Personal, political and all-around transcendent, The Mars Volta are trailblazers in every sense of the word.
They formed in the wake of At The Drive-In’s sudden breakup, combining their hardcore work ethic with a newfound prog-rock curiosity. Songs started stretching well past the 10-minute mark and their albums grew into emotionally complex science fiction sagas. With seminal releases like De-Loused in the Comatorium, Frances the Mute and Amputechture, the dynamic duo of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López were boldly going where no punk band had gone before.
If you’re coming to Riot Fest for The Mars Volta, we’ve got some other artists that will leave you feeling inspired, challenged and thrilled.
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Jehnny Beth
Similar to Rodríguez-López, Beth is driven by a creative and political restlessness that encompasses albums, film scores and erotic fiction. While she may be best known for fronting Savages, you should dive deeper with 2020’s To Love is To Live and her collaboration with Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream, Utopian Ashes.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
If sprawling, experimental epics are your thing, it’s tough to beat Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The Montreal post-rockers ignore conventional song structures in favor of expansive sonic landscapes that build tension through repetition, incorporating elements of drone and shoegaze to create a sound that’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard.
Death Grips
An unholy union of hip-hop, industrial rock and hardcore, every aspect of Sacramento’s Death Grips seems designed to test your limits. Their sound is harsh and confrontational, driven by Zach Hill’s powerful drumming and experimental production. But despite their challenging, subversive intent, albums like The Money Store and Government Plates have managed to make a surprisingly huge impact on punk and hip-hop culture.
The Black Angels
If you listen to The Mars Volta for those heavy riffs and psychedelic explorations, check out their fellow Texans in The Black Angels. They’ve toured with everyone from Queens of the Stone Age to The Black Keys and even served a brief stint as garage rock legend Roky Erickson’s backing band. How’s that for psych rock cred?
100 Gecs
Looking for a band that can match Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s chaotic energy? Look no further than 100 Gecs. It’s explosive, uninhibited music for the terminally-online generation, drawing inspiration from nü metal, hyperpop and pretty much everything in between. Laura Les has even talked about the importance of discovering The Mars Volta when she was in high school and going down a YouTube rabbit hole. Seems about right…
Single day tickets are available now to see The Mars Volta on Sunday, September 17 with The Cure, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Ride and more. Get yours now!
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Riot Fest 2023 Tickets + Lineup
Single day tickets are available now to see Turnstile with Foo Fighters, Quicksand, Pinkshift and more on Friday, September 15. Get ‘em while they last!
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