Our 15 Most Anticipated Artists at Riot Fest 2022

In less than thirty days, Riot Fest will kick off in Chicago at Douglass Park in Chicago. The annual three-day festival is heading into its seventeenth year, with a lineup boasting some of the biggest names in all of alternative, emo, and punk rock. My Chemical Romance, The Original Misfits, and Nine Inch Nails are set to headline this year’s festivities, which kick off on Friday, September 16th in the Chicago area. Check out a list comprised of fifteen of our most anticipated acts for this year’s edition of the festival below.

My Chemical Romance
Date: Friday, September 16th
The New Jersey rock quartet shocked the world back in 2019 when they announced they’d be reuniting. With one new song, “The Foundations of Decay”, taking the world by storm earlier this year, as well as a world tour that sold out every date two years in advance, they’re easily our most anticipated act of this year’s festival. It’s been a long time coming, and we’re ready to see My Chemical Romance take the stage again after all this time.

Placebo
Date: Friday, September 16th
The British rock act have been doing it big since 1994, and the release of their 2022 album Never Let Me Go shows that their music is as expansive as ever. It’s the first piece of new material from the band since 2013, and while the lineup has undergone changes over the last several years, we’re looking forward to seeing what this new era of Placebo brings to the table.

Foxy Shazam
Date: Friday, September 16th
There really is no other band out there like Foxy Shazam. Their highly energetic live shows and albums like The Church of Rock and Roll channeled the glam-rock era of the 80s. This one is a no-brainer: they’re easily going to bring the energy with one of Riot Fest’s most electrifying performances.

Anberlin
Date: Friday, September 16th
From the moment they released their stunning debut Blueprints For The Black Market back in 2005, Anberlin become one of the scene’s most coveted acts. Fans were thrilled when they announced that, after initially disbanding back in 2014, they decided to jump back into the touring circuit. With the release of this year’s Silverline EP, the future is looking bright for the Florida rock act.

LS Dunes
Date: Friday, September 16th
As much as we’re excited about the return of My Chemical Romance, we’re intrigued by the project LS Dunes, who will be taking the stage on the same day as New Jersey’s finest. Guitarist Frank Iero teased earlier this year that he would be announcing a new band and project, but other than that, no other information exists. This is looking to be one of the project’s first ever live performances, and we’re eager to see what happens when the new act takes the stage in Chicago.

Yellowcard
Date: Saturday, September 17th
One of the most dominant names in all of pop-punk had to be Yellowcard. They ruled the touring circuit for decades after releasing 2003’s Ocean Avenue, catapulting them into superstardom and turning them into a household name. After releasing their "final” album, the band called it quits in 2016, only to announce that they would be taking the stage again to perform the coveted album at the Saturday date of this year’s festival. There’s no word on whether this is a one-time deal or an official reformation of the group, but one thing’s for sure: we’ll be front and center.

Sunny Day Real Estate
Date: Saturday, September 17th
One of the most influential acts in all of emo, and one of the defining voices of the Midwest emo scene, This is the band’s third time reuniting over the last couple of decades, and while they haven’t released a new album since 2000’s The Rising Tide, the prospect of catching the Seattle emo act in person is exciting.

Yungblud
Date: Saturday, September 17th
We were absolutely captivated by Yungblud’s show at Ace of Spades in Sacramento earlier this year. The English singer-songwriter is a dynamic performer, and with a new album on the horizon (set to be released on September 2nd), there’s no doubt in our minds that his set is going to be one of the weekend’s best.

Alexisonfire
Date: Saturday, September 17th
Many people thought that Alexisonfire were done for good after they initially disbanded in 2012. But after only a few years, the Canadian post-hardcore act returned to the stage in 2015 (ironically, at Riot Fest in Toronto) to announce that they were officially back. With a new album under their belt, this year’s Otherness, they’re bigger than ever and slated to put on one of the weekend’s most stunning performances.

The Get Up Kids
Date: Saturday, September 17th
Much like Sunny Day Real Estate, there are acts that helped the emo scene rise to power throughout the Midwest. One of these contributors came in the form of The Get Up Kids, who have been making waves and releasing new music for the better part of two decades. Matt Pryor is the leader of one of the emo scene’s forefathers, and their set is not to be missed. They’ll be playing Four Minute Mile, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Ice Cube
Date: Sunday, September 18th
It’s Ice Cube. What more of a reason do you need?

The Academy Is…
Date: Sunday, September 18th
While the Chicago-based act will be performing the night before at Concord Music Hall (their first show since 2015), The Academy Is…’ Riot Fest performance is certain to be one for the books. In addition to being a hometown show, longtime fans will get a chance to hear some of the band’s biggest anthems like “About A Girl”, “We’ve Got A Big Mess On Our Hands”, and “Slow Down”. Treading the line between emo and alternative rock, The Academy Is… are sure to be a weekend must-be.

Midtown
Date: Sunday, September 18th
Shameless SF officially launched in 2013. By that time, Midtown had been disbanded for several years, and frontman Gabe Saporta’s current project, the party-inducing Cobra Starship, was beginning to wind down. To say that we were stunned to hear that one of pop-punk’s best acts was reuniting for a handful of shows earlier this year would be an understatement. Now, can we get a full album show for Living Well Is The Best Revenge?

Jimmy Eat World
Date: Sunday, September 18th
Ten albums deep into their career, and Jimmy Eat World haven’t missed a beat. They’re consistently one of the best live bands we’ve ever covered, and every album expands their sound beyond what we knew they were ever capable of doing. The Arizona rock act are a must-see at any festival.

Save Face
Date: Sunday, September 18th
The new era of the scene is looking bright, and we think that Save Face are going to one of the leader’s of the new sound. We caught them back in February when they opened for The Wonder Years, and they stood out amongst everyone else on the bill. It’s hard to upstage an act like The Wonder Years (who will also be playing the Friday date!) and Save Face bring forth a unique blend of emo, punk, and alternative rock that feels eerily reminiscent of their peers that emerged in the early 2000s.

Tickets for Riot Fest are available, and you can click here to find out more information.

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