Bikini Kill, The Raconteurs, and The B-52s headline this year's Riot Fest


With Lollapalooza having evolved into its final form as a Top 40 festival and Pitchfork’s annual gathering mostly a celebration of the hottest new talent, Riot Fest has emerged as a Chicago destination for rock, punk, and nostalgia acts. Previous years have seen rare sets by The Replacements, the Misfits’ original lineup, and Jawbreaker, and this fall’s event will sustain that momentum by rising the curtain on reunited riot grrrl luminaries Bikini Kill and what will apparently be the final Chicago performances of new wave icons B-52s and metal titans Slayer.
They’ll join Riot Fest staples Blink-182, Rise Against, Bob Mould, Rancid, Patti Smith, and, of course, GWAR, as well as exciting additions like Jack White’s The Raconteurs. As is tradition, a handful of bands will be playing one or two of their classic albums in full. They include:
Against Me!—Reinventing Axl Rose + Transgender Dysphoria Blues
Avail—Over The James
Bloc Party—Silent Alarm