2026 Riot Fest Prediction

For the second year in a row, I decided create a Riot Fest prediction lineup!  I made this based on a combination of acts who make sense based on their schedule, the festival’s budget, and style.  I’m not sure how many acts there will be, but I arbitrarily chose 27 acts on each day (I was going to choose 25, but I miscounted…oops).  They typically have big name headliners for two days (usually Friday and Sunday) and a smaller headliner (or co-headliners in recent years) on Saturday.  I have them doing something a little different this year.  If there are any updates prior to the lineup being anounced, I will make them with this post while specifying what updates I made.

Since I started making predictions in 2024, this is the year that I felt the least confident about my headliner predictions (even in 2023, I was convinced that The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie would be co-headlining a stage and I didn’t make predictions that year).  The festival teased a massive reunion this year, and there are a few options, including Operation Ivy (at long last), Twisted Sister (which might be a little awkward since Dee Snider retired due to health issues), Hole, My Bloody Valentine, Brand New (which will be awkward), and Sex Pistols (while Sex Pistols with Frank Carter are all but locks, Public Image Ltd. makes sense as well); I don’t think R.E.M. will be that act, but they’re possible.  There are other possible reunions who I am predicting, like Butthole Surfers, Circa Survive, and The Format, though I don’t think they’re as big as what Riot Fest is hinting at.  I feel very good about Operation Ivy as a headliner and expect that there will be a co-headliner with them; after rumored to be performing in 2025, I could see Iggy Pop performing this year (this reminds me of when Knocked Loose had reportedly signed on for Riot Fest, but it was for 2025 and not 2024), but it could be someone like Morrissey or Patti Smith.  I expect there will be a metal act headlining Saturday, especially since Tool and Deftones have been heavily rumored; Slayer has also been rumored due to some September dates, but I don’t see it since they just headlined in 2024.  Right now, I’m going with Tool since someone apparently has 4th hand knowledge that Tool is headlining Saturday, and that is better than anything else we have.  For Friday, I really don’t know; Twenty One Pilots, Panic! at the Disco, and My Chemical Romance are most rumored.  I also wouldn’t sleep on someone like LCD Soundsystem or Gwen Stefani.

As for the other acts, there is one act that we know with certainty: Gogol Bordello announced after a concert in Chicago that they will be returning for Riot Fest.  While not a lock, Meet Me @ the Altar’s and Action/Adventure’s social media comments make them likely to be booked.  Some others who seem likely include Rise Against, Sex Pistols with Frank Carter Alkaline Trio, Social Distortion, Sugar, Descendents, and The Chats.  There are several others that seem likely or possible.

 

 

Friday

  1. Twenty One Pilots
  2. Hayley Williams
  3. Interpol (Any)
  4. Social Distortion (F/Sa)
  5. De La Soul (Likely F)
  6. Sugar (any)
  7. The Format (F/Su, F likely makes more sense)
  8. Descendents (F/Sa)
  9. Public Image Ltd. (any, different day than Sex Pistols)
  10. Enter Shikari (any)
  11. Alexisonfire (F/Sa)
  12. The Aquabats (any)
  13. Four Year Strong (any)
  14. The Menzingers (any)
  15. The Chats (F/Sa)
  16. American Hi-Fi (F/Sa, F likely)
  17. Black Flag (F/Su)
  18. The Get Up Kids (F/Su, F likely makes more sense)
  19. J. Robbins (same day as Sugar)
  20. The Return of Jackie and Judy (any)
  21. King Stingray (F/Sa, F likely)
  22. Ben Kweller (any)
  23. Codefendents (F)
  24. The Iron Roses (any)
  25. Haywire
  26. Action/Adventure
  27. [Local Chicago Act]


Saturday

  1. Tool
  2. Gojira
  3. Rise Against (Any)
  4. Ministry (any)
  5. Danzig (Sa or Su likely)
  6. Rancid
  7. Anthrax (any but likely Sa/Su)
  8. The Breeders (any)
  9. Cavalera (Sa/Su)
  10. Frank Turner (any)
  11. GWAR (Sa/Su likely)
  12. They Might Be Giants (any)
  13. Converge (any)
  14. Lit (any)
  15. Palaye Royale (Sa/Su)
  16. Sincere Engineer (any)
  17. Save Ferris (any)
  18. Meet Me @ the Altar
  19. Upchuck (any)
  20. Angel Dust (Sa/Su)
  21. Strike Anywhere (Sa)
  22. Panic Shack (any)
  23. Slow Mass (any)
  24. Initiate (any)
  25. Human Issue (Sa)
  26. [Local Chicago Act]
  27. [Local Chicago Act]


Sunday

  1. Operation Ivy
  2. Iggy Pop
  3. Butthole Surfers
  4. Sex Pistols with Frank Carter (any, shows on 9/17 and 9/22)
  5. Alkaline Trio (Any)
  6. Circa Survive (Su)
  7. Pennywise (any)
  8. Circle Jerks (any)
  9. Insane Clown Posse
  10. Pup (any)
  11. Gogol Bordello
  12. Tom Morello (F/Su)
  13. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (Sa/Su, Su more likely)
  14. The New Pornographers (any)
  15. Angine de Poitrine (any)
  16. Wednesday (any)
  17. Have a Nice Life (any)
  18. The Exploited (Su)
  19. Hot Water Music (any)
  20. Madball (F/Su)
  21. Frankie and the Witch Fingers
  22. High Vis (any)
  23. The Arrivals
  24. Silly Goose (F/Su)
  25. Coyote Island
  26. [Local Chicago Act]
  27. [Local Chicago Act]

 

There are a ton of artists who make sense to be booked for it, and I don’t have enough space to discuss all of them, especially since a lot of artists are not announcing tours until closer. 

 

 

Who do you think will perform Riot Fest?  Let me know in the comments!

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