FRIDAY 

I started off Riot Fest 2025 at the main stage to settle into where I would be spending a good chunk of time this weekend. The smell of IPA’s, Bacci’s massive pizza slices, and tens of thousands of other Weezer fans quickly crept into my nostrils. The grass was left a lot longer this year to prevent dust clouds and wood chips were laid over the baseball field avoiding the muddy infield of years past. Preparations were made, the weather was lining up, this all had the makings of a worthy celebration of the 20 years of this festival. In preparation for their November 7^th gig at Gabe’s I checked out Harrison Gordon’s opening set. After releasing their “Spring Break” EP in March and their debut album “The Yuppies Are Winning” back in 2023, this emo powerhouse embarks on their first headline tour. With a crowd that kept pushing farther forward, Harrison Gordon captivated the audience with mosh pits at the early hour of 12:15pm.  

I was able to catch a bit of Loviets set on the way in, I was unfamiliar with them walking into the festival but after hearing them I couldn’t help but stop by. A nice indie rock sound that welcomed all the fest goers into the weekend. The Toronto natives released their newest single “STIFFY” on September 19 and to celebrate we were treated to it’s live debut.

I continued to jump around the stages early in the day, trying to catch as much as I could including a few flavorful songs from Mac Sabbath. On their mission to stop “Drive-Thru Metal”, Grimalice, Slayer MacCheese, Ronald Osbourne and The Catburgalur put together a collection of tunes slightly changed to be about food. After this set I went and grabbed a pulled pork sandwich.  

The Tossers were an unexpected favorite of the day. Somehow, someway, I let an Irish band from Chicago slip through the cracks, but this was remedied as I got nice and close for their all too brief 30 minute set. Cranking through a mix of traditional like “The Rocky Road to Dublin” and songs off their latest record “Smash the Windows”, it was a lovely introduction to the Rebel Stage who would be hosting 2 more Irish bands late that evening. 

Riot Fest favorites The Hold Steady played their 2005 record “Separation Sunday” in full and tagged on a few hits in the minutes remaining. This was a record I had been wanting to hear for a while, and the kind of record that is meant to be heard front to back. Lead singer Craig Finn did an incredible job taking us through the story of him and his “hood rat friends”. You can listen to their latest record, “The Price of Progress” here. 

At 5:55, Jenny Lewis strolled on stage followed by her backing band that make up indie rock legends Rilo Kiley. With an absolutely packed crowd surrounding the Radical Stage and most of the Weird World Stage, the captivated audience enjoyed an hour of their greatest hits for the first time in 17 years. During the final songs I made my way out of the crowd back towards the Rebel Stage where I would wait for The Pogues that night, but on my way I stopped by Alkaline Trio’s full album play of “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire”. Matt Skiba and company captivated me from a distance as I stayed for “Sleepyhead” being played for the first time in a decade and settled in for Stiff Little Fingers.  

Lead singer Jake Burns said that festival slots were usually for the hits, “but because we don’t have any we’re gonna play some deep cuts”. The setlist included The Specials “Doesn’t Make It Alright” and the story about how they recorded their cover of it before The Specials released their own version. As Burns and Co. made their way off stage, in the distance I could hear Knocked Loose tear up the Roots Stage.  

Slowly, a banner with a spilled bottle of rum was raised and the crowd filled in. The Pogues sauntered on stage, 13 and counting, with drinks in hand and smiles on their face. This was their final show on the books, wrapping up their biggest touring year in over a decade. Through thick and thin, original members Spider Stacy, Jem Finer, and James Fearnley were the anchors of The Pogues, carrying it through over 4 decades of rock and roll. Blazing through the tracks off their record “Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash”, the band finished with “Sally MacLennane” underneath blink-182’s fireworks display.  With a bow and a toast, The Pogues walked off stage but couldn’t get far until the persistent crowd called for an encore. A seemingly very genuine encore, the band was scattered throughout and had to corral them all back to fit in the “only other song we know” according to Jem Finer. As words were scribbled down on paper, and musicians discussed what key they were playing this one in, the final song of Friday night began. While the pits grew larger, and seemingly every person was getting crowd surfed to the front, the final notes hit. It began to set in that this was the last we’d be seeing Spider and the band in the states for a while, but grateful for what I had just witnessed.  

I missed a few notable sets, including the one and only “Weird Al” Yankovic headlining his own stage. The crowd was one of the largest of the weekend and captivated an audience that led a calmer opposition to Knocked Loose at the same time. Both led directly into blink-182’s set where they hit six songs off my personal favorite record of theirs “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket” including “Online Songs” and “Roller Coaster”. They brought out blink-182 alum Matt Skiba to sing “Bored to Death” and Stephen Egerton of Descendants made his first of two appearances of the weekend covering his tune “Hope”. Closing with their first big hit “Damnit” off 1997’s “Dude Ranch”, the crowds dispersed until they would meet again 13 hours later.  

SATURDAY 

I arrived to the festival with Wishy’s sound spilling over the sides of the walls with their Indie-ana rock. A good introduction to the indie rock legends Weezer playing “The Blue Album” front to back on the same stage later that night. I bounced around, seeing snippets of a handful of bands like Feral Tact, Girl In A Coma, and Thrown. I explored the over 30 food vendors and settled on a top tier chicken sandwich from Chicago favorite The Publican. It was as good as it is in their restaurant which is hard to come by at a festival, but Riot Fest’s food options were bountiful. I enjoyed that meal while watching Agent Orange run their record “Living In Darkness” front to back. 

I caught a song by California rockers Militarie Gun on my way to get a good spot for Free Throw’s return to Riot Fest after their rained out set in 2023. They played The Metro with fellow Riot Fest rockers Harrison Gordon in April and their quick trip back to Chicago was more than welcomed by a huge early day crowd. After a quick 30 minutes, Free Throw closed with their hit “Two Beers In” as the crowd screamed their lungs out. I made my way back to the main stage to see man of many talents Jason Narducy play bass for Superchunk. The Evanston, IL native makes his return to Riot Fest after his high school band Verböten returned from a four decade long hiatus last year on the Riot Stage. Verböten has made 3 appearances since including opening for one of the godfather’s of punk Iggy Pop at The Salt Shed in March. 

If you like yelling and blood, Gwar and Helmet would be a heartbreaking schedule conflict for you. Overlapping for 45 minutes, I chose Gwar because Helmet lacked theatrical blood. Stirring up controversy by their grotesque prosthetics and on stage fake executions and births, this is the same Gwar that hundreds of thousands have seen in their 41 year career. In a direct contrast to what I just viewed, I went to go see English rockers James play the Riot Stage. An off to wall pick, not due to their McDonald’s themed costumes or hit parody songs, but due to their relatively chill Britpop vibes. Talking to a lot of people, they walked in knowing a single or two from the 90’s and walked away big fans of James. 

I settled in for a night at the main stages, with the back and forth of The Front Bottoms, The Beach Boys, Jack White, and Weezer. The Front Bottoms played their 2015 record “Back On Top” in full followed by 4 songs and closer “Twin Size Mattress” off my personal favorite record of theirs “The Talon of the Hawk”. They just wrapped up a brief tour for the record including an after show on Friday night at The Bottom Lounge. After they wrapped up, lead singer Brian Sella smashed his Fender acoustic-electric into the stage. With remnants of wood and wiring laying peacefully at their feet, The Front Bottoms took a bow.

Earlier in the day, under the churning eyes of the butter statue, the John Stamos look-a-like competition took place in “Riot Land”. It came down to two main competitors as the crowd size grew larger and larger until the judge declared a man in aviator sunglasses, a gray Hawaiian shirt, and sporting a thousand watt smile the winner. Hoping to catch sight of the lead singer of Jessie and The Rippers, he could only be found in one place that day. At 6:20, the screen flashed a montage of The Beach Boys greatest moments as the band made their way on stage. With Stamos face masks in the crowd, mosh pits opening up, and a chant that I can still hear ringing in my ears… Stamos appeared as a godlike figure wearing a leather jacket in 80-degree weather. You would’ve thought an earthquake had occurred as these thunderous celebrations of Uncle Jessie’s mere appearance rattled through Douglass Park. I saw a crowd surfer with an inflatable surfboard and another with a giant cardboard cutout of Stamos’ head. The Beach Boys played 19 songs off their impressive back catalog, including 3 tracks off arguably the greatest album of all time “Pet Sounds”.  

I was slightly let down at the lack of a tribute to the recently passed Brian Wilson. Being the heart, soul, and brains of the band, I thought there should have been a big mention of him but there lacked any representation of the founding member. Stamos even did a tribute to fellow “Full House” cast member Bob Saget who passed away in 2022. It was a tough pill to swallow as a huge fan of The Beach Boys. The performance left a sour taste in my mouth but if this iteration of the band can get another 13-year-old Logan to listen to “Pet Sounds” on repeat, it might be worth it. If you are searching for a more Brian Wilson focused band, former Beach Boy Al Jardine has taken most of Brian Wilson’s backing band in his new group, Al Jardine’s Pet Sound’s Band. They play through all the greatest Beach Boy’s hits still, with a little more of an emphasis on the song writing and composition that Brain Wilson brought to the group.

The generational talent that is Jack White took the stage next. Starting with a ferocious cover of The Stooges “T.V. Eye”, White took every second of his time on stage to tear through his set. While ripping on his guitar he asked the crowd if they “want fascists in control” to which the crowd defiantly shouted against. White said “that’s right, rock and roll is in control tonight”, as he continued setting the stage on fire. Playing four songs from his solo project, 6 from The White Stripes, and 2 from The Racounteers, there was not a second to catch your breath. It was incredible seeing Jack tell his band on stage what song he was gonna play, start the riff, and all of them to follow as if they had been playing the same set for decades. It was like staring up atop Mt. Everest to see a man with a Telecaster searching to see if there are any taller mountains to scale. There were no games, no big camera tricks, no massive inflatables. Just Jack and his band. The side screens showed a black and white live feed from a handful of angles, with the back screen completely black. You couldn’t focus on anything other than the music even if you wanted to. White finished with his biggest hit of his career, “Seven Nation Army” from The White Stripes record “Elephant”. Letting the crowd do the work leading into the final verse, the ensemble of festival goers echoed the iconic guitar line. A mainstay in American culture, and so iconic you can hear it now just thinking about it. White’s impact and performance are larger than life. He finished with the words “You’ve been incredible, and I’ve been Jack White”. Lights out.  

With a story, theatrics, and a planet needing saving, Weezer put on their final show of their expansive “Voyage to the Blue Planet” tour. It was an older setlist, starting off with the hits like “Island in the Sun” and “Pork and Beans”, some Pinkerton deep cuts, and finishing with the Blue Album in its entirety. This 21-song set ended with “Only In Dreams” and it’s blazing 4-minute-long solo underneath a fireworks display. It’s moments like that where you pinch yourself and ask if what you’re seeing and feeling is real. There are always times when I am moved by live music, especially at festivals. But standing there watching the final crescendo slowly fade out into that iconic bass line and ultimately drowned out by the sound of cheers, it is an experience that soothes the soul. Weezer has played the Blue Album 3 times at Riot Fest, and there is a reason for that. It’s a no skip album. Filled top to bottom with ear worms that have been mainstays in Riot Fest fans rotations for decades. I’m always eager to see Weezer play, and such a special show celebrating their debut was a joy to watch. 

I missed some great sets throughout Saturday including the back and forth of the Rise and Radical Stages. Hometown heroes Knuckle Puck playing their record “Copacetic” in full, then handed it over to Celtic Punk legends Dropkick Murphys. Running through 5 tracks off of their new record “For the People” and the rest of the hits you would want to see from the Boston favorites. The speakers were once again relayed next door for All Time Low to close out the duo of stages for the night. Over at the Rebel Stage, classic punk bands took the helm as Marky Ramone, The Buzzcocks and The Damned tore through their sets. With time extensions granted for a them in lieu of Frank Carter and The Sex Pistols cancellation, the bands made the most of the additional minutes. Arguably the busiest day at Riot Fest 2025 adjourned to continue the final chapter of the festival tomorrow.

SUNDAY

My day started a little later, as many 3-day attendees did as well. Between the running from stage to stage to standing for almost the entirety of the day, the body and immune system take a substantial hit. I was able to catch the tail end of The Smoking Popes play “Born to Quit”. That led into the punk duo Soft Play on the neighboring Radical Stage which was my first real introduction to them. Spending a healthy mix of time on stage, in the crowd, and sprawled over the barricade, Soft Play made a fan out of everyone who was within earshot.  

I continued my stage hopping to the Roots Stage to see Pegboy run through “Strong Reaction” and then over to the Rebel Stage to see The Ataris play “So Long, Astoria”. They would stick around Chicago, playing a surprise free set at The Cubby Bear the following night. There was an incredible difficult conflict with some of the best female led bands in the music world right now. All overlapping at different times were The Linda Linda’s, Lambrini Girls, and Dance Hall Crashers. I had the pleasure of seeing The Linda Linda’s open for Green Day last summer, so I took the opportunity to catch one of the hottest punk bands in the world, Lambrini Girls. Phoebe Lunny led the Brighton based group through a whirlwind set, and by the time their 30 minutes were up, you were shocked they weren’t given more time. When Lambrini Girls finished, I was still able to catch the final songs of Dance Hall Crasher’s return to Chicago. After their 21 years off of touring, they made their return for select Warped Tour dates and 3 others throughout the summer. I’m thankful I avoided a full Riot Fest without ska.  

I was hoping to catch a bit of Hanson but the technical difficulties the Riot Fest gods had other plans. As another unconventional pick, I was intrigued to see what the turn out would be, and it was massive. Sprawling all across the hill and farther back than most sets I’ve seen at the Rebel Stage, anticipation quickly grew into frustration as the minutes dragged on. I decided to leave after about 15 minutes to catch some songs by Microwave. A great live band that is always touring, I highly recommend. Once the Rebel Stage figured out their problems, Hanson only got to play 6 songs but threw in some curveballs. They brought out, for the second time in one weekend, Stephen Egerton of Descendants to play “Hope”. Now considering Egerton joined two bands on stage throughout the weekend to play this song I probably would have seen either of them. Nope. I missed both. I also missed Descendants set in 2024 due to another conflict. I wonder if I’ll ever see the band at this point.  

I settled in at the Riot Stage for the night, with a lineup of Bad Religion, Idles, Jawbreaker, and Green Day, it was a no brainer. I was disappointed to miss out on Texas Is the Reason, The Wonder Years, and Inhaler, but tough decisions have to be made. I knew my opportunities to see Jawbreaker are limited, and knowing this was Idles last date on the schedule put my mind at ease with the decision. Bad Religion was electric, hitting 9 of their hits before plunging into their 1988 record “Suffer”.  High paced and proving they still have much more left in the tank after 45 years.  

Idles. If you have not listened to Idles. Listen to Idles. My new favorite band out of the weekend, Idles put on an incredible set with an invasive relationship with the crowd’s personal space. Whether it be the music, or themselves, Idles found every single person in the crowd, spun them around, and implanted a song in their mind. I had educated myself a little going into their set, I enjoyed their song with LCD Soundsystem “Dancer”, but that was about it. Until they grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me until I added the rest of their set to my playlist. Joe Talbot is an eccentric and intoxicating front man, stirring up a constant ruckus in the crowd. He has humility though, allowing lead guitarist Mark Bowen to frolic around the stage shirtless with an objectively impressive mustache. The selflessness doesn’t stop there, as they made room of the unparalleled Jack White to shred on their tune “Never Fight a Man with a Perm”. That was the first of two collaborations Idles hosted on their stage as Soft Play accompanied for a rambunctious edition of “Rottweiler”. Sandwiched in between these two larger than life tunes was Idles’ only cover of their set, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. Although it was just over 3 months until Boxing Day Eve, it made me wonder why more bands don’t cover this song. Everyone knows it, everyone loves it, why not? A pleasant surprise to say the least. Idles is a can’t miss gig.  

Jawbreaker followed dusting off their collection of tunes. There hasn’t been any new releases from the bay area natives since their 1995 record “Dear You”, so although hitting 4 tracks off the latest LP, you would have had to be well over 35 to remember its release. Legendary Chicago producer, the late Steve Albini worked hand in hand with Jawbreaker for their 1994 record “24 Hour Revenge Therapy”. Albini had an impressive resume, including working with The Pixies on “Surfer Rosa”, Nirvana on “In Utero”, and a slew of other bands including The Jesus Lizard, PJ Harvey, and 2025 Riot Fest players Superchunk. Jawbreaker kept their set brief and loose, playing through 12 songs having to cut the final tune “Kiss The Bottle” for time constraints. This was the first time Jawbreaker and Green Day have shared the same bill since September 4^th, 1991 at the Davis Teen Center in Oakland. Riot Fest has been a special place for Jawbreaker, it was a major catalyst for their reunion in 2017, as this is their third time returning to the festival since. While listening to their set, you quickly realize how many bands you’ve listened to that have taken a bit or piece from Jawbreaker. Whether it be the little hooks that Jimmy Eat World built “Bleed American” on or the vocal punch of Fall Out Boy, there are strands of Jawbreaker bleeding from each one.  

With Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” drenching the speakers, the final band of Riot Fest 2025 was about to take the stage. You couldn’t have written a better ending for the festival. Starting with 2 nights in November of 2005 at the 3,500 capacity Congress Theatre, Riot Fest evolved into a sold out, 3-day long, park-wide festival housing the biggest bands in the world. I think Sunday’s headliner combination really showcases how Riot fest has grown and retained its thesis at the same time. Having the final two slots played by a “truly punk”, underground, never signed to a major label band in Jawbreaker and the other played by a band that has headlined Coachella, Lollapalooza, and every major stadium and festival in the world. They expanded, and held on to themselves staying completely independent. They whole festival has my utmost respect. 

Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool, and Mike Dirnt ran on stage tailed by Kevin Tyler Preston, Jason Freese, and Jason White. These gentlemen make up Green Day and its touring band. One of the very final dates of their length “Saviors World Tour”, Armstrong and company blasted through their monstrous reserve of songs. Hitting tunes from their most recent record “Saviors”, along with the song “Going to Passalacqua” off their first full length release on Lookout Records “1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours” from 1991. This performance was a well-deserved victory lap for the band. The 4^th to last gig on Green Day’s extensive tour spanning 106 shows, 88 cities, and 33 countries, but they preserved their infectious energy from the very start of the tour. Playing a handful of deep cuts like “The Grouch” from 1997’s Nimrod, “She” from Dookie, and the rarely played “Revolution Radio” from the album sharing the same name, they gave a lot to the hardcore fan. 23 songs and countless “Hey-O’s” later, the final G chord of “Good Riddance” was strum. Fireworks painted the sky, confetti fell with the final gusts of the summer wind, and Billie Joe sang the first verse and chorus to “Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town)” by Fred Fisher. A heartfelt ending to my favorite weekend of the year. Tre Cool brought out a bucket of sticks, tossed some amongst the crowd, and then the bucket soared onto his zebra printed Ludwig drum kit. The night, and festival, had come to an end. 

Riot Fest makes me fall in love with music over and over again. Whether it be lifelong favorites of mine like The Beach Boys and The Pogues, or fresh groups like Harrison Gordon and Knuckle Puck, I keep finding myself smiling like a kid on Christmas watching these bands. I am looking forward to next year’s festival, what headliners they’ll grab, the smaller acts I’ll fall in love with, and surprises they have in store. Riot Fest is idiosyncratic, and I feel so lucky to have it right next door. You can hear more about my experience with Riot Fest on “Downey’s Hour”, Monday Nights from 9-11pm.

Cover Photo: Anthony Linh Nguyen

The post KRUI’s Riot Fest 2025 Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Iona Zajac : I just realized I’ve been, I’ve been kind of like, trying to navigate New York and then I was like, shit.  

Logan Melia: It’s a beautiful place to navigate, so no judgment on my end.

Iona: Thank you thank you. How are you doing?

Logan: I’m doing well, how about yourself?  

Iona: Yeah, really good, really good. A bit like, a bit spaced out after being on the road for a couple of weeks. And it’s my first time in all of these places, so, kind of like a kid in a sweet shop.  

Logan: Are you liking it so far? Are you liking the U.S. vibes?  

Iona: I am, I am. Like, New York in particular it’s my first time here.  

Logan: And you’re playing two nights there, right? Tonight’s the second night?  

Iona: Exactly. Tonight’s the second night and at Terminal 5. Have you been there?  

Logan: I have been. You guys have been playing some really incredible venues.  

Iona: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, the ones in Canada, I have to say, have really stood out for me gig- wise. Our gig in Montreal was like, the highlight of the tour so far.  

Logan: Was that the City Folk Festival you played?

Iona: No, that was Ottawa, which was another highlight. That was amazing. 

Logan: Where did you play int Montreal that you liked so much?

Iona: Montreal, oh, off the top of my head, I can’t remember.

Logan: What made it so special for you?  

Iona: It was the audience, really. The audience were the dream audience to have on a stage, where they were giving you everything for the upbeat numbers and then really enjoying the slower numbers. Just so delighted by the gig and being there, that you stand on stage being so delighted to be there. And very similar, I’d say the most iconic venue that The Pogues have had really special gigs is a venue in Glasgow called The Barrowland Ballroom, otherwise known as “The Barras”. And it’s just really well known for them having the most rowdy, amazing electric gigs. And a few people at the show in Montreal kind of compared that audience to the Glasgow audience. So that was special.  

Logan: My first introduction to The Barrowlands was an old recording of Oasis playing there back in the 2000s. And then I just went down the rabbit hole. I mean, the fans look absolutely electric there.  

Iona: Yeah, it’s always a wild gig. I’ve got friends in an amazing Irish band called The Mary Wallopers.  

Logan: Oh, I love The Mary Wallopers. 

Iona: Yeah, you know them. So they’re big enough now that they could be playing the arena show in Glasgow, but instead they’ve chosen to do five nights in The Barrowlands rather than one night in the arena, just because of the buzz of the venue and the fans. It’s just great.  

Logan: Oh, absolutely. Now, I’m from Chicago, and the Riot Fest crowds that you’ll be playing to on Friday, I’m not trying to set your expectations too high, but I’m a longtime goer of that festival.  

Iona: Are you coming?  

Logan: Oh, I’m absolutely there. I’m front row for you. I’m getting there during Stiff Little Fingers.  

Iona: Class.  

Logan: You guys have been circled on the calendar for months ever since it was announced. But it’s crowd surfing, it’s moshing, and it’s the whole nine. It’s a good vibe.  

Iona: Brilliant. I can’t wait for that.  

Logan: You did a stretch in the UK, you’re doing some dates in the States right now. I mean, you guys have a ton of people on stage. How has the tour been as a whole?  

Iona: I mean, considering how many of us, it’s like the most harmonious and hilarious group of people. Honestly, the gigs have been amazing, but everything surrounding the gigs, like the bus journeys, have been just places of complete kind of hilarity. And we’ve written a lot of songs together on the buses. A lot of songs that are quite silly, like playing a game where you have to make up an album name and then write a track list, and then you choose to write one of the songs. And we’ve played that a couple of times. And we’ve done a lot of games, you know, poetry games, where you write a line and fold over the piece of paper and pass it on, and then you end up with this absolutely bizarre poem from all of our brains. It’s been a real place of just nonsense, but also just really amazing, open, creative people. And there’s obviously the three original members, James, Jem, and Spider, and there’s what they refer to as their children, which is all of us. And it really feels like that. It does feel like one big family. It’s amazing. And we all just feel so lucky to be doing it. It’s such an honor.

Logan: That’s so sweet. I mean, it’s such a cool progression of the legacy. My whole family’s from Ireland, so the Pogues were the soundtrack to growing up and everything. I never thought I’d get an opportunity to see them. And so what does this legacy mean? What is your relationship with the Pogues growing up?  

Iona: I think, similarly, growing up with my parents, listening to them, and knowing of this guy, Shane MacGowan, that was just this absolute legend and mad character. Growing up, we’d be singing the songs at Christmas, but obviously my parents would have been going to see them when they were a bit younger than I am now. So, I really just grew up knowing them as legends that I would probably never get to see. And then suddenly getting asked if I might get up and sing a song with them, I was like, I can’t do that. I don’t have that kind of, I don’t think I had that kind of voice in me. To sing the song, one of my songs I sing is “Poor Paddy Works on the Railway”, and that requires you to be quite raucous. I just didn’t think I had that voice, because the rest of the stuff I sing is pretty mellow and folky, and I’ve absolutely found it thanks to them. The band is not trying to be what it was with Shane MacGowan, nobody’s trying to replace anyone. He has written songs that will last forever, and we’re just so lucky to be carrying on singing them. It’s a real love for him all through the show. Yeah, it really is. 

Logan: Thats so special.

Iona: Yeah, it really is.

Logan: Now Ireland is kind of, the U.K. as a whole, is kind of a hotbed kind of the best new bands between, you mentioned The Mary Wallopers, you have Fontaines, Kneecap, Sam Fender even from more of the British side of it. Is there anything that you have your eye on right now? Any artists from across the pond that us Americans should be keying into?

Iona: Apart from the ones you’ve just mentioned, I don’t know if you’ve come across Lankum. They’re a dark Irish folk band. They’re fantastic, and one of their members is playing guitar with us on this tour. John Francis Flynn is also brilliant from Dublin, and he’s singing a couple of songs with us, so you’ll see. Ireland is just constantly pumping out these amazing musicians at the moment. I’m from Scotland myself, but I’m living in London now. It’s kind of exhausting living in London, because there’s a brilliant gig to go to every day.  

Logan: Not a bad problem to have.  

Iona: Yeah, it’s not a bad problem to have. But yeah, I think this group of musicians is a particularly special group, because there’s so many people that have their own projects that are very exciting at the moment. Lisa O’Neill, who’s singing some of the big numbers with us on this tour, her solo project is absolutely amazing. I’m doing some shows supporting her as soon as I get back.  

Logan: And yourself too, you have your album “Bang” coming out November 21st. You have a few singles out right now, you have a music video for “Dilute”. This is a big year for you, this is exciting.  

Iona: Yeah, it’s all going on. Bringing out my first record has taken a long time and a lot of work, and it feels like a lot has gone into this year, and then suddenly it’s all happening at once. And so it feels great to be putting out my solo music and working on that alongside doing The Pogues stuff, because it’s all so different, but all feeding into each other. And my solo music is so different from this. So I feel like they’re just feeding different avenues, if you like.  

Logan: Yeah, I’ve listened to your stuff and it’s got such a feeling to it. It sets over you when you listen to it. And even going back to your first EP, “Finding Her in the Grass”, you have such a unique sound that has just consistently been yours.  

Iona: Thank you. I’m outside a restaurant just now because I met up with my producer who produced “Bang”. She’s in New York right now. And I think working with her and working with the musicians on the album has been really key to developing the sound. Because I really just started as me in my bedroom with my guitar, with a knowledge of three chords. That’s where the first EP came from. And so it’s really exciting, the prospect that this album is going to… because I’ve done so much solo touring, supporting people. And now with this record, we’re going to be playing with a full band. I can’t wait.  

Logan: Yeah, you got some co-headline dates with Robin Kester and then your album release show on the 27th at The Social. You have so much going on this year. What is the most exciting thing for you?  

Iona: I think, apart from these The Pogues shows, I think the next thing will be the album launch in London. That’ll feel like a big moment because I’ve not really done a headline show under my own name before. And so much has gone into getting this album out in the world. We’re sort of releasing it. And I just hope it’s a big celebration of the music. And the thing I’ve been enjoying this year the most actually, because we recorded the album nearly two years ago now, so the songs have been around for a long time. But this year I’ve really been focusing on the visual and the videos to go alongside the tracks. And that, I think, has really injected the music with a currency of how I am as an artist at this point, versus how I was when I wrote the songs. And I’ve just been so enjoying that creative process and finding amazing people to work with. And so I’m about to make the next music video for the next single, which is called “Murder Mystery”. It’s kind of a play on Scandi Noir, Murder Mystery songs. It’s very surreal. But we’ve got a really exciting plan for the music video for that. So I’m excited to make that when I get home.

Logan: This is so exciting. Now, I won’t keep you too much longer. I’ve got one more question for you. Thank you so much for taking the time with me. So this new album of yours, you mentioned Emily Dickinson as a previous influence for the song “Summer”. Are there any forms of media that you really fall back on that just always hit the inspiration chord for you?   

Iona: I think reading poetry is probably always where I go to. Reading poetry and people watching would be probably my two… If I’m needing material, I’m just obsessed with watching people and writing that focuses on everyday experience and the subtleties of daily living that sometimes we miss because we’re occupied by big things in life. So, like Hannah Sullivan has always been a big inspiration and Alice Oswald. Hannah Sullivan has this poetry collection called “Three Poems”. It’s the best observation of busy life that I’ve read. I’d say that. This record is a big one because it really does detail the last 15 years of my life. Going forward, the stuff will probably be a bit more current. I’m so excited to have it out in the world.

Logan: You can listen to it on November 21st. You can catch Iona with The Pogues this Friday at Riot Fest.  

Iona: So nice to speak to you, Logan. I’ll see you on Friday.  

Iona and The Pogues put on an incredible show, one that brought in a crowd spanning generations to sing, dance, and celebrate Shane and The Pogues’ legacy. With an encore of “The Gentlemen’s Soldier” in the shadow of fireworks, The Pogues set at Riot Fest will live in the memories of their fans for life. Iona’s first LP “Bang” comes out in just under 2 months on November 21st. You find her music here.

The post Interview: Iona Zajac on The Pogues, “Bang”, and the Lash appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Friday

RIOT STAGE 

Friday is incredible strong from the start of the day, up and coming DIY legends Harrison Gordon will be opening the Riot Stage from 12:30-1:00. Their debut album “The Yuppies Are Winning” made waves in the DIY scene as they embark on a headline tour this fall, including a stop at Gabe’s in Iowa City. Honey Revenge is also fresh on the scene with their debut single “Miss Me” being released in 2021. Inspired by the likes of Paramore, Pierce the Veil, and Hannah Montana, this fun and exciting pop punk duo will be a fun show. They play from 3:00-3:40. 

Rico Nasty, one of the few hip hop picks for this year, will be playing the Riot Stage from 4:30-5:10. She began releasing mixtapes over a decade ago in 2014, and has put out 3 full length LP’s, including her 2020 debut “Nightmare Vacation” which reached #1 on the US Heat charts.  

Touring partners Alkaline Trio and blink-182 will be tag teaming the top two slots on the Riot Stage while on their “Missionary Impossible Tour”. Alkaline Trio guitarist Matt Skiba took over guitar duties for blink-182 from 2015-2022 during Tom DeLonge’s absence. With no bad blood amongst the groups, Skiba joined blink on stage for their song “Bored to Death”, the first single released form Skiba-era blink-182. Alkaline Trio plays their record “Maybe I’ll Catch Fire” in full form 6:20-7:20 and blink-182 will play from 8:30-10:00.  

ROOTS STAGE 

Local band La Rosa Noir will play the first half hour on the Roots Stage from 12:00-12:30 on Friday. Riot Fest takes on 3 local artists each year, it’s an important tradition that makes Riot Fest, Riot Fest. The Barbarians of California will take the stage next, as a side project of Aaron Bruno who is the lead singer of Awolnation. This hardcore outfit from California will play from 1:05-1:35. 

The Roots Stage will be headlined by one of the hottest bands in hardcore, Knocked Loose. Known for their heavy riffs, pig squeals, and wall of death, Knocked Loose has become a must see and main stage regular at festivals around the globe. With a Grammy nomination and an appearance “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this year, Knocked Loose is on the precipice of superstardom. They will be playing from 7:25-8:25.

REBEL STAGE 

Big Ass Truck I.E. will rip into their loud and brash set from 12:50-1:20 on the Rebel Stage. The I.E. was added to their name after a lawsuit by another band that goes by the same name. I.E. stands for “Inland Empire” due to their origin from the inland part of California in San Bernadino. 

The Rebel Stage will live up to its name as two Irish punk bands will be playing the final slots of the night. From 7:00-8:00, Stiff Little Fingers will play, followed by The Pogues first show in Chicago since 2011 from 8:30-10:00. Formed in the shadow of The Troubles from the North of Ireland, Stiff Little Fingers doesn’t shy away from attacking the tyrannical and authoritarian in their music. Irish Punk legends The Pogues will be celebrating the 40^th anniversary of their record “Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash” by playing it in full to close out the night. 

“WEIRD AL” YANKOVICS WEIRD WORLD STAGE 

Riot Fest prides themselves on its off the wall picks, and Friday will be no exception. In a very similar fashion to NOFX hosting a stage all weekend last year, the one and only “Weird Al” Yankovic will be hosting the “Weird World Stage” on Friday. Comedian Emo Phillips will MC the stage for the 5 handpicked bands by Weird Al. Making the journey all the way from Japan, Shonen Knife will be opening the stage which will also host Mac Sabbath (a Black Sabbath and metal tribute band dressed up as McDonald’s Mascots), along with Puddles Pity Party (a clown who sings sad songs). The iconic pop pioneers and composers of the bizarre Adam Driver musical “Annette,” Sparks will also be playing the stage leading into Weird Al’s headline set. A wild stage with, frankly, an insanely cool collection of bands awaits you at the Weird World Stage. 

RADICAL STAGE 

Playing next to the Weird World Stage, the Radical Stage will house some great bands throughout the day. Stage headliner Rilo Kiley makes their triumphant return, as Jenny Lewis of The Postal Service and her solo work leads this band in their first tour in 17 years. They will be playing from 5:55-6:55.   

Saturday

RIOT STAGE 

If you wanted to plant yourself at the Riot Stage all day, you’d be in for a treat. New indie rock outfit Wishy will start the day, followed by LA hardcore band Militaire Gun, and then into the electric punk group Superchunk. English 80’s band James make their Chicago return after their most recent coheadlining tour was brought to The Riveria Theatre with Johnny Marr of The Smith’s.  

We wouldn’t have Riot Stage’s headliner if it wasn’t for its #2 band. America’s finest band, The Beach Boys, will make their Riot Fest debut. Taking up the drums for The Beach Boys will be long time Riot Fest avoider John Stamos. With a full-size butter statue made in his honor last year, and a list of demands for this year, he will finally attend with the band. They will play from 6:20-7:20. 

Weezer will be ringing their “Voyage To The Blue Planet” tour to Riot Fest this year as an extension of their 30 year anniversary of the self titled debut album that brought them so much fame. With the Blue Album being played in full, a visit to “The Pinkerton Asteroid Belt”, and a trip trough a collection of their hits, Weezer will play from 8:30-10:00. 

ROOTS STAGE 

Girl In A Coma make their return to Chicago for the first time since 2008 from 1:10-1:40. Later, The Front Bottoms will play their 2015 record “Back On Top” in full from 5:15-6:15. They’ll play an aftershow as well on this anniversary tour that is being opened up by Chicago favorite and Gabe’s alum Sincere Engineer. The incomparable Jack White will be headlining the Roots Stage from 7:25-8:25. He returns to Chicago for his 5^th show in the past 12 months after performing at Reggie’s and The Metro in October of last year and 2 nights at The Salt Shed in April.  

REBEL STAGE 

Traveling from “the deepest reaches of outer space”, GWAR makes their seemingly annual visit to Douglass Park. With countless prosthetics and gallons of fake bodily fluid, GWAR is not for the faint of heart, but a spectacle, nonetheless.  

Heavy on the classic punk, the Rebel Stage will have aftershow mates Marky Ramone and the Buzzcocks playing back to back from 5:30-6:30 and 7:00-8:00 respectably. With the absence of Frank Carter and The Sex Pistols headlining this stage due to a broken hand for guitarist Steve Jones, punk legends The Damned will take over that duty from 8:30-9:30. 

RISE STAGE 

Some of the most electric young bands will be taking on the Rise Stage including Cliffdiver, Free Throw, and Citizen. Now Free Throw and Citizen have both been around for well over a decade (which is nothing compared to some other bands on the lineup), but emo darlings Cliffdiver released their second LP “birdwatching” just last year. They are an electric live band and seeing them get on a major festival bill is amazing to see.  

Chicago favorites Knuckle Puck will play their breakout record “Copacetic” in full for the second time this year in Chicago. First came back in January to a sold-out Salt Shed, now second will be playing from 5:20-6:20 on the Rise Stage. After “Copacetic” finishes up, All Time Low will take the stage from 7:30-8:30. They will also be making an appearance in Iowa later this fall on October 29^th at Vibrant Music Hall. 

RADICAL STAGE 

Helmet will make their Chicago return after having to cancel their most previous tour, playing their album “Betty” front to back from 2:50-3:50, with The Bouncing Souls following suite playing their 2001 record “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” from 4:30-5:15. 

With a heavy Irish presence at the 20^th edition of Riot Fest, the Radical Stage will feature Dropkick Murphy’s as their stage’s headliner. With a combination of traditional Irish music with a few shots of classic punk Ken Casey and company will run through their hits and their new album “For The People” that includes a tribute to former Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan.  

Sunday

RIOT STAGE 

Hosting 3 album plays, the Riot Stage will be busy from start to finish on Sunday. The Effegies will play “For Ever Grounded”, Zero Boys will play “Vicious Cycle”, and Screeching Weasel run through “My Brain Hurts” all before the clock hits 5:00. IDLES will be make a stop as their busy year continues with opening dates for Deftones and My Chemical Romance. From 6:05-7:05, IDLES’ rise to stardom continues at a blistering pace. 

Former touring mates, The Linda Lindas and Green Day will come back together for the first time since Green Day’s North American leg of “The Saviors Tour” wrapped up last year. Green Day will be playing the longest set of the festival, closing it out from 8:15-10:00. They are only the second band to ever play unopposed at Riot Fest, first being done by The Cure in 2023. 

ROOTS STAGE 

One of the punk world’s newest bands, The Paradox, will open up the Roots Stage. They were accompanied on stage by blink-182’s Travis Barker at Warped Tour earlier this summer as they begin a busy stretch opening up for All Time Low on their fall tour. The Paradox bring the tally of Green Day opener’s playing Sunday at Riot Fest to 2 as they took the stage at Truist Park in Atlanta last summer. 

Ska legends Dance Hall Crashers began their comeback tour this past year and will make a stop at Riot Fest from 3:25-4:05. Brothers John Haggerty (Naked Raygun) and Joe Haggerty (The Effegies) will be bringing their band Pegboy to play their record “Strong Reaction” in full as well as Bad Religion playing through the entirety of “Suffer” as the sun begins to set on Riot Fest 2025. Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz started Epitaph Records in 1981 and have gone on to put out records for countless bands at Riot Fest including Weezer, The Linda Lindas, and Alkaline Trio. 

Jawbreaker will play the final slot on the Roots Stage from 7:10-8:10 marking 8 years since Riot Fest brough them back from the dead to headline 2017. Chicago has always been good to Jawbreaker as they embark on their “The Chill of Fall Tour”.  

REBEL STAGE 

Boasting a busy day with 9 bands playing the stage, there is a lot to see at the Rebel Stage. There is everything from Chase Petra (who recently came through Iowa playing with Origami Angel and Saturdays @ Your Place) to Hanson famous for their song “MMMBop” all on the same stage. Later in the day, Fueled By Ramen legends Gym Class Heroes and Cobra Starship will take the stage. Cobra Starship are on their comeback tour, after a decade of no live shows, they began their resurgence at When We Were Young festival last year. 

RISE STAGE 

Chicago legends Smoking Popes will be playing their record “Born to Quit” from 1:40-2:25 in full. Not long after, new scene favorites, Lambrini Girls will take the stage from 3:05-3:35. The busy day continues with Microwave’s make up set from a rained out 2023, The Wonder Years, and Ireland’s Inhaler closing the stage out for the festival.  

RADICAL STAGE 

A personal favorite of mine, indie rockers Weakened Friends will take to the stage bright and early at 12:00 to start the final day of the festival. Track Zero veterans, DEHD, will make their Riot fest debut from 4:50-5:30 with their fun and danceable tunes. Riot fest got a lot of reunions for their 20^th anniversary, and with only 77 U.S. shows in their 30-year history, Texas Is The Reason returns with their brief but impactful discography to headline the Radical Stage from 6:25-7:10.  

AFTERSHOWS 

If a full day in the sun isn’t for you, you have schedule conflicts during the day, or you don’t want the fun to end at 10:00, Riot Fest also puts on a collection of aftershows throughout Chicago’s collection of independent venues. Starting on Wednesday and running through the weekend, there are bands playing the fest like Delta Sleep, in addition to Naked Raygun coming out of the woodwork to headline The Metro for the first time since 2013. Almost half of them are sold out, you can find the list of shows here. 

Riot Fest, even while sharing a headliner with Coachella, still holds DIY values at heart. From uplifting local artists, to hosting camps in Douglass Park during festival offseason, there is a distinct feeling only found at Riot Fest. You can find the full daily schedule below and design your own here. 3-Day GA passes are sold out, but 1-day and 2-day tickets can still be found here. 

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