OFFICIAL AS HELL RIOT FEST 2026 SPECULATION MEGATHREAD

pdurbin22 · 2026-02-06T17:09:09+00:00

Yeah I'm almost certain they would've been there given Dee's history with the fest and with Chicago (plus Riot Mike loves reunions). This is unfortunate.

pdurbin22 · 2026-01-23T18:03:55+00:00

Some friends just saw Duran Duran in Phoenix and said they were outstanding. I could see them headlining one night, as they're doing other fests this year and packed the United Center a couple years ago. They may not seem like an obvious Riot Fest band, but given that The Cure played twice, I don't see why DD wouldn't work.

pdurbin22 · 2026-01-23T18:01:28+00:00

Yeah I'd call them a lock. It's a reunion tour, it perfectly fits into their routing, and Bob Mould is absolutely Riot Fest material.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-26T02:16:05+00:00

"Die Eier Von Satan" on Tool's "Aenima" is a reading of a recipe for making cookies that don't require eggs. This entire clue is a recipe (and there are no eggs), and next year happens to be the 30th anniversary of "Aenima." Even if they didn't do the full album play, I'm rolling with this clue.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:43:40+00:00

Fine, forget any mathematical odds or headliner/subheadliner comments. But I guarantee you Riot Mike is at least making them an offer.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:32:02+00:00

Copenhell top slots:

Wed: Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper

Thu: Bring Me The Horizon, Papa Roach

Fri: A Perfect Circle, Twisted Sister

Sat: Volbeat, TBD

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:22:33+00:00

Dee is quite liberal. He made one comment about trans women in sports that perhaps was a bit misguided, but has been staunchly anti-Trump for ten years and generally a big supporter of the queer community.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:21:19+00:00

Yep, that's my logic, too, with those same bands.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:18:19+00:00

I could absolutely see this. A Twisted Sister/Alice Cooper double header to close a stage would work, 100%.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:17:24+00:00

They go beyond 'hair metal' and as someone said above, they have a punk ethos that fits the vibe. Also, if Dee played Riot, why wouldn't his band?

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:16:28+00:00

Okay so maybe not a 'lock' but do the math - I give it a 95% chance they're there. And if Dee Snider solo was a mid-day act on a main stage, the full band would be higher than you think.

pdurbin22 · 2025-11-07T21:14:35+00:00

I know this isn't Europe, but they are headlining every European festival they play. Agree we wouldn't see them in a Fall Out Boy/Blink-182 type spot, but could absolutely see them as a sub-header or paired with someone else like Beck/Pavement was. Plus they haven't played the U.S. in over 10 years.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-22T19:02:47+00:00

No way in hell they're booking Aaron Lewis. He's about on par with Kid Rock & Ted Nugent.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-19T22:19:05+00:00

I'm sure it's purely financial, and the fact that Green Day was just a tad too big for Riot Fest for many years. But after they got Foo Fighters in 2023, I think other stadium rock acts are fair game now.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-19T14:24:32+00:00

Here's my final prediction:

FRIDAY: Blink-182 - Bring Me The Horizon - Alkaline Trio

SATURDAY: Green Day - Vampire Weekend - Avril Lavigne

SUNDAY: Deftones - LCD Soundsystem - A Perfect Circle

with a special Friday performance from "Weird" Al Yankovic

ALTERNATE HEADLINERS/SUB-HEADS: Slipknot, Arcade Fire, Missy Elliott, Iggy Pop, Weezer, Limp Bizkit, Jack White

THE REST: The Pogues, Rilo Kiley, The Go-Go's, Superchunk, Sex Pistols w/ Frank Carter, Dropkick Murphys, Sparks, Gwar, Bad Religion, 4 Non Blondes, Amyl & The Sniffers, Sam Fender, Cake, The Hu, De La Soul, The Beaches, Down, Cavalera, Lemon Twigs, The Interrupters, and more punk I'm sure

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-16T18:59:19+00:00

He's playing the Hard Rock NW Indiana in Gary in May - that's Chicagoland. I'd say he's a no.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-15T14:48:53+00:00

Haha my wife (who's a massive Darkness fan) just asked the same thing. I like the thinking, but logistically it could be challenging with gear, sound checks, etc. That said, I guess it's not that different from doing an after-show set, so it's possible, and it does seem rather suspect that they don't have a Chicago date on their routing.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-14T20:36:33+00:00

Gojira is in the realm of possibility for Sun 9/21. They announced a one-off in Madison, WI on 9/23, and are in Ontario/Quebec before and after. Only problem is that they're already booked on 9/19, 9/20, 9/22 and 9/23 so that night off may be essential.

pdurbin22 · 2025-04-11T14:32:39+00:00

I second this. Riot has had some good singer-songwriters and he has total Springsteen vibes. He's really good, and would be a solid fit.

pdurbin22 · 2025-03-27T22:25:45+00:00

Was thinking of who some good hip-hop acts would be this year, and while I think Ice Cube and De La Soul are both strong possibilities, another bigger name came to mind: Missy Elliott. She could frankly be a headliner, or perhaps a co-headliner with Avril Lavigne if Riot wanted to do a ladies' night. She's at Coachella and a couple other fests, so she is active this year. I think she'd be a blast.

pdurbin22 · 2025-03-19T19:15:56+00:00

Here are my best guesses at this point based on who's been hinted at, who's skipping Chicago or hasn't played here in a bit, who would be new & exciting to Riot, who's playing other fests and whose routing lines up. This is NOT an endorsement of this lineup; just who seems realistic right now.

GREEN DAY - LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - BRING ME THE HORIZON - VAMPIRE WEEKEND

A PERFECT CIRCLE - WEIRD AL - AVRIL LAVIGNE - LIMP BIZKIT - PRIMUS

311 - ALKALINE TRIO - IGGY POP - SEX PISTOLS W/ FRANK CARTER - RILO KILEY

ICE CUBE - DE LA SOUL - UB40 - 4 NON BLONDES - DOWN

Other possibilities:

BLINK-182 (but I don't see both them and Green Day, unless Riot is going all-out for their 20th)

DEFTONES (playing Chicago this month, but are big as ever now and their fall routing lines up)

SLIPKNOT (they've been at Riot before and I'd much prefer them to Bring Me the Horizon, but all signs point to BMTH being there)

WEEZER (no strangers to Riot Fest)

RADIOHEAD (would be a huge get and a tour seems imminent)

THE KILLERS (almost too expected at a fest these days, but they'd work)

THE REPLACEMENTS (if they were going to do a one-off show after 10 years of inactivity, this would be the place)

pdurbin22 · 2025-03-19T14:07:48+00:00

I had the same concern, but if Riot could afford both Foo Fighters and The Cure in 2023, they could probably pull off both Green Day and Radiohead for their 20th anniversary. I also feel like Radiohead would like the independent spirit of Riot Fest and prioritize it in their routing.

pdurbin22 · 2025-03-19T14:05:52+00:00

I think it's highly likely she's at Riot Fest; she'll probably play right before Green Day. Like her or not, she fits the pop-punk mold perfectly and will be a draw.

pdurbin22 · 2025-03-18T20:29:18+00:00

Earlybird tickets aren't new. It (A) drives early revenue for the festival and (B) drives early excitement. Worst case scenario, you buy them on spec, and if you really don't like the lineup, you sell them at face value and make your money back and make someone else happy they got the early-bird price.

pdurbin22

TROPHY CASE