Nine Inch Nails to headline Chicago's Riot Fest Sunday, Sept. 18
Riot Fest is back - with headliners that will turn heads - including the previously announced My Chemical Romance on Friday and The Original Misfits on Saturday (performing their debut "Walk Among Us," which turned 40 this year) and Nine Inch Nails reclaiming its headlining slot on Sunday.
My Chemical Romance was slated to reunite at the Chicago festival in 2020, and Nine Inch Nails had to cancel its tour in 2021, effectively cutting both headliners off the posters because of COVID-19. But now they're back.
Chicago's Douglass Park will be where the action is Sept. 16-18. One-day, two-day and three-day passes go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 11.
Spread out over five stages, fans of indie rock, punk, industrial, hip-hop, goth and more will find something to their liking. Among the 85-plus bands slated to perform are Lucky Boys Confusion (originally from the Western suburbs), Alkaline Trio (featuring Matt Skiba of McHenry and Dan Andriano of Elgin), The Academy Is… (lead singer William Beckett hails from Hoffman Estates), and Real Friends (a pop-punk band from Tinley Park). Other local bands to catch include Sincere Engineer, Night Spice and Treaty of Paris.
For those keeping track, notable first-timers include the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bauhaus, Portugal, The Man, Yungblud, Placebo, Jeff Rosenstock, Lunachicks, The Linda Lindas and a reunited Sunny Day Real Estate.
Plus, there's more: Gwar, Bad Religion, Midtown, Yellowcard, Descendents, Ice Cube, Action Bronson, Sleater-Kinney, Jimmy Eat World, The Front Bottoms and The Wonder Years all will be making an appearance.
"I think this year's lineup really speaks to who we are; it's been a minute since we've gotten to curate a lineup like this," said fest founder Mike Petryshyn in a prepared statement. "I'm especially excited for what this is leading into: the stuff that's happening in the next few weeks, and the years to come."
Check out the full lineup and buy tickets at riotfest.org/chicago/tickets/.