
On November 4, 2005, Riot Fest opened its doors for the first time at Chicago’s Congress Theater. The inaugural weekend was headlined by iconic punk bands like The Dead Kennedys, The Misfits, and a reunited Germs, along with other beloved acts in the genre. No one could anticipate that this weekend of music would evolve into what it is today, especially Riot Mike.
Our first year was held together with duct tape, determination, and Riot Mike’s close friends and family. They did it all. Box office, production, security. You name it. Lou, who’s been with Riot Fest since the beginning, remembers that if something needed to get done they just did it.
“Our number one priority—which still holds true to this day—everything we do is for the bands and the fans.”
Even Riot Mike’s mom stepped in, baking brownies for artist catering. It was a chaotic, miraculous labor of love that set the tone for everything Riot Fest has become.

After the blood, sweat, tears, and hand-rolled deli meat of year one, Riot Mike found himself nearly too exhausted for a second year. However, a MySpace message from Eric Spicer of Chicago’s own Naked Raygun about a reunion rekindled his plans for the return of the festival.
To have the Chicagoan punk staple would mean a lot to solidify the spirit of the festival. Dr. Daryl Wilson, of The Bollweevils, credited Naked Raygun’s “Jettison” as an album that shaped him both as a musician and as a person in the Chicago music scene. It forged some of his lifelong friendships.
“It was the soundtrack to my life—the soundtrack that kept me going,” he reflected for an Album That Changed Me feature with us earlier in 2024. Dave Grohl himself has recalled that his first-ever show was Naked Raygun at The Cubby Bear in 1983—the experience that sparked his love for punk rock music.
“I didn’t fucking believe it at first,” Mike said about the MySpace message. “But I messaged him back with my number and soon enough we met in person to see the Buzzcocks at Double Door.” Everything came together quickly after that meeting. This was also the year Mike first met Sean McKeough, who would later become a co-founder and integral part of the Riot Fest team before passing away in 2016.
Coupled with bands like Blue Meanies, The Bollweevils, and 7 Seconds, the doors to Congress Theater opened once again on November 5, 2006 to welcome back our fans for another year.

As the festival audience grew in size over the following years, so did its home. However, the Congress Theater will forever hold its place as the beloved birthplace of Riot Fest.
“Congress [Theater] really helped add to the spirit of punk rock,” Mike recalled. “There was friendship in every square inch of that goddamn place and you could feel it. Don’t get me wrong, there were rats falling from the ceiling some nights, but it was a space that really brought people together. That’s pretty punk rock.”
“Nothing is more punk rock than the building itself on the verge of falling down around you, while enjoying the best bands ever to be put on one bill,” Lou added. “You would have given anything for a clean port-a-potty over those bathrooms any day.”
After Naked Raygun’s reunion, Lou also remembered feeling like anything was possible when it came to reaching out to bands. Everyone would often brainstorm about their favorite acts or others they hadn’t seen play live in years. “If a band didn’t play for 10 years it didn’t matter. Riot Mike could make it happen. No ask was too small. Mike’s Ukrainian Village apartment became Grand Central Station all year round.”
Eventually Riot Fest broke out into three days in additional venues across the city like House of Blues, Double Door, Metro, Cobra Lounge, AAA and many more. These venues sparked two decades worth of partnered memories within them. Mike even broke his ribs by stage-diving at a Naked Raygun show at Cobra Lounge.

“AAA was always special for us. It was Sean’s old loft apartment, transformed into a space where bands would rehearse and eventually host some of the most memorable Riot Fest Aftershows,” said Luba, who’s been working at Riot Fest since 2009 (Author Note: And still refuses to have a job title, like many others here).
“The AAA secret shows were announced the day of, a flyer posted in the bathrooms and hallways of Congress. At the end of the night, everyone would rush over to the venue or pile into the school bus we provided, trying to make it in before it hit capacity.”
With more friendships, a broader horizon of opportunity, this gave us room for more fun ways to engage with fans. And because we’re not ones to stop at just music, 2009 saw the addition of a Drunken Bowling Tournament at the legendary Fireside Bowl. Bands and fans alike were hitting the lanes for some friendly competition alongside drink specials and giveaways.
“This was the year of the very first Riot Fest Sucks shirt. I thought people were going to really fucking love it, but… I totally over-ordered.” Mike laughed, looking back on that year. “They all sold eventually. I think.”

In 2010, Riot Fest kicked off the festival weekend with a Busted at Oz reunion at Double Door. This historic event featured many of the original bands and musicians to play at the legendary Oz club in Chicago. Headlining the event was Naked Raygun (Jeff, Sant, Camilo, Jim) with support from The Subverts, Steve Bjorklund, Silver Abuse, Toothpaste, and Rottenfinko.
But much like any good thing, this took months in the making. Earlier that year in the spring, Michael Namache of Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and owner of iconic Oz club, Dem Hopins, met Riot Mike at Cobra Lounge to pitch the idea of the reunion with all proceeds going to CCH. The “meeting” turned into Dem and Mike engaging in conversation about music for several hours. Shortly after a smoke break between the two, they emerged with the plans for the reunion.
“We were working in tandem,” Mike told The Chicago Reader in a 2023 tribute to Dem. “It was like riding a bike again. It was so easy for him—it was natural.”
At the time, Mike expressed his worries about the success of the event. He wanted to do right by the musicians, by the history of Oz and Dem, and for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. But the reunion sold out and raised nearly $5,000 for CCH.

“After that show, Mike had all of us lined up outside the venue, greeting the crowd as they left, thanking them for coming and for their support,” said Luba.
Mike remembered this as a pivotal moment for Riot. The festival was becoming something entwined with the spirit of Chicago’s music scene. It was also growing into something that reached beyond Chicago’s city limits. People were beginning to fly in or make time for an annual road trip with their friends.
He smiled thinking about those early years. “I couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but it was something.”
