What a weekend it was in the world of live music, with Riot Fest, Louder than Life, and Shaky Knees experiencing multiple disruptions and cancellations thanks to some horrid weather. As someone who attended Riot Fest, I can attest that it was indeed a hectic time. It was also, somehow, still a pretty good time, I must say.s
Yes, the rain and resulting mudpit sucked. So did the shortened sets and missing out on the artists who were left off of the updated schedule (Afroman and Remember Sports, I’m still mourning for you). There was, of course, also the stray disappointing set here and there, as you would expect. (Slick Rick, you’re a legend, but using poorly rendered AI videos for your backdrop really ruins the vibe.) And yet, thanks to some killer performances and the perseverance of dedicated, excited attendees, Riot Fest 2026 still had more than enough on offer to make it seem totally worth it to trudge through mud like wet concrete.
Find Angine de Poitrine Tickets Here
As proof, here are the 10 best things we saw at Riot Fest 2026, presented chronologically.
Soul Glo
For anyone who has yet to hop on the Soul Glo bandwagon, just go see them live. Their recorded material is obviously excellent, and we’re quite excited for their upcoming LP NA I’M GON GRAB ALLAT, but it’s in person where their ferocious, genre-mixing hardcore really hits with maximum impact. Beyond the sheer intensity, they simply put on a blast of a stage show, complete with air-horn sound cues, ass-shaking, and plenty of moshing. They were the perfect way to kick off a Riot Fest weekend.
Iggy Pop
I said it in our preview coverage, but Iggy Pop still fucking has it. The rock icon is 79 years old, and, with respect, he looks it. That is, he looks it until he starts gyrating around and leading the crowd through rippers like “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” “Lust for Life,” or “Raw Power.” All of a sudden, he’s ageless. Opening with “TV Eye” just about a year after Jack White did the same at Riot Fest 2025 was a cool full-circle moment too. It’s a genuine treat that Mr. Pop is still out there doing his thing at all, let alone at such a high level. Long live the godfather of punk!
The Chats
By Saturday morning, we were blissfully unaware of just how muddy things were going to get. The forecast was ominous, and the ground was already plenty moist, but thanks to killer sets from acts like The Chats, it was easy to stay optimistic — or, at the very least, it allowed us to enjoy the relatively comfortable environment while it lasted. The Australian three-piece commanded one of the liveliest crowds of the weekend with their no-frills, charming punk rock. The pit was moving, and there was even a bit of playful mud fighting, adding to the show’s chaotic fun. If only we knew how good we had it…
Angine de Poitrine
Angine de Poitrine, photo by Alec Syrvalin
In a weird kind of way, Angine de Poitrine were the Chappell Roan of Riot Fest 2026 — and not just because of the fabulous outfits. Famously, Roan pulled an enormous crowd at Lollapalooza 2024, one that was noticeably disproportionate to her early time slot. Angine de Poitrine, who played at 2:45 on Saturday, pulled off a similar feat, performing their polka-dotted, microtonal math rock to a massive, extremely dedicated audience. To their credit, they rose to the occasion, making good on the hype and delivering an extremely fun, seriously impressive set. Those who came donned in their own black-and-white costumes were visibly pleased, and I heard more than a few doubters say something to the effect of, “Man, I wasn’t really sure about those guys, but they just totally won me over.”
Morrissey + Public Image Ltd.
If Angine de Poitrine won the “Chappell Roan Crowd” award, Morrissey (who actually showed up!!) and Public Image Ltd get to share the “Problematic Asshole Who Actually Put On a Pretty Sick Set” title. We don’t need to re-litigate the headline-making controversies of Morrissey or John Lydon — suffice it to say, they both make it hard to love them and their work without an array of proverbial asterisks. And yet, speaking from a purely musical and performance perspective, they both sounded pretty damn good. Shockingly good, actually, especially when it came to hits like “How Soon Is Now?” or “Rise.” I’ll leave it at that before I compliment these two curmudgeons too much.
Tool
Tool being forced to shorten their set thanks to a looming storm (which, to add insult to injury, mostly blew over until much later into the night) was undoubtedly a bummer. The silver lining, however, was the novelty of seeing the alternative metal heroes rip through an incredible set in the light of day. Adding to the wow-factor even more was the fact that not only was Maynard James Keenan mohawk-less, he was also mere weeks removed from having hip surgery. (“Sorry if I sound a little grandma,” he joked.) Again, not ideal circumstances, but a whole hell of a lot better than their set getting canceled altogether. How else would I have been able to headbang to the Fibonacci sequence??
This Is Lorelei
As stated, the conditions on Sunday were dire. Those who stuck it out and traversed the mudlands to make it to the Rebel Stage, however, were rewarded with a kick-ass set from one of the most celebrated songwriters in indie rock today. From the overdriven, amped-up version of Box for Buddy, Box for Star stunner “Where’s Your Love Now” to the twangy, lovable cuts from the recently-released The Singer in My Band, Nate Amos unassumingly lived up to all of the hype he’s received in recent years.
William Shatner
William Shatner at the *uckers, photo by Alec Syrvalin
Believe it or not, Iggy Pop wasn’t the oldest person to take the stage and growl into a microphone at Riot Fest 2026 — William Shatner, 95, has him beat by 16 years. The beloved thespian debuted his new metal band, The *uckers, and previewed his upcoming heavy rock album, What the F Is Heavy Metal?, in spectacular fashion. There was an intro video done by GWAR, fire breathers, and covers of staples like “Crazy Train,” “Ace of Spades,” and “Enter Sandman.” It was a sight to behold, as the band raged away while Shatner delivered impassioned spoken-word vocals. And, in perhaps the most shocking twist of all, the originals were not half bad!
The Crew
Listen, probably the only people who fear bad weather more than fest-goers are the folks actually working the fest, both on the ground and behind the scenes. And yet, all things considered, the Riot Fest crew responded pretty remarkably to the shitty hand they were dealt, staying on course as best as possible. The grounds by the end of Sunday were hellish, and hindsight warriors will say they shouldn’t have messed with the Saturday schedule, but the organizers did a solid job at prioritizing safety while minimizing delays and disruptions. The crew who worked hard to salvage the fest on Sunday morning, and those who worked that wet day of the fest, deserve all the props in the world.
The Fans
And then, of course, the last tip of the hat has to go to all of the Riot Festers who showed up despite the miserable conditions. Heading into Sunday, I wasn’t sure if the continuous rainfall and sopping fields would turn the final day into a ghost town. That wasn’t the case; Folks showed up in droves and made the best of the situation, dancing in the mud with smiles on their faces. Music festivals are ultimately defined by their attendees, and Riot Fest 2026 proved Chicago punks weren’t about to let a little bad weather ruin their good time. Hell yeah to that.
Bonus 11th Pick: The Hot Shower Last Night After Finally Making It Home
God, that was good.
