Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Run The Jewels are all set to headline this year's Riot Fest

By Shanicka Anderson | May 14, 2021 | 7:56pm

Music Features The Smashing Pumpkins

Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Run The Jewels are all set to headline this year's Riot Fest

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails Photo: Rich Fury / Stringer

Riot Fest is officially back! With more people getting vaccinated and governors across the country dropping mask mandates, it’s looking like this summer and this fall will finally start looking a little bit like the Before Times—which means, more live music. Festival organizers have released the lineup for this year’s Riot Fest and it’s pretty great. Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, and Run The Jewels have all signed on to headline.

This year’s lineup also includes a ton of acts that are sure to get a well of nostalgia bubbling inside you and have you trying to remember all the songs on all of your old high school mixtapes. Some of these acts include: Pixies, Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, New Found Glory, Sublime with Rome, Faith No More, NOFX, Motion City Soundtrack, Dirty Heads, Gogol Bordello, Thrice, Circa Survive, Simple Plan, Best Coast, Andrew W.K., Bayside, Thursday, State Champs, Save The Day and many, many more.

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Chicago natives—and two of the only hip hop acts joining this year—Vic Mensa and Lupe Fiasco have also signed on to perform that weekend.

The lineup is impressively stacked and it’s pretty clear that fans are eager to head back out to concerts. Three-day passes for the festival went on sale today and they quickly sold out. However, for those music lovers who prefer a more luxe experience, “ultimate” 3-day passes are still available. For 1600 bucks, you can listen to the dulcet sounds of Trent Reznor, while enjoying a private cabana, a private bar, concierge services, and a private restroom. Single day passes are set to go on sale at some point next week.

Riot Fest organizers have also announced that My Chemical Romance will headline the lineup in 2022. Tickets for next year have also gone on sale—the first time the festival has ever made tickets available for purchase so far in advance.