Riot Fest 2026 Tour

Speculate away!

(I ended up not going this year but am determined to make my return next year so manifesting a great lineup!)

 

Prediction: MCR, Turnstile/Op Ivy, Paramore.

But I’m historically no good at guessing headliners.

 

So nothing on the screens at the end?

 

I think the next Paramore album/era is going to be huge so I could see it. I feel like they could curate a really cool stage with Paramore headlining. There’s a whole crop of “newer” rock/guitar-based indie acts I could see fit on a stage with Paramore (like the usuals that have been mentioned in the past, Japanese Breakfast, Charly Bliss, Soccer Mommy, just to name a few)

They could also stick a bunch of Warped Tour era bands on the stage for nostalgia but I feel like Paramore now is more in line with the “newer” acts above vs older Warped acts.

 

It’s been said a bunch of times now but they really need to do a better job with the diversity for this festival. I really don’t think it’s because a bunch of women are asked and say no when like Beach Bunny is able to put on an all non-male festival in Chicago and festivals like All Things Go can curate a lineup that is 90% non-male.

That being said…they should totally book Wednesday next year. New album is great and it will have been 10 months since their show here in November so a big enough gap. I think they would go over really well at this festival.

 

Had a blast this weekend, definitely will be back next year

 

Also making a list of “rock” bands that are headliner level and have never played the festival…it’s not a big list because I feel like the options are not that big but any that I missed?

The Strokes
The Killers
Vampire Weekend
Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Muse
Radiohead
Guns N Roses
Paramore (they have played but not as a headliner so it counts for this list)
Turnstile (see directly above)

Edit: I only went with current active bands for this specific list.

 

Zero chance Radiohead ever plays Riot Fest.

 

Fair I was just making a catch all list of never before played headliner level rock bands without factoring in likelihood of playing, mainly to illustrate that the pool in general is small.

 

I know they’re constrained by the park size but they need to figure out something better with the layout. Just dreadful getting around at times, crossover between stages was the worst it’s ever been.

 

I saw a lot of people complaining about the one exit and not opening the emergency exits at night

 

The Strokes feel long overdue to play Riot.

 

All they put up was the 2026 dates and a QR code for 2026 tickets

 

turnstile and the foos headlined a couple years ago

 

I’ve said this like 3 years in a row and been wrong each time now but let’s gooooo Deftones

 

MCR is playing Louder Than Life that same weekend, but not sure if that makes them more or less plausible, as they only play one city each weekend.

 

I'd say more plausible, especially with LTL being a four day fest. If they're on Thursday of that and Sunday of Riot, that's a decent gap.

 

I'm starting to think that MCR is exclusive to Rockville, Sonic Temple, and LTL.

 

I'll fully cop to wishcasting with my MCR prediction because I'm jealous of all my friends who were at the Soldier Field show.

 

Potentially some overlap with Riot Fest next year - Something In The Way Fest in Boston early 2026.

Sunny Day Real Estate, Explosions In The Sky, Citizen, Tigers Jaw, The Hotelier, Momma, Angel Dust, Pelican just to call out a few.

 

First Day Back and Pool Kids too, please.

 

Bought tickets for 2026, going back after several years.

Would love to see Fontaines DC. Also, Social Distortion is due again.

 

My 2026 wishlist are bands that parents don’t want to their little kids to see and decide to leave them at home. I say that as a parent.

But some names I’d like to see next year:
- AFI
- Viagra Boys
- Megadeth
- New Order
- Ministry
- a-ha
- Turnstile
- Amyl & the Sniffers
- Iggy Pop
- Nine Inch Noize
- High Vis
- Nuovo Testamento
- Tiger Army (hopefully with Social D)
- Alice Cooper
- Twin Tribes
- Suicidal Tendencies
- Boy Harsher

If there’s a reunion that could happen based on Riot Mike’s convo with someone in 2016, my best guess is Twisted Sister.

 

I'm all for kids being at festivals but leave your double-decker wagons at home, please.

 

Im surprised Amyl hasnt played Riot before