Riot Fest is back! The iconic Chicago festival is returning to Douglass Park for 3 days of alternative and punk rock music. WLUW DJs narrowed down the stacked setlist, highlighting the most exciting acts coming to town this weekend.

Santigold - Friday @ 6:15 / Rebel Stage

Urban Outfitters wishes they could have invented Santigold. From Philadelphia, PA, Santi White performs as Santigold (formerly Santogold), and remains a darling of the mid-to-late 2000s blog era. A foremother of the indie sleaze scene, Santigold's sound spans pop, soul, new-wave, and punk genres. Her influence on the Black alternative music scene cannot be understated. She has collaborated with Tyler, the Creator, GoldLink, and Vince Staples, to name a few. If you've been craving the indie optimism associated with Brooklyn-iPod-wired-headphones-American-Apparel vibe of the 2008-2012 era, check out Santigold's set at Riot Fest!

by Samira Gholami

Twenty One Pilots - Friday @ 8:40 / Riot Stage

Twenty One Pilots, consisting of the duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, has been making their standout alternative rock sound mixed with elements of hip hop and indie pop for 17 years. Since their debut album in 2009, the duo has released 7 studio albums. Their latest, Breach, was released last year. Whether you know deep cuts like Paladin Strait, Holding on to You, or Downstairs, or their biggest hits like Stressed Out, Ride, or Heathens, you have definitely heard at least one Twenty One Pilots song at some point in your life. Joseph and Dun are known to put on exciting shows with plenty of crowd interaction, including the iconic “Trees” performance in which Joseph and Dun are held by fans on boards, pouring water onto their drums and spraying the audience.

by Erin Runowski

Bright Eyes - Saturday @ 3:20 / Roots Stage

Led by Conor Oberst as lead vocal, Mike Moggis on guitar, and Nate Walcott on piano, Bright Eyes is backed up by MiWi La Lupa on keyboard and Alex “Orange Drink” Levine on bass. The Omaha, Nebraska-based band got their big start with I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning in 2005. Their breakout hits include “First Day of My Life” and “Lua” which were staples on any memory slideshow of the early 2000. After a 9-year hiatus, they returned in 2020 to continue what they started a decade earlier. Their most recent single, “Wonderful Life”, is a standout piece of their discography, with callbacks to their origins. Be ready for a set of slow indie rock that makes you both nostalgic while still hopeful for the future.

by Jack Bertsch

Saturdays at Your Place - Sunday @ 2:50 / Rise Stage

Up-and-coming Midwest Emo band Saturdays at Your Place rocketed to popularity after their song “tarot cards” went viral in 2023. Formed by friends Esden Stafne, Gabe Wood, and Mitch Gulish while attending Western Michigan University, their name evokes a feeling of nostalgia for weekends past. Their music inspires this same feeling, with personal, specific lyrics layered over a deceptively upbeat guitar. Since forming in 2021, Saturdays at Your Place has released two full-length albums and one EP, their most recent drop being the 2025 album these things happen. The album is delightfully emo, sincere, and filled with a love for Michigan and the Midwest as a whole.

by Clara Gauthier

The Beths - Sunday @ 3:45 / Roots Stage

Coming all the way from New Zealand, The Beths are bringing their characteristic bright indie rock to cloudy Chicago this Sunday. This performance kicks off their North American “By Request” tour, where the set list of each concert will be based on the live requests of the audience. The brainchild of lead singer Elizabeth Stokes, the band formed in 2014 after meeting at the University of Auckland while studying jazz. Since 2018, they’ve released four full-length studio albums, with their most recent drop being Straight Line is a Lie, released in August of 2025. Their track “No Joy” from Straight Line, demonstrates their combination of janglely guitars, vocal harmony, and a strong drumline.

by Clara Gauthier

This is Lorelei - Sunday @ 4:15 / Rebel Stage

This is Lorelei is Nate Amos’s solo indie-rock project. He is also the lead guitarist of the Chicago-bred, Brooklyn-based band Water from Your Eyes. His latest album, The Singer in My Band was released last Friday, after the single “Billy Came Back” dropped in June. This is Lorelei is known for blending elements of rock, experimental pop, and electronic music. The Singer in My Band demonstrates his guitar skills and reflective songwriting, fitting right alongside his other albums Box for Buddy, Box for Star and Holo Boy. Later this month, Amos will open for Bleachers’ “Bleachers Forever” tour before embarking on his solo world tour in the winter.

by Liliah Teniente

Mom Jeans - Sunday @ 5 / Rise Stage

Though not Midwesterners geographically, Midwest emo legends Mom Jeans will return to the birthplace of the genre this weekend. Born out of the UC Berkeley music scene, Mom Jeans has been delivering hits since their debut album, Best Buds, released in 2016. Their top songs, “Death Cup” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. My GPA”, have racked up over 100 million streams on Spotify. Piercing vocals from frontman Eric Butler are paired with explosive instrumentals from current members Austin Carango (drums, trumpet), Bart Thompson (guitar), and Sam Kless (bass). Mixing elements of indie rock and pop-punk with a solid Midwest emo sound, Mom Jeans continue to deliver a musically complex, nostalgic sound. The band often blends brass instruments such as trombone and trumpet into their live performances.

by Sunny Greenberg

Twin Peaks - Sunday @ 6:30 / Roots Stage

Consisting of Cadien Lake James, Clay Frankel, Jack Dolan, Colin Croom, and Connor Brodner, Riot Fest is the final stop on Chicago’s alternative superstars Twin Peaks first tour since 2020. The reunion has been a welcome one for fans who have spent the past several years wondering when, or if, the band would return to the stage. Known for their loose, energetic live shows and blend of garage rock, power pop, and classic rock influences, Twin Peaks should feel right at home in front of a Chicago crowd. With the tour wrapping up in their hometown, their Riot Fest set has the makings of one of the weekend’s more sentimental performances.

by Nathan Hogg

Alanis Morrisette - Sunday @ 7:20 / Roots Stage

Known as the “Queen of Alt Rock Angst”, Alanis Morissette opened doors for women in the alternative scene with her 1995 classic Jagged Little Pill. The album gave us iconic hits such as “You Oughta Know”, “Ironic”, “Hand in My Pocket”, and “Thank U”. Morissette’s ability to channel angst through her songwriting made these songs not just catchy, but relatable. Jagged Little Pill won Album of the Year at the 38th Grammys, being the youngest person at the time to receive the honor at only 21 years old. Morissette's catchy lyrics and unique vocals caught the attention of listeners in the 90s, but her music has also been able to stand the test of time. Most recently, Morissette joined popstar Olivia Rodrigo at her Daisy Chain Festival this August to perform a duet version of “Ironic.” Morissette was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame earlier this year.

by Nicholas Mandel

Pierce the Veil - Sunday @ 8:25 / Riot Stage

After completing their largest headlining tour, Pierce the Veil now prepares to headline Riot Fest this Sunday! Their “I Can’t Hear You” Tour, inspired by lyrics from their song “Pass the Nirvana", wrapped up on September 12th at a sold-out stadium show in San Diego, California, where frontman Vic Fuentes formed the band 20 years ago. Joining Fuentes on stage this Sunday is lead guitarist Tony Perry, who provides the band's signature heavy hardcore rock sound, along with bassist and vocalist Jaime Preciado, known for his unforgettable screaming vocals in live performances. Current drummer Loniel Robinson will also accompany them. The band has had a killer year, charting #1 on the Billboard mainstream rock chart with their song, “So Far So Fake", which introduced a wider audience to PTV's infectious melodies and poetic lyricism. The band’s extensive catalog is worth exploring. Their critically acclaimed 2012 album Collide with the Sky features fan favorites such as “King For A Day” and “Bulls in the Bronx".

by Valletta Thurmon

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