What a wild three days it was this year! From overcast to playing in the mud pits, Riot Fest 2026 sure kept everyone on their toes from the start. As always, the lineup has something for everyone to enjoy, and it was no different this year. On Friday, there was Twenty One Pilots, Iggy Pop, and GWAR. Then, on Saturday, there was Tool, NAS, and Bad Religion. Closing out on Sunday was Pierce The Veil and Insane Clown Posse (ICP). While, unfortunately, I was not permitted to photograph many of these artists, and due to all the weather changes, I left the grounds before they played, I know from those who stuck around that their performances were amazing.
I currently live in Milwaukee, but prior to the move, I had resided in Chicago, growing up there my entire life. Riot Fest was one of my biggest goals to cover since I picked up my first camera and attended my first show with a little point-and-shoot. I am proud to say that I have now accomplished that, and the weekend was a whirlwind of experiences.
One of my favorite parts of going to shows and festivals is seeing all the fun fits that people wear. I snapped photos of everyone I could and saw. I hope these snapshots make it to them so they can see how cool they looked to me.
DAY ONE
It was a perfect day of overcast clouds while still being a little bit humid. It was such a surreal moment for me checking in and scanning my press wristbands before walking into the grounds. My day started off by seeing Glixen, who I had caught once before at X-Ray Arcade, and if anything, every band I’ve seen before in the tiny 250-cap rooms or smaller needed to be seen on the big stages. Watching artists grow makes my heart feel full knowing they are playing to so many people.
After their set, I wandered around, watching the fans in the environment. Then I headed back over to the same stage for an artist named Radio Free Alice. They had this fun indie-pop sound that almost reminded me of Wallows. Perhaps their singer just bore some resemblance to Dylan Minnette to me. But they rocked out.
Before I knew it, it was time to party with 3OH!3, who are no stranger to these festivals, and the whole pit was screaming along to all their songs. I made it to the photo pit a little late, and it was chaotic. It felt like every photographer on the grounds that day was there. Who can blame them? 3OH!3 is an act that brings energy and should not be slept on.
Now the Riot Fest grounds consist of five total stages; all of them begin with the letter R. The two main stages are Roots and Riot; then you have Rise, Rebel, and Radical. I ended up at each stage at least once. The Radical stage was the furthest from everything, so it was a hike to get out there, which is exactly what I did to go see Worry Club. I saw them play in a basement a few years ago, and they happen to be local to the city, which is always a fun combination. Their fans certainly showed up for their music, especially a fan in the front row with a double-sided sign.
Then it was a run back to Rebel for some of the classics by Motion City Soundtrack. As always, their music does most of the speaking for them as the long-time fans scream along. The newest act, and now a favorite of mine, that I saw was The Callous Daoboys. I had only listened to a few songs on record, and they are a favorite of my husband. They absolutely did not disappoint. The pit opened right away, and crowd surfers made their way up. I loved how they combined the metal music with the sounds of a violin. It was such a magical set to hear and watch.
My very last catch of the night was Rise Against. Chicago local legends who clearly bought the show, as they were someone a majority of attendees told me were who they were most excited to see. I was just as excited to witness them take the stage; they came out to the lights and smoke. It was a perfect way to end the day.
DAY TWO
It was a little rainy to start, but it did not stop anyone from showing up. Most of my Saturday was spent getting to watch new acts, and some I hadn’t been able to see live yet. Unfortunately, about midday, there were some calls about storms hitting the grounds earlier than the original end time, so a handful of acts got shifted around or cut. There was a big uproar when many discovered they would not get to watch Afroman perform. The end time was a strict 7:30 p.m.
I started off with two international artists that day, and both were amazing. Yard Act hail from England, and Melt-Banana are from Japan. I was in awe of them both. Yard Act had that post-punk sound, and I loved every second of it. Melt-Banana were more experimental and a duo, but that did not stop them from winning over the crowd from the start. I love being able to witness new acts from outside what I normally listen to because you never know what is out there until you find it. I highly recommend giving them a listen.
After that, I got to see The Chats again. The Chats are on the long list of artists I found from working at a concert venue and smaller stage. They were just as high-energy as I remembered and are from Australia. I’m not sure how much of their crowd was familiar with them, but from what I understood, not too many of the photographers knew who they were. I hope every person leaving their set leaves as a fan of their music and that they can return again because I definitely need to see them more.
From there, it was time to break for food and make sure to rehydrate myself for the long hours ahead. Destroy Boys were next up, and a fan in the crowd had a poster about how she drove all that way to finally see them. The dedication people have to the music scene is so insane because I’m not sure where life would be without music, but I would think it wouldn’t be as bright as it is with it. They certainly tore up the fest as the crowd was a frenzy of energy.
After catching them and before my next stage, I popped inside the wedding chapel to witness a couple renew their vows. They had been married for 16 years, and I wish them much more happiness for the future that awaits them. Riot Fest has been allowing couples to get married — legally, with a marriage certificate — and renew the vows forever, but it was a recent addition to have an official little chapel now for the ceremonies. It’s a five-minute detour, and you get to cheer on the happy ones.
After that, it was time to get my ska action on with Less Than Jake. From the horns to the dancing, this is a band that brings all the chaos into one. I had always somehow managed to miss this band’s performances, and I am so glad I finally witnessed a show.
It was around this time when sets got moved up, so I barely made it to Thrice in time. Another classic rock band you cannot miss because these boys have been around for such a long time. I only regret not watching more of their set before running off for my last artist of the night.
Vana came out showcasing her powerful vocals. She was a jaw-dropping artist with her red hair, her fire outfit, and the grappling sound. Pure perfection, and I could not have picked a better way to end my second day at Riot Fest. Before I left, I popped inside the Logan Arcade briefly and watched the animatronics, The Biscuits, play.
Later that night, I was at the Bottom Lounge for a completely sold-out Mom Jeans aftershow with Harrison Gordon and SOBS as opening support. Stay tuned for some exclusive content coming in the near future!
DAY THREE
The final day was the muddiest, wettest, and most insane day of weather I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Doors were pushed back to 2 p.m., and even then the rain was still ongoing until about 7 p.m. The entire grounds were a mud pool that only got deeper as the day went on. Due to the delay in opening doors, acts were cut and pushed back. Despite all the craziness, it was still a day to remember, and I cannot believe how fast the three days went. My schedule was much shorter since acts were cut, and with how slick the ground was, I was planning extra time to get around so I wouldn’t fall face-first into the mud.
Day three kicked off with local hometown hero Sincere Engineer, who just recently was on tour for her new album, Probable Claws. It would not have been complete without a Chicago show and a good ol corndog pit. DoorDash even handed out free footlong dogs to make sure the pit was full of them. There were dozens wearing corndog and hot dog suits. It was such a joy to watch. If you missed it, there’s an exclusive interview with Deanna Belos featured in the July print issue.
After her set, I kind of lived by the Rise Stage to make sure I did not miss Ben Quad and Saturdays At Your Place. Two acts that cannot be missed and totally fit the bill, being back-to-back on the same stage. If you’re a Midwest emo fan and love to two-step, I know you were in that sludge, ripping it up.
I popped over to Riot Stage to watch Taking Back Sunday. The crowd really made sure the band felt their love even with the weather conditions, showing they knew every single word to their songs.
My final stop of the day and for the festival was, you guessed it, Mom Jeans. I might have been at the after-show the night before, but I certainly couldn’t miss the main set. They started early, and by then the rain had stopped momentarily. The crowd cheered when the lights darkened, letting us know it was about to start before the band took the stage one by one. From the first note, the audience was awake, and crowd surfers were coming from both sides of the pit. The mud and rain cannot stop people from doing what they love.
OVERALL
Riot Fest was one for the books and one of the best experiences by far this year. Thank you so much for having me out, and maybe I’ll come back next year. Stay tuned!
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