I was off and running at 11:00 where I went to the Allianz stage to see a bit of Her Leather Jacket, who I would be interviewing later that day. Hitting us hard and fast for the first set of the day, the Nashville based duo played through nine songs including their latest single “Death Train” that features Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens. They will be opening for The Used later this month. 

I made my way to the press lounge to interview The Plain White T’s ahead of their slot at 2:45. We spoke about their upbringing right next door to my hometown in Lombard, Illinois and our shared love of Death Cab for Cutie. Sticking around for their set later that day, they played their hits “Rhythm of Love”, “Hey There Delilah” and a surprise cover of fellow Chicago area natives, Fall Out Boy’s “Dance, Dance”. A splendid set as they kick off their “Delilah vs. Juliet” tour with We The Kings.

I got my steps in as I was running between stages trying to catch as many artists as I could. I stopped by to see The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, who I would interview later that day, at 12:10 and split their set with Destroy Boys who tore up the Pink Stage starting at 12:20. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus played their latest single “Slipping Through (No Kings)” off their 2025 record “X’s For Eyes”. This was their first record in 7 years as they were welcomed back to When We Were Young for the second year in a row. Destroy Boys continued to wrangle in new fans as they cement themselves as new pillars in the scene. Their 2024 record “Funeral Soundtrack #4” was well represented with 4 of their 9 songs on their set coming from that record. 

In 2025, Mayday Parade is celebrating 20 years as a band and releasing a 3-part album on top of the festivities. Having released the first two albums, “Sweet” in April and “Sad” earlier this month, you can hear these tunes live as they join All Time Low for the “Everyone’s Talking” tour that will stop in Iowa on October 29^th. Rallying back and forth all day, the Pink Stage and 7-Eleven stage continued serving each other pop punk and emo favorites with Boys Like Girls, who followed next. Recently releasing their first live record, the Massachusetts quartet will take a well-deserved break after their “Basements to Bleachers” tour comes to a close. Boys Like Girls final date this year will be at Warped Tour Orlando. 

If you had any built-up energy inside you, waiting to be released at the right moment, DRAIN would have been the time to do it. A live act that you feel through every bone in your body, fans were treated to three tracks off their latest record “…IS YOUR FRIEND” and a cover of Descendant’s “Good Good Things”. DRAIN is on tour supporting Kublai Khan TX this fall on tour. Straylight Run began their all-to-be brief set with a personal favorite, “Mistakes We Knew We Were Making”. Playing heavily from their self titled LP, it was a joy to see a band that has only performed seven shows since 2009. On a busy weekend, playing a side show as well, the New York indie rockers were well worth the wait. Fellow New Yorker Adam Lazarra from Taking Back Sunday came out to celebrate with Straylight Run, performing their closing track “Existentialism on Prom Night” together. An incredible set to witness. 

We The Kings and The Cab were a great back-to-back combo at the Ghost Stage. “Check Yes, Juliet”, “Secret Valentine”, and even a cover of Las Vegas’ own The Killers with “Mr. Brightside”, We The Kings gave the crowd everything they had in the tank. Travis Clark sounded phenomenal, leading the band through a dynamite set. If you’re dying to hear more We The Kings like myself, you can see them on the “Delilah vs. Juliet” tour with The Plain White T’s this fall. I had a chance to chat with Travis, Coley, Hunter, and Sebastian after their set, stay tuned to 89.7 KRUI for the interview. The Cab soon followed, continuing on their first tour in 11 years. Their limited run will include opening for All Time Low on the “Everyone’s Talking” tour, coming to Vibrant Music Hall on October 29^th. While watching The Cab play at When We Were Young, I was hit with the realization that I knew exactly where I was going to be on the 29th.   

Simple Plan has been on my list for a while, so I was thrilled to see that the pop punk veterans bring the same energy and excitement I had heard so much about. Lively and live is the best way to see music, and the Montréal natives delivered. Bringing out dozens of Scooby Doo’s and all their hits like “Perfect” and “I’d Do Anything”, I couldn’t imagine When We Were Young without them. On the neighboring Pink Stage right after Simple Plan was “the scariest band at this fucking fest. Act accordingly”. Those words came out of Bryan Garris’ mouth, frontman for the Kentucky’s Knocked Loose. Known for their destructive pits, brutal wall of death, and torrential crowd surfers, this was a must see set for me. I began to lose track of what song they were on because I was so lost in the nauseatingly good riffs. Hitting five songs off “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To”, there was no shortage of this breakout album. Go see Knocked Loose, you will want to see them again. They will be supporting Metallica in Europe next year and have just been announced that they will be returning to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds for Sick New World on April 25^th, 2026. 

With amps covered in New Jersey fanfare and the sun beginning it’s decent behind the Spring Mountains, there was no better time to hear The Gaslight Anthem. Bringing a softer and older vibe to the festival compared to other bands sharing the bill, this was a welcomed change of pace being serenaded to the tune of “Positive Charge”.  Quickly ending the more laid-back vibe was Bad Religion. Swiftly moving people’s feet and frying their vocal chords to the tune of “American Jesus”, the oldest band at the festival made waves like they were 20 years old playing in a basement. The punk legends will be opening for The Offspring on their “Supercharged in ‘26” tour that will come to Sioux City, Iowa on February 7^th. 

Set Your Goals was one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend. I have been dying to see the California duo of Jordan Brown and Matt Wilson for years and they did not disappoint. Making their return to the stage this past February, Set Your Goals made it seem like no time had passed by bringing the same energy you would feel at a house show of theirs 20 years ago. The band is celebrating two decades of music and will continue next year at Slam Dunk Festival in England. Something I really appreciated about Set Your Goals was their changing of the setlist. While in Las Vegas, the Bay Area hardcore outfit played three shows, and each one carrying a different collection of their tunes. Hitting tracks from “Mutiny!”, “This Will Be the Death of Us”, and even a deep cut off “The Reset Demo”, it was everything a fan could have dreamed of. The Saturday crowd was treated to the song “This Will Be the Death of Us” accompanied by Vince Caruana from The Movielife. I had a chance to sit down with Jordan and Matt, talking about new music they are working on, favorite movies of the year, and much more. Stay tuned for the interview on 89.7 KRUI. 

Chiodos tore through their set as they continue their “20 Years of All’s Well That Ends Well” tour with support from Hawthorne Heights, Holywtr, and Big Ass Truck. This tour will be stopping at the Val Air Ballroom on December 7^th. Not long after was letlive. who continued the streak of heavy hitters on the Aliianz Stage. The Los Angeles group disbanded in 2017 but came back this year for the “sincerely yours” farewell tour. A proper goodbye to the guys who played in every backyard and basement possible.

All Time Low had an incredibly busy weekend with the release of their latest record “Everyone’s Talking”. The scene legends continue their jam-packed year as they’ve joined The Jonas Brothers on stage, accompanied The Savannah Bananas at Camden Yards, and played their latest single “The Weather” on The TODAY Show. The Maryland natives show no signs of slowing down as their “Everyone’s Talking Tour” crosses the country, including a stop in Iowa at Vibrant Music Hall on October 29th. The Maryland rockers began their weekend on Friday night with a show on Freemont Street to celebrate their 9^th LP’s release. Being lit up by thousands of Freemont Street light bulbs, the band played 17 songs including a live debut of “Little Bit”. All Time Low’s sets at When We Were Young also held surprises in hand as they played “Hate This Song” with Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail along with performing “Monsters” with blackbear. Closing their set with “Dear Maria, Count Me In” under a heavy forecast of confetti, All Time Low was a standout at When We Were Young.  

California punk rockers, and doctors, The Offspring took to the 7-Eleven Stage at 6:05. Brandon Pertzbron began hitting the high hat, Noodles reminded the crowd that “You gotta keep ‘em separated”, and the band broke into “Come Out and Play” off their 1994 breakthrough record “Smash”. The Offspring continues to impress today with an energetic live performance that stirs up images reminiscent of their 1994 Woodstock gig. Giving love to their record “Americana”, Dexter Holland sang “The Kids Aren’t Alright” and the fun, ska adjacent “Why Don’t You Get a Job”. For the most famous track off that record, The Offspring held a surprise in store. The original “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)”, Guy Cohen was brought on stage in his famous red hat and light blue football jersey. Dancing along to the 1998 hit, The Offspring continues to tear down the house live. They will be on the “Worldwide in ‘26” tour this winter with Bad Religion promoting their latest record “Supercharged”. They will be playing the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City on February 7^th.

Pop punk princess Avril Lavigne appeared atop over a dozen amps with the iconic drum hits of “Girlfriend” accompanying her entrance. Playing through all the fan favorites like “What the Hell” and “Sk8er Boi”, Lavigne also dove into her most recent record, 2022’s “Love Sux” playing its lead single “Bite Me”. This album was produced by blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and alternative producing legend John Feldmann who has worked with everyone from Good Charlotte to Korn. Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan was brought out to sing “Young and Dumb” on night one while Derek Whibley from Sum 41 came out of retirement to play “In Too Deep” on the second night.  

At 8:00, Andrew McMahon appeared and settled in behind his baby grand piano. A long time coming, Jack’s Mannequin has been elusive for over the past decade. This year, McMahon gathered together with his band for a lengthy tour that celebrates two decades of this project. Comes after the reunification of McMahon’s other project Something Corporate last year, there is a desire in the air for piano led pop punk. He played a historic gig at Red Rocks this past July, in which Andrew McMahon was the opener, direct support, and headliner playing with all of his bands. Andrew was kind enough to sit down with me before his set to discuss that gig, his tv new show in the works “Aught To Be”, and our shared love for The Lonely Island’s movie “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”. Stay tuned for the interview on 89.7 KRUI. 

Weezer came out to the opening of their song “Sheraton Commander” off their 2022 “SZNZ: Winter”, a tune that I’ve yet to hear utilized by the rock veterans before. This creepy and cold orchestration led way into the riff that started it all for Weezer, “My Name Is Jonas”. Weezer blasted through 5 songs from their debut record and kept all 11 tunes from 2008 and before. Fans were treated to a Pinkerton B-Side, “I Just Threw Out the Love Of My Dreams” with guest singers Blondeshell on night one and Lynn Gunn from PVRIS on night two. Anticipation is high among Weezer fans as their 20^th album is well underway. When We Were Young was Weezer’s final North American stop in 2025 as they embark on South American and Australian tours later this year.  

“Breathing deeply and walking backwards” Mark Hoppus made my dreams come true by playing “Roller Coaster” near the end of blink-182‘s setlist. Filled with deep cuts, tunes from their latest album, and the hits that made us say “damnit, that was good”, it was a set that brought smiles to the faces of everybody in the crowd. The boyish banter and spiked hair haven’t changed in over 3 decades of this band, and there seems to be no signs that it will change. I, for one, am happy about that fact. Blink-182 will hit the snooze button as they wrapped up their “Missionary Impossible Tour” with these final Vegas dates and will come out of hibernation at Arizona’s Innings Festival in February. 

Throughout the day on the 7-11 stage, there were small glimpses of the headliner. Right above the screen I could make out a cursive name in lights that held the months long anticipation of the crowd. Slowly it was raised in front of the screen. Throughout all of blink-182’s set, eyes were occasionally drawn to a drum kit being rolled on the adjacent stage and screens that were being tested. Green Day’s Insomniac deep cut “Panic Song” played over the speakers as a countdown appeared on the screen. Fans in top hats and circus attire were waiting all day for this cabaret of lights, dancing, and music.  

The clock hit zero, and the long-awaited return of Panic! At The Disco finally occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 18^th. With a bang and a flash, Brendan Urie and his backing band blew the nonexistent roof off the place sliding from “Introduction” to “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage”. This landmark 2006 record etched itself into emo history with a speed that very few have ever done before. From its biggest hit “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” to the instrumental “Intermission” and “Introduction”, this record is a journey that I am always dying to go on. When We Were Young was the first time many of these songs have been played in over a decade. Fan favorite “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” for the first time since 2016, “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” for the first time since 2010, and “Nails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks” for the first time since Panic! wrapped its “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out Tour” in 2007. This was a long time coming for so many fans, and Urie delivered. All thirteen tracks off the record were played, and when its all said and done, we weren’t even halfway through the set by the end of the album play. Sixteen more songs spanning the career of the band were featured as this trip down memory lane extended right up until curfew. With tracks including “Nine in the Afternoon”, “House of Memories”, and a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, this was an absolute knockdown set. After playing  their highest charting hit, “High Hopes”, I thought this incredible day had come to an end. To my surprise, the band stayed on stage except for an empty drum kit. “I want to bring my oldest friend out on stage” Urie announced as Spencer Smith, the original drummer for Panic! At The Disco, appeared from stage right. Playing the song that got them into all this, the cello began the opening riff of “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” once again. This was Smith’s first return to Panic! since leaving in April of 2015, and the performance was well worth the decade long wait. With a ceiling of fireworks lighting up the Vegas Strip, Urie and the band took a bow.  

When We Were Young provided everything a person would need, and much more, to have a memorable day at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. There was a feeling in the air and a glow in the face of all 85,000 attendees on Saturday that said there was no place they’d rather be. Under the shadow of The Strat, we heard all our favorite songs and picked up a few new ones too. A day I will remember forever. I can’t wait to see what rabbits When We Were Young will pull out of it’s hat for 2026. Until then, we will wait with high hopes.  

All photos courtesy of When We Were Young Festival.

The post When We Were Young Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.

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.

Allianz Stage

One of the first bands of the day is recent Iowa City visitors Arm’s Length. These Canadian DIY stars have been making waves since their debut record ”Never Before Seen, Never Again Found” in 2022. They’ve toured with the likes of Silverstein, The Wonder Years and will be opening up for Hot Mulligan later this fall. They released their second record “There’s A Whole World Out There” in May and will continue their busy stretch in the Europe next year.  They play bright and early at 11:50.

California punks DRAIN will make an appearance at 1:35 as a stop on their tour supporting fellow WWWY players Khublai Khan TX. On November 7^th, they’ll be dropping their latest LP “… IS YOUR FRIEND” through Epitaph Records. Their loud and brash sound lead to memorable pits and plenty of crowd surfing. Make sure to stretch before this set.

Right next door to where I grew up, The Plain White T’s have been making music for 28 years. Starting in the Chicago suburb of Lombard, Illinois, Tom Higgins started writing tunes and would later churn out hits like “Rhythm of Love” and “Hey There Delilah”. Their latest record, bearing the same name as their band, mixed their punk upbringings with the acoustic guitars that brought them fame. You can listen to their 2023 record “Plain White T’s” here and catch them at 2:45.

PVRIS has become a mainstay in the alternative music world after their hit debut album “White Noise”. Lynn Gunn has dug her heels in opening up for the likes of Fall Out Boy, The Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park and many more. After 2023’s “EVERGREEN” hit shelves, Gunn has continued to release music with “F.I.L.T.H.” released in 2024. Her most recent release was a rerecord of “My House” with Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox this past February. PVRIS plays at 3:20.

Later on in the evening, Loathe will be taking the stage at 7:25 as their first dates of a hefty 28 date U.S. headline tour with Trauma Ray and Spy. The English metal band have been climbing up the ladder quickly getting opening slots for fellow When We Were Young players Knocked Loose in 2024. Loathe just release their latest single, “Gifted Every Strength” in May of this year.  

A personal favorite of mine, Jack’s Mannequin, plays the Allianz Stage at 8:00. One of Andrew McMahon’s projects, Jack’s Mannequin stands out amongst the rest with it’s piano led compositions. McMahon, of Something Corporate and Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness fame, has been busy reuniting with his groups touring with Something Corporate in 2024 for the first time in 14 years. Jacks Mannequin also made its long awaited return with their first gig in Las Vegas since 2011. You can see a full list of their tour dates here. 

If you’re searching for mosh pits this weekend, look no further than the final acts on the Allianz Stage. Kublai Khan TX has engulfed the metalcore scene since their debut in 2009, and have not slowed down. Dropping 5 full length LP’s and a collection of EP’s throughout the past 16 years, the Texas stars released their most recent single, “The Moment of Corsicana” in September. Kublai Khan TX plays at 9:45. The final act of the night is an absolute treat as well. Members of Gulch, Hands of God, Spinebreaker, Lead Dream, and fellow When We Were Young players DRAIN all joined forces in 2019 to create the hardcore outfit SUNAMI. Hailing from San Jose, SUNAMI has been touring what feels non stop for the past 4 years hitting North America, Europe, Asia and Australia throughout the years. They released their first full length LP, “SUNAMI LP”, in 2023 and will headline the Allianz Stage at 10:20.

Ghost Stage

The Ghost Stage will be hosting 18 bands throughout the day, including pop punk favorites The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and We the Kings. Playing at 12:10 and 2:30 respectively, these Warped Tour alum are known for their high energy performances and pumping out the same energy they have been dishing out for almost 2 decades.  

At 3:05, The Cab make their long awaited return after an 11 year hiatus and 14 years since their most recent Las Vegas gig. Their first music since the break, “Road to Reign: A Prelude” was released on September 26^th this year. They have been making the rounds since their return, embarking on a tour with fellow WWWY players Mayday Parade and All Time Low. WWWY alum The Paradox are also on the tour, and they will be playing a show with Hawthorne Heights, Plain White T’s, and more at The Strat in Las Vegas on Oct 17^th.  

The Maine are a southwest emo band that doesn’t have to travel far to Vegas from their home of Tempe, Arizona. They are working on their 10^th record now after dropping one unreleased song from each previous album entitled “Dyed (2008-2023)”. Following The Maine who play at 4:15 is The Gaslight Anthem, who just wrapped up a lengthy summer tour with Counting Crows. Since returning from their hiatus in 2022, The Gaslight Anthem have released the album “History Books” with frontman Brain Fallon sharing vocal duties with Bruce Springsteen on the title track. The Gaslight Anthem plays at 4:50.

Keeping up their busy year, Bad Religion will hit the Ghost Stage at 5:25. When We Were Young are the bands final dates of the year before sharing the stage with The Offspring this winter throughout the northern U.S. and Canada. Year 45 of the band has shown no signs of slowly down with their performances still holding youthful punk energy they have always had.  

Taking Back Sunday makes their third appearance at When We Were Young at 6:45 on the Ghost Stage. Following a sideshow with letlive. and Straylight Run on Friday night, Adam Lazzara will lead the band in one of their first gigs since their summer tour with Coheed and Cambria and Foxing. Taking Back Sunday’s 2023 record “152” was the bands first in 7 years, marking their territory as active scene legends who have rightfully earned back to back appearances at this festival. 

Pink Stage

Entering year 10 of Destroy Boys, Alexia Roditis and Violet Mayugba have delivered time and time again. After 2024’s “Funeral Soundtrack #4” that received a 4/5 from Kerrang!, they have only continued their live presence touring with likes of Pierce the Veil and blink-182. The final North American dates of the year, Destroy Boys are a great way to start your day at 12:20 

Continuing their year of festivals, Knocked Loose will play the Pink Stage at 4:05. The Louisville natives will travel to Las Vegas before they embark on an Australian tour in December. Knocked Loose’s 2024 “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To” accelerated their path to stardom, earning them a Grammy nomination for the single “Suffocate” featuring Poppy. Knocked Loose will appear in front of European’s eyes as they open for Metallica next summer, and they will be in front of your eyes on the Pink Stage at 4:05.

The Used are in the midst of a landmark year for the band. In celebration of 25 years as a band, Bert McCracken and company have taken up residencies for three nights at venues throughout this year. Each night, playing either “Self Titled”, “In Love and Death”, or “Lies for the Liars” in full along with a rotating selection of hits from their other records. A feat that very few bands have the catalogue to pursue this, and the fans fill up the same venue three nights in a row. The western natives’ third appearance and second consecutive showing at When We Were Young at 5:25. 

Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker come back to When We Were Young to headline for the second time. With their previous appearance coming off the heels of the most recent record “ONE MORE TIME…”, the trio that makes up blink-182 has been playing a wide pool of songs off their 10 albums in 2025. This includes a half dozen tunes from my personal favorite record “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket”. These are the final dates of the year and of their “Missionary Impossible” tour for blink. They took out a wide variety of bands on their tour including Scowl, End It, and Drug Church. Showcasing these up and coming bands to their wide audience is an amazing thing to see. blink-182 will headline the Pink Stage at 8:25 

7-Eleven Stage

Mayday Parade carries on with their busy year at 12:55. A band like Mayday Parade this early in the day is a sure-fire way to get people in the door fast. After wrapping up a tour with fellow When We Were Young players Jack’s Mannequin, and in the midst of their current slot supporting All Time Low along with The Cab, Mayday Parade put out 2 records this year “Sweet” and “Sad”. Continuing their streak of exceptional releases Derek Sanders, Alex Garcia, Brooks Betts, Jeremy Lenzo, and Jake Bundrick push like very few do after 2 decades.  

If you are in search of dozens of people in Scooby-Doo onesies, you should make your way to the 7-Eleven stage at 3:25. Boasting a catalog of favorites that you’ve heard for years, Simple Plan make their third consecutive appearance at When We Were Young. Even with “no pads and helmets”, the pit for the Montreal Natives is a great spot to find yourself in the afternoon.  

Coming through Des Moines on October 29^th, All Time Low will continue their “Everyone’s Talking!” tour at When We Were Young. Jumping headfirst into the scene in 2007 with “Dear Maria, Count Me In” off “So Wrong, It’s Right”, there is no denying their star power at the festival and in the pop punk world. Dropping a brand new album, sharing the same name of their tour, the day before the festival leaves me with hope to hear some brand new tracks from the Maryland favorites at 4:45.  

269 miles southwest of Las Vegas, The Offspring began in 1984. Coming out of Garden Grove, California, Dexter Holland and Kevin John Wasserman, better known as Noodles, started jamming playing under the name Manic Subsidal. After 2 years and a name change, there was no stopping them. Releasing 11 studio records, including their latest in 2024 with “Supercharged”, The Offspring continue to put out great music and memorable live shows. On their most recent tour, Noodles and company paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with snippets of “Electric Funeral”, “Paranoid”, and “Crazy Train”. The Offspring will take the stage at 6:05 

Weezer. I can’t get enough of Weezer. Creating quality tunes since 1994, Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell, and Matt Sharp have all combined to be one of the most successful bands of the past 30 years. After wrapping up their final show of the “Voyage to the Blue Planet” tour in September, Weezer will play their last North American dates of the year. After sending out multiple videos teasing album 20 in the past month, the California based band will jump through their collection of hits at 7:35. They are always a cant miss set. 

The long-awaited return of Panic! At the Disco is upon us. Nearly 3 years after their last US gig, Brendan Urie will return to the stage in his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada playing “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” in full. Promising a set containing of the seminal debut album and more, there is nowhere else anyone in the scene would rather be. Holding enough time for the record and some hits afterwords, the anticipation is high for the first glimpse of Panic! in years. Returning to the record that made so many people fall in love with not only the band, but the scene, will be a joy to witness. Panic! At the Disco will close out When We Were Young at 10:00. 

When We Were Young 2025 is here. One day filled with all of my favorite bands, what more could a guy ask for. Tickets for Sunday are still available here. Stay tuned with KRUI for interviews from the festival and a recap of this incredible festival. Listen to Downey’s Hour on KRUI 89.7fm, Monday nights 9-11, for your latest music festival news!

The post When We Were Young in Las Vegas, 2025 Festival Preview 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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