After weeks of Chicagoans collectively asking, “where’s the lineup?” Riot Fest announced full details for its 2026 edition Thursday morning, with Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Pierce the Veil, Alanis Morissette, Morrissey, Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Pixies, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, The All-American Rejects, NAS and Patti Smith & Her Band among the top billing for the festival, which returns to Douglass Park Sept. 18-20.
Tickets are now on sale at riotfest.org.
The Chicago-bred punk/rock/metal gathering notably celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, with Mayor Brandon Johnson even providing an official Riot Fest Day proclamation on the final day. Organizers are keeping with the milestone theme this year, promoting the wide array of 100-plus bands as “a lineup that bridges generations — genre-defining icons alongside a new wave of artists carrying the torch forward” as symbolic of the festival’s “decades of iconic acts” that not only span the gamut of ’70s pioneers to modern-day talents, but also mark different eras of the acts playing Riot Fest.
While some like Tool, Twenty One Pilots and Alanis Morissette are making their festival debuts, legends like Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Pixies and Elvis Costello are now festival veterans, not to mention space aliens GWAR who descend back on the fest for their annual residency. And then there’s Morrissey who’s marking his own Riot Fest anniversary, 10 years after the infamous meat ban heard ’round the world when the staunch vegan prohibited any carnivorous sales in the hours before and during his set.
Some other surprises on the lineup include an appearance by the much buzzed-about polka dot math rock duo Angine de Poitrine as well as the Chicago solo debut of Violet Grohl who’s carrying on in her famous father’s alt-rock path. Plus, Bob Mould’s band Sugar makes its long-awaited return after a 30-year hiatus. But most interesting is the rare occurrence of Sex Pistols and Public Image LTD on the same bill. PiL’s John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) was front man and a founding member of the Sex Pistols but hasn’t performed with the punk legends since 2008. Since that time, the Sex Pistols (who also played Riot Fest last year) have tapped Frank Carter for vocals, but perhaps there could be some kind of reunion in store, which Riot Fest is of course known for.
Also in natural Riot Fest fashion, there’s a healthy dose of Chicago acts represented including punk mainstays like Rise Against and Alkaline Trio as well as Twin Peaks (fresh off its eight-night residency at Thalia Hall), Sincere Engineer who will release a new album June 26 and up-and-comers Worry Club and Almost There But Not Really.
There’s no word yet if John Stamos might appear again this year, now that he finally succumbed to years-long pleas from Riot Fest, but filling the gap is local celebrity Tom Skilling. The lovable WGN weatherman is coming out of retirement to provide onsite forecasts all weekend.
Full lineup for Riot Fest 2026
- Tool
- Twenty One Pilots
- Pierce The Veil
- Alanis Morissette
- Morrissey
- Iggy Pop
- Elvis Costello & The Imposters
- Pixies
- Rise Against
- Alkaline Trio
- The All-American Rejects
- NAS
- Patti Smith & Her Band
- Sugar
- Social Distortion
- Bad Religion
- Sex Pistols
- Twin Peaks
- Bright Eyes
- The Format
- Taking Back Sunday
- Pennywise
- Descendents
- The Beths
- Santigold
- Gogol Bordello
- Public Image LTD
- Tricky
- Angine de Poitrine
- Insane Clown Posse
- Motion City Soundtrack
- Mom Jeans
- Joey Valence & Brae
- Bayside
- PUP
- 3OH!3
- Cartel
- Thrice
- Less Than Jake
- Bowling For Soup
- GWAR
- The Suicide Machines
- Brian Fallon & The Painkillers
- Mariachi El Bronx
- Bratmobile
- Pretty Girls Make Graves
- Good Riddance
- Guttermouth
- This Is Loreli
- Slick Rick
- Afroman
- The Chats
- Fleshwater
- Yard Act
- Sincere Engineer
- The Paradox
- Destroy Boys
- Arm’s Length
- Jejune
- Chat Pile
- Strike Anywhere
- JMSN
- Show Me The Body
- Haywire
- Dead To Me
- The Flatliners
- Violet Grohl
- Foxy Shazam
- Saturdays At Your Place
- Algernon Cadwalader
- Melt-Banana
- Daisy Grenada
- Vana
- DeathByRomy
- Panic Shack
- Frankie And The Witch Fingers
- Worry Club
- Division Minuscula
- Ben Quad
- Deadletter
- Teen Mortgage
- Holding Absence
- Whispers
- Soul Glo
- Gurriers
- Plosivs
- Stomach Book
- Burning Airlines
- Macseal
- Slothrust
- Glixen
- The Callous Daoboys
- Greet Death
- Remember Sports
- Nobro
- Kiwi Jr.
- Murphy’s Law
- Cardinals
- Iron Roses
- ASAVA
- Aim High
- Almost There But Not Really