News & Music Coverage of Riot Fest

Riot Fest

Summer festival season peaks with The Cure closing Riot Fest, finale just like heaven

On the last day of the rock music festival, it was clear attendees were there for The Cure — and the band did not disappoint. The marathon performance deserves the title of the best headlining set of Chicago’s summer festival season.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

Riot Fest Day 3: During wait for The Cure, Mars Volta’s progressive grooves seem to woo few new fans

By Sun-Times staff

Riot Fest

PHOTOS: Riot Fest 2023 Day 3 in Douglass Park

By Sun-Times staff

Jehnny Beth entertains the crowd during her afternoon set at Riot Fest on Saturday.

Music

Jehnny Beth says the door is open for reuniting with Savages

By Bob Chiarito | Special to the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

Postal Service performs the best of Ben Gibbard’s Riot Fest sets

By Bob Chiarito | Special to the Sun-Times

The Cure performs on the Riot Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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The Cure performs on the Riot Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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The Cure performs on the Riot Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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An attendee wears a Riot Fest jacket on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Lauren Tully, a professional body piercer, joins thousands in Douglass Park for day two of Riot Fest, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls perform on the Riot Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls perform on the Riot Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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The Postal Service performs on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on the Southwest Side, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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Ben Gibbard performs with Death Cab for Cutie on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on the Southwest Side, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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Violent J, of the Insane Clown Posse, performs on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on the Southwest Side, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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Members of the Insane Clown Posse spray Faygo soda at the crowd while the hip-hop duo performs on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on the Southwest Side, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age performs on Day 2 of Riot Fest on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at Douglass Park in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP) ORG XMIT: ILRG106 | Rob Grabowski/AP Photos

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Fans cheer as Corey Feldman performs on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park on the Southwest Side, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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L.S. Dunes frontman Anthony Green crowd surfs in the crowd as they perform on the Radical Stage on day three of Riot Fest at Douglass Park, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Riot Fest

As emo reigns elsewhere, Queens of the Stone Age rock Riot Fest

Nuanced sound made for one of the best-sounding sets of the weekend at Douglass Park.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

Insane Clown Posse brings an early Halloween to Riot Fest

Duo treats the Douglass Park Juggalos to a suspenseful wait, menacing clowns and the usual geysers of Faygo.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Weather

Flood warnings, weather put Riot Fest into temporary rain delay on final day

Parts of the city saw 5 inches of rain, with a flash flood warning remaining in effect until Monday morning.

By Violet Miller, Mohammad Samra, and 1 more

Riot Fest

Anti-Riot Fest graffiti greets festival guests at Douglass Park

Spray painted messages of ‘Get Out!!!’ And ‘No Park For Profit!’ allude to festival opposition by some Lawndale and Little Village neighbors.

By Bob Chiarito | Special to the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

Riot Fest Day 2: Insane Clown Posse sprays Faygo, Queens of the Stone Age bring their studio to Douglass Park

Everything about Riot Fest breathes “made in Chicago, by Chicagoans” — from the Goose Island Beer Company setting up their bar in a retired CTA train car to the vendor booths for Liar’s Club and Reggie’s.

By Sun-Times staff

Members of the Insane Clown Posse spray Faygo soda at the crowd while the hip-hop duo performs on day two of Riot Fest in Douglass Park.

Music

PHOTOS: Riot Fest 2023 Day 2 in Douglass Park

Messages about Riot Fest needing to leave Douglass Park greeted festival-goers, but the music played on to delight of thousands gathered for the annual festival.

By Sun-Times staff

Riot Fest

Foo Fighters create a nostalgic atmosphere at Riot Fest 2023

“Whenever we play this city I always gives props, not only to Cubby Bear, not only to Naked Raygun, not only to my cousin Tracy who took me, but to the city of Chicago. Without you I don’t think I’d be doing this thing,” David Grohl told fans on Friday night.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

The Breeders throw Riot Fest back to the ‘90s with full album play of ‘Last Splash’

Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon were seen watching from the stage wings during the band’s Friday afternoon set.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

Riot Fest Day 1: George Clinton rocks out at 82, Tegan and Sara fall in love with Chicago

Foo Fighters lean into nostalgia for their headlining set on the first day of the indie-spirited festival in Douglass Park.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times and Bob Chiarito | Special to the Sun-Times

Riot Fest

PHOTOS: Riot Fest 2023 Day 1 in Douglass Park

The Breeders threw it back to the ‘90s, while George Clinton rocked out at 82. And Foo Fighters closed out the day with a nostalgia-laden set.

By Sun-Times staff

Riot Fest

Riot Fest 2023: Entry rules, how to get there, last minute tickets

Chicago’s annual punk/alt rock festival returns to Douglass Park Sept. 15-17.

By Katie Anthony

Foo Fighters at Wrigley Field | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Music

Riot Fest 2023: Who we’re seeing, set list predictions

Here’s our best guess of what some of the acts we’re seeing at Riot Fest will play at Douglass Park this weekend.

By Katelyn Haas

Riot Fest owner and co-founder Michael Petryshyn says when he was growing up with undiagnosed autism, he was seen as “difficult but lovable.”

Riot Fest owner says ‘things finally made sense’ after his recent autism diagnosis

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Hannibal Buress bring his alter ego, rapper Eshu Tune, to Riot Fest for a set at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Music

Riot Fest 2023: 8 emerging artists you don’t want to miss

Organizers of the music festival have their pulse on some of the scene’s best new artists, who are definitely worth checking out on their journeys to possible future headliner status and beyond.

By Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

City Hall

Chicago Park District approves permit for Riot Fest over vocal neighbor protests

Riot Fest, which has been at Douglass Park since 2015, runs Sept. 15-17 and is expected to draw roughly 50,000 people daily. Nearby residents and workers complained about traffic, noise and limited open spaces.

By Kaitlin Washburn

Chicago

Residents want large festivals out of Douglass Park, say they pose a danger to patients at nearby hospitals

Riot Fest, a showcase of alternative music, draws tens of thousands of fans. But community activists and health workers say concerts at the park disturb patients at nearby hospitals and tie up a vital community resource for days.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters performs onstage at the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of “Studio 666” in 2022 in Hollywood, California. The band headlines Riot Fest in September.

Music

Foo Fighters, The Cure among Riot Fest 2023 lineup at Douglass Park festival

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday for the festival running Sept. 15–17 in Chicago.

By Miriam Di Nunzio