future Nobodies, 2:05 PM – 2:35 PM