Riot Fest Chicago & Denver lineups were announced tonight and like I’d figured they would, are better than the Toronto lineup (Sorry Toronto). The Cure will be headlining all three! Some of the highlights include The Cure, Jane’s Addiction, The National, Rise Against, Social Distortion, The Flaming Lips, Weezer, Slayer, Descendents, Samhain, Patti Smith, Wu-Tang Clan, BLUE MEANIES, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, GWAR(!!!???), Cock Sparrer, Billy Bragg, NOFX, Dropkick Murphys, Paul Weller, Streetlight Manifesto, Me First, ALL, Bouncing Souls and many many more. Hmm, I might have to book a trip to Chicago this September. The festival in Chicago will be held on 9/12-9/14 and Denver will be 19th-21st.



Riot Fest is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, and to celebrate organizers have assembled three festivals in North America this September: Toronto’s Riot Fest & Expo (9/6-9/7) at Downsview Park, Chicago’s Riot Fest & Carnival (9/12-9/14) in Humboldt Park, and Denver’s Riot Fest & Sideshow (9/19-9/21) at May Farms — with all three headlined by The Cure.

“Hard to believe it’s been 10 years,” reflects Michael Petryshyn, founder of the festival. “Really doesn’t seem it’s been all that long. But, my partner Sean (McKeough) and I are so very lucky that the fans believe in what wedo…And I’m just as thankful that a good chunk of our friends from over the years are coming back to play and blow out a few birthday candles alongside us. Between both, that’s what makes this year special.”

Riot Fest’s flagship festival in Chicago will once again be held in Humboldt Park, a historic “crown jewel” of the city’s park district with a lovely view of downtown Chicago, beautiful shade trees, lagoons and fields. This year’s lineup features over 100 artists, with a mix of Riot alum and newbies. There will be no shortage of surprises, including a special interactive panel discussion with Russian conceptual artists and formerly-imprisoned activists, P*ssy Riot (Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina). Details on the panel discussion with P*ssy Riot/Zona Prava will be announced in the coming weeks, but fans should anticipate a novel festival experience unlike one ever witnessed at Riot.

Also, to hold true to the precedent that Riot Fest has become known for, there will also be a number of reunions including Samhain, Blue Meanies, Saosin w/ Anthony Green, Failure, RX Bandits and Mineral, as well as rare and special appearances by Paul Weller, C*ck Sparrer, Mudhoney, Cheap Trick, Patti Smith, Gwar, Thurston Moore and more.

Riot Fest arrives in Denver for the 2nd year, where fans will gather at May Farms in Byers, Colorado for three days of music, rides and other attractions in view of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver festival also offers the option to camp and spend the weekend enjoying the great outdoors. This year, organizers have streamlined parking, camping operations and other aspects of the festival, while capital improvements are being made to the site itself.

Not to forget Toronto’s festival; its lineup was released last week, organizers are happy to add The Cure to the bill at Downsview Park, where they join City and Colour, Metric, Rise Against, The National, and a multitude of others. The fest’s move to Downsview will allow rides and other attractions this year as well.

Tickets for all 3 Riot Fests are on sale now via www.ticketfly.com. More band announcements are forthcoming as well as a few more 10th Anniversary surprises.

CHICAGO SEPTEMBER 12-14

The Cure * Jane’s Addiction * The National * Rise Against * Weezer *The Flaming Lips * Social Distortion * Slayer * The Offspring * Wu-Tang Clan *Descendents * Tegan and Sara * Metric * Samhain * Cheap Trick * ???? * P*ssy Riot (Nadya Tolokonnikova & Masha Alekhina) * Patti Smith * Taking Back Sunday Die Antwoord * City and Colour * Paul Weller * The Used * Bring Me The Horizon * ???? * NOFX * Dropkick Murphys * Gogol Bordello *Of Mice & Men * Mastodon *The Afghan Whigs * Naked Raygun * C*ck Sparrer * Dashboard Confessional * Superchunk * Billy Bragg * Blue Meanies * Lucero * New Found Glory * Saosin w/ Anthony Green * ???? * Mighty Mighty Bosstones *The Murder City Devils Mudhoney * Failure * Hot Snakes * The Dandy Warhols * Thurston Moore * Circa Survive * The Get Up Kids * Motion City Soundtrack * Me First and the Gimme Gimmes * Streetlight Manifesto * Clutch * GWAR * Buzzcocks * Andrew W.K. * Bouncing Souls * Stiff Little Fingers * Face to Face * Kurt Vile & The Violators * Marky Ramone w/ the Bouncing Souls * Wavves * Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears * We Came As Romans * Senses Fail * The Orwells * ALL * Mineral * Title Fight * La Dispute * RX Bandits *Samiam * 7 Seconds

Anti-Flag * The Menzingers * The Front Bottoms * Silverstein * Emarosa * Citizen * The World is a Beautiful Place… * Bad Suns * The Pizza Underground * The Hotelier * Nostalghia * In The Valley Below * Radkey * Pianos Become The Teeth * Modern Baseball * I Am the Avalanche * Skaters Laura Stevenson * Cerebral Ballzy * Red City Radio * PUP * Dads * Show You Suck

The Unlikely Candidates * Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas * My Gold Mask * The Bots * Broncho

The American Scene * Baby Baby * Restorations *Wounds * Plague Vendor * Team Spirit * Somos

Rose’s Pawn Shop * Chumped *Archie Powell & The Exports * Ex Friends * UR Lineup Sux Bro

Ughhh, My Parents Are Here & more to be announced!!

LINE UP DENVER SEPTEMBER 19-21

The Cure * The National * Rise Against * Weezer * Social Distortion * The Flaming Lips * Primus * Slayer * Sublime with Rome * Wu-Tang Clan * TV on the Radio * Descendents * A Day To Remember * NOFX * Die Antwoord * Dropkick Murphys * Bring Me the Horizon * Gogol Bordello * Violent Femmes * City and Colour * The Used * Taking Back Sunday * Manchester Orchestra * New Found Glory * Lucero * Failure * Hot Snakes * Me First and the Gimme Gimmes * Clutch * Bouncing Souls * Face to Face * Glassjaw * Buzzcocks * Dum Dum Girls * Bob Mould * Stiff Little Fingers * All * La Dispute * Mineral * We Came As Romans * The Expendables * 3OH!3 * The Menzingers * Big Freedia * The Orwells * Passafire * Larry and his Flask * Nostalgia * Skaters * In the Valley Below * Dads * Pianos Become the Teeth * I Am The Avalanche * Radkey * Cerebral Ballzy * Red City Radio * Wounds * The Unlikely Candidates * Sole and DJ Pain 1 * The Bots * Tiny Moving Parts * Plague Vendor * My Body Sings Electric