10 Local Riot Fest Acts To Catch: Twin Peaks, Alkaline Trio, Rise Against And More

DOUGLASS PARK — Riot Fest is returning to Chicago Friday, bringing a stacked lineup of punk rock and alternative music to Douglass Park during its annual three-day festival.

Heavy-hitting headliners include the duo Twenty One Pilots, the proclaimed “godfather of punk” Iggy Pop, progressive metal band Tool and former Smiths frontman Morrissey. The festival’s lineup also includes Chicago punk legends Alkaline Trio and alt-rock band Twin Peaks — which was born out of Chicago’s DIY movement — plus a number of up-and-coming local bands and other favorites.

In fact, Riot Fest points out that four of the local bands playing this year are from the fest-adjacent neighborhoods of North Lawndale and Little Village: Largemouth, Rose of Demise, Aim High and Almost There But Not Really.

Largemouth won their stage spot at Riot Fest in the fest’s annual Community Band Competition, which drew over 100 entries. The festival slated Rose of Demise from the competition as well.

Here’s the lineup of local acts to check out at Riot Fest this year, in order of appearance:

Almost There Not Really

South Side locals and Latino shoegaze band Almost There Not Really are making their Riot Fest debut, bringing loud reverb, driving rhythms and distorted sound to the stage in Douglass Park.

The band has climbed the ranks in the Chicago DIY scene, recently selling out the iconic “Free Mondays” music series at the Empty Bottle, when an audience of 350 gathered at the Ukrainian Village venue to hear hits like “Never Is” and “Empty” from the band’s EP and single drops.

“We’re used to playing dive bars and small clubs,” band founder, songwriter and guitarist Armando told Block Club. “Going from playing someone’s basement to playing Riot Fest is pretty crazy.”

Armando first attended the festival in 2013 where he remembers hearing the Pixies play. The four-member band all have roots in Chicago’s South Side coming from immigrant Mexican families. Vocalist Jay Sanchez even grew up in Little Village, spending half their life with Riot Fest essentially “being in their backyard.” Armando’s parents first immigrated to Pilsen in the 1980s, spending their early years in America living in a basement.

The band’s Chicago and immigrant roots are pivotal to their music and mission, Armando said — and is something the band is hoping to bring to the festival.

“We always want our music to represent our lived experiences as Mexicans growing up on the South Side,” Armando said. “There’s not a lot of Latinos in this space, and we always want to make sure that space is getting bigger, especially right now with the politics involved.”

With continued unprecedented immigration enforcement and targeting of immigrant communities, especially in Chicago, Almost There Not Really uses classic elements of shoegaze and indie music, complete with melancholy, swaying lyrics to take a stand through music in “probably the biggest show” the band has played yet.

“It’s more important than ever to show up and have something to say,” Armando said. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Catch Almost There Not Really at their Riot Fest debut 12:15 p.m. Friday at the Radical Stage.

Worry Club

Formed by Chicagoan Chase Walsh and visual artist Zack Zagula in 2020, Worry Club has spent the last six years racking up stream numbers and releasing hits with an impossible-to-miss blend of bedroom pop and Midwest emo.

With passionate lyrics and building tempos, Worry Club’s almost-nostalgic sound is shown through hit songs like “Anything Else,” released in 2025. The band is fresh off its first album release, with “I’m Freaking Out” dropping in February under following a number of successful single and EP releases.

Worry Club is hitting the Radical Stage at 3:15 p.m. Friday.

Alkaline Trio

Punk lovers can channel their emo side with Chicago’s very own Alkaline Trio as they make their homecoming at Riot Fest. Formed in 1996, the three-man group is known for their macabre and emo lyrics made energetic with catchy hooks and fast tempos. They have played Riot many times, most recently with a headlining gig in 2025.

Their hit song “Mercy Me” shouts out Chicago: “I took a long walk straight back home,
I could’ve walked back to Chicago,” while other tunes hone on typical horror imagery like skeletons, blood and death. The band has an upcoming nationwide tour alongside their “Windy City brethren” Rise Against through September.

Alkaline Trio will be at the Roots Stage on 5:25 p.m. Friday.

Rise Against

Born out of Chicago’s local punk scene in 1999, Rise Against is bringing classic Windy City punk rock to Riot Fest. Known for their fast-paced tempos and high energy tunes, complete with socially-conscious lyrics touching everything from politics to relationships, the band has become beloved internationally.

The punk group hit the mainstream with their debut album “The Unraveling,” which was released in 2001 under the independent label Fat Wreck Records. Their hit song “Savior” from their fifth studio album “Appeal to Reason,” released in 2008, broke Billboard records for being the longest-running song on the alternative music charts at 65 weeks. The band also recently dropped two singles in August following a 2025 album release.

Rise Against is bringing their head-bang-worthy classics and new hits to the Roots Stage 7:35 p.m. Friday.

Aim High

Even though Aim High was originally founded in South Carolina, the band has officially relocated to Chicago, spending nearly the last year bringing their twist on pop-punk to the city.

“Chicago is amazing, the best city ever and it ain’t even close,” vocalist Calebjustcaleb, who prefers to go by his stage name, told Block Club. “Relocating the project up here and becoming a local band in the area has been amazing. Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive.”

Aim High describes their sound as “alternative core,” pulling elements from the diverse spectrum of alternative and hardcore music to create their own trademark sound.

The band has been promoting their upcoming Riot Fest debut on Instagram, calling the five-member pop-punk alternative group “the tiniest little emo band” on the festival’s lineup. But hits like “Here Lies Kakarot’s Hopes & Dreams,” which exudes classic punk vibes with the band’s signature heavy drums and striking guitar chords, have amassed millions of plays on streaming services while the band continues to promote new music off their June EP, “FREE CASKETS.”

“[We’re] feeling super stoked and blessed to be able to hit the stage this weekend,” Calebjustcaleb said. “Excited to perform and also excited to soak up new music and experiences from everyone else.”

Aim High will be performing at the Radical Stage at noon Saturday.

Largemouth

The youngest performers at Riot Fest also happen to be Chicago locals, with the group made up of 11-year-old Oliver, 15-year-old Jeremy and 16-year-old Jorgie quickly becoming a punk rock powerhouse.

Just because they’re young doesn’t mean the brother-trio strays away from intense sounds with a bass line that could shake floors. The band’s latest single “Keep A Secret” features hardcore drums complete with energetic lyrics that build. As the band’s website says, “And while yes, they are just kids, they’re not just writing songs about runaway dogs and hating chores.” But the band does hone in on Gen Z imagery, with the opening of their new music video including shots of a fingerboarder wearing a real tree camouflage hoodie.

Catch the brothers perform tracks like “Cool It Down” and more at the Rebel Stage at noon Sunday.

Rose of Demise

Chicago band Rose of Demise will be bringing the Windy City heavy metal vibes to Riot Fest with plenty of banging tunes complete with screamo ad libs guaranteed to bring a beyond high energy performance to the festival — perfect for those who love a mosh pit.

The four-member heavy metal band, adorned with sleeves of tattoos and grungy black outfits, is known for their show-stopping live performances which draw fans to iconic Chicago venues like Cobra Lounge to hear hits like “Mephisto” and more.

Kick off the day with Rose of Demise at the Radical Stage at 12:35 p.m. Sunday.

Sincere Engineer

Formed by self-taught singer and songwriter Deanna Belos, Sincere Engineer is a product of Chicago’s robust and ever-growing DIY music scene. Known for their catchy pop-punk anthems, Belos is now joined by three other band members as they make their return to Riot Fest.

Hits like “Trust Me” feature Belos’ belts, screams and smooth vocals complete with a gritty punk sound and emo-style lyrics reminiscent of the 2010s, refined with precise drum rhythms and guitar riffs.

Catch local favorite Sincere Engineer at the Roots Stage at 2:25 p.m. Sunday.

Patti Smith

Singer, songwriter, poet and author Patti Smith may be best known for her influence on the New York City punk scene, but the artist was actually born in Chicago in 1946, spending her early years in Lincoln Park before moving to the East Coast.

Smith’s long and prosperous career has lended to hits that combine the artist’s knack for alluring poetry and spoken word with classic rock elements. Officially beginning her music career in 1978, the artist has spend the last four decades releasing tracks like “Gloria: In Excelsis Deo,” “Because the Night” and “People Have the Power.”

Smith’s influence on Chicago isn’t lost, with the artist being the recipient of this year’s Harold Washington Literary Award, awarded to notable artists who produce diverse works addressing contemporary issues. The “Godmother of Punk” made a visit to her hometown last week to accept the award.

Patti Smith will be playing with her band at 6:10 p.m. Sunday at the Rise Stage.

Twin Peaks

Chicago-born band Twin Peaks is making their third Riot Fest appearance, bringing their alternative indie sound to the punk rock festival.

Rising from Chicago’s communal DIY music scene from house shows and smaller venues, Twin Peaks hit the mainstream in 2010, with their debut album “Sunken” dropping in 2013. The five-member group are graduates from Lane Tech High School and Jones College Prep — the same alma mater as Chance the Rapper.

The band’s indie sound is made almost dream-like with smooth vocals, music breaks complete with horns and saxophones, plus catchy drum beats. Songs like “Blue Coupe” and “Making Breakfast” have quickly become classics for the indie-music-obsessed. The band famously reunited in Chicago earlier this year for a run of nine sold-out performances at Thalia Hall, bringing the nostalgic tunes of the 2010s to 2026.

Twin Peaks will be closing out the Rebel Stage at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

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