Tokyo Tea Room (with support from DJ Moonlanding) performing at Schubas Tavern in Chicago, IL on March 23, 2026. All photos taken by Marissa Ding.
Riot Fest | Chicago
Celebrating its 20-year anniversary, Chicago’s annual punk rock music festival, Riot Fest, returned to Douglass Park on September 19th through September 21st, 2025 with hardcore music and guaranteed mosh pits. Headlined by Blink-182 (Friday), Weezer (Saturday), and Green Day (Sunday), this three-day event brings together a unique population of music fans. You’ll see families excited to share their love of music with their young kids singing along to Blink-182’s “All The Small Things” next to a fully tattooed, Liberty spiked emo couple.
Musical festivals are known to bring people together simply for the love of music but, in today’s political climate, this year’s Riot Fest had a different undertone to it. Finding a community we belong to is one of the hardest parts of being human. Riot Fest, however, seemed to make that process effortless. Despite what was going on beyond the gates of Douglass Park, festival-goers were buzzing with excitement from sun up and past sundown all three days.
In addition to the star-studded headliners, the daily line ups were filled with incredible acts. Artists like Rico Nasty and Rilo Kiley brought unique sets to accompany the many punk rock musicians Riot Fest is known to host. Other artists, like GWAR and Green Day, used their time on stage to share their political views. GWAR openly beheaded an “Elon Musk” figure and disemboweled a “Donald Trump” actor, which garnered a lot of attention — both positive and negative — from online viewers. Green Day changed the lyrics of their hit song, “American Idiot,” to ‘I'm not a part of a MAGA agenda.’ On the flip side, a band called Screeching Weasel, stood up for our country’s first amendment right to free speech while also kicking a man out of their crowd for flipping the lead singer off.
The popular theme for many acts this year were album plays, where artists would play through the entirety of a specific album during their stage time, along with hits fans are always excited to see. Weezer played their 1994 album, Weezer, more commonly known as their Blue Album. The Front Bottoms celebrated the ten-year anniversary of their LP, Back On Top, along with hits like “Tighten Up,” “Joanie,” “Outlook,” and “Twin Sized Mattress” to close out their set. Further, fans were treated to The Academy Is…’s Almost Here, Knuckle Puck’s Copacetic, Bad Religion’s Suffer, and The Ataris’ So Long, Astoria. The concept of album plays received mixed reviews amongst fans in-person and online. While some were excited to hear their favorite LPs played in their entirety, others mentioned how they were missing out on the large discographies some artists have.
The most memorable moment of the entire weekend was the surprise appearance of John Stamos. For years, Stamos has been a staple on the Riot festival grounds, albeit in “butter form.” Yes, there is a literal butter (well, plastic) statue of John Stamos in the middle of RiotLand. In order for Stamos to appear, he approached the festival organizers with a list of demands. For example, there needed to be a John Stamos look-alike contest scheduled, a special Riot Fest x John Stamos t-shirt needed to be designed, John Stamos masks needed to be printed and distributed for fans to wear, and no one was allowed to make eye contact with John Stamos’ hair, among many other requests. Whether all of his demands were met or not, Stamos made his official Riot Fest debut as the drummer of The Beach Boys. He shared his thanks for Riot’s love for him and noted how excited he was to finally grace the Riot Fest stage.
Even though I wouldn’t call Riot Fest’s hardcore, punk rock genre my typical type of music, the three-day festival was a great way to spend a long weekend. While Riot does bring together a certain type of music lovers, there were still acts scheduled that anyone could find themself enjoying. Along with this, Riot provides an array of activities for fans to experience, like a small vendor and antique market to peruse, festival rides to enjoy, and a variety of food and drink vendors to try out each day. If you haven’t been to Riot Fest before, it is definitely a must-visit Midwest festival to experience at least once in your life.
Riot Fest has already announced their dates for next year, noting they will return to Chicago from September 18th — 20th, 2026. In recent years, Riot Fest’s return to Douglass Park has stirred up a lot of controversy from the neighborhood it occupies. Nestled in the middle of an already tightly packed community, residents despise the crowds and noise that the festival brings before, during, and after their three-day stay. Organizers have tried moving the festival grounds to a new location before ultimately returning to Douglass Park, so it is unclear what future years may bring. Regardless of where Riot Fest lands next year or beyond, we highly recommend checking out all it has to offer!
Words and photos by Isabel Dowell
ATEEZ | Chicago
This past weekend, Wrigley Field transformed into a fantastical experience as the popular K-Pop group ATEEZ took the stage. Fans of the group gathered in large numbers, their excitement so intense that it could be heard from miles away as soon as the band arrived. Even in the moments leading up to their grand entrance, cheers erupted in the air as their music videos played on the big screen.
Once the performance began, the band's high energy and captivating dance moves, complemented by their talented dancers, electrified the entire stadium. From their stylish costumes to their impressive choreography and theatrical stage presence, ATEEZ delivered an unforgettable show that fans will cherish for years to come.
Words and photos by William Smith
Kasbo | Chicago
Kasbo performing at House of Blues in Chicago, IL on November 15, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
North Coast Music Festival | Chicago
North Coast Music Festival featuring JWILLI, Sherm, ALLEYCVT, ARMNHMR, Dabin, Illenium, Crankdat, BUNT., and ISOKNOCK in Chicago, IL August 30 - September 1, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Artemas | Chicago
Artemas performing at Outset in Chicago, IL on October 1, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Pitchfork Music Festival | Chicago
If you were in Chicago, Illinois, in mid-July, chances are you attended or could hear the cheers and music from Pitchfork Music Festival. Even with headliners Black Pumas (Friday), Jaime XX (Saturday), and Alanis Morissette (Sunday), fans were wary of new changes to the fest after Pitchfork’s recent move under GQ and Condé Nast. However, after a successful weekend of incredible weather, no rain-delays, and zero cancellations, fans were buzzing over the memories made between the gates of Union Park.
Pitchfork Music Festival has always been known for giving a platform to and celebrating up and coming artists, and this year they truly delivered. The three-day lineup introduced us to brand new artists like Tkay Maidza, Yaeji, and Akenya, while also allowing us to dance along to our favorites like Carly Rae Jepsen, MUNA, and Wednesday. We also had the chance to catch interviews, presented by Visit Austin, of MUNA, Mannequin Pussy, Water From Your Eyes, and more. These interviews gave us an up close look at some of our favorite musicians and we were able to learn more about them and their music.
Sponsorships like Nespresso, Tampax, and Celsius, provided free iced espresso, feminine products, and energy drinks, respectively, all weekend long. Other organizations like Chicago Votes and Planned Parenthood made their mark on the festival grounds to share their mission. Local foods vendors lined the street, followed up by the annual poster sale, and circled back to the Renegade Craft and CHIRP Record Fair which hosted local artists and signings from Feeble Little Horse, Water From Your Eyes, and Sweeping Promises. Even if your favorite artist wasn’t on stage, there is always something to do when at Pitchfork!
Festival style was in full effect and the range of outfits was infinite. From comfy and cozy to binging on accessories, festival goers showed up and showed out. The iconic lime-green ‘bart’ tote bag made its way to the front page of Pitchfork’s Instagram — made by a local Chicago artist — friendship charm bracelets were a huge hit, and the numerous pairs of Doc Martens really marked the aesthetic of the weekend.
We are interested to see the changes that could be made further by GQ and Condé Nast during next year’s fest, but we are excited to have experienced Pitchfork Music Festival in all of its glory. Dancing with strangers in general admission pits, lounging on blankets in the park, or sharing a local delicacy from a Chicago food vendor is exactly what Pitchfork is all about and we can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store.
Words and photos by Isabel Dowell
Beyond Wonderland | Chicago
Beyond Wonderland featuring Alesso, Timmy Trumpet, Levity, NGHTMRE, Oliver Heldens, and Maddix in Chicago, IL on June 2, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
William Black | Chicago
William Black performing at Concord Music Hall in Chicago, IL on March 30, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Crankdat | Chicago
Crankdat performing at Park West in Chicago, IL on March 29, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
KSHMR | Chicago
KSHMR performing at PRYSM in Chicago, IL on March 2, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
NOTD | Chicago
NOTD performing at PRYSM in Chicago, IL on February 24, 2024. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
veggi | Chicago
veggi performing at Schubas in Chicago, IL on December 16, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Subtronics | Chicago
Subtronics performing at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL on November 18, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
State Champs | Chicago
State Champs performing at Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, IL on October 19, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
North Coast Music Festival | Chicago
North Coast Music Festival featuring Elohim, Valentino Khan, Zomboy, Jauz, Alesso, Liquid Stranger, Marshmello, ROSSY, Evan Giia, NGHTMRE, Alison Wonderland, Flume, and Vera Blue in Chicago, IL September 1 - 3, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Juno | Chicago
Juno performing at Schubas in Chicago, IL on September 5, 2023. All photos taken by Jared Callaway.
TWINSICK | Chicago
TWINSICK performing at PRYSM Nightclub in Chicago, IL on July 15, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Metric | Chicago
Metric performing at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, IL on June 27, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.
Gryffin | Chicago
Gryffin performing at PRYSM Nightclub in Chicago, IL on June 11, 2023. All photos taken by Emma Zanger.