The post 20 Reasons Not to Miss Riot Fest\u2019s 20th Anniversary<\/a> appeared first on Consequence<\/a>.<\/p>\n Riot Fest 2025<\/a> is just a few short weeks away, and we might be the slightest bit excited to celebrate the event\u2019s 20th anniversary. Going down from September 19th through September 21st at Douglass Park in Chicago, the weekend is already gearing up to be a punk celebration for the ages. Okay, maybe we\u2019re a little more excited for it than we initially led on\u2026<\/p>\n To exercise such excitement, we\u2019ve compiled 20 reasons not to miss this year\u2019s edition. Spoiler alert: one of them is the fact that we\u2019re giving away<\/a> two weekend passes. Scroll on for more information and the other 19 reasons, or head here<\/a> to enter or here<\/a> to purchase tickets for yourself if you just can\u2019t wait.<\/p>\n Get Riot Fest Tickets Here<\/a><\/p>\n Otherwise, let\u2019s get this party started.<\/p>\n 01. It\u2019s the Fuckin\u2019 20th Anniversary!<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to believe that in Riot Fest\u2019s first iteration in 2005, they were operating out of local Chicago clubs, South by Southwest-style. Now, after narrowly avoiding a move out of Douglass Park<\/a> last year, it\u2019s hard to imagine the festival taking place anywhere else; but whether Riot Fest is in an open field, several venues, or its occasional sister locations like Denver and Toronto, the event has never lost its energetic charm. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the festival, and if you\u2019re feeling particularly sentimental about growing up, there are plenty of bands to see that will be right there with you. \u2014 Paolo Ragusa<\/p>\n 02. Five Stages of Fun<\/strong><\/p>\n Most festivals in 2025 have three stages, tops. Some have four, but that fourth stage is a little alcove for DJ or acoustic sets. Some have five, but that fifth one is just a Silent Disco, for some reason. Riot Fest has five full stages with kick-ass music playing the entire time. Okay, maybe not the whole time, but in alternating intervals and all located within a short walk of each other. What\u2019s particularly lovely about having a surplus of performances spaces means double the discovery options. If you\u2019re hitting up the festival this month, make sure you take a gander at each of Riot Fest\u2019s stages \u2014 you might just hear your new favorite band for the first time. \u2014 P. Ragusa<\/p>\n 03. A Pop-Punk Headlining Trio for the Ages<\/strong><\/p>\n Blink-182. Weezer. Green Day. Those three names just feel\u00a0right when grouped together on Riot Fest bill, don\u2019t you think? They\u2019ve definitely each charted their own unique path in the modern rock landscape, especially as they\u2019ve gotten older \u2014 but all three are united in their shared anthems of angsty independence and their Peter Pan-like resistance to growing up. If you know and love \u201cAll the Small Things\u201d or \u201cI Miss You,\u201d you probably also love \u201cSay It Ain\u2019t So\u201d and \u201cBasket Case,\u201d too. Getting all four of those (and then some), live, in one weekend? Sign me up. And speaking of Weezer\u2026 \u2014 P. Ragusa<\/p>\n 04. Weezer Is Playing the Blue Album<\/strong><\/p>\n Old Weezer vs New Weezer remains a crucial debate, but luckily, Riot Fest has settled it for you this year. The California power pop stalwarts will be bringing the entirety of their 1994 debut album for a special play-through performance, meaning you\u2019ll get to hear hits like \u201cUndone (the Sweater Song),\u201d \u201cSay It Ain\u2019t So,\u201d \u201cMy Name Is Jonas,\u201d and \u201cBuddy Holly\u201d amidst beloved deep cuts like \u201cSurf Wax America\u201d and \u201cOnly in Dreams.\u201d Get ready for a big, nostalgic Saturday night singalong. \u2014 P. Ragusa<\/p>\n 05. Hold Steady Is Playing Separation Sunday<\/strong><\/p>\n Weezer isn\u2019t the only band that\u2019s slated to rip through a beloved album front-to-back. In fact, almost 20 artists will do just that, including Alkaline Trio, The Pogues, The Front Bottoms, Helmet, Smoking Popes, and Bad Religion. One we\u2019re particularly excited for, though, is The Hold Steady, who\u2019ll perform their seminal sophomore effort Separation Sunday\u00a0in full. For that, Chicago most certainly won\u2019t seem tired. \u2014\u00a0Jonah Krueger<\/p>\n riot fest 2025 album plays lineup weezer hold steady alkaline trio<\/p>\n 06. \u201cWeird Al\u201d Has His Own Damn Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n Wait, \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovich is playing Riot Fest? And he has his own stage? Damn right he is\u2026 AND DAMN RIGHT HE DOES. The crown prince of parody will bring his latest stage show<\/a> to Douglas Park on Friday night, but his headlining set isn\u2019t the only fun that\u2019ll go down on the \u201cWeird World Stage.\u201d The site will also boast the likes of fast food satanists Mac Sabbath, outsider rockers Camper Van Beethoven, and forward thinking weirdos Sparks, among others. \u2014 J. Krueger<\/p>\n Popular Posts<\/p>\n20 Reasons Not to Miss Riot Fest\u2019s 20th Anniversary<\/h2>\n
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