Riot Fest 2024 Preview

Cabaret Metro Stage

Fall Out Boy, 8:15 PM – 10:00 PM

Fall Out Boy! The band that basically founded emo with 2005’s From Under the Cork Tree took a huge hiatus after 2008’s Folie à Deux, as the various members did various side projects. However, they reunited in Austin at South-by-Southwest in 2013 (QRO photos) and put out Save Rock and Roll (QRO review). They’ve since resumed their spot on the top of the rock charts, playing big stages big places (QRO photos at Madison Square Garden), and big tours, like ‘Boys of Zummer’ (QRO photos), 2021’s baseball stadium ‘Hella Mega Tour’ (QRO live review) with Green Day & Weezer, and just last year (QRO photos in Chicago last year) – and now return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘13).

Sum 41, 6:05 PM – 7:05 PM

Another major early aughts emo-punk act at Riot Fest, Sum 41 (QRO photos) was a young hit with All Killer No Filler and Does This Look Infected?. They’ve had their ups & downs since then (including surviving fighting in Congo thanks to Chuck), but have announced that this tour (QRO ’24 photos) is their last, so catch them back at Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘18) while you can (QRO photos at a ’23 festival).

Hot Mulligan, 4:15 PM – 4:55 PM

From just over in Lansing, Hot Mulligan bring their own hot emo to Riot Fest.

The Aces, 3:05 PM – 3:35 PM

Provo, Utah’s The Aces (QRO spotlight on) have gotten around the country with their indie-pop sound (QRO interview), including at festivals (QRO photoshoot at a festival – QRO photos at a ’22 festival), and come to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) behind last year’s I’ve Loved You For So Long (QRO review).

The Warning, 1:55 PM – 2:25 PM

Keep Me Fed with The Warning (QRO ’22 photos), who come up from Mexico (QRO ’22 photos).

Also:

Winona Fighter, 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

AAA Stage

The Offspring, 7:10 PM – 8:10 PM

Riot Fest has punks from all decades, and in the nineties slot is California’s The Offspring (QRO photos), who hit it big back then with Smash and songs like “Come Out and Play” (the one with the “You gotta keep ‘em separated” chorus). While never basking in critical acclaim, they have continued to be a top-selling punk act to this day (QRO photos at a festival), even getting a reappraisal by those know-it-all critics, so they are perfect back at Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’14), where they’ll be playing all of Smash (QRO photos at a festival).

New Found Glory, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

New Found Glory (QRO live review) emerged on the leading edge of the second wave of nineties pop-punk and have somehow kept on going, as they Make the Most of It, and play their fourth Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’21 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’14)!

State Champs, 3:40 PM – 4:10 PM

Albany rockers State Champs (QRO live review) come back to Riot Fest behind 2022’s Kings of the New Age (QRO ’23 photos).

Also:

Poison the Well, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Polaris, 1:20 PM – 1:50 PM

Action/Adventure, 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM

NOFX World

NOFX, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

If you don’t want to be all high-minded and serious at Riot Fest, go the exact opposite direction with NOFX (QRO photos). The ska-punkers have turned cheeky fart jokes into a musical career for decades now, such as on 2009’s Coaster (QRO review), and have rebounded from some ill-advised jokes to return to the road (QRO photos), playing their fifth Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

And last, as the band has announced that they’ll be calling it quits. But not before bring ‘NOFX World’ to Riot (QRO photos at Riot ’21) – headlining their stage all three days (see below)!

Circle Jerks, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

One of the legends of American punk rock, Circle Jerks formed way back in 1979 with former Black Flag singer Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. The group (QRO live review) influenced & inspired pretty much all punks from the eighties on (QRO ’24 photos). They also broke up & reformed many times, most recently in 2021 (QRO photos from ’21) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Group Sex (originally planned for 2020, but punks aren’t on time), and now come back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’22 festival).

The Lawrence Arms, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Out of The Broadways (who reunited at Riot Fest ’13) came Chicago’s own punk rockers The Lawrence Arms (QRO photos), who return to Riot Fest for a fifth time.

Face To Face, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

California nineties punks Face to Face return to Riot Fest.

ALL, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Descended from the equally influential Riot Fest ‘24 performer Descendents (see below), these eighties punks reunited at 2008’s Chicago’s Democratic National Convention, though only with sporadic appearances (including twice before at Riot Fest) due to health issues. But you can keep Allroy down…

Also:

The Defiant, 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

The Exploited, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Get Dead, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Rise Stage

The Marley Brothers, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Riot Fest has more than enough room for the more relaxed rebellion of reggae, bringing its first family to perform the music of their legendary father Bob, with Damian (QRO photos), Julian (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16), Ky-Mani, Stephen (QRO photos at a festival), and Ziggy (QRO photos), mon…

Cypress Hill, 6:20 PM – 7:20 PM

Having sold over twenty million albums worldwide, Cypress Hill (QRO photos at a festival) brings their unorthodox style and good-natured air of ‘reclaiming the glory days’ to Virginia. They were the first Latino outfit to achieve platinum success in hip-hop, the first hip-hop group to get their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (QRO exclusive photos from California), and come back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15).

Now if they can only pull of that reunion with the London Symphony Orchestra from their Hullabalooza days…

Also:

Tornillo, 4:45 PM – 5:25 PM

The Chisel, 3:25 PM – 3:55 PM

Jhariah, 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM

People R Ugly, 1:05 PM – 1:35 PM

Radical Stage

Public Enemy, 7:25 PM – 8:25 PM

Before rap was mainstream and became today’s highly successful commercial product, Public Enemy (QRO photos outdoors) broke the doors open by combining modern civil rights activism with the then-unknown music of streets, hip-hop. Chuck D & Flavor Flav (before he tasted The Flavor of Love) shocked America with such records as It Takes a Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet (which has since been inducted in the Library of Congress!?!), with seminal tracks like “Don’t Believe the Hype”, “911 (Is a Joke)”, and “Fight the Power”, which had the most charged controversial line since the Vietnam War, “Elvis was a hero to most / But he never meant shit to me / You see, straight-up racist that sucker was simple and plain / Mother-fuck him and John Wayne!”  You know what time it is – time for them to return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival)!

Also:

Souls of Mischief, 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM

Drug Church, 4:00 PM – 4:40 PM

Spiritual Cramp, 2:50 PM – 3:20 PM

Home Front, 1:40 PM – 2:10 PM

Zheani, 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

Cabaret Metro Stage

Beck, 8:45 PM – 10:00 PM

Beck (QRO photos at a festival) is back! Your favorite musical non-conformist (QRO photos at a festival) broke through in the mid-nineties thanks to songs like “Loser”, “Where It’s At”, and “Devil’s Haircut” off of early records Mellow Gold and Odelay (QRO deluxe edition review), mixing white boy funk with indie-rock and experimental – as well also delivering a stripped, soulful folk side to boot (even was on an episode of Futurama). After full-lengths 2008’s Modern Guilt (QRO review) and 2006’s The Information (QRO review), he took off time to work as a producer (such as on Thurston Moore’s Demolished Thoughts – QRO review – and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ Mirror Traffic – QRO review), only releasing a few soundtrack tracks (like writing for the fictional band Sex Bob-omb in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – QRO soundtrack review) and a ‘song reader’. But he finally delivered a new studio album in 2014 with Morning Phase (QRO review) – and of course it was great.

A perfect headliner back at Riot Fest (QRO headlining a festival), he comes after 2017’s release of the Grammy-winning Colors (QRO review) and 2019’s Hyperspace (QRO review), plus appearing last year on Gorillaz’ Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (QRO review) and worldwide livestream (QRO livestream review), with his entire impressive career in tow (QRO live review) for an impressive show (QRO photos at a ’22 festival).

St. Vincent, 6:35 PM – 7:35 PM

After the one-and-only Annie Clark (QRO interview) made 2007 her break-out year, both as part of The Polyphonic Spree on The Fragile Army (QRO review) and with her own debut as St. Vincent (QRO photos), Marry Me (QRO review), she followed that up with even-better years (QRO spotlight on), gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival), charming and surprising crowds with winning humor live (QRO live review), and bringing a stable of new songs (QRO live review). Those new songs, like “Laughing With a Mouth of Blood” (QRO video) and “Actor Out of Work” (QRO video) formed into 2009’s Actor (QRO review), which vaunted her into the even bigger time (QRO photos at a festival), including playing Lincoln Center (QRO live review) and other storied concert halls (QRO photos at a festival) & venues (QRO photos at Royal Albert Hall).

Admittedly, 2011’s Strange Mercy (QRO review) wasn’t quite as good, but then she teamed up with the one-and-only David Byrne (QRO photos at a festival together) for 2012’s Love This Giant (QRO review) and the holy St. Vincent (QRO photos) came back with a vengeance in 2014 on St. Vincent (QRO review), including an absolutely stellar live show (QRO photos), with her platinum grey hair and mannequin moves shining outdoors (QRO live review outdoors), at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) and in the Old World (QRO live review in Europe). In 2017 she had the massively seductive MASSEDUCTION (QRO review), and seductive stage show (QRO photos at a 2018 festival), followed by the stripped down seduction of remix album MassEducation (QRO review). And even COVID couldn’t keep St. Vincent down, with 2021’s seventies-channeling Daddy’s Home (QRO review), “Pay You Way In Pain” (QRO review), and live show (QRO Daddy’s Home livestream review).

A must-see as she comes to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’21 festival) with her giant stage show (QRO ’22 photos) behind this year’s All Born Screaming (QRO review).

Manchester Orchestra, 4:25 PM – 5:25 PM

From Atlanta, not England New or Old, Manchester Orchestra (QRO live review) were more rock than alt- on debut I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child (QRO review), and moved firmly into the rock camp with 2009’s Mean Everything To Nothing (QRO review), 2011’s Simple Math (QRO review), 2014’s Cope (QRO review), 2017’s A Black Mile To the Surface (QRO review), and last year’s The Million Masks of God (QRO review). However, the outfit does it well (QRO live review) and big (QRO ’21 live review) as they come back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) to rock (QRO live review) the fest for a third time (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) – this time (QRO ’23 photos), playing Cope in its entirety!

The Hives, 2:55 PM – 3:35 PM

‘The’ garage-rock explosion a decade-plus ago gave a lot of ‘The’ bands, including The White Stripes, The Kills, The Vines, and the most energetic of the bunch – The Hives (QRO spotlight on)! The Swedish outfit (QRO ’24 European live review) have the kind of explosive & fun live (QRO live review) that Jack White only wish he could pull off, with maximum call-and-response & frenetic activity (QRO photos) all around the world (QRO photos in Europe), plus top hats & tails (QRO photos). The Hives (QRO interview) come to back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16) after 2021’s ‘The World’s First World Wide Web Tour’ (QRO livestream review) and last year’s The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (QRO review) ready to rock (QRO interview) as always (QRO ’23 live review – QRO ’23 live review).

Buzzcocks, 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM

A seminal member of the ‘Spirit of ‘77’ punk explosion, the Buzzcocks managed to achieve popular success as well, with music that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy (QRO live review). The seventies flamed out and so did the Buzzcocks, but once the eighties were in the rearview mirror, the group reunited – and they’ve finally outlived successful U.K. comedy panel game, Never Mind The Buzzcocks – with most recent record Sonics in the Soul out in 2022, and returning to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’17 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’14).

Brutus, 12:35 PM – 1:05 PM

Even Belgium has hardcore, with Leuven’s crushing Brutus.

Verböten, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Because it’s mandated that Jason Narducy (QRO spotlight on) play every Riot Fest in one of the millions of bands he’s in – Bob Mould’s (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘16), Superchunk (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘18), even earlier this year with Chicago actor Michael Shannon (QRO ’24 live review) – Narducy is bringing back his early teens punk outfit Verböten, who are coming off having their own musical!

AAA Stage

Pavement, 7:40 PM – 8:40 PM

Ever since the Pixies kicked off the eighties/nineties alt-rock reunion trend in 2004 at Coachella (well, really first was Mission of Burma), they’ve been coming at a pretty good clip, but one everyone had been hoping for was Pavement. The acclaimed indie-rock act split up in 1999, with singer/guitarist Stephen Malkmus going his own way alongside his Jicks, Steven Kannenberg reviving his Spiral Stairs – bassist Mark Ibold even joined Sonic Youth! Deluxe edition re-releases of prior records like Brighten the Corners (Nicene Creedence Edition) (QRO review) and Wowee Zowee (Sorted Sentinels Ed.) (QRO review) did keep the flame burning, but the rumored reunion seemed like just that – a rumor. 

Until September 2009, when the news finally broke that the reunion was real.  It started with the announcement of five shows at in New York City for September of 2010 – which sold out immediately, and then, they made it a full-fledged reunion tour, and hit up festivals all over the world (QRO photos at a foreign festival), including Chicago (QRO photos at a Chicago festival), putting out greatest hits Quarantine the Past (QRO review), and ending it all with those NYC shows (QRO live review of all five).

After that, it was all put away again for another decade-plus, reuniting again after COVID and putting out both extras collection The Secret History, Vol. 1 (QRO review) and deluxe edition of final album Terror Twilight: Farewell Horizontal (QRO review). This reunion has lasted longer (QRO ’22 live review on Austin City Limits), and now comes to Riot Fest.

Spoon, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

As The Tick would shout, “Spoon!!!” Austin’s Spoon (QRO ’22 live review on Austin City Limits) has been turning heads in the indie-sphere (QRO spotlight on) for a while with their trademark indie-rock, but with 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (QRO review), 2010’s Transference (QRO review), 2014’s They Want My Soul (QRO review – QRO deluxe edition review) & 2017’s Hot Thoughts (QRO review), the group (QRO photos at a festival) has launched into the stratosphere (QRO live review outdoors), including headlining at New York’s ultra-upscale Radio City Music Hall (QRO live review). A festival veteran (QRO photos at a ’22 festival), including headlining fests (QRO photos headlining a festival), they come to play Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’22 festival), now (QRO live review) behind 2022’s Lucifer On a Sofa (QRO review) and this year’s Memory Dust EP (QRO review). Three cheers for “The Underdog” (QRO video)!

HEALTH, 3:40 PM – 4:20 PM

Los Angeles’ own HEALTH (QRO photos) not only bring the noise-rock back to Riot Fest, but are also known for their mash-ups, though outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they’re more ‘noise’ than ‘rock’.

Sir Chloe, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM

Not a man but a band, Vermont’s Sir Chloe (QRO ’23 photos) come to Riot Fest behind last year’s debut full-length, I Am the Dog.

Princess Goes, 1:10 PM – 1:40 PM

We all know Michael C. Hall from being endearingly creep as Dexter (and before that on Six Feet Under), but he’s also an acclaimed stage actor, starring in modern musicals like Hedwig and The Angry Itch and David Bowie-made Lazarus (QRO livestream review). He’s also teamed up with fellow Hedwig performers & more Matt Katz-Bohen & Peter Yanowitz for the post-punk Princess Goes (QRO spotlight on). Initially they were halted by debuting right before COVID struck (QRO photos the day before everything shut down), but were eventually able to play (QRO ’21 live review) and put out both 2021’s Thanks For Coming (QRO review) and last year’s Come of Age (QRO review), and now they (QRO interview) come to Riot Fest (QRO photos the month before).

Also:

Pixel Grip, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

NOFX World

NOFX, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

If you don’t want to be all high-minded and serious at Riot Fest, go the exact opposite direction with NOFX (QRO photos). The ska-punkers have turned cheeky fart jokes into a musical career for decades now, such as on 2009’s Coaster (QRO review), and have rebounded from some ill-advised jokes to return to the road (QRO photos), playing their fifth Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

And last, as the band has announced that they’ll be calling it quits. But not before bring ‘NOFX World’ to Riot (QRO photos at Riot ’21) – headlining their stage all three days (see above & below)!

Descendents, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Amid the plethora of indie reunions in the twenty-first century, one of the most welcome has been that of Los Angeles’ Descendents (QRO photos at a festival). One of the seminal punk bands of the eighties, singer/research biochemist Milo Aukerman left the group in 1987, with which the rest of the Descendents (QRO ’24 photos) recruited a new singer and became ALL (who are also playing Riot ’24 – see above), but Aukerman returned in 1995. The group went on hiatus again in 2004, but 2010 saw them return, again (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) – so go see where today’s punk is Descended from (QRO photos), as they come to their seventh Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot ’19 – QRO photos at Riot ’16 – QRO photos at Riot Fest East ’11)!

Lagwagon, 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM

It’s now been almost three decades for California punk outfit Lagwagon (QRO live review), and while they’ve never broken into the big-time, have developed a dedicated underground following, and return for their third Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Dillinger Four, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

Minneapolis has given the world a litany of great punk bands (plus Prince), and that’s still going strong is the influential Dillinger Four (QRO photos), who return to Riot Fest.

D.O.A., 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

One of the founders of hardcore punk, D.O.A. may not be as well-known because they’re Canadian, but that’s also meant that they’ve gotten along better & had a much longer life, still here to rock Riot Fest.

The Dickies, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

For a sillier side of the Spirit of ’77 punk, check out the genre’s ‘clown princes’, The Dickies (QRO photos).

The Dead Milkmen, 1:40 PM – 2:10 PM

The definition of humorous punk, The Dead Milkmen are another welcome return in the twenty-first century, having come back in 2008 (QRO photos at their only show that year, at a festival). They’ve kept it up since then (QRO photos at a festival), including 2011’s The King In Yellow – expect Punk Rock Girls (and boys) out in force (QRO photos at a festival). They return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15 – QRO photos at Riot Fest East ’11), because this place could use a fixin’ (R.I.P. Mojo…)!

Also:

Co-Defendants, 12:50 PM – 1:20 PM

Urethane, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM

Rise Stage

Taking Back Sunday, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Though the line-up for Amityville’s emo-rockers Taking Back Sunday (QRO photos) has changed since 2002 debut Tell All Your Friends, it returned to the original line-up for 2011’s self-titled album – as well as 2012’s tenth anniversary tour Tell All Your Friends (QRO live review). Since then, the group has shifted and mutated (QRO photos the month before), but is a Riot Fest regular (QRO photos at Riot ’18), playing their ninth Riot (QRO photos at a Riot Fest ’22)!

L.S. Dunes, 7:05 PM – 7:50 PM

Post-hardcore supergroup L.S. Dunes returns to Riot Fest for a second year in a row (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’23).

Beach Bunny, 5:30 PM – 6:10 PM

Beach Bunny popped up on radars with their debut Honeymoon (QRO review) in 2020 – just before everything shut down. But we’re back, and they’re now back at Riot Fest (QRO photos), with 2022’s great Emotional Creature (QRO review).

Also:

Sincere Engineer, 4:10 PM – 4:40 PM

The Armed, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Sweet Pill, 1:50 PM – 2:20 PM

Lord of the Lost, 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

Liquid Mike, 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Radical Stage

Bright Eyes, 7:55 PM – 8:55 PM

Welcome back, Conor Oberst (QRO photos at a festival). As Bright Eyes (QRO photos), Conor Oberst won legions of hearts (including Summer’s on The O.C. – QRO Music of The O.C.), but after 2007’s Cassadaga (QRO review), he dropped the name and strayed into unfortunate country terrain (QRO live review). In 2011, not only did the Bright Eyes name come back (QRO live review outdoors), but also the Bright Eyes (QRO photos at a festival) sound on The People’s Key (QRO review). In 2013 he revived his early agit-punk band, Desaparecidos (QRO live review), but he shifted back to being Mr. Oberst once again for 2014’s Upside Down Mountain (QRO review), 2016’s Ruminations (QRO review), and 2017’s Salutations (QRO review), not to mention touring with The Felice Brothers as his backing band (QRO photos with Felice Brothers). He also teamed up with Phoebe Bridgers as Better Oblivion Community Center (QRO photos) with an album of the same name (QRO review), before returning to his Eyes again (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) with 2020’s Down In the Weeds, Where the World Once Was (QRO review) and this year’s upcoming Five Dice, All Threes.

Waxahatchee, 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM

Katie Crutchfield’s acclaimed indie-folk project Waxahatchee (QRO photos) comes to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a 2021 festival) off the back of this year’s Tigers Blood.

Basement, 4:45 PM – 5:25 PM

Ipswich rock outfit Basement (QRO photos at a festival) broke up in 2012, but reunited only two years later, and now return to Riot Fest.

Clutch, 3:35 PM – 4:05 PM

This hard rock act always performs well in the Clutch, and returns to Riot Fest for a third time (QRO photos at a festival).

Rival Sons, 2:25 PM – 2:55 PM

American blues rockers Rival Sons (QRO photos at a festival) are coming off of last year’s Darkfighter and Lightbringer (QRO ’23 photos). If performing with Alice Cooper and Kid Rock is any clue, Rival Sons bring the bluesy country cooking with a rock edge (QRO photos at a ’20 festival).

Also:

Jack Kays, 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM

Heart Attack Man, 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

Cabaret Metro Stage

Slayer, 8:15 PM – 10:00 PM

Riot Fest takes metal to the next level with the iconic Slayer (QRO photos at a festival). Well into their fifth decade, Slayer has been the definition of thrash since the concept began, from brutal axe work to brutal cover art – and pounding the walls of Yankee Stadium as one of the ‘The Big Four’ (QRO review) of metal, with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax.

In 2013, the band hit some hard times, first firing long-time drummer Dave Lombardo, then seeing charter guitarist Jeff Hanneman pass away. In 2018 Slayer (QRO photos at a festival) announced that they were undergoing their final world tour, with their final Chicago/Milwaukee show fittingly returning to headline Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’19) – but every vampire knows, you can’t keep Slayer down, who this announced some reunion shows, including headlining Riot Fest, of course…

Lamb of God, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Virginia’s Lamb of God (QRO photos) have opened for the likes of Metallica and even Slayer on what was billed as their final ever tour (QRO photos from that tour) – of course it wasn’t, as Lamb once again perform before Slayer at Riot Fest ’24 (see right above), coming to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’24 festival) behind 2022’s Omens while on tour (QRO ’24 photos) with Mastodon (see just below).

Mastodon, 3:50 PM – 4:50 PM

The New Wave of American heavy metal gave birth to Atlanta’s Mastodon (QRO live review in Atlanta), who achieved a commercial breakthrough in 2011’s The Hunter (QRO review), and come back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at an Atlanta festival) behind 2017’s Grammy-nominated Emperor of the Sun (QRO review) and 2021’s Hushed and Grim (QRO ’22 photos in Atlanta), to play 2004’s Leviathan in full, while on tour (QRO ’24 photos) with Lamb of God (see just above).

Also:

Gel, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Sprints, 1:20 PM – 1:50 PM

Nekrogoblikin, 12:10 PM – 12:40 PM

AAA Stage

Rob Zombie, 7:05 PM – 8:10 PM

Get your Zombie on thanks horror-rock icon Rob Zombie (QRO live review). Recent years has seen Mr. Zombie spending more time making horror films than horror music, but there was 2013’s Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor (QRO review) 2016’s The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (QRO review), and 2021’s The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, so expect many-worded nightmares as he (QRO ’23 photos) played his second Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Suicidal Tendencies, 4:55 PM – 5:55 PM

One of the first successful hardcore acts, the line-up around Mike Muir that forms Suicidal Tendencies (QRO live review) has changed over the thirty years, but what hasn’t is the fury. The return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘13) – but I just want a Pepsi (QRO photos at a ’21 festival)!

GWAR, 3:05 PM – 3:45 PM

There is no band as unique as GWAR (QRO spotlight on). Somewhere between Motörhead, Tenacious D, George Romero, KISS, and Gallagher, GWAR combines thrash metal with sci-fi/horror spectacle, including massive costumes & massive amounts of stage gore (QRO photos), plus taking on about every taboo there is for one of the most amazing spectacles out there (QRO live review), including at Riot Fest for nine times (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’19 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’17 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16 – QRO photos at Riot ’15 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’14 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘13).

The group (QRO live review) survived longtime member Flattus Maximus (Cory Smoot) departing to the intergalactic heavens in 2011, recruiting a new scumdog of the universe from the Maximus clan, putting out Battle Maximus in 2013 – only to lose singer/frontman extraordinaire Oderus Urungus (a.k.a. Dave Brockie – QRO interview) the following year. The band could have folded their tent, but instead have kept defiling the universe (QRO ’22 photos) – and Riot Fest (QRO interview at Riot Fest).

Sunami, 1:55 PM – 2:25 PM

What began as a parody of hardcore by players of hardcore has become the vital Sunami.

Also:

Huge Euge, 12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

NOFX World

NOFX, 8:30 PM – 10:00 PM

If you don’t want to be all high-minded and serious at Riot Fest, go the exact opposite direction with NOFX (QRO photos). The ska-punkers have turned cheeky fart jokes into a musical career for decades now, such as on 2009’s Coaster (QRO review), and have rebounded from some ill-advised jokes to return to the road (QRO photos), playing their fifth Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

And last, as the band has announced that they’ll be calling it quits. But not before bring ‘NOFX World’ to Riot (QRO photos at Riot ’21) – headlining their stage all three days (see above)!

Pennywise, 7:00 PM – 8:00 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 sixth time (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’19 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’17) – and second year in a row (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’23).

Laura Jane Grace with Catbite, 5:45 PM – 6:30 PM

Iconic frontwoman Laura Jane Grace (QRO interview) takes time out from her band Against Me! (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’15 – QRO photos at Riot Fest ’13) and own solo career (QRO album review) to join with Catbite to play iconic Bay Area ska-punks Operation Ivy – take warning!

The Vandals, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

One of the greatest funny punk acts ever, The Vandals’ (QRO photos) live show was immortalized in the seminal Sweatin’ to the Oldies where they demanded an “Anarchy Burger (Hold the Government)”. They’ve even been on Bar Rescue, and now return to Riot Fest (QRO photos at Riot Fest ’16).

Also:

Strung Out, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Swingin Utters, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Cobra Skulls, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Doom Scroll, 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

Rise Stage

Sublime, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Nineties ska-punk didn’t get much bigger than Sublime, whose “What I Got” was all over the radio. However, then singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose at the height of their fame in 1996, and, other than some posthumous releases, the ride seemed over.

But in 2009, bassist Eric Wilson & drummer Bud Gaugh recruited singer/guitarist (and huge Sublime fan) Rome Ramirez and semi-reunited ‘Sublime with Rome’ (QRO live review). They kept that going a lot longer than anyone expected (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) – including at Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) – so long that this year the surviving members Bud Gaugh & Eric Wilson recruited Bradley’s son Jakob for the new, pure Sublime.

Oliver Tree, 6:50 PM – 7:50 PM

DJ/rapper Oliver Tree hit it up in 2017 with “When I’m Down”, and has worked with the likes of Whethan on “Freefall” (QRO review). Now he comes bringing the beats to Riot Fest.

Tierra Whack, 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM

Catch the “Mumbo Jumbo” of Tierra Whack (QRO photos at a festival), as her Whack World comes to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’22 Chicago festival).

Cursive, 3:30 PM – 4:10 PM

The expansive sound of Omaha’s Cursive (QRO live review) comes back to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a festival) with their last releases being 20219’s Get Fixed (QRO review) and the prior year’s Vitriola (QRO review), their bounce-back from 2012’s sub-par concept record I Am Gemini (QRO review). However their live show (QRO live review) features earlier material (QRO live review) like the strong prior Mama, I’m Swollen (QRO review), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) – and upcoming new record Devourer.

Also:

Fiddlehead, 2:10 PM – 2:50 PM

Saxsquatch, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Radical Stage

Dr. Dog, 7:55 PM – 8:55 PM

Riot Fest has some of the lighter jam festival with Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog (QRO photos), who have become a festival regular (QRO photos at a festival) since 2008’s commercial breakthrough Fate (QRO review) launched them into headlining status (QRO photos headlining a festival). Unfortunately, Fate wasn’t anything special (QRO photos), but Dr. Dog make a lot of people happy live (QRO photos outdoors), especially outdoors (QRO live review outdoors), so expect the “Sweetness”, along with material from middling records such as Shame, Shame (QRO review), Be the Void (QRO review), B-Room (QRO review), and this year’s Dr. Dog (QRO review).

Something Corporate, 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM

The original emo-rock band from Andrew McMahon – before Jack’s Mannequin (QRO live review) and when he was In the Wilderness (QRO photos at Riot Fest ‘15) – last year Something Corporate reunited for McMahon’s 40th birthday, and have kept it going.

Slaughter Beach, Dog, 4:15 PM – 4:55 PM

After Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald encountered writer’s block, he formed Slaughter Beach, Dog (QRO ’20 photos), who have evolved from side-project into something in their own right, coming to Riot Fest (QRO photos at a ’23 festival) behind last year’s fifth full-length, Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling.

Also:

Magnolia Park, 2:55 PM – 3:25 PM

Games We Play, 1:35 PM – 2:05 PM