With Riot Fest 2024 right around the corner, the Riot team shares some of their personal faves from this year’s lineup. Because we don’t just book all your favorite bands, we book some of ours, too.
Listen to our Staff Picks playlist on Spotify or Apple Music and get a glimpse of some of our favorite bands who we won’t even get to see at Riot Fest (besides from our dark, sad trailer). And while you’re at it, secure your 1, 2, or 3-Day tickets to Riot Fest 2024 before they’re gone.
1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day Riot Fest tickets are on sale now!
LISTEN ON
Mo
Jhariah
I’m a sucker for anything with trumpets and also anything that sounds like it could be an opening or ending track for an anime. Lucky for me, Jhariah exists!
Listen to: PIN-EYE, DEBT COLLECTOR, EAT YOUR FRIENDS
GEL
I think if I were to have a fistfight in a 7Eleven parking lot, I’d like to have GEL playing in the background. I don’t know if I would win, but it would help.
Listen to: Mirage, Honed Blade, Bitchmade
Spiritual Cramp
The first time I saw them was on their tour with METZ in 2022 and they’ve got such great energy live. I had a damn good time.
Listen to: Better Off This Way, Dog In A Cage, Rattlesnakes In The City
Tim
Winona Fighter
Thanks to Hannah for sharing this one with me first, which was from one of her previous picks for Your New Favorite Band. I think I’ve listened to Winona Fighter more than almost anyone this year (except for Bilmuri), which is a lot of listening. The new single Subaru is another banger, just like all their other tracks.
Listen to: HAMMS IN A GLASS, I Think You Should Leave, Johnny’s Dead
Dillinger Four
My first ever punk show was at Fireside Bowl in the summer of 2000 (or maybe 2001) with my friend Steve and his older brother, and I’ve been hooked on punk music ever since. Their 1998 album Midwestern Songs of The Americas was the first CD I popped into my 1993 Pontiac Bonneville when I got my driver’s license that year.
Listen to: Doublewhiskeycokenoice, O.K. F.M. D.O.A., Maximum Piss & Vinegar
Jack Kays
I originally stumbled upon Jack Kays from a show listing describing him as “emo rap” and I had no idea that was even a thing. Been listening to him ever since.
Listen to: SIDEWAYS (with Travis Barker), Caffeine, Blow It
Action/Adventure
Balls to the wall pop punk from local Chicago dudes. I love everything they’ve put out, and more people should know who they are. Also, one of my favorite band names of all time. If you like Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, or Taking Back Sunday, this is your new favorite band.
Listen to: Real Juicer Hours, Barricades, Deja Vu, Poser
Marc
Pavement
An all time favorite of mine. Their songs are timeless. I’ll be all smiles the entire set!
Listen to: Cut Your Hair, Summer Babe – Winter Version, Range Life
Drug Church
Simply put…Pat Kindlon is one of the greatest frontmen of his generation. This is a cannot miss set. Drug Church are much more than a traditional hardcore band and I anxiously await their next album. But in the mean time we have their Riot fest set to tide us over.
Listen to: Tiresome, Myopic, Weed Pin
Saxsquatch
Imagine this, you are walking through the woods and suddenly a saxophone playing Sasquatch appears. Would you ever leave? Of course not.
Listen to: One More Time, Cantina
Mastodon
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their iconic album Leviathan by playing it in it’s entirety.
Listen to: Blood and Thunder, Iron Tusk, Seabeast
Hannah
Fall Out Boy
I’ve been listening to and going to Fall Out Boy shows since I was an actual child. In fact, my first Riot Fest was in 2013 to see them. Full circle moment.
Listen to: Alone Together, 27, A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me”
Sweet Pill
They remind me of early Paramore, I’m into it.
Listen to: Sometimes, Blood, Sympathy
Oliver Tree
He’s hilarious and so fun to see live.
Listen to: Hurt, Cash Machine, Cigarettes
Manchester Orchestra
THEY’RE JUST SO GOOD.
Listen to: I’ve Got Friends, Pensacola, The Silence
Riot Fest Twitter Guy
Fall Out Boy
They are the last band of the day, which means I get to go home.
Beck
They are the last band of the day, which means I get to go home.
Slayer
They are the last band of the day, which means I get to go home.
Caroline
The Dead Milkmen
I was smitten with them when they played Riot Fest in 2009, and am smitten with them now. With songs like Bitchin’ Camaro and Punk Rock Girl, how can this band not pull at your heart strings for decades?
Princess Goes
This music makes me feel something and usually I don’t like feeling but in this instance it’s okay.
Listen to: Come Talk to Me, Ketamine
Huge Euge
When a person gains more popularity on the Flogging Molly Cruise than Flogging Molly themselves, they are definitely worth checking out. Whether on land or at sea, if you’re looking to dance, these are the jams to dance to.
Listen to: Half-Priced Apps, Three First Names, I’m on a Pacemaker
Dan
St. Vincent
Annie Clark is a modern guitar god and her showmanship elevates her crushing songs live. I’ve been a fan for about 10 years, and I’m looking forward to my faves from the back catalog, but I’m the most excited to hear the new stuff.
Listen to: Broken Man, Flea, Big Time Nothing
Spoon
I’m in the camp that celebrates Spoon as the Greatest Living American Band (other than Metallica, obvi), and they just things with guitar, bass, drums and vocals that have been sounding fresh and inspired since the 90s, and they have been on a real kick of putting out perfect albums since 2014, AT LEAST. I’m so stoked that these guys are finally playing Riot Fest.
Listen to: Feels Alright, New York Kiss, Can I Sit Next to You
Liquid Mike
Someone sent me a song from this band and said “I think you will like this” and within 30 seconds, I was in. Hello, I am a new Liquid Mike fan. Looking forward to seeing them live for the first time and copping a t-shirt.
Listen to: Drinking and Driving, K2, Usps
All of the Metal
Slayer. Mastodon. Lamb of God. Rob Zombie. And more. Headbanging is back, baby. See you in the pit.
Jake
Tierra Whack
Tierra might initially seem like an outlier at Riot, but just spend a little bit of time listening and I think it will start to make sense. She is an artist. Her music doesn’t stick to one genre or viewpoint, it is varied but always masterfully done. If you haven’t already taken the 15 minutes to watch the video cut to her debut album Whack World (consisting of fifteen 1-minute songs all cut to one video), it’s a great place to start!
Listen to: Hungry Hippo, Only Child, Chanel Pit
Waxahatchee
In my opinion, Katie Crutchfield is one of the best songwriters penning songs these days. Each Waxahatchee album demonstrates growth – both from a musical standpoint as a band, and from a personal standpoint as Katie explores life around her and delves deeply into her own introspection. Sure, you might hear a bit more twang at the Waxahatchee set than your typical Riot Fest set (save Merle Haggard’s set back in 2015) , but at their core, Waxahatchee has a lot more in common with other RF bands like Bright Eyes than you might notice on the surface.
Listen to: Never Been Wrong, Fire, Problem With It, Right Back To It
Dr. Dog
I’ve never seen Dr. Dog, and when they announced that they would be retiring from touring back in 2021, I wasn’t sure that I’d ever get the chance again. That, to me, is an opportunity you’ve just got to take!
Listen to: The Breeze, Shadow People, Broken Heart, Where’d All The Time Go?
Luba
Huge Euge
Fun, entertaining, and looks great in a speedo!
Listen to: I’m on a Pacemaker, Cali the Cat, Hummus on my Cracker
Something Corporate
I have been eagerly awaiting this reunion. If I can only catch one performance over the weekend, this would be it. If they play Konstantine, I might just have to take up smoking again.
Listen to: Konstantine, The Runaway, Globes & Maps, You’re Gone, Ruthless
The Vandals
I credit my brothers and Warped Tour 2004 for introducing me to The Vandals. Their catchy, energetic songs always get me hyped up and have earned many spots on my running playlists.
Listen to: And Now We Dance, Let the Bad Times Roll, Johnny Twobags
The Offspring
Nostalgic album play and always a fun live show!
Listen to: All songs off Smash album
Jen
The Aces
I f*cking love girl bands the most and I’ve been chasing this one since 2018. Loving their musical and queerical journey and I’m very much here for it.
Listen to: Girls Make Me Wanna Die, Suburban Blues
Waxahatchee
Marry me Katie Crutchfield. That is all.
Listen to: Lilacs, Bored
Beach Bunny
This band is great and I want to be friends with Lili. We could probably chat about having a lot of feelings and being anxious, emotional creatures.
Listen to: Weeds, Oxygen
Anika
Waxahatchee
So unbelievably excited to see her live, especially with her recent album Tiger’s Blood. Her songwriting is just good for the soul, and even better when you’re shouting her lyrics driving down a Midwestern interstate.
Listen to: Bored, Right Back to It (ft. MJ Lenderman), Lilacs
Brutus
I almost saw Brutus in Berlin last fall and bailed out last minute, and I’ve been waiting for an redemption arc ever since (thank you, Riot Fest). Drummer-vocalist Stephanie Mannaerts is a total badass and I can’t wait to see them shred.
Listen to: Victoria, Space, Love Won’t Hide the Ugliness
Public Enemy
Fear of a Black Planet is one of the most mind-blowing albums I’ve listened to. So you could say I’m just a little excited.
Listen to: Fight the Power, Don’t Believe the Hype, Welcome to the Terrordome
The Related Rabbit Hole
